Family charity treks in Cuba
| country: | Cuba |
| departures: | 2009: 27 Feb, 9 May, 30 Oct |
| price: | From £295 deposit + £2675 fundraised (55% to charity) (10 days) inc UK flights. Self funders - £295 deposit + £1304 (inc £100 to charity) |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Take the whole family and trek in the Cuban Escambray Mountains and raise money for your favourite charity at the same time as taking part in an amazing adventure!
Highlights include:
World Heritage sites of Havana and Trinidad Trek through citrus groves & sugar plantations Santa Clara, site of the Revolution's Final Battle Explore Old Havana Optional Beach or Havana city extension
Your trek starts in the vibrant capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Havana. Much of Havana's old quarter remains untouched despite the various wars and revolutions that have taken place over the last 200 years.
Once out of Havana, things are generally quieter and more easygoing. But for you, this is where your challenge begins. You will be trekking for four days, for between 6 to 7 hours a day, passing farms, coffee plantations and fruit plantations.
The terrain is undulating, and in parts tough going, but with amazing views and tropical waterfalls to bathe in, it is well worth the effort. You will visit the city of Santa Clara, famed for the final battle of the Cuban Revolution, the Sierra del Escambray and finally the beautiful city of Trinidad.
Please note: This trip can also be booked without flights. Some of the dates are exclusive for specific charities, please contact us for details.
Highlights include:
Your trek starts in the vibrant capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Havana. Much of Havana's old quarter remains untouched despite the various wars and revolutions that have taken place over the last 200 years.
Once out of Havana, things are generally quieter and more easygoing. But for you, this is where your challenge begins. You will be trekking for four days, for between 6 to 7 hours a day, passing farms, coffee plantations and fruit plantations.
The terrain is undulating, and in parts tough going, but with amazing views and tropical waterfalls to bathe in, it is well worth the effort. You will visit the city of Santa Clara, famed for the final battle of the Cuban Revolution, the Sierra del Escambray and finally the beautiful city of Trinidad.
what this trip includes
International flights to and from Cuba, all meals and drinking water unless otherwise stated in the itinerary, all transfers in Cuba, all accommodation whether in hacienda or hotel, group first aid supplies, an English-speaking expedition leader and full local support team, a T-Shirt, US$20 equivalent to the local community project, and discount from Nomad Travellers Stores for personal equipment. We obtain your Cuban Tourist card for you. We also make a contribution through Climate Care to offset the equivalent CO2 emissions of your international flight. Please note: This trip can also be booked without flights. Some of the dates are exclusive for specific charities, please contact us for details.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | London to Havana. Meet at the airport, for your flight to Cuba, the world’s 15th largest island, landing at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Havana - Cuba’s capital. Our representative will be there to assist you with the check-in and any last minute questions. On arrival in Havana, you will be met at the airport by your local expedition leader who will transfer you to a three star hotel for a welcome Mojito (Cuban cocktail pronounced Mo-hi-to) and a briefing for the week’s challenge ahead. |
| Day 2: | Havana. Havana, founded in 1519, is now the Caribbean’s largest city. The week’s challenge takes place in Cuba’s countryside, trekking through rural villages, so today; you will get the chance to experience city life in Havana before the hard work begins. Exploring frenetic Havana gives the feeling of being transported back in time by 50 years, or walking onto a huge film set. You will visit the most outstanding places such as Old Havana, Plaza de Armas and Cathedral Square street markets, amongst other locations. Lunch will take place in a typical Cuban restaurant in Habana Vieja. In the afternoon you will be transferred to Hanabanilla Lake, where you will stay overnight in a hotel. |
| Day 3: | Hiking from Lake Hanabanilla – 15 kms. Lake Hanabanilla is Cuba’s largest man-made reservoir, surrounded by tropical vegetation and small farmsteads growing coffee, bananas and citrus fruits. You will take a boat across the lake and continue trekking to Casa de la Gallega, an old hacienda. A further hour’s walk brings you to the Salto de Rocio a 25m high waterfall, perfect for a late afternoon swim. This trail is a great place to see Cuban trogons, hummingbirds and woodpeckers. Depending on your viewpoint you may be lucky/unlucky enough to see the Santa Maria Cuban Boa, which grows to four meters and is very occasionally seen here. Overnight is at the Casa de la Gallega, sleeping under the eaves of the hacienda on foam mattresses. |
| Day 4: | Casa de la Gallega to Codina – 18kms. Over the next four days you will trek across the awe inspiring Escambray Mountains, Cuba’s second largest range. The highest peak is Pico San Juan at 1,140m. After the revolution opponents of Fidel Castro used these hills to hide and attack the new government’s officials. The slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines and an abundance of ancient tree-ferns, bamboo and eucalyptus. From the Casa de la Gallega you spend the following day hiking mostly uphill, reaching a second Hacienda, in the late afternoon. Accommodation is again on in a hacienda, tents or under the stars! |
| Day 5: | Codina to Topes de Collantes – 12 kms. After walking around the hacienda’s educational trail, passing orchids and medicinal plants and traversing a cave through the mountains you head for Topes de Collantes. Topes has been used as a medicinal centre due to its clean mountain air and was once a favoured destination for the world’s communist leaders. From here you drop down a steep descent to Salto Caburni for a swim in a crystal clear pool before continuing to the end of today’s hike. You sleep tonight at a small hotel in Topes de Collantes – the disco provides some real Cuban entertainment! |
| Day 6: | Topes de Collantes to Vega Grande - 15kms. After breakfast you will have an arduous, mostly uphill trek along the trail known as the ‘Vega Grande Trail’ meaning large fertile plain. This trail takes you through dense vegetation deep into the heart of the Escambray Mountains. You will reach ‘Mi Retiro’ hacienda for a late lunch before returning for an overnight stay in hotel. |
| Day 7: | Topes de Collantes to El Cubano - 15kms. The last day of your trek is through dry scrub with occasional views of the turquoise Caribbean. Towards the end of the day you visit your third and final waterfall before celebrating the completion of the challenge with a few Cuban cocktails and lunch at a local restaurant. From here we transfer by road to our hotel nestling along the beaches of the Ancon Peninsula just outside Trinidad. You sleep tonight in a hotel on southern Cuba’s best beach. |
| Day 8: | Trinidad - Relaxation! A full day of relaxation during which you can simply lie on the beach or by the pool and rest weary limbs, or visit the charming town of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is a living museum, with cobbled streets and colonial housing. It has changed little in the last 150 years, and is a wonderful place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere of Cuba. |
| Day 9: | “Ciao”. The morning is free for further exploration or recovery after a night’s celebrations! In the afternoon you drive direct to Havana’s airport for your flight back to the UK. |
| Day 10: | Arrive UK. |
Additional optional extension available to Havana City or Ancon Beach.
family charity challenges
An increasing number of our clients have returned from our trips, delighted and hungry for more. What's more, many of our adventurers are keen to share this powerful and moving experience with their families. We have therefore launched a series of itineraries for families with children aged 12 and over. The challenges are exactly the same as those advertised in our brochure, but are geared up for those with children. Groups will be made up of like-minded adventurous families, who can rest assured that their trip has been designed to meet their needs. These groups will run during school holidays. There will be a substantial reduction for a child sharing a room with their parents, and up to three other children will be able to share a second room together. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
 We help the local communities we visit; we employ local guides, porters and other essential support staff, and where possible use locally owned accommodation. We donate USD$500 per ride to the Historical Preservation Society of Havana or The Children’s Rehabilitation Centre. The Historical society of Havana works with the city’s authorities in renovating and helping the regeneration of the old city. It is hoped that this revamp, will in turn encourage tourists to visit and create a better standard of living for the Havana community. The Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Senén Casas, was founded more than four years ago, and currently a total of 40 children attend. The Centre is believed to alleviate the evils of the body and to strengthen the soul. The centre is a joint venture between the Office of the Historian of the City, the government and the Ministry of Health. Amongst the children who attend are some with cerebral paralysis. The children whose treatment progresses well are given the opportunity to continue their education and self growth at special education centres, who cater for their individual needs. Others stay at the centre and are cared for and treated until they reach adulthood. The team at the centre are specialists in psychology, education, logopedia, occupational therapy, physical rehabilitation and social work. Everyone who works at the centre has the commitment and devotion to improve and enhance the life of these children. As a company we have also drastically reduced the carbon footprint of our UK operations, and are making a huge effort to do so in their destination countries too. We are also investing to offset the emissions from the international flights required to take part in our challenges. We also provide travellers with a responsible tourism policy detailing ways in which you can be an ethical traveller. From packing conscientiously to advice on local customs & environmental awareness overseas to maintaining contact with your new international friends upon your return – our policy is a comprehensive document providing all the info you need to trek, climb of cycle responsibly. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |