Itinerary Notes
Right now is an exciting time in Cuba with rapidly changing legislation and local conditions. Cuba has seen a massive increase in tourism lately, which has put a strain on local tourist infrastructure. While we will strive to operate our tours as closely to published itineraries as possible, conditions often change from one day to the next, and minor tour modifications may be necessary with no advance notice.
Day 1 : Havana
Arrive at any time. An arrival transfer is included to the tour's starting point, a "casa particular" (Cuban home used as a bed and breakfast), for an authentic Cuban experience.
Arrive in Havana at any time and transfer your casa particular. One of the oldest cities in the western hemisphere, Havana was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. It contains a wealth of colonial architecture, and the old city and streets around the malecon (ocean-side walkway) are best discovered on foot.
After the group welcome meeting at 6pm, we will be heading out for a meal in a nearby local restaurant (optional). If you arrive late, the leader will leave you a message at the front desk.
It is important to note that Cuba tends to be quite different to other areas of the world you may have travelled in. Buildings and infrastructure are generally old and may not have been maintained to the highest standard. Elevators, internet and A/C often break down, things happen very slowly and water pressure and hot water can be minimal. Cuba is an amazing place to visit but to fully enjoy and relax, western expectations should be left at home and your sense of adventure should be your guide.
Arrival Transfer
José Martí International Airport - Havana 0h30m
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the start location to start your adventure. Please note, the included arrival transfer is from Havana's José Martí International Airport (HAV). If you are flying into Varadero (VRA) you will need to pre-pay a supplement to receive a transfer. Please reach out to your G Adventures booking agent for pricing and availability.
Arrival transfer from airport included.
Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
1h
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Live amongst the locals in this “casa particular”, Cuba’s equivalent of a bed & breakfast homestay. Learn about the lifestyle, culture and real-life realities of our hosts. More intimate than a hotel, experience a slice of Cuban life as it’s actually lived.
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Day 2 : Havana
Enjoy a walking tour of historic Old Havana before hopping in a vintage automobile to cruise through the city. Enjoy free time in the afternoon to explore Cuba's capital.
Learn more about the city's history on an included walking tour of Old Havana. After, enjoy an included tour in vintage automobiles. Revel in the bustle, history, and rhythms of this fascinating Caribbean capital city. After lunch spend time exploring Havana with a free afternoon.
Havana City Tour in Vintage Car
Havana 1h
A fantastic way to experience most of Havana—and in style! Hop into a well-preserved car from the 1950s and cruise around, soaking in the city's atmosphere.
Havana City Walking Tour
Havana 2h
Take a walking tour of Havana and find out what your CEO loves best about this amazing city. See city highlights that may include La Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana, the Palacio de los Marqueses de Aguas Claras (which now houses a restaurant), the Museo de Arte Colonial and the Plaza de Armas, with its statue of Manuel de Céspedes (one of the leaders of the Cuban independence movement). Use this walk as a jumping off point to explore the rest of this lively city.
Sit down with the CEO for a brief lesson on some important words and phrases in español to prepare for the upcoming adventure.
Free time:
Havana Afternoon
Spend the afternoon discovering some of Havana's iconic sites. Opt to visit Plaza de Armas, stroll the Malecón, or relax at a café while soaking in authentic Cuban culture.
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 3 : Viñales
Travel to lush Viñales with a cigar tour en route. Enjoy lunch at a local tobacco farm.
A short trip west brings us to "The Garden Province" of Pinar del Rio and to the Valley of Viñales with the town of the same name. Enjoy an included cigar tour en route before getting your cameras ready for the lush vistas and pincushion hills around Viñales, called mogotes.
Private Vehicle
Havana - Viñales 2h30m 189km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Tobacco Farm and Cigar Tour
Viñales
Pinar del Rio is tobacco country. Fans of the ubiquitous Cuban cigar will be hard-pressed not to be impressed by the fields of green plants punctuated by thatch roof drying hut. Then witness a demonstration of how the cured leaves are hand-rolled, cut and packaged. Prepare for the heady smell of tobacco. Opt to buy a box to bring home to friends or enjoy them all by yourself.
Acommodation
Homestay Haydee Chiroles
Acommodation
Homestay Haydee Chiroles
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch
Day 4 : Viñales
Take a walk through the countryside to enjoy the stunning outdoors. Enjoy free time in Viñales in the afternoon.
Arguably one of the prettiest natural areas in Cuba, take the chance to explore the area, or simply sit back and enjoying the view.
Viñales orientation tour
Viñales Morning
Explore the stunning Cuban country side on a walk with your CEO.
Hike or explore one of the prettiest areas in Cuba, or sit back, relax, and take in the view - you're in paradise!
Acommodation
Homestay Haydee Chiroles
Optional Activities - Day 4
The countryside around Viñales is lush, fertile and punctuated with mogotes – limestone “haystack” hills. Hire a guide or head off with some friends to explore the area. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. You may stumble upon a cave with an underwater spring. Dive in and cool off.
Acommodation
Homestay Haydee Chiroles
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 5 : Viñales/Cienfuegos
Settle in for a travel day to Cienfuegos. Along the way, stop off at the Giron Museum at the Bay of Pigs to learn more about the US military involvement with Cuba. Opt to go for a swim in the beautiful waters before continuing on to the seaside town of Cienfuegos.
Private Vehicle
Viñales - Bay of Pigs 5h 370km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Giron Museum Visit
Playa Girón
Learn more about the Bay of Pigs invasion at this small museum that houses photos and artifacts from the conflict.
Opt to swim or snorkel in the Bay of Pigs.
Private Vehicle
Playa Girón - Cienfuegos 1h30m - 2h 100km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Acommodation
Lily's homestay
Acommodation
Lily's homestay
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 6 : Cienfuegos/Trinidad
Travel to Trinidad, tour the city, and opt to take a salsa dancing lesson.
A trip south brings us through the beautiful Topes de Collantes region to the southern coastal city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trinidad. We include a tour of the area to get your general bearings; the rest of the time is free to wander the cobblestone streets, shop, and experience the great music scene that has made this city famous.
Trinidad Guided Tour
Trinidad
Enjoy the sights and sounds of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and get your bearings through a guided tour.
Private Vehicle
Cienfuegos - Trinidad 1h - 1h30m 80km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Travel time includes stops.
Acommodation
Homestay Jesus Pineda
Optional Activities - Day 6
Loosen up those hips and get ready to salsa. Led by expert Cuban instructors, rumba, mambo and cha-cha-chá your way across the floor. Never danced salsa? Have no fear, Cubans are happy to share the secrets behind one of their national pastimes.
Acommodation
Homestay Jesus Pineda
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 7 : Trinidad
Enjoy a free day in Trinidad to discover this Spanish colonial town that was founded in the 16th century and still preserves a look and feel of the past.
Get out and explore lively Trinidad by day and night.
Acommodation
Homestay Jesus Pineda
Optional Activities - Day 7
Casa de la Trova Visit
Trinidad
For nearly four decades, the Casa de la Trova has been the centre of culture and nightlife in Trinidad. This bar/performance space is home to some of Cuba’s finest singers and musicians. These former “trovadores” (troubadours) once walked the streets in twos and threes, performing ballads (boleros). Now – people come to them to listen, dance and soak in the laid-back rhythms of this made-in-Cuba music.
Cayo Blanco Catamaran Excursion
Trinidad 4h - 6h
Enjoy a day on the water to Cayo Blanco by Catamaran with time to snorkel and lunch included. Please note this activity is subject to availability, and may not be offered on all departures due to weather and operational constraints.
Acommodation
Homestay Jesus Pineda
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 8 : Trinidad/Havana
Start the day with a visit to the G Adventures–supported Manaca Iznaga community centre that enables local women to sell traditional textiles. Take a guided tour of key historical sites, including the famous Che monument in Santa Clara, en route back to Havana.
Head east along the Carretera Central to the city of Santa Clara, a key location in the history of the Revolution. On your way into town visit key historical sites, including the massive Che monument (Santa Clara is also the final resting place of Che Guevara).
Travel back to the north coast to Havana for your final night on the town with the group.
Private Vehicle
Trinidad - Santa Clara 2h - 2h30m 122km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Proyecto Manacú Visit
Manaca Iznaga
Visit the Manaca Iznaga community and get further immersed in the local life and meet Cuba’s rural families, where G Adventures and Planeterra helped create a textiles centre in 2019, thereby enabling local women to sell traditional textiles to travellers. See local embroidered techniques used to create garments and souvenirs, and learn how local women organization has impacted the community and those who visit it. Planeterra and G Adventures have supported with providing technical assistance to start up the business, capacity building and guidance to create a local experience.
Che Guevara's Monument Visit
Santa Clara
Set eyes on a 6.7m (22ft) bronze statue of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara standing tall atop a mausoleum erected to mark the 20th anniversary of Guevara’s murder in Bolivia. Tour the mausoleum lit by an eternal flame ignited by Fidel Castro. Visit the adjacent museum, containing a number of exhibit pieces ranging from medical materials to Guevara’s pistol, and photographs that include pictures from his childhood.
Private Vehicle
Santa Clara - Havana 4h 281km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Travel time includes stops.
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Acommodation
Azul Habana Homestay
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Dinner
Day 9 : Havana
Depart at any time.
Check out from the hotel is approx. 12pm midday.
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Meals Included:
Breakfast
