Cuba holiday, culture and nature

Planet

While long haul travel to Cuba is, by its very nature, not particularly eco-friendly, we try very hard to minimise our effect on the environment. You'll leave your vehicle behind you and explore the local area on foot, or in the case of Vinales, by horse. Discover the hidden waterfalls of Las Terrazas and learn about how this area has become Cuba's pioneering eco-tourism area, retraining farmers into local guides and in the process protecting this unique biosphere.

At home, we have recycling points within the office to encourage all staff to reduce their carbon footprint and even compost our food waste so that it doesn’t end up in landfill. As we work with partners across the globe, we regularly use tele-conferencing instead of flights to reduce our carbon emissions.

We believe that it’s our duty to inform our customers about ways that they too can reduce their environmental impact when they travel to and around Cuba. We therefore advise our customers to be mindful of their electricity and water usage while they’re in Cuba, to take their rubbish away with them, especially when visiting areas of outstanding natural beauty, and to be aware of the exploitation of plants and wildlife, including the illegal export of endangered species.

People

We feel that it's important to make that long-haul flight worth it, so we work hard to ensure that our trips benefit the local community. We prioritise small-scale, locally owned accommodation with plenty of character across Cuba. During this itinerary you’ll stay in a mix of cosy hotels and casa particulars. Casa are similar to a guest house or a bed and breakfast with just a few rooms and a warm welcome. They’re owned and run by local families, often within their own home, so by staying here you’re putting money directly into the pockets of the local people and minimising the impact of tourism on the local culture.

In each of our destinations we support a local project and give our customers the option to make a small donation when they book their trip with us. As music is such an important part of Cuban culture, we’ve chosen to support Music fund for Cuba, a UK based charity that was established in 2001. It was set up in memory of the singer Kirsty MacColl who was inspired by Cuban music and fell in love with the Cuban culture and its people. They support education and development of music and performing arts across the country. The music fund provides much needed support and equipment for children and young Cuban musicians, dancers and artists through the island.

Our experiences in this itinerary will bring you to the heart of Cuba. You'll hang out with the guajiros in Vinales and learn the art of cigar-rolling alongside the locals. You'll have plenty of time to dance the night away in Santa Clara and head off the typical tourist route to visit the less-known town of Camaguey.