Itinerary Include flights Expand all Havana to Havana Day 1 Start Havana. Land only clients will meet the group at the start hotel. Standard Hotel Day 2 To Vinales Valley; walk through tobacco plantations. Today we travel to Vinales Valley, in the west of Cuba. Famous for its rolling tobacco plantations and collection of limestone karsts dotted along the valley, it's not hard to see why Vinales was awarded UNESCO World Heritage site status. Joined by a local resident we walk through the 'Valley of Silence' to soak up rural Cuban life as farmers tend to their crops using traditional farming methods. We'll also visit a tobacco farm to learn about one of the island's most famous exports and meet with a local tobacco farmer to help understand the growing process. After checking into our overnight accommodation in Casa Particulares, we visit an organic farm in the hills of Viñales for a sunset dinner overlooking the valley. Casas Particulares Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 3 To Cienfuegos via the Bay of Pigs. This morning we set off on a long drive eastward to Cienfuegos. We stop for lunch at the Bay of Pigs at a small beachfront restaurant with a large Cuban welcome. The speciality here is fresh fish caught by local fisherman just off the coast. Time permitting, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the sea. This region of the Zapata Peninsula is a National Park and swamp providing a habitat for some of the most important bird species in Cuba. We are joined by a local nature expert who will introduce us to the natural landscape and characteristics of the area. We will also have some time to explore the Giron Museum, which exhibits items from the failed invasion by CIA-backed Cuban Americans. Afterwards we will carry on our transfer to Cienfuegos. The city of Cienfuegos is full of architectural delights and Cuban spirit, with a beautiful main square and restored buildings. On arrival we check into our casas for the night. There are some great paladares in town and the 'malecon' is usually a lively place to soak up the atmosphere with locals. Today's travel time is approx. 7 hours. Casas Particulares Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 4 To Trinidad UNESCO World Heritage Site via Rancho La Vega farm; walking tour of Trinidad. This morning we will start by having a city tour on Bici Taxis. One of the best ways to get around is by Bici Taxi, a fun tour using Cuba’s eco-friendly and typical city transport. Each Bici Taxi can accommodate two people and will be pedalled by a local resident (most of whom like to introduce their guests to reggaeton music!) The Bici Taxi tour is a great time to talk to local Cienfuegos residents and have a go at practising your Spanish. Afterwards we depart Cienfuegos and drive down the coast to Trinidad, stopping at Rancho La Vega farm en route. During our visit we will have time to enjoy some fruit drinks or coffees. Trinidad has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988 and is perhaps the best-preserved colonial town on the island. Exploring Trinidad can feel like entering a time warp, its colourful, cobbled streets and horse drawn transportation whisking us back. There are many interesting museums housed in old colonial buildings and music drifts through the streets and plazas, bringing the town to life. We have a walking tour with a local resident who will give us an insider perspective of what it’s like to live in Trinidad, before visiting the Santander Family and their artisan pottery workshop. There will be the opportunity to have a go under the direction of this skilled Cuban family. We'll stay overnight in charming Casa Particulares, private Bed and Breakfast accommodation in local Cuban houses. Our dinner this evening will be at a private paladar where a local collective of musicians will perform interpretations of classic Cuban trova songs. This is sure to be a lively evening and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Cuban music with its distinct rhythms. Casas Particulares Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 5 Discover Playa Ancon; cocktail and salsa class in Trinidad. Today we visit Playa Ancon and enjoy some time on the beach. It is a great place to swim or you can simply just dip your toes and relax. Afterwards we have an authentic Cuban lunch prepared for us. Back in Trinidad we meet a Cuban barman who is an expert at making the perfect mojito! They will give a mojito making lesson and everyone in the group will have a go at mixing their own in the authentic Cuban way. Afterwards we’ll take part in a salsa class with Cuban dance partners. There will be one dance partner for each member of the group, to assist with teaching the correct salsa moves. Trinidad is known for its nightlife, so after we’ve learnt the basics of salsa we’ll go to the town’s ‘Casa de la Trova’ live music venue to listen to local musicians playing authentic Cuban music. This venue is always lively and sociable, with plenty of local Cuban’s keen to let us practice our dancing with them! Casa Particulares Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 6 To Manaca Iznaga and Che Guevara's Mausoleum in Santa Clara; to Havana. After breakfast we will visit a traditional embroidery project in Trinidad which showcases traditional embroidery project in Trinidad. As we have a long transfer today, we will bring packed lunches with us from the hotel. Leaving Trinidad we head to Manaca Iznaga, where we learn about the sugar growing history surrounding the Valle de los Ingenios, a hugely important industry for Cuba during the 18th and 19th centuries Our next stop is Santa Clara, the site of the last battle of the Cuban Revolution in December 1958, just before Fidel Castro took Havana. Che Guevara and his troops ambushed an armoured train carrying arms to Santiago de Cuba and this was a major turning point in the Revolution. We visit the Mausoleum of Che Guevara and his comrades who died in Bolivia before driving back to Havana for dinner at a private paladar. Today's travel time is approx. 5 hours Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Havana city tour on foot and by classic car. This morning we set off for a walking tour of old and new Havana, Cuba's capital and the largest city in the Caribbean. Havana is a busy, bustling, energetic capital. The area of Old Havana is often described as a living museum, with its marvellous monuments, cathedrals and palaces. This is the finest surviving Spanish colonial complex in the Americas. Preserved by a combination of minimal war damage, post-revolution restoration work and the millions of dollars invested since it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982. During our tour we visit a ration store, food market and artisan market. There is no better way to see Havana than by classic car, and so in the early evening we continue our tour of the capital in style, travelling in immaculately looked after classic cars in vibrant colours. Visiting both the old and new areas of the city, we discover the distinct neighbourhoods of the capital, stopping at points of interest for explanations and stories. Feel free to ask questions about why the streets of Cuba are filled with classic American cars manufactured in the 1950’s and how on earth the owners manage to maintain them! Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 End Havana. This morning is free to relax or do some last minute sightseeing in Havana's old town before those on group flights transfer to the airport in the afternoon. Meals included: Breakfast
Cuba British and most Western European passport holders do not require a visa but do require a tourist card. Your Cuban tourist card (valid for 30 days) is included and will be posted to you by Exodus approx. 4 weeks before travel. We will send instructions on how to fill it in but please be careful doing this as any mistakes may result in you having to purchase a new card at a cost of GBP17.00 per person + admin fee. We will send a tourist card free of charge as long as you live at a UK or Ireland address and are national of an EU country, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Japan. If you are not national of one of these countries or are not resident in the UK or Eire you must contact your nearest Cuban Consulate to check what visa is required - Exodus cannot provide a tourist card for you. Please note that these tourist cards will not be valid if you are traveling via the US. If you are travelling via the US you will be subject to compliance under the same regulations as an American citizen. You cannot use a visa (Tourist Card) purchased outside the US but will have to buy a ‘pink’ Tourist Card sold only in the US at a US airport or from a US travel agent. The Cuban entry immigration is time-consuming and most visitors encounter delays when queuing for entry into the country. The Cuban Government passed a law stating that all tourists visiting Cuba must have travel insurance to cover medical costs. It is possible that you may be asked to provide proof of your travel insurance policy when you arrive at Havana airport, so please ensure your documents are easily accessible.
Cuba There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Hepatitis A. We are advised that there is no risk of malaria. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. The above information can change at short notice; as we are not qualified to answer all your questions about travel health we strongly recommend you contact your Medical Professional or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up‐to‐date information.
Casas Particulares and Hotels You will spend 4 nights casas particulares and 3 nights hotels. For the majority of the trip we will stay in casa particulares, with en suite bathrooms. We use standard hotels that range from 3 star equivalents to simple guesthouses. Rooms are on a twin-share basis, with air-conditioning and en suite bathrooms. Some of the hotels will have swimming pools. You should be aware that occasional power cuts occur and hot water supplies are not always guaranteed. Casas Particulares - All of our Cuban itineraries include staying in privately-run 'Casas Particulares' in at least one destination as an alternative to staying in standard hotels. These are traditional Cuban properties that have been renovated into guesthouses. All rooms have en suite bathrooms, hot and cold water, air-conditioning, and breakfast is included. Water pressure can be temperamental, and decor is variable! The houses that we use will be in close vicinity whenever possible, and we do our best to ensure that those in single room accommodation are always within a house where other Exodus clients are staying. However this cannot be guaranteed in all cases. All properties that we use have been inspected and assessed by our local operator in Cuba. Some are large multi-room houses that are home to entire families, others are run by individuals, and in some cases the owners live elsewhere.
Reviewed April 2017 Serena Chance Trip: A Taste of Cuba A fantastic whistle-stop tour A great week - lots of different aspects of Cuba, really enjoyable, very informative and a lot of fun. There is a lot of travel involved however it gave us all a good insight into some of the life in a different and fascinating country. Very hospitable hosts in the Casals Particulares. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The final Salsa class with our Cuban dance partners; realising how hard most Cubans have to work in order to make ends meet; appreciating just how widespread the ability to perform music to a high standard is amongst the Cubans; What did you think of your group leader? Lenay was a fabulous guide. Kind, helpful, very informative, assertive when needed, always smiley cheerful and positive, realistic about what we should expect, and she made it a great week for us all. She was very concerned that we were happy with the accommodation wherever we were, and that we let her know if anything wasn't as it might be. I don't think we could have had a better guide. A big thank you to Lenay for a great week, and for all her hard work. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Expect some long journeys; don't expect European luxuries or standards of accommodation everywhere; take time to learn some Spanish as the hosts in the cases particulares are extremely kind, and friendly; take things as you find them and with a sense of humour; understand that we are very wealthy/privileged in comparison to most Cubans; enjoy it all! Is there anything else you would like to add? I would love to return.
Reviewed March 2017 rona barton Trip: A Taste of Cuba Taste of Cuba Hugely enjoyed this tour..... truly was an adventure. We were introduced to an extraordinary peoples and culture....our guide was exemplary. I luved every moment and and am extremely keen to return. 'The Taste of Cuba' filled every moment with fascination and surprise. Everywhere very comfortable and safe but with a sense of how challenging it is for the locals... What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Hard to single out one... 'growing insight into the history of past 200years The positivity of the guide..... a 'child' of the post revolution The awesome colonial architecture the enterprise of the peoples...rural and urban snorkelling in the Caribbean The delightful hospitality of the hosts in the casa particulares very little that could be left out!! What did you think of your group leader? A star plus plus plus. She was so informative and prepared.... always positive and enthusiastic. The whole group thought her fabulous. For the whole week she was completely available and responsive to our needs and foibles.. a huge asset to Exodus and excellent Cuban ambassadress. In addition to the program, she researched material for further research into our family history during her free time... superb young woman! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? 'bother' the team online via web chat......! it allays all doubts and instant access to advice or help. Is there anything else you would like to add? kindly forward info on your input/ support for local charities (for my information only) As a family, we left small gifts in the casa particulares..... hoping this was sensitive and right action...?
Reviewed March 2017 Kathryn Moore Trip: A Taste of Cuba More than just cocktails! A fantastic introduction to Cuba, its culture, history, music, dancing (and cocktails!) What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Loved it all! What did you think of your group leader? Ray is the best leader I've had on any group holiday. Informative, funny and encouraging during our attempts at dancing. I couldn't rate her highly enough. She made it a memorable trip. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't expect too much of the Casas and then you'll be pleasantly surprised. Take the optional Cadillac ride; it was great fun!
Reviewed February 2017 Jenny Sinnott Trip: A Taste of Cuba Amazing country, but Exodus were a shambles Cuba is amazing, fantastic country and people. But Exodus were poor from start to finish. Before we left - most staff were great. One asked us for same info 3 times! On arrival, we had booked an extension in Varadero. We weren't told that Exodus can't guarantee your hotel for this part of trip. We found out at airport we couldn't stay at hotel we booked. Disappointing, but the substitute hotel was lovely too. Havana - hotel so far out of town hotel we couldn't do sightseeing as planned. Took an hour to check in! Room was dirty and badly maintained. On a road so noisy the windows shook as big trucks drove past constantly. I asked to move and was given a quieter room, but with no hot water! Vinales - beautiful place, but more issues with room. It was cramped, grim and noisy. Could have coped with that, but also had swarms of mosquitoes in my room. I killed dozens. Told tour leader, who chided me for not telling her immediately, although I had no way to contact her! My phone wouldn't allow me to make outgoing calls in Cuba. Owners sprayed my room, but I still killed another couple of dozen mosquitoes later that evening. This room is available for $20/night on airbnb. Massive mark up charged by Exodus. Cienfuegos- decent, quiet room, although windowless. Air con broken and leaked all over bed. No one to report this to. Told tour leader in morning and she looked at me blankly and said nothing! Breakfast was bread and jam. Pot of coffee to share that allowed only half a small cup each. If we wanted more coffee we had to pay! In this hotel, my iPad was stolen. It was charging and never left my room. In morning, I checked the room was clear. As soon as i sat on bus (at 7.45am), I realised I hadn't packed ipad. Told tour leader immediately, hoping she would call hotel. She didn't call them until we reached Trinidad and she told me my iPad wasn't in the room. Only explanation, it was stolen by hotel staff, either before or after I left. I told Exodus hoping they could use influence to pressure maid into returning stolen item. Exodus did nothing for THREE DAYS! After a lot of hassling, they called me, but still did nothing to try to get the iPad back. I believe they still use this hotel, so beware! Trinidad - decent room, but didn't get any breakfast one day. We think they mistook the time we requested food, due to language barrier. Girl was barely listening to us when we booked breakfast. Tour leader arranged breakfast for us elsewhere. Havana - finally a decent hotel! And trip home was fine. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Vinales - beautiful place, fantastic way of life for the locals, in my opinion. What did you think of your group leader? I took a while to warm to her. I had a lot of problems on this trip and she made me feel uncomfortable when I told her about them. I only complained when I really felt it necessary. For example, I didn't tell her I got food poisoning from 2 of the restaurants she took us to. She talked too much for my liking. She was interesting and very knowledgeable. But on a 7 hour bus journey, she probably talked for 6.5 hours. I couldn't talk to my friend on the bus or I got a glare from her! Couldn't talk to her privately for most of the trip, she was always talking to the group and didn't like being interrupted, unless it was a question relevant to her lecture. On the plus side, she was fun, very interesting and knowledgeable. Happy and able to give advice on anything I wanted to do or know. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I wouldn't recommend travelling to Cuba with Exodus, sorry! The accommodation was below par. I expected basic, but it was worse than any back packing hostel I've ever stayed in and massively overpriced. You need to get up horribly early every day in order to beat the other crowds of tourists. You're very much on the tourist trail. I would not have chosen to go to the tobacco and rum factory where crowds of tourists stare at the workers, it was weird and an uncomfortable experience. Could have done without the mojito lesson and I found the one on one salsa too intense and awkward. Two Cuban lads baa'd at us and I agreed with them. I felt like a herded sheep! Best times were free time. So much to see, but not enough free time to see it all. Exodus are useful for getting you around the country, but if you can do this another way, I would advise it. Is there anything else you would like to add? Be careful of your belongings. If anything goes missing I doubt you'll get it back and Exodus won't help.
Reviewed January 2017 Helen Power Trip: A Taste of Cuba A Taste of Cuba A fantastic glimpse of Cuba with an excellent mix of sightseeing, music, free-time to further explore, and fun activities. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? A major highlight was exploring the streets and alleyways of Trinidad and enjoying the music and dancing at one of our cocktail stops. I also loved the tour of Havana in the open-topped old American cars. Quite exhilarating. What did you think of your group leader? She was fantastic. Excellent knowledge, friendly and helpful personality and a great sense of humour. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do it soon. Is there anything else you would like to add? You need to keep an open mind. Lifts may not work, the water might be tepid, the infrastructure can't quite keep up with the demands made on it, but if is a sensational (and still unspoilt) travel destination.
Reviewed January 2017 Rachel Jones Trip: A Taste of Cuba Does exactly what it says on the tin! The title of this trip is exactly what it suggests. It offers a real taste of Cuba and the itinerary, although packed, is perfect. Not rushing from place to place and plenty of free time to explore by yourself. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The walking trip around both Trinidad and Havana was excellent and well guided. What did you think of your group leader? Raysalis was absolutely brilliant. She had a lovely disposition, was very knowledgeable about the island and its history. She also went out of her way to make sure everyone was happy and any issues were resolved quickly (i.e. one lady had a problem with her camera and she helped sort it out). Her English was fantastic and she was very clear about the plan for each day ensuring that the whole group knew what was going on and that everyone's timekeeping was as good as possible. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? There is a lot of construction going in Havana at the moment (i.e. the Capitoli building currently has scaffolding on it), but don't let it put you off, it's amazing to see the development and changes happening. The food is bland but very good - just don't expect anything spicy! Snacks are hard to come by, so take chocolate / crisps / sweets if you can't survive without them. There are various towers to climb in Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Havana - climb them all, the views are worth it! Is there anything else you would like to add? We drove through the Bay of Pigs and stopped off to enjoy a dip in the sea which was fantastic and a welcome break to the bus journey, however it would have been nice to have the option to visit the Bay of Pigs museum.
Reviewed January 2017 Rebecca Wakefield Trip: A Taste of Cuba Coach with a window tour...... After seeing so many great reviews for this trip I decided to book it to travel over Christmas 2016. Basically it is a view of Cuba from a coach! Long, drives - quick stops 2-3 times during the day for a 45mins-1hr max - really no time to appreciate anywhere are you are always on the go! A few pointless places where we stopped were also thrown in. Accomodation was average - first night hotel was below poor quality however the homestays (all be them basic) were clean and adequate, and the families could not do enough to please you. Food is basic - you get the same breakfast, lunch and dinner choices daily. In summary Cuba the island is green and lush with white sandy beaches, fab old cars everywhere and Havana is a great city to mooch around, top that up with the friendly welcoming people then its a great place to visit, however this weeks tour really packs too much in - but saying that I certainly could not do the two week tour either as I am sure it will be much of the same just over a longer time period! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the che guevara museum - an amazing and moving story of his life. What did you think of your group leader? Jorge was a friendly leader with good local knowledge however we never had enough time in any area/town to really apprecitate what he was telling us. Ray was a great driver coping well with the long 7-9 hours driving he was doing on most days. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do visit Cuba as its a good place to see, however take toilet roll with you where ever you go, take snacks as there is very little in the way of chocolate, crisps, sweets etc, if you wanted take spices or sauces to pep-up your food, definately book an add-on beach hotel via Exodus at the end of the tour so you can chillout for a few days at the end as you will be exhausted from not doing much! Oh and buy Rum out there as it is really cheap. Is there anything else you would like to add? I've toured with Exodus before and they are a great company however I do usually travel independently so to be stuck on a coach for a week was not really my idea of fun. The tour does say long days travelling however you will not appreciate it until you get there. Don't not go on the tour -just be aware of this before you go. Enjoy.
Reviewed November 2016 Briony Burns Trip: A Taste of Cuba A taste of Cuba A good week. Being on a tour sliced through the hassle of organisation and was a great queuebuster when visiting museums and events. Great variety of things to see and do in a very colourful varied interesting country What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Salsa dancing What did you think of your group leader? Excellent . Good English , knowledgeable and keen to give us a good experience Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Extend the trip preferably at the end for a few days either in Havana or to go to the beach
Reviewed September 2016 Sue Ellis Trip: A Taste of Cuba taste of cuba superb tour with what must be the best 'guide' we have ever had Rayselis, her knowledge, sense of commitment and humour made the tour more wonderful than it was. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? the whole trip was made up of wonderful moments - not possible to single out just one. What did you think of your group leader? as mentioned above Rayselis was a 'complete gem' Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Internet very poor - just be prepared if you think you will need it! Is there anything else you would like to add? the stays in the 'casa's' were really enjoyable and comfortable
Reviewed May 2016 Emma Wooldridge Trip: A Taste of Cuba A Taste of Cuba An apt name for the trip, it gave a taster of several parts of Cuba What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing/experiencing Havana. The dinner at the organic farm in Vinales. Watching the locals salsa dance at a bar in Vinales Walking around Trinidad The included dinner at Trinidad Santa Clara (for the history) and Sancti Spiritus (for a less touristy feel to the place) What did you think of your group leader? Lazaro was knowledgeable and answered all questions honestly Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Bring a book/mp3 player as some of the journeys are long. The sooner you adapt to 'Cuban Time' the easier it is. Whilst some of the food is a bit bland there are there are some really good meals to be had too
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