Cycling Cuba By Exodus Travels

Essential Information

Trip Profile

Average daily distance: 65km (40 miles)
No. of days cycling: 10
Vehicle Support: 100%
Terrain and route: surface 90% tarmac, 10% unpaved track, some hills, but overall the trip is not demanding. Routes follow mainly quiet backroads and can be potholed.

Accommodation

14 nights in a mixture of hotels, all en suite and some with swimming pools.

Food

14 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 6 dinners included.

Reality Check

This trip is classified road and graded B. Please see the introductory pages of the Cycling Brochure for more important information on classification and grading.

Overall the trip is not too strenuous but a good level of fitness is required.

This tour covers some remote parts of the island. Though many of the roads are in good condition you should expect potholes and poor road conditions on some sections. The roads are generally free of heavy traffic, except in the towns.

Mountain bikes are ideal for this trip and flat bars are preferable, but a good strong tourer will suffice (though make sure you have suitably low gearing).

Terrain varies from flat around Las Tunas to hilly, and mountainous in the Sierra Maestra. In the harder areas there are some longish climbs, requiring good fitness, (particularly as Cuba is invariably hot and humid), and also some steep descents. Day 9 is particularly strenuous as we are cycling in a mountainous region.

Cuba is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination and unfortunately the number of hotel rooms available is not increasing at the same rate. Hotels occasionally cancel bookings at the last minute and they will then find alternative accommodation for the group. This tends to be more likely in peak season. In extreme cases they may have to place groups in nearby towns or in Casa Particulares (private houses that offer a Bed and Breakfast service). This overbooking is affecting all tour operators to the country and you need to be aware that it may affect your trip.

Normal group size and age

Normally 5 to 18, plus leader. Minimum age 16.

Icons explained

The vast majority of Exodus adventures are adult group holidays. Groups are always small in size. We strongly believe that this adherence to small groups means a better experience for all; more time with your guide, less waiting around and a reduced impact on the communities and environments visited.
Each group is generally made up of like-minded travellers - with singles, couples and friends all joining in together. All these trips are suitable for single travellers, but if you prefer to travel with clients booking individually, please see our Solo Departures page.

Most people who enjoy a weekend riding on either trails or roads at home will enjoy a B-grade trip. You need to be in good health and reasonably fit. Ideal for occasional cyclists, or as a more relaxed trip for fitter riders. B-grade off-road trips require no previous experience. Distances on road trips rarely exceed 70 kms (43 miles) per day.

Cycling: Our cycling holidays come in all shapes and sizes; from gentle self-guided trips in the Veneto, to tackling the High Atlas in Morocco, or exploring the length of Vietnam.

Culture: Let Exodus show you a different side to many of the world's greatest cultural attractions.

For those clients who wish to travel with a group of other solo/single travellers, on certain trips we have set aside departure dates that are specifically recommended for clients booking individually. Solo departures are aimed at taking away that concern that you may be the only solo traveller when you arrive overseas. Look out for the solo departures (marked with a grey icon's') by checking the notes in the dates and prices table.
However, please note that we inform any couples, or friends travelling together, who enquire about these dates that the trip is recommended for solos, but we do not refuse bookings from non-solo travellers, and we are therefore not able to guarantee that a solo departure will be exclusively made up of solo travellers.