Tailor made holiday to Western Cuba
| country: | Cuba |
| location: | Western Cuba |
| departures: | Available all year. This suggested itinerary can be modified entirely to your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used and how long you spend in each destination. |
| price: | From £3100 per person (15 days) including flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Tailor made holiday to Western Cuba
This tour encompasses the highlights of Western Cuba. It includes extensive time in the atmospheric capital of Havana visiting the old colonial centre, cigar factories, the artisanal area and the wonderful organoponicos - allotments in the suburbs.
From Havana travel south to the fascinating historical city of Trinidad to explore its beautiful colonial heart and the Escambray mountains before heading north again to Cienfuegos for the night and travelling via the Bay of Pigs to the stunning tobacco region of Vinales, with its striking scenery of 'mogotes'. End your trip with time in the farming community and conservation area at Las Terrazas to relax and take walks and the opportunity for a day-trip to one of Cuba's most beautiful white sand beaches at Cayo Levisa.
best time to go: Nov-May is dry season but out of season is much quieter. The hurricane season from August-October should be avoided.
From Havana travel south to the fascinating historical city of Trinidad to explore its beautiful colonial heart and the Escambray mountains before heading north again to Cienfuegos for the night and travelling via the Bay of Pigs to the stunning tobacco region of Vinales, with its striking scenery of 'mogotes'. End your trip with time in the farming community and conservation area at Las Terrazas to relax and take walks and the opportunity for a day-trip to one of Cuba's most beautiful white sand beaches at Cayo Levisa.
best time to go: Nov-May is dry season but out of season is much quieter. The hurricane season from August-October should be avoided.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly direct to Havana from London Gatwick. On arrival after passing through immigration and collecting your luggage you will be met and transferred to your hotel by classic American car. |
| Day 2: | Spend the morning exploring Havana's beautiful old town on foot with your guide. Discover the four main squares and enjoy lunch at the famous La Bodeguita del Medio. The afternoon is at leisure. |
| Day 3: | Walking tour. Today you'll be taken on a walking tour through some of the organoponicos, allotments in the suburbs of Havana - given the embargo, organic home produce has been a success and this plot in the crumbling suburbs of Alamar supplies most of Havana. Lunch is included. |
| Day 4: | Vedado & Hamel Alley. This morning you'll be taken to Vedado area to visit Visual Art and some modern art studios. Then on to Hamel Alley and the Fuster neighbourhood to see the street art. Lunch is included. Afternoon at leisure. |
| Day 5: | Trinidad. This morning you will be driven to Trinidad. This afternoon time at leisure to relax and explore Trinidad. In the evening perhaps venture to the Casa de la Troba for live music and salsa! |
| Day 6: | Trinidad culture. This morning you will explore the colonial heart of Trinidad with your guide, taking in its palaces, churches, squares and museums before lunch at a colonial restaurant. The afternoon is at leisure. |
| Day 7: | Escambray mountains. Today you will explore the Escambray mountains. This group excursion is in a Russian jeep or truck (depending on numbers) to make the steep journey! You will trek through the forest to a waterfall. |
| Day 8: | Cienfuegos. Today you will be driven to Cienfuegos, stopping at the Jardin botanical gardens on the way. Enjoy a leisurely walking tour of Cienfuegos's compact colonial centre and walk along the Malecon. |
| Day 9: | Zapata Peninsula. An early start as you are driven to the Zapata Peninsula and Bay of Pigs. Spend the day exploring the swamp and bay. After lunch you will have time for swimming and snorkelling before continuing onto Vinales. |
| Day 10: | Cycling tour. This morning you will meet with your bike guide and join a small group for a cycling tour around some of the flat terrain around the Mogotes (limestone outcrops) of the valley visiting the Mural de la Prehistoica, Palenque and Cueva del Indio. After lunch you will be collected by a pony and trap and taken back to the hotel Los Jasmines for a well deserved 'Mojito' cocktail, whilst enjoying the vista from this lovely view point. |
| Day 11: | At leisure in Vinales. You may like to organise some bike riding, rock climbing or walking locally. |
| Day 12: | Transfer to the beautiful Las Terrazas conservation community up in the hills - enjoy beautiful views around the boating lake and a choice of good restaurants, cafes and art galleries. |
| Day 13: | Free day for activities. Why not take a row boat or kayak out onto the Lago del San Juan? Alternatively explore the countryside by bike or horse, both available for hire from your hotel, or take some of the walking trails across the forest. The habitat supports 117 bird species so is a haven for birdwatchers. |
| Day 14: | Cayo Levisa. Today you will be taken to Cayo Levisa by car and boat for a day of relaxation on the pristine beach and some snorkelling; You'll catch the last boat back to mainland, to return to las Terrazas at 6pm. |
| Day 15: | Depart. Today you'll be driven to the airport for your return flight to UK |
tailor made holidays
This trip can be tailor made to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of these trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment:
The Moka Ecolodge at Las Terrazas encourages responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people. Part of its electricity comes from solar panels, and some of the food served is grown in hydroponic, organic gardens. Through projects such as a recycling programme, Moka has also raised environmental awareness in the community. The Lodge funds conservation and scientific research, protects fragile and pristine ecosystems. It also promotes rural development and enhances ecological and cultural sensitivity in the travel industry. Community: Responsible Travel in Cuba is not easy as the government prefer to prevent visitors from getting a true insight into the locals' lives, hence the encouragement of large 'all-inclusive' type hotels. However, we see Cuba differently: we employ local Cuban guides and drivers to escort you throughout your trip who are more than happy to chat about life today in communist Cuba. In this itinerary you will be supporting the community by visiting local artists in their studios and the organic gardens of Havana, eating at the wonderful family-run restaurants/paladars (so your money goes directly to the locals rather then the state), and exploring the rural area of Pinar del Rio to appreciate the countryside on bike rides, or by pony and trap! There are also long walks you can take in the conservation area of Las Terrazas where you will be able to visit the local farming community, in the foothills of the Sierra del Rosario Reserve and even have the opportunity to stay with a local family. It is the largest UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Caribbean and the main centre for ecotourism within Cuba. Merely by visiting Cuba itself will also enhance the locals lives as you bring money into the country which will help subsidise their meagre state salaries. |
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. |
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