Walking holiday in Cuba

A fully guided, tailormade walking holiday in Cuba including some of the top places of outstanding natural beauty and national parks in Cuba. Experience the charm of Old Havana and explore the historic squares and cobbled streets on foot, then hike in the spectacular mountains behind Trinidad and around Lake Hanabanilla. Finally, spend time exploring and walking around the impressive limestone cliffs and tobacco fields of Viñales.

This trip is the perfect opportunity to discover Cuba off the beaten track. Our itinerary can be modified for shorter or longer trips on request.

Duration: 14 days / 13 nights
Start dates: any date all year round
Cost: approx. £1,850 pp for 2 people sharing

Please keep reading for full details of this trip.

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“We really enjoyed our time in Cuba. It was a very full programme, but we saw so much, experienced so much and the guided hiking was fantastic. We had a brilliant guide with us who knew everything there was to know about the flora and fauna. It’s a bit like a dream now.”

LC, Amsterdam (Dec 2014)

This is a fully guided 14-day trip available at any time of the year. Suitable for 2 or more persons, including families with children (recommended minimum age 8 years for the hiking), you will explore some of the most beautiful places in the western and central areas of the island. Starting with the colonial capital city of Havana, with guided walks around the historic squares and cobbled streets of Old Havana and El Morro across Havana Bay, you will then drive via Santa Clara with your driver/guide to Hanabanilla and the lakeside hotel for some spectacular hiking.

Moving on to the UNESCO world heritage town of Trinidad, you will have guided walks and hiking in the Topes de Collantes national park and the Sierra del Escambray, then up to Pinar del Rio province and the incredibly beautiful Vinales valley with rich red earth, tobacco fields and soaring limestone mogote hills. After this rural location, you travel to the El Rosario biosphere reserve with guided walking around the community of Las Terrazas including swimming in the San Juan river rockpools before returning to Havana to end the trip.

The hiking/walking on this trip is easy to moderate, although more challenging hiking around Hanabanilla and Trinidad can be included if requested.

This itinerary can be adapted on request.

B = breakfast
L = lunch
PL = picnic lunch
D = dinner

Day 1: Arrival Day
Arrival Havana. Private transfer to 3*-4* hotel in Old Havana x 2 nights, B&B
Day 2: Havana city tour
Full day guided walking tour of Old Havana and its museums, including lunch in local restaurant. Evening free. B, L
Day 3: Havana - Santa Clara - Hanabanilla
After breakfast, guided trip to Lake Hanabanilla via Santa Clara. In Santa Clara, visit the Che Mausoleum, the Tren Blindado and Leoncio Vidal square. Lunch in local restaurant. Continue to Lake Hanabanilla and accommodation in 3* hotel x 2 nights, half board. Dinner in hotel. B, L, D
Day 4: Hanabanilla - Cola Cambiada hiking
Short boat ride across the lake followed by a 3-4 hour walk with local naturalist guide up Cola Cambiada, a winding, steep trail with panoramic views over the lake and surrounding countryside. Lunch included. Return to hotel mid afternoon. Rest of day free. Dinner in hotel. B, L, D
Day 5: Hanabanilla – Trinidad – Salto de Caburni hiking
Depart Hanabanilla and drive to Salto del Caburni trail. Full day of fairly strenuous walking via the Caburni waterfall and other steep trails* but with plenty of time to stop and admire the views and local flora and fauna. Picnic lunch included. Drive to one of our selected homestays in the town centre x 3 nights, B&B. B, PL
*please note that today’s walking can be substituted for a less challenging route if required, eg. if you have younger children with you
Day 6: Topes de Collantes - Codina hiking trail
After breakfast trip to the Topes de Collantes national park (approx. 20 mins drive). Guided walking in the Sierra de Escambray mountains, walking around Hacienda Codina, learning about local flora and fauna. Lunch included. Return to Trinidad late afternoon and rest of day free. B, L
Day 7: Sugar Mill Valley
Half day guided visit of Trinidad and the Romantic museum. Drive to Sugar Mill Valley and the Torre Iznaga, the UNESCO world heritage status former sugar plantation area. Climb the tower Torre Iznaga to have amazing views over the countryside. Lunch included in the colonial style restaurant beside the tower. Return to Trinidad for free time for the beach/relax. B, L
Day 8: Trinidad - Las Terrazas
Early start to travel to western Cuba (7 hours drive), stopping for lunch and arriving at the eco-community of Las Terrazas late afternoon. Accommodation in 4* hotel x 2 nights, B&B. A local guide will show you around, explaining how the community works and the sustainable technologies they use. B, L
Day 9: Las Terrazas - San Serafina hiking
Walk the Santa Serafina trail (5km each way). Lunch at local restaurant. Return to Las Terrazas and rest of afternoon free to go swimming in the San Juan river rock pools, go on the canopy zip ride over the treetops or explore the resident artists community in Las Terrazas. B, L
Day 10: Las Terrazas - Viñales
Depart for Viñales with a stop at Cueva de los Portales, an impressive limestone cave that was Ché’s base during the Cuban missile crisis. Lunch in Viñales and panoramic guided visit Los Jazmines viewpoint overlooking the valley, the famous tobacco fields and limestone mogotes. Accommodation in local homestay x 4 nights. B, L
Day 11: Viñales Valley hiking
Full day guided hiking in and around Viñales, including a visit to one of the local tobacco farms and hiking around the limestone mogote cliffs. Lunch in local restaurant included. Rest of day free. L
Day 12: Cueva de Santo Tomas - Pinar del Rio
Trip to nearby city of Pinar del Rio for a guided visit of the local cigar factory. Lunch in local restaurant. Continue to the Santo Tomas National Speleological centre adjacent to Cueva Santo Tomas, the largest accessible cave in Cuba. Guided tour of the main tunnels and halls with gigantic stalagmites/stalactites and crystal formations. Return to Viñales and rest of day free. L
Day 13: Viñales, free day
Free day in Viñales to relax and explore on your own
Day 14: Vinales - Havana airport
Morning free to explore Vinales and relax. Private transfer from homestay direct to Havana and end of trip. B

Price includes:

6 nights 3* – 4* hotel accommodation
7 nights in homestay accommodation
meals included in itinerary
specialist bilingual guides throughout the trip
return airport transfers in Havana

Please note that the price does not include:

International flights*
Cuban tourist card (the required visa)*
Tips

*These can be arranged by us on request

Price:

1 person: approx. £2,250

2 persons: approx. £1850 pp

The price for one person is based on single room hotel/homestay accommodation. All other prices are based on two people sharing a twin/double room.

“Havana is a beautiful city and our guide was fantastic. Very friendly – couldn’t do enough for us. His historical knowledge of Cuba was amazing. Los Frailes was a nice hotel – loved the inside terrace. Location was great.”

“We loved Trinidad. Excellent atmosphere, laid back, fun. The guided hiking was fantastic – we had a brilliant guide who knew everything there was to know about the flora and fauna in the area. Saw humming birds for the first time up close. Lunch was also brilliant – freshly roast pork. Swam in the waterfall one day, and the next day we saw bats and owls in a cave.”

“Thank you for all of your help and information. Brilliantly organised trip!”

LC, Amsterdam (Dec 2015)

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