Cuba Adventure Holiday

• 1

  Join tour in Havana

  We arrive in Havana and check-in to our hotel. Situated in 'Old Havana', it is well-placed for exploring the historical centre on foot.
  
  Built around a deep natural harbour, the capital of Cuba is one of the most impressive surviving colonial cities in the Americas. Thankfully, wars and revolution have done little to damage 500 years of heritage. Founded during the Spanish Conquest of the 1500s, Havana proved a convenient stopping-off point for the transport of looted treasures from the New World. Future centuries saw its wealth increase further from the trade of sugar, rum, tobacco and coffee.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  None

• 2

  Tour of Havana's highlights, free afternoon

  Modern-day Havana is a mixture of restored and crumbling architectural marvels. Our morning tour explores the city, driving past art deco style buildings along the coastal esplanade of the Malecon and through the Vedado and Miramar suburbs. On our travels, we will doubtless see many brightly-painted vintage cars - the result of legislation enforced until 2011 ruling that only cars built before the 1959 revolution could be sold. We may also notice the lack of advertising - nothing but political exhortations are allowed. On foot, we explore the Vieja (old) district, with its baroque cathedral,beautiful neoclassical buildings and the Plaza de Armas (main square).
  
  During your free afternoon you may choose to visit the fascinating Museum of the Revolution, housed in the impressive former Presidential Palace. The City Museum is also worth a visit, exhibiting art and historical artefacts in rooms preserved with their original Colonial decoration. Alternatively, you may prefer to visit the famous cigar factory or relax in one of the many vibrant bars of the city.
  
  Later this afternoon, we will enjoy a cocktail making class where we can learn to make some of Cuba's famous drinks including mojitos and pina coladas.
  
  This evening, we have the option to sample some of the capital's famous nightlife. El Floridita is as celebrated for its daiquiris as it is for having been a favourite hangout for Ernest Hemingway. Likewise, the Hotel Ambos Mundos is another Hemingway landmark where the 1954 Nobel Prize winner and author of 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' lived for several years. Its roof terrace serves up exceptional mojitos - the traditional Cuban cocktail.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 3

  Travel to Trinidad via the Bay of Pigs Museum

  Today, we head east across Cuba, driving through giant citrus and sugar plantations and out on to the Zapata Peninsula. Our journey is broken up with a wonderful swimming opportunity in a 'cenote' (pool) where the ceiling of an underground river has collapsed. We plan to arrive in Playa Giron by mid-afternoon. Here we will visit the museum dedicated to the infamous 'Bay of Pigs' invasion - a US-supported attack by Cuban exiles which failed to overthrow the Communist regime in 1961.
  
  We then travel to Cienfuegos, a colonial seaport, where we take a walking tour of the town, including the Marti Park overlooked by the grand Italian-style Tomas Terry Theatre. Our journey continues, past the wooded Escambray Mountains and hugging the coastline, with views over the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. By early evening, we will arrive at our homestay just outside the beautiful Spanish colonial town of Trinidad - our base for the next two nights.

  Overnight: Simple Casas Particulares
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 4

  Explore Trinidad, optional boat trip to Cayo Las Iguanas

  This morning, we wander through the cobbled streets of the old centre of Trinidad, discovering its fine palaces, churches and cafes. A paradise for photographers, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a perfectly preserved colonial settlement unlike any other. In the early 19th century, French settlers fleeing a slave revolt in Haiti, landed here and started to grow sugar cane in the Valle de Los Ingenios. This crop generated considerable wealth and consequently the town had to be regularly defended from pirates.
  
  Subject to opening hours, we will visit a local museum before our free afternoon. You may choose to relax on the six kilometres of Playa Ancon's white stand beach nearby, or take a boat trip to the equally stunning beach on Cayo Las Iguanas (this is a full day excursion). There is also the opportunity to take a salsa lesson with a local teacher. Alternatively, you might prefer to wander for longer through Trinidad's streets to soak up more of the unique atmosphere.
  Later, those keen to sample some of Cuba's famed nightlife can visit the open-air Casa de la Musica, just off the main square.

  Overnight: Simple Casas Particulares
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 5

  Journey to Topes de Collantes, walk to waterfall

  Today we travel inland to Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park, famous for its many endemic species of flora and fauna. We can look forward to a two-night stay here to explore this glorious area.
  After a ride in an old Russian military-style truck up a steep, switch-back road into the lush Escambray Mountains, we arrive at the park entrance. Here we meet our local guide who, along with our Tour Leader, will help us to explore the park. -There is an eight kilometre trek to our hacienda accommodation. Those who would prefer not to walk can continue with the truck to the hacienda.
  Our hike can vary slightly, depending on the weather and the group, but it is likely to take us into the coffee-growing valley of the Guayanara River. The paths are undulating and can be uneven underfoot, but the views and sense of remoteness are truly rewarding. Along our route, we see Cuba's highest lake, Embalse Hanabanilla, pass rural homes and watch shepherds minding their herds of goats. After about four hours' walking, we arrive at our hacienda, a small farmstead set in a rocky valley, for lunch.
  The afternoon is free. However, we recommend the five kilometre circular walk (approximately three hours) to the Salto de Rocio Waterfall - an area flush with trogons, hummingbirds and woodpeckers. To get to the waterfallwe follow a riverside track where we are likely to see impressive tree fern, bromeliad and orchid species. On arrival at the spectacular waterfalls and lakes, adventurous swimmers can enjoy a dip, while others may choose to relax on the banks.
  
  The accommodation at the hacienda is simple. After supper, we sleep out under the eaves of the hacienda's veranda or on covered sleeping platforms, with male and female washing facilities in a block nearby. Foam mattresses are provided, but you will benefit from bringing a sleeping bag. Tents may also be available for those who prefer camping. The fresh mountain air and the peace and quiet of the night, with its canopy of stars, is usually enough to ensure a good night's sleep. Day 5 and 6 may be swapped around.

  Overnight: Simple Camping

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• 6

  Walks in Topes de Collantes National Park

  This morning, we start with a short drive in our Russian truck to the start of our four-hour trek (approximately eight kilometres). Again, anyone not wanting to make the walk can travel on to the night-stop with the truck.
  Today, we walk through an unspoilt land of forest, water-eroded valleys, rushing waterfalls and underground rivers. We trek through pine forest and along paths bordered by mahogany and hibiscus. If we're lucky, we may see brightly-coloured hummingbirds flash past, darting from flower to flower, searching for nectar. When we reach La Batata, there is an opportunity to swim in an open cave through which an underground river gently carves out rock pools. The water rarely exceeds 20°C, so it's exhilarating! We then trek on through the forest until we reach an isolated, century-old hacienda, set in a lush valley. This is our base for the night and where we will have lunch.
  
  In the afternoon, our local guide takes us on a circular interpretative trail (approximately one and a half kilometres), discussing the orchids and medicinal plants that we find en route. We are also taken down through a cave, La Cueva del Altar, emerging on the other side of the hill to beautiful views of the Caribbean.
  
  This evening, we are treated to more Cuban hospitality and we can expect our accommodation to be similar to the previous night.

  Overnight: Simple Camping

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• 7

  Visit Sancti Spiritus en route to Camaguey

  Leaving the Escambray Mountains behind, we stop at the Valle de los Ingenios, also known as the Valley of the Sugar Mills. This was the centre of sugar production for 100 years from the late 18th century. At its peak, it was home to 30,000 slaves working in the mills and surrounding plantations. Today, the ruined sugar mills and mansions lining the valley bear witness to the previous prosperity in the area. We stop at the infamous Torre de Manaca Iznaga, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This seven floor tower was built to watch over the slaves working in the fields and had two bells. One was rung when the slaves could stop working and take a meal, the other when a slave escaped.
  
  For a lunch stop, we visit Sancti Spiritus, one of the original seven settlements founded by Diego Velasquez when he claimed Cuba for Spain, before continuing our drive across the flattest province in Cuba - Ciego de Avila. We pass through land predominantly used for cattle ranching, sugar growing and citrus fruit production.
  
  Continuing up into the hills of the Sierra de Cubitas, by late afternoon we reach the provincial capital of Camaguey - Cuba's third largest city and a cultural centre for music, ballet and art. Our hotel is near to the 'Old Town,' allowing for easy exploration on foot.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 8

  Explore Camaguey before heading to Bartolome Maso

  The morning is free to wander around Camaguey. What may strike you about this city is its labyrinth street layout - a fascinating by-product of pirate-fighting. With more similarities to a Moroccan medina than the geometric street planning you might expect, legend has it that it was designed to confuse pillaging invaders and provide cover for its residents.
  
  Those who would prefer not to walk may prefer to explore the city's hidden plazas and baroque churches by bicitaxi. However you choose to get around, we recommend a visit to the bustling farmer's market - one of the largest in Cuba.
  
  In the afternoon, we travel to Bayamo, another of the original seven Spanish settlements. However the inhabitants burned it to the ground in 1869 in an act of rebellion against the Spanish, so there is little colonial architecture left to see. Our journey continues east towards the Sierra Maestra Mountains - the highest mountain range in Cuba, where we spend the night in a small hotel either in Bartolome Maso or Santo Domingo.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 9

  Visit La Comandancia de la Plata, drive to Santiago

  This morning, a convoy of 4WD vehicles carry us up a steep asphalted road to El Alto de Naranjo, 950 metres above sea level. We then trek for three kilometres through virgin rainforest to La Comandancia de La Plata. The path is uneven and can be muddy, helping us to understand the appeal of its remoteness. It was here that Fidel Castro and Che Guevara took refuge after an unsuccessful uprising against the Cuban dictator, Batista, in 1956. As you walk around this hideaway, which became the revolutionaries' headquarters until Batista fled Cuba in 1959, you gain a real sense of their two year residency here. Castro's simple camp bed and fridge (which someone impressively carted up the mountain for him) still remain, along with a trap door for a speedy exit if under attack. Also, the original broadcast hut for 'Radio Rebelde' still stands, as well as Che's hospital hut where he worked as a doctor. Previously forbidden, it is now possible to take photos around the site for a small fee.
  
  After lunch at Villa Santo Domingo, we drive inland towards the lively former Cuban capital of Santiago, where we check-in to our hotel on the outskirts of the city.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch

• 10

  See the sights of Santiago de Cuba, free afternoon

  Surrounded by hills and looking-out over the Caribbean, Santiago is another of the original seven Spanish settlements, and has a wonderful architectural heritage from Spanish colonial, through to art deco influences. It has quite a different feel to Havana, but retains its own charm. Also known as the 'Heroic City', it has been the epicentre for revolutionary ideals since Cespedes made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868, sparking the 10 Years' War.
  
  This morning, we will enjoy a guided tour of Cuba's second city, taking-in many of the colonial buildings which are painted in attractive, traditional pastel shades. We plan to stop-off at the Plaza de la Revolucion with its fine monument to the heroes of the Independence Wars, before visiting the remarkable cemetery where independence hero, Jose Marti, is buried. The Moncada Barracks are a particular highlight as you can still see the bullet holes on the outside of the building which Castro and 118 students unsuccessfully attacked in 1953. There may also be an opportunity to visit a rum factory.
  
  The afternoon is left free for you to explore in your own time. There are many museums, squares and churches to discover, or it may be possible to arrange dance lessons.
  
  This evening, we have the opportunity to experience Santiago's lively nightlife.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 11

  Drive to Santa Clara, view the Che Guevara Memorial

  Today we have our longest drive of the tour as we travel through lush agricultural land from Santiago to Santa Clara, a distance of 600km. We stop approximately every two hours to break up the journey.
  
  The pleasant university town of Santa Clara was originally a prosperous agricultural area, well-placed on the island's trading route. Now, it is most famous as the site of the last battle of the Revolution, , in which Che Guevara's troops took the city, causing the Cuban dictator, Batista, to flee into exile. Because of this, the town was chosen as the final resting place for the national hero.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 12

  Visit Che's Mausoleum then continue to Vinales

  This morning, we visit the centre of Santa Clara and the Tren Blindado Memorial, before moving on to Che's Mausoleum. Guevara was buried here with full military honours in 1997 after his exhumed remains were discovered in Bolivia and returned to Cuba. A flame lit by Fidel Castro burns eternally to honour a man who played a key role in Cuba's revolution and whose image is routinely displayed throughout the country. We will also visit the museum dedicated to Guevara's life, containing many interesting letters and artefacts.
  
  Back on the road, we continue to what is arguably the most picturesque part of Cuba - the Vinales region. Here, surreal mountains jut out of the landscape, formed by the erosion of limestone over millions of years. These 'mogotes' translate as 'haystacks' - a good word for them considering their steep sides and rounded, jungly tops. Around them, the iron-rich, red soil creates a patchwork of fields growing some of the best tobacco in the world - the raw material for Cuba's celebrated cigars. We will get an opportunity to explore this fascinating landscape in more detail on our way back through the region on day 14 of our tour.
  
  Our hotel accommodation for the next two nights is situated just outside the town of Vinales.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 13

  Boat trip to Cayo Levisa; time to relax or snorkel

  A short hop on a ferry takes us to the spectacular Cayo Levisa, part of the Archipelago los Colorados on the north coast of Cuba. Here, mangroves and pristine white sand welcome us for a day's relaxation on the beach. The more active among us may choose to take an optional snorkelling trip to explore the colourful marine flora and fauna on the reef.
  
  Today's included lunch is provided by a small cafe on the island.
  
  Late in the afternoon, we head back to Vinales.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch

• 14

  Walk through Vinales countryside, return to Havana

  This morning, we can look forward to a two-hour trek through the valleys of this remarkable landscape to the village of El Palmerito. Mogotes tower above us as we pass through tobacco fields and past drying barns. Before this walk you may wish to visit Cueva del Indio. Alternatively, you may choose to relax in the grounds of the hotel before our return to Havana. Our journey is broken-up with a stop in the stunning Soroa Rainforest to take-in a short visit to see the orchids.
  
  This evening, we can look forward to a dinner, and probably a dance, together in old Havana as we reminisce over our highlights from the tour.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel Swimming Pool Available
  Single Room Available

  Included Meals:  Breakfast

• 15

  Tour ends Havana

  Our tour ends this morning, after breakfast.

  Included Meals:  Breakfast