Cuba - Pearl of the Antilles

Overview • Detailed Itinerary • FAQ's • Testimonials • BOOK NOW

Day 1: Arrive in Havana

Upon arrival in Havana, you are transferred to Havana's famous Old Habana where you can settle in and wonder the cobble stone streets or just relax and take in the life that surrounds the old Square. Havana is bustling with museums, plazas, art galleries and prominent buildings dating from the 18th to the 20th century. Overnight in Havana.

Day 2: Havana city sights

This morning we enjoy a walking tour of Habana Vieja (Old Havana.) We will visit the open-air plazas of San Francisco Plaza, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja and Plaza de la Cathedral. We visit the old Palaces of Palacio de los Capitanes Generales. We will view Palacio del Segundo Cabo and Castillo de la Real Fuerza.

This area of Old Havana has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is now in the process of a magnificent restoration project, bringing back to life the graceful and elegant colonial architecture of days gone by. Complete the scene with 1950's Chevrolets, Buicks and Oldsmobiles, and the old city comes alive as we explore on foot.

Later this afternoon, we explore the outer parts of the city, a "private" farmers market and Plaza de la Revolucion where we see Che Guevara's and Jose Marti's monuments. This evening we have dinner on the rooftop of a local restaurant followed by an introduction to Cuban rhythms and dance. We learn how to dance Salsa, Son, Rumba, and other popular Cuban rhythms lead by band leader Elsa Maria. Overnight in Havana.

Day 3: Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve

We head off this morning for Western Cuba to visit the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the country, known as Sierra del Rosario. A bird watching paradise, this area is famed for the diversity of its natural beauty, lush woods, waterfalls, rare orchids and ferns. We will learn about the environmental experiences and the role of the community with a hike through this fascinating reserve, rich in local flora and fauna. We also visit the ruins of the Buena Vista coffee plantation where hundreds of slaves worked for French landlords. Later we will stop at Las Terrazas, a self sustained community initiated in 1967 and where 5000 hectares of terraced trees were planted in a major reforestation project.

We will have lunch at a restaurant that serves wonderful Cuban food that is grown and raised right there. We continue onward to Vinales in Pinar del Rio province, where we stay for the next two nights. Overnight in Vinales.

Day 4: Vinales Valley, caves

The Valley of Vinales is a picturesque, peaceful, lush area of Cuba, known for its fine tobacco fields and for its mogotes, the boulder-like hills that cover the valley floor.

We begin our day traveling through this impressive landscape, while seeing how tobacco, cassava and taro are grown. We will tour a farm where you will have a chance to see how rural Cuban families live and work, as well as have an informal question and answer session. Next we drive to the small town of Vinales, where we visit a state-run supply store to learn about the supply and distribution of goods in Cuba. We take in the Botanical Gardens of Caridad - a mini paradise which was nurtured lovingly by two widows who have created an Eden of tropical plants such as tamarinds, oranges, grapefruits, guava, starfruit, bananas, cocoa, lemons, cinnamon trees and a variety of decorative plants and ferns.

The area is riddled with caves and subterranean rivers. We explore Indian's Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in the Vinales Valley. A short hike will get us to the small skiffs that will take us on a journey that will amaze you. Our guide will point out rock formations as the rock sides tower over top of you. Overnight in Vinales.

Day 5: To Zapata Marshlands

This morning we will travel east four hours to visit another Biosphere Reserve, the Zapata National Park. This is the largest and best preserved wetlands in the Caribbean Islands. Located in the peninsula of the same name, the Zapata Park covers an area of over 1,930 square miles. The area is outstanding for the great diversity of its ecosystems, in which more than 1,000 species of plants and 37 species of reptiles. The diversity of bird life is also outstanding: a full 170 species of the 354 bird species reported in Cuba can be found here. The park is considered one of the premier bird watching destinations in the world. Our guide will explain the environmental and educational community program being implemented by the local authorities, as well as give us information about the local flora and fauna.

We will then embark on a boat journey to a Taino Indian village. The Hanabana River empties into Laguna del Tesoro, one of the largest lakes in the country, which features a restored Taino Indian village (with life-size statues of the Indians engaging in their everyday activities) on a series of islets. The Tainos were one of three groups of Indians who lived in Cuba prior to the Spanish Conquest. We will attend a performance of the Korimacao Cultural Project before checking in to the hotel. This group was founded 15 years ago and deals with different cultural expressions existing within the community. Theatre, dance, poetry, and music are some of the forms of art developed by experts belonging to this group. Overnight at Playa Larga.

Day 6: Cienfuegos and Social Cuba

Cienfuegos is one of Cuba's youngest cities, founded in 1819. It has a vibrant youthful population and diverse architecture of neo-classical buildings. We will see the city's highlights, including Plaza Marti, the Cathedral, the Tomas Terry theatre, and the Palacio de Valle - an architectural jewel which was originally a private residence of a wealthy sugar baron. After lunch, we will have a chance to visit a Casa de Abuelos (seniors center) where members organize around cultural activities, eco-excursions, and are provided with medical attention and nutritious meals. Overnight in Cienfuegos.

Day 7: Trinidad

This morning, enroute to the small town of Trinidad, we will visit the Cienfuegos Botanical Garden which dates back to 1899. We continue on to the charming town of Trinidad, Cuba's best-preserved colonial architecture and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the early 19th century, French settlers fleeing a slave revolt in Haiti arrived and cultivated sugar cane, bringing wealth to the region. The town has changed very little over the last 150 years and UNESCO has restored many of its French colonial buildings. Trinidad is a small, relaxed place where you can see Cuban cowboys riding their horses in the streets.

Stroll around beautiful Plaza Mayor, visit Museo Romantico. Enjoy free time at a local artisan street market, where splendid woodcarvings, fabric art, crochet pieces, and straw work are for sale. After lunch we will have some free time to enjoy the beach or stroll through town. Tonight we will enjoy a relaxing Catamaran trip at sunset before dinner and overnight at Ancon Beach.

Day 8: Afro Cuban Religion and Arts

This morning we visit a Cuban Maternity Home, of which there are many throughout the country. These homes where designed to give expecting mothers a place where they can go to receive around the clock professional health care. We then have an opportunity to learn Cuban Percussion led by David Lopez Garabito who has toured with the group Hecho en Cuba (Made in Cuba).

After working up an appetite, we enjoy our lunch in town. This afternoon you can decide if you would like to explore the markets or return to the beach. Tonight, dinner is at your leisure at our hotel before we meet for a night of music and dancing at one of the famous music night clubs in Trinidad. Overnight in Ancon Beach.

Day 9: Escambay Mountains/Santa Clara

Today we leave for Santa Clara city located right in the center of Cuba. The city was founded in 1689 and was the battlefield for one of the most important victories of Fidel Castro's guerrilla war against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1958. Commander 'Che' Guevara was the undisputed leader and hero of the so-called 'Batalla de Santa Clara'. We will make our way through the Escambray Mountians, Cuba's second highest mountain range, reaching 3,700 ft. The mountains are home to small mountain villages and are a delight for birders and walkers alike. Slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines, ancient tree-ferns, bamboo and eucalyptus. We will take a 40 minute mountain truck ride into the forest to La Codina, an old Spanish Hacienda, once part of a large Spanish coffee plantation. We begin our hike with a talk on various plants and their medicinal uses, originally used to treat the plantation's slaves. We hike along the "Orchid Loop" which has over 25 endemic species. We finish up back at the Hacienda where a traditional Cuban lunch awaits us. We continue on to Santa Clara city, where we will stay for the next two nights. Overnight in Santa Clara.

Day 10: Santa Clara

Today, we explore the lively university town of Santa Clara, where the main square (Parque Vidal) is bursting with local spirit, and ranks as one of Santa Clara's highlights. We will see Santa Clara's many other highlights including the Ernesto Che Guevara monument commemorating the man and the vital part he played in the armed struggle against General Batista's dictatorship. Visit the armored train park museum and learn how this was one of the biggest turning point of the taking over Santa Clara. After lunch we visit a Cuban Cigar Factory where we will see first hand the care and knowledge that goes into producing arguably the best cigars in the world. Overnight in Santa Clara.

Day 11: Havana - Tropicana Cabaret

Today we drive back to Havana through picturesque countryside. Upon arrival we visit the former Centro Gallego, built in 1915 by Belgian architect Paul Belau. The facades have rich decorations derived from Baroque and Renaissance styles. Today, the center houses the Gran Teatro de la Habana, home of Alicia Alonso's Ballet Nacional de Cuba. After lunch relax before our classic Havana evening. Mid afternoon travel back to the 1950's as you travel around Havana streets in a classic American car stopping at Hotel Nacional for a cocktail before dinner. We will see the Paseo del Prado; a pedestrian promenade remodeled in 1929 with the inauguration of Havanas' Capitol building and Casino Espanol. After dinner our vintage cars will take us to the Tropicana Cabaret to enjoy a performance in one of the most historical open-air night club shows in the world. Here we get a glimpse of the Havana entertainment scene as it was in the 1950's. It will be a late evening and our bus will be ready to take us back to the hotel. Overnight in Havana.

Day 12: Havana - a last glimpse, Hemingway's home

There is so much to see and do in this marvelous city... and our busy day includes as much as possible. In the morning we will visit a rum factory and learn about the process of making rum.

We will then walk in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway with a visit to the American writer's former home, Finca La Vigia; an old colonial estate bought by the author in the '40s, where he lived for over 20 years. The house is exactly as Hemingway left it just prior to the Revolution. Visitors are able to walk around the house and view the interior through the windows.

We then visit the quiet seaside town of Cojimar, the little town that inspired him to write "The Old Man and the Sea". It is here that 'Papa' kept his boat 'Pilar' docked during his years in Cuba. We will enjoy a daiquiri (one of Hemingway's preferred cocktails) and lunch at Las Terrazas de Cojimar Bar. Tonight, we reminisce on all the things we have seen and people we have met at our farewell dinner in a private courtyard. We close our Cuban adventure by attending the traditional night cannon ceremony at Castillo de la Fuerza; one of the magnificent fortresses that made Havana the most fortified city in the Americas in the XVIII century. Overnight in Havana.