CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

9 days from GBP1,449 to GBP1,899 including flights
Tripcode: MAC

Countries Visited: Cuba

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 12 reviews.

Gregory Cruickshank

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written November 2011
First cycling holiday experience for me. Good mix of cycling, seeing the country/sites, and free time.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Tough 8km hill climb on final cycling day to hotel (at very end of ride).
Trinidad my favourite city, great place.
What did you think of your group leader?
Jose was enthusiastic, informative, and obviously enjoys his job which help tourists enjoy their holiday.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Worth spending a few extra days somewhere before or after cycling segment.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Will certainly be doing more cycling holidays.
Geoffrey Brindle

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written April 2011
This was a well organised holiday combing wonderful cycling with visits of great contemporary interest- a fine way to experience acountry at first hand.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
A wonderful climb in the mountains.
A visit to Santa Clara and the site dedicated to Che Guevara
Listening to Buena Vista type music on the steps of Plaza Mayor in Trinidad.
What did you think of your group leader?
He was ever helpful and informative and organised the whole trip very well. An excellent leader.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Give it a go.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Cuba is a different cultural experience from Europe,so it is all very fascinating- a holiday of a lifetime.
Alison Brind

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written March 2011
Just what it said in trip notes. Really helpful, efficient and enthusiastic guides. Despite warning excellent fresh food - fruit, salad and fish to die for.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
trip to sugar plantation
What did you think of your group leader?
brillant so enthusiastic
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
enjoy
Is there anything else you would like to add?
nice mix cycling and tourism
Stephen Westall

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written March 2011
A very well organised cycle holiday, full of great experiences and meeting some like minded travellers. The place and people were fantastic and our Guide and Driver helped make the experience memorable.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Just sitting on the pavement in Trinidad listening to some street musicians playing marvellous music - we were their main audience and as a result of our support and applause the crowds gathered!
The way a group of people can gel almost immediately and create friendships that we all know will last long after the trip

The friendliness of the people and stress free approach to enjoying life.
What did you think of your group leader?
Jose was really incredible. So passionate about his country but also very keen to make sure we had an amazing experience. He was flexible when necessary and managed to squeeze the most out of the opportunities for us to experience Cuba.
Occasionally his briefings were a little long but his humour and enthusiasm were infectious.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
We were advised via Trip Notes and friends that we had to watch for 3 things.
To quote "The food will be bland, the hotels average and take your own toilet paper "
Wrong!
The food was excellent, varied and healthy (I have never felt fitter), the hotels were of a good standard and toilet facilities just fine .
Advice? Make sure you take insect repellant - we did and were grateful .... and high factor suncream.
More advice? Go there!
One extra piece of information - make sure you are fit for cycling, train before you go - it was sometimes demanding in the heat and the last day's hill climb with 30 degree heat was quite tough!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I have not travelled with Exodus before (being used to the hard slog of Charity rides) so this was a perfect balance of holiday and cycling. The organisation and itinerary were great - there was really good attention to detail. The coach was air conditioned and our bikes were stored safely on board (the bikes and mechanics were first rate too) and our driver was careful and friendly.
The bottom line for me is that I would definitely use Exodus again.
Thanks for doing such a superb job
Mark Robertson

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written March 2011
I was lucky enough to travel with a great bunch of people who really made the trip for me. The weather was fantastic and the scenery superb.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking through Old Trinidad which felt a bit like something out of an old Clint Eastwood movie- very Mexican with so little traffic and fabulous buildings. The local musicians playing with such fire and passion and the people watching opportunities.

The army of enormous black shelled crabs marching across the motorway was a wonderful sight.
What did you think of your group leader?
OK
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't leave anything of value in your hotel room (unless it's locked away) as I had a decent pair of cycling sunglasses stolen.
Although Cuban healthcare is free you may want to bring some everyday medicines with you as they are really expensive for local people to buy at pharmacies. Soap is a very welcome gift as it is also a bit of luxury.
Try to speak to local people (if your Spanish) is good enough to get a greater understanding of the country and its culture.
You may want to try the "Dirty Havana Trilogy" books by Pedro Jaun Gutierrez for a taste of gritty urban realism!
I would definitely try to stay on in Old Havana for a few days at the end of the trip as it's absolutely full of beautiful old buildings such as the Barcadi HQ

Is there anything else you would like to add?
The food isn't as bad as the trip notes might lead you to believe! Bland yes but saved by an abundance of fresh fruit and excellent grilled fish.
Do bring energy bars as with the heat you can burn off calories really easily!
Anne Worthington

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written December 2010
A really good trip for someone who has never done a cycling holiday before. The roads are extremely straight without too many 'undulations' The last day does stretch you a bit, but I managed it! The weather was great but suprisingly chilly at night. Accomodation was much much better than the trip notes lead you to believe.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the end of the bike ride on the last day, I thought that climb would never end. However, the view when you got there was worth the effort.
What did you think of your group leader?
Tony was great fun and received great support from our driver Paulo who doubled up as the bike engineer. Tony is a great ambassador for his country and nothing is too much trouble. The first day he set off at quite a pace, which was a bit worrying, but after a few remonstrations the following rides were all done at your own pace.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you go in December, take a fleece. It was also pretty chilly in bed, despite the additional blankets. Many hotels had just 110 voltage, therefore sometimes you couldn't always use your electrical items. As suggested in a previous review I took a saddle bag and my own saddle, which was definately a good decision as many others were saddle sore.
Finally, don't order crocodile, not a good choice!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is the first cycling trip I have done with Exodus, having done many walking trips, however, I will definately do another. A great holiday.
zsuzsa magyar

CUBAN HIGHLIGHTS RIDE

Written December 2010
Like going back in time...
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Seeing how Cubans make the best of what they have, and try have a good time regardless of hardships.
What did you think of your group leader?
The group leader was absolutely brilliant, talked for hours about life in Cuba, really bringing the country a lot closer, and helping to understand the situation. Good local tips too!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't expect good food and hotels. Very, very basic, and toilets are the worst I have ever seen. Carry around toilet paper everywhere you go...
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just the right amount of cycling for a novice, leaving plenty of time to sightsee. Not a lot of chances to swim, so make the best of it when you can.