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Fantastic way to see the country, meet the locals, get very fit and experience the very essence of Cuba.
Watching Cubans dance was truly inspirational. The joy and the passion witnessed has sent me straight to dancing classes.
Alex was fantastic. His knowledge and language were both remarkable and he had a great sense of humour to go with it.
Take a good zoom lens, tell your friends and family they might not hear from you for the duration and take a few salsa lessons before you go,
If you want to see Cuba ‘as it is’ rather than through a windscreen, cycling is the only way to do it!
Each day takes you to a different location to find and experience different aspects of life in Cuba.
The cycling side of things isn’t too onerous if you are a regular cyclist, averaging 40 to 50 miles a day at most. There were a couple of ‘hilly’ days, where the total climb was in the region of 2500 to 3000 feet, but most days the rides were fairly flat. A little hill climbing practice may be a good idea if your biggest hill is normally a railway bridge!
The single most inspirational part of the trip was in Havana on the first day of cycling. As we rode through a suburb of the city, I saw a group of lads cross the road ahead of our group (15 plus ride leader). They ran up the line of cyclists cheering and 'High Fiving' us as we passed by. This set the tone for the rest of the tour: we were greeted cheerfully wherever we went, by young and old alike. Kids standing in their gardens, farmers ploughing their fields, even a gang of workmen erecting overhead power lines, all stopped and said Ola as we cycled past.
Our group leader (Maurice Galvez) was probably the best your leader I've had the pleasure to accompany, ever! He explained everything in detail, helped us when help was needed and sorted out problems with an ease that belied the complexity of it. All in all, an utterly reliable and charming leader and tour guide.
Heat: August is really hot and humid - drink lots of water and pop a few canisters of soluble sports hydration tablets in your luggage to maintain your electrolyte levels. Hydration tablets are unobtainable in Cuba, so take enough for the duration, working on 4 tabs a day! (Dioralyte performs much the same function, but tastes horribly salty). Sun: Pack plenty of sport orientated (waterproof) Spf50 sun screen in your luggage. I didn't and suffered! Drugs: A couple of packs of Immodium or similar anti diahorrhoea tablets are essential, everyone (bar one) got the trots during the fortnight. Nobody knows why, it didn't follow any particular pattern, it may have been a dodgy ice cube, or the heat, or poor hygiene standards in kitchens, who knows? Money: Allow a minimum of 30 to 50 CUCs per person per day for incidental expenses - not every meal is included in the tour and you'll need some for tips and optional trips too. There are very few ATMs in Cuba and fewer still that work and fewer still that have an English language option to guide you. Change your cash early and make sure that you have enough for the next few days! Pollution: Virtually no vehicles in Cuba have clean emissions. Most are remarkably smoky. Be prepared!
Cuba is a fascinating country, and probably not what you are expecting. If you look beyond the superficial you'll be amazed at how the people have adapted over the past 60 years or so.
Cuba was a fascinating country to visit, and cycling a great way to explore the country.
The contrasts between the old and restored buildings was amazing.
Finding out about such a different culture was really interesting.
Cycling out on the first day, around all the cycle rickshaws, horses and oxen. Cycling around the coast and the off-road section.near Gibera. The mountain lodge.
Laz was excellent. He kept us interested, was very knowledgeable and was entertaining. He was well organised and when we had a difficult situation to deal with he remained calm and focused, considering our safety as a priority.
Take a face mask against the fumes.
What a fantastic fortnight with new found friends . Although cycling was tough in the heat everyone pulled together and made it through to the exhilarating finishes. Cycling, sun, music, history and friendship, what more could you ask for !
The history and tenacity of the Cuban people in the face of adversity and the joy of their music. Aside from this, completing the infamous Day 9 !
Maurice was an inspiration. He was a guide, teacher, historian, biologist, rapper, dancer and friend who looked after stronger and weaker cyclists equally and made everyone on the trip feel uniquely special.
Go with an open mind and join in the spirit of the island. However, be prepared for somewhat basic sanitary facilities during the ride and the inevitable upset stomachs. Take plenty of snacks and energy bars. The fruit and snacks during the rides are plentiful, but if like me you hanker for a bag of crisps or savoury snack bring them with you. Luxury food items in shops are few and far between !
The organisation from pick up to drop off at the airport was faultless. As well as Maurice special mention must also go to the drivers (Chakon and Junior - probably spelt wrong !) who were friendly, professional and always there when you needed them. Thanks also to the fantastic group of people we were with who made even the tough times fun.
A packed holiday that will keep you busy for the duration. If travelling in the hotter months, please bear this in mind as it makes the cycling worthy of a “Difficult” rating regarding Day 9 in particular!
Not sure about "inspirational", but I can say I enjoyed all aspects of this trip.
Maurice was brilliant - He knew his stuff and gave us a ton of information. Not only this, but he gave us guidance on so many things that we just couldn't go wrong regarding visiting places, buying items etc.
Leave the waterproofs behind! Believe me, you will be glad of the rain to cool you down. Try to aim to get a small pouch to attach to the saddle, or a bag on the handlebars as you wont want a sweaty rucksack on your back. You can travel super light when cycling, as you are supported by the bus where you can collect bits when you stop off for a drink/rest of each leg.
A lot of the hotels don't have plugs for the sinks, so take a universal one to use with you. We were advised to change as much money as possible on arrival, but when it came to changing the excess back again, none of us were able to get Pounds Sterling!!!? You need to be reasonably fit for this holiday, but to make it more enjoyable, I would recommend some hill work in advance. On reading the trip notes, I prepared myself for extremely basic food and accommodation. Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised, even though I went there expecting very little. You certainly wont starve, but the food is very samey. Hotels are good - They have air con and some basic desirables.
Really enjoyed the trip and had a fabulous group which added to a memorable time. Coming from a southern hemisphere winter with restricted training time in the last 2 weeks prior to departure and not being a proficient cyclist, we struggled with the heat. Personally I feel the fitness rating level of 3, (which we felt comfortable with upon reading it) should be raised to accommodate the heat factor. The support from the group was awesome when we were unable to cope with the cycling at some stages and became the bus driver’s favourite hitchhiker. Having that support knowing that you could be picked up at any stage was of tremendous value.
The camaraderie of the group we traveled with made every moment one to remember. We went to see the country and experience the culture and by cycling we certainly did that by getting into some of the more remote areas.
Jose was very good, He made sure everyone was aware of the day's plans, any potential hazards or problems. We learnt about daily life in Cuba, past and present. He was also very quick to resolve a couple of medical situations that arose. Praise must also go to the support staff, who probably don't get the same recognition as the group leader. With out them he would not be able to do his job. On our trip both Jerado (passenger driver) and Ariel (cycle bus driver) contributed in a major way. Ariel also taught us all to dance. We would like to see that the support staff get the opportunity for appraisal alongside the group leader
Consider the heat factor in your preparation. There will be some very proficient cyclists but don't be deterred if you feel you aren't an experienced cyclist as the support is always there. Be aware that although the accommodation is satisfactory you will encounter less than satisfactory sanitary conditions, so take appropriate action. Go with an open mind and you will love it.
Several on our trip met with digestive issues. We feel many of these arose from at time very unpleasant unsanitary toilet stops, particularly for women. This in some cases prevented some people from cycling and spending time on the bus with 2 people needing medical attention. The trip notes need to be upgraded more frequently as we found the costs were greater than advised. Also the fitness factor need to be upgraded to 4 or 5 to take into account the heat factor particularly in July.
What an amazing country. Friendly people, happy to see tourists and very helpful. Great way to see the real Cuba by passing through small villages. I was impressed with how patient the drivers are, waiting for clear road before passing us even when it meant they had to stop. Wonderful cars, of course. Great tour guide, drivers and a fantastic group of fellow travelers.
The camaraderie and support of my group, especially when someone was not feeling well or when the hills became too much in the heat. Thanks everyone. Swimming behind the waterfall in Trinidad, taking Salsa lessons and the fun trying to dance it later, first swim in the Caribbean, seeing an old fire engine towing another old fire engine, and so much more. Lots of children trying out their English as we cycled past them.
Lazaro was brilliant. His knowledge and passion for Cuba was obvious and he shared it with enthusiasm. He spoke brilliant English and was kind,funny,helpful and patient.
Take padded bike shorts, the roads are not in good repair. Put in some hours on your bike to tune your bum into hours/days of cycling.
If you're coeliac, you will get sick of boiled eggs for picnic lunches. Lazaro managed to find me rice sometimes which helped a lot. Mind you, I think the others got sick of ham and cheese buns too.
This is a fantastic way to see Cuba and gain an insight into the Cuban way of life, especially in the provincial towns and countryside. There is a mix of cycling routes, some days flattish and one or two with more demanding hills (but of course then the rewarding downhills!). I found the grading appropriate, although the heat in May/June contributed to its difficulty. Our group got on very well which added to the trip’s enjoyment.
If I had to single out a moment from the many, it would be walking up through the tropical forest in the Sierra Maestra to take coffee in a hill-top small-holding. I also really enjoyed riding a local road through a small rural community, seeing life at a gentle pace.
Erik Garcia was an excellent guide. He was supportive, looked after us very well, patiently answered endless questions and always with an engaging smile and sense of humour. His pride in being Cuban was evident as he spoke informatively about Cuba's cultural and political history and he was always willing to engage in lively discussion.
Be prepared for hot conditions and try to keep your water bottle shaded as much as possible! This is a cycling holiday so don't expect to have lots of time to sight-see in the towns you pass through.
The support team were second to none - always on hand to help out with bike problems, cooling "showers", picking us up for a short lift when it was all too hot, and always with a lovely smile.
It was just awesome. The best way to really appreciate Cuban culture. We had the best guide, knowledgeable, resourceful, skilled and experienced not to forget funny.
seeing how ressourceful the Cuban can be. They do what they can with what they have and they are happy. Such a rich culture in such a poor country. Very inspirational.
Lazaro was just the best! Never have I had a guide who could be a mechanic, dance, teach and bike like a pro. He is definetly a gem.
keep an open mind
Thank you for a very special experience.
A well run cycling tour with plenty of enthusiastic support from the tour guides and drivers, which made this tour enjoyable and informative. The group all got along well with a good mix of ages and fitness levels with a lot of determination to give it all our best shot, despite riding in quite hot conditions.
Swimming in the Caribbean sea.
The group leader had a very enthusiastic understanding of Cuba's revolution and the resulting life as we find in Cuba today, and was able to convey this in a pleasant and amusing way.
Please make yourself familiar with as much about Cuba as you can and make sure that you are well prepared to handle the heat, which I think was the main factor that caused difficulties for many in the group.
There was plenty of the necessary support including a comfortable bus if the body was not up to the riding conditions. There was sufficient water available to drink during riding, but unfortunately due to the heat it was made available at warm room temperature and once carried on the bike became hot and tasted of plastic water bottle flavor between the usual 15km rest stops. Only about half the group managed to ride all the intended distance, with the others opting out of various stages due to feeling unwell, which I feel was probably brought on by the heat.
