Walking off the Beaten Track in Cuba

Images of Cuba, the largest of the Caribbean islands, readily come to mind - the exuberant musical scene, idyllic white sand beaches backed by palm trees, marvellously preserved Spanish colonial architecture, the unique revolutionary heritage, 1940’s pink Cadillacs cruising the streets of Havana, and a lushly green countryside of sugar cane, tobacco, mountain ranges and waterfalls.

We spend two weeks exploring these many facets of Cuba, balancing being active - forest walks, swimming, birdwatching, visiting museums, churches and colonial mansions, exploring botanical gardens - with ‘chilling out’ to the sounds of son and salsa with a few mojitos (rum, mint, lime and soda) to hand.

TRIP ITINERARY

DAY 1

D included

A day flight brings us into Havana in the late afternoon and we travel west by air-conditioned vehicle up into the Sierra del Rosario, where our well-appointed Spanish colonial-style hotel is run in co-operation with the Cuban Academy of Sciences as an eco-tourism centre.

DAY 2

B, L, D included

A professional ecologist guides a morning walk in the surrounding Biosphere reserve, following a forest trail to an abandoned 19C coffee plantation, originally planted by French refugees from Haiti. The birdwatching is excellent, including the endemic Cuban trogon, Cuban tody and Cuban woodpecker and we will also encounter many Royal Palms (the national tree of Cuba) and exotic Hog Plum, Turpentine and Ginger trees. After lunch by the pool the afternoon is free for relaxing - other options include riding, mountain biking, fishing and rowing on the lake near the hotel.

DAY 3

B, L, D included

We visit the beautifully laid-out orchid gardens in nearby Soroa in the morning and have lunch in a restored farmhouse high in the hills. A gradual descent on foot brings wide views, epiphytic orchids, some spectacular butterflies, and the opportunity to learn about the traditional medicinal uses of plants from our specialist guide. We return to our eco-lodge in time for a mojito or a daiquiri - classic Cuban cocktails - before dinner in a casa particular.

DAY 4

B, L, D included

Travelling through a landscape of tobacco fields dotted with vegas, the palm-thatched drying sheds, we walk in the distinctive landscape of the Vinales valley, with the horses, oxen, chickens and zebu cattle typical of rural Cuba in the valley floor and limestone mogotes (box shaped hills) rising steeply on either side. We explore the picturesque small town of Vinales, with its colonnaded main street and oxcarts and mules bringing produce into the market, and stay tonight in comfortable wooden cabins set in landscaped gardens.

DAY 5

B, L, D included

We walk in a little-visited valley, seeing endemic palms and stands of coffee before lunch - spicy roast pork, congri (beans and rice) and yuca con mojo (vegetable with coriander and garlic sauce) is a typical Cuban menu. Travelling east and south across the island, our destination for the next two nights is the Zapata peninsula on the Bay of Pigs, where our 3 star hotel comprises bungalows set under coconut palms on a white sand beach - the snorkelling is good and there is also a large swimming pool.

DAY 6

B, L, D included

The Zapata National Park is considered the best place in Cuba for birdwatching and today a specialist guide takes us walking in search of Cuban endemics such as the bee hummingbird (the smallest bird in the world), the Zapata wren, the Cuban red-bellied woodpecker and the Zapata swallow. There is time to relax at the beach and watch patrolling pelicans, ospreys and frigatebirds offshore, or optional watersports for the energetic.

DAY 7

B, L, D included

After a morning visiting the Museum of the Invasion (Bay of Pigs) we drive eastwards to the charming town of Cienfuegos, founded in 1819 by French colonists from Bordeaux and Louisiana. Our recently restored historic 4 star hotel has a pleasant pool and spa facilities and we walk to the elegant town square to see the grand 19C theatre (where Enrico Caruso, Anna Pavlova and Sarah Bernhardt all performed during the town’s heyday) and catch a mojito before dinner.

DAY 8

B, L, D included

We take a private boat trip across the bay to see the early 18C fortress, the Castillo de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de Jagua, and to visit the little island of Carenas with its wooden houses and lovely church. After lunch and a visit to the Yacht Club we spend the afternoon walking in the extensive Botanical Gardens at Soledad.

DAY 9

B, L, D included

800 metres up in the Escambray mountains east of Cienfuegos, the Topes de Collantes National Park enjoys a cool micro-climate which supports lush tropical forests with endemic orchids and many butterflies and birds, including humming birds and the colourful tocororo, Cuba’s national bird. We follow a hiking trail through the forest, with a stop for lunch in an isolated 19C hacienda. Continuing to Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the deserved reputation of being Cuba’s most beautiful colonial city, we settle into our 5 star hotel, a completely renovated historic mansion.

DAY 10

B, L, D included

Trinidad has not changed much since Cortes set out from here for Mexico in 1518. Its well-preserved historic centre contains several fine colonial mansions, museums and churches and we spend the morning exploring these treasures on foot and climbing a lookout tower for great photo opportunities. The nearby beach at Playa Ancon offers excellent swimming in the afternoon and we return to Trinidad for dinner and an evening of live music, rum and salsa in an atmospheric local venue.

DAY 11

B, L, D included

We travel through the scenic Valley of the Sugar Mills, seeing the ruins of a 19C Great House built by the sugar aristocracy, en route to Sancti Spiritus, one of Cuba’s seven original Spanish towns founded in 1514. After lunch we continue to the university town of Santa Clara where we see the monuments to Che Guevara, including the 4 carriages of Batista’s troop train which were attacked by Che and his band of 18 guerrillas in 1958. Our modest hotel for the night, individual thatched little houses (airconditioned), is set amongst coconut and fruit orchards and has a swimming pool.

DAY 12

B, L, D included

Arriving in Havana by mid morning, we visit Ernest Hemingway’s atmospheric former home (including his big game fishing boat) in the southern suburbs, then take an orientation stroll through the old city and have lunch in an Art Deco cafe. Our 4 star hotel is a restored colonial mansion, ideally located in the historic centre of old Havana.

DAYS 13 & 14

B, 1 lunch, D included

Havana is the heart of Cuba, with a stunning heritage of faded (and, increasingly, carefully restored) 18C Baroque architecture, superb museums, atmospheric nightlife and those celebrated vintage cars proceeding in a stately fashion along the waterfront. We have 2 days to explore the city, partly guided and partly free time - must see sights such as the Palace of the Captains-General on the Plaza de Armas, the newly reopened Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Columbus cathedral - and pursuing individual interests such as visiting the Museo de la Revolucion and checking out Hemingway’s favourite haunts. We celebrate our Cuban journey in style in some of the city's best regarded restaurants.

DAY 15

B, L included

A final morning exploring Havana before a light lunch and a transfer to the airport to catch the late afternoon flight back to Europe.

Price includes:

All accommodation for Days 1 through 15, on a twin shared basis

All meals (with beer/soft drinks at lunches and wine at dinners) as listed in the daily notation

All land transportation in a private airconditioned minibus as described

All entrance and sightseeing fees except during free periods

Tourist Card (ie Cuban Visa)

Services of local specialist guides, plus Kudu tour leader

Gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff

Visa and Health Requirements

All visitors require a valid passport and a Tourist Card for entry to Cuba - visa support service is organised by Kudu Travel and the cost is included in the price above. US citizens, please note restrictions imposed by the US Government.

At present there are no specific and compulsory health requirements for entry to Cuba, but we encourage you to consult your doctor in good time (at least 6 weeks before departure) about updating your immunisation against Hepatitis A, polio, tetanus and typhoid, or anything else they consider advisable. You may also wish to check the advice given to travellers by the Department of Health and the FCO.

Insurance

It is essential, and a condition of booking, that you protect yourself with a suitable travel insurance policy as soon as you book a trip. Follow this link for a quote for a policy available to UK residents.

If you are already insured or a non-UK resident, please inform us of your policy at the time of booking.