Beautiful Cuba – 8 days land only

{tab Description}

- 5 nights guesthouse accommodation & 2 nights hotel accommodation
- Breakfast daily, selected lunches & dinners
- A walking tour of Old Havana
- An informal salsa lesson
- Visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum & Museum in Santa Clara
- An Orchid Garden Tour in Soroa
- An Afro-Cuban folklore show
- A visit to the Palacio del Valle
- Touring by private mini bus

{tab Day 1}

Havana

Bienvenido a Cuba! A complimentary arrival transfer is included with your trip. Please ensure you provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel so the transfer can be organised. If you arrive early, please note most activities in Cuba can only be booked through the tourist desk in the lobbies of the larger hotels or direct with the venue. Otherwise, there are plenty of good museums to check out, including the Museo de la Revolucion and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

There will be a welcome meeting at approximately 6pm this evening. Please expect a letter in your room or a phone call on Day 1 from your leader to confirm the time and place of your meeting. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so ensure you have all these details to provide to your leader. The briefing is generally followed by an optional group dinner.

Accommodation
• Premium guesthouse (1 night)

Optional Activities
•Havana - Buena Vista Social Club - CUC30
•Havana - Cigar factory tour - CUC12
•Havana - La Cabana Fortress canon blast ceremony - CUC8
•Havana - Baseball game (Oct - Apr) - CUC3
•Havana - Tourist bus day pass - CUC5
•Havana - Ernest Hemingway tour - CUC70
•Havana - Morro Castle - CUC3

Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
The transfer driver will have the address of your Premium Guesthouse. Please see "Joining instructions" for more information about exiting the arrivals hall and connecting with your arrival transfer representative.

If you can't arrange a flight that will arrive in time for the meeting, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you're going to be late, please inform the base guesthouse so they can contact the leader.
Some departures of this trip are part of a combination trip. As such, some of your fellow travellers may have started their trip 15 days ago in Mexico City on Best of Mexico & Cuba (QVKGC) or Essence of Central America (QVKAC).

{tab Day 2}

Soroa – Vinales

Enjoy a walking tour of Old Havana, a perfect first taste of the city. Your local guide will show you the cathedral, Plaza de Armas, San Francisco de Asis, Plaza Vieja and Central Park. The entrance to the Camera Obscura is included. Later you'll make the drive to Soroa, a lush enclave nestled in a beautiful valley. You'll stop in for lunch and tour the orchid garden there. Continue to lovely Vinales, where tobacco and agricultural fields lie side by side and limestone outcrops dot the landscape. The scenery here is some of the most picturesque in Cuba. There are many ways to take it all in, including cycling, walking through tobacco fields and hiking to mountain caves (all optional activities).

Accommodation
• Standard guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities
•Havana - Guided walking tour of Old Havana
•Havana - Camera Obscura entrance
•Soroa - Orchid garden tour
•Vinales - Orientation Walk

Optional Activities
•Soroa - Hike to waterfall - CUC3

Meals Included
•Breakfast
•Lunch

Special Information
There are currently no Premium guesthouses in this area so you will be staying in a Standard guesthouse. Please be aware the comfort levels are much less in these rural towns than in the cities. Please see the accommodation section of this document for more information about what to expect.

Also note that Cave visits will require sturdy footwear, as they can involve walking across slippery rocks.

{tab Day 3}

Vinales

A walking tour of the farmlands and crops is included today. Learn more about the simple lifestyle here and see first hand the farmers who grow tabacco for some of the most expensive cigars.
Vinales is a small and charming rural village. It's probably the easiest place to mingle with locals in Cuba, who are very sociable. Many of them love nothing better than to drink rum and dance the night away. An informal salsa lesson is included so you are confident to be involved. There are only three bars in this town, so you probably won't find yourself getting lost! Later head to an ecological farm for an included dinner.

Accommodation
• Standard guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities
•Vinales - Guided valley walking tour
•Vinales - Informal Salsa lesson

Optional Activities
•Vinales - Santo Tomas cave visit & return taxi - CUC35
•Vinales - Palenque Cave - CUC1
•Vinales - Cueva del Indio (Cave visit with boat trip) - CUC5
•Vinales - Live music venues - CUC2
•Vinales - Bicycle hire (per day) - CUC5

Meals Included
•Breakfast
•Dinner

{tab Day 4}

Bay of Pigs - Cienfuegos

Head towards Cienfuegos today, it is a long travel day. You will be stopping via the Bay of Pigs to learn more about the learn about the botched US Military counter-revolutionary invasion in the Giron Museum then stop at the bay itself, for a swim in the crystal clear water or simply enjoy the stunning surroundings.
Then the short drive to your destination for the night, Cienfuegos. This is the gem of the south, a seaside town of relaxing streets and dazzling buildings that strike a beautiful pose by the water. You will enjoy a photo stop at Palacio del Valle, which is Cienfuegos' architectural pride and joy. Learn more about its history as you take in the beauty of its intricate carvings of Venetian alabaster. If you haven't done so already, perhaps try some Cuban coffee while you're here – it's served black, strong and super sweet.

Accommodation
• Premium guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities
•Bay of Pigs - Visit & swim
•Cienfuegos - Orientation Walk
•Cienfuegos - Visit to the Palacio del Valle

Meals Included
•Breakfast

{tab Day 5}

Trinidad

Today you will board the bus for a short drive to Trinidad. There's no doubt it's one of Cuba's alluring destinations, a great place to wander around, with almost every scene offering a photo opportunity. Watch as locals casually smoke their huge cigars on the doorsteps of their homes, and hear the old Chevrolets rumbling by. Kick things off by strolling along the cobbled streets and marvelling at some of the colourful colonial architecture on display (this town was put on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988 for good reason). During your orientation walk you visit the Santeria Priest to learn more about the unique religion followed in this area. At some point, your group can decide when they want to schedule their informal Spanish class.

Accommodation
• Premium guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities
•Trinidad - Orientation walk
•Trinidad - Santeria Priest Visit

Meals Included
•Breakfast
•Lunch

{tab Day 6}

Trinidad

Enjoy a day of free time. There are some great Spanish-style churches to see, and nearby is the Valle de los Ingenios, where sugar plantations stretch out as far as the eye can see. For some seaside fun, head down to Playa Ancon and stroll its long stretches of white sand. You can go for a snorkel too. Just be careful when you're in the water, as sea urchins can be a problem here. Back on the land, you can go cycling or hiking. If you rent a bicycle, be careful on the cobblestones, and remember your bike will be of the vintage variety. The trekking is great in the Sierra del Escambray, the local mountains. A folklore dance and music show in one of the open-air venues is highly recommended – a great chance to immerse yourself in Cuba's African, French and Spanish-influenced music and dance culture.

Accommodation
• Premium guesthouse (1 night)

Optional Activities
•Trinidad - Salsa Dance Lesson - CUC8
•Trinidad - Live music venues - CUC5
•Trinidad - Musical instrument lesson (guitar, double bass, tres, percussion - per hour) - CUC10
•Trinidad - Bicycle rental (full day) - CUC5
•Trinidad - Ancon beach shuttle bus - CUC4
•Trinidad - Cayo Blanco island catamaran cruise - CUC45
•Trinidad - Train ride (Steam train replica with electric engine) - CUC10
•Trinidad - Trek to El Nicho Waterfall (taxi, entrance fee & guide) - CUC27
•Trinidad - Massage - CUC25

Meals Included
•Breakfast
•Dinner

{tab Day 7}

Santa Clara - Havana

On your way back to Havana, you'll stop in at Santa Clara to visit the Che Guevara mausoleum and memorial. In the museum you can get a rare insight into the legacy of the revolutionary leader, with some interesting ephemera and artefacts on display – letters, firearms, even medical devices. Upon arrival in Havana, stop by Revolution square and then take a stroll around the grounds of the infamous Hotel Nacional. Then prepare for a final night of celebrations.

Accommodation
• Premium guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities
•Santa Clara - Visit to Che Guevara Mausoleum and Museum
•Havana - Visit to Plaza de la Revolucion
•Havana - Visit to Hotel Nacional

Optional Activities
•Havana - José Martí Memorial Tower - CUC2

Meals Included
•Breakfast
•Lunch

{tab Day 8}

Havana

Your trip comes to an end this morning after breakfast. Check-out time is 10 am.

Meals Included
•Breakfast

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