Cuba cycling holiday

Cuba cycling holiday

How Cuba cycling holiday makes a difference

Environment

We start with a local perspective - that's our philosophy. Whether abroad, or just as importantly at home, the start point is the same; how to get the most enjoyable holiday for our customers while benefiting the local people, economy and respecting their environment and their culture.

Cycling around Cuba enables us to visit isolated towns and villages well-off the normal tourist track. We take time to visit la Terrazas, an eco-development near Soroa which helps us learn about the local environment and a way of life past and present. La Terrazas was designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1984. Biosphere reserves aim to exchange knowledge and experiences on sustainable development innovations and our customers are able to learn about how the project enhances people's livelihoods and ensures environmental sustainability.

We deliberately keep our group sizes small, usually no more than 12 participants, which minimises environmental impact. Cuba´s Flora is one of the richest and most diverse in the Caribbean. Full of pine forests and mangrove, and thousands of different plant species. Many are protected as they’re in danger of extinction. We cycle with the Sierra Maestra Mountains as a backdrop, which are considered a huge botanical garden for their variety of flora, and is a officially protected area. Keeping the group sizes small allow protected areas like these to remain beautiful, and not be overwhelmed with large groups of tourists at once.

We also try to reduce our ecological footprint here in the UK office by encouraging our staff to cycle, walk or use public transport to work, by operating recycling paper systems in the office and use print cartridges that are recycled and by using recycled and environmentally friendly paper for our promotional publications , brochures and letter-heads.

Voted one of the Best Tour Operators in two categories in the Guardian / Observer Travel Awards 2010.

Voted in February 2010, by The Guardian newspapers list of experts as one of the top 75 outstanding green travel companies in the Guardian Green Travel List 2010.

Winner of the Guardian Observer Award for Best Small Short Break Tour Operator, runner up in the Online Booking Award and Best Small Tour Operator award 2011.

Community

Our cycling trip in Cuba is as much a way of experiencing the life, history and culture of this fascinating island as it is about a great cycling holiday. As well as our own guides, we have local guides who, through their stories, memories and experience will help you to understand this unique way of life.

Our trip takes us on a journey through the history of Cuba. We visit many sites of great importance to the revolution; we take a city tour of Santiago de Cuba with local expert guides, stay in the provincial town of Niquero – the landing point for Castro, Che and the revolutionaries, visit Santa Domingo – the secret jungle base used to control the revolution by Castro himself, and stay in Trinidad – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The trip will allow you to experience the lives of the people of Cuba and we choose a variety of accommodation to help you experience the many different sides of Cuba. For many people, one of the highlights of the trip is staying in casa particulares, homestays with local people who will welcome you into their homes and give you a unique insight into their lives. During the trip we will eat in paladors, local restaurants run by local people, reflecting the changing political atmosphere and of course we take the time to learn about local tradition by watching local bands and learning salsa dancing.

We aim to ensure that the local supplier, their employees and guides receive a fair wage for their activities measured by locally appropriate standards

Cuba cycling holiday

Cuba cycling holiday