CUBA ECO-TOUR 7 DAYS SUPPORT CUBAN PEOPLE
DESCRIPTION;
CUBA-ECO TOUR
Cuba Eco-Tour in Support of the Cuban People is the best of both worlds, with about half of your 7 days in Cuba splitbetween Havana and the Cuban
countryside. Incuded are driving tours of Havana and walking tours of Old Havana, plus visits to private busnisses and small farmers near Havana. In Havana you will meet carpenters, mechanics, and restaurant owners among others, and speak with them directly about running a business in Cuba. The balance of the seven days is spent in the Valley of Viñales, visiting tobacco and honey producers, and other small farmers.
All our tours may be modified, for shorter or longer duration, or itinerary changes. Itinerary suggestions for a longer version of this tour include visiting Soroa near Havana, the town of Trinidad and neighboring mountains, the Banoa nature preserve, and the Zapata swamp and Bay of Pigs area. Contact us via email for your custom tour or with any questions.
CUBA ECO TOUR W/ HAVANA & VINALES 7 DAYS
SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE
DAY 1 “HELLO HAVANA”
- Depart the U.S. for Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba.
- Meet & greet with guide at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport.
- Driving City Tour of Havana so you can get a general view of Cuba’s capital, includes a drive along the famous Havana malecon seawall, Vedado neighborhood, 5th Avenue in the suburb of Miramar, and a stop at the Plaza of the Revolution. (3 hours)
- Welcome lunch at private restaurant.
- Transfer to B&B in Old Havana.
- Dinner at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
DAY 2 “OLD HAVANA”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- 9:00am Old Havana Encounter, our walking tour through Old Havana, La Habana Vieja, and its five main plazas, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco, and Plaza del Cristo, with stops at the residence of the colonial era Captain General of the island, the Havana Cathedral, Obispo Street, and the Cuba’s capitol building. Old Havana gives you a taste of the island and will make you feel as if you had travelled back in time. Old Havana has some of the oldest buildings and streets in the Americas, with buildings and structures dating to the 16th century. These ancient buildings still house a significant number of Havana’s inhabitants. Old Havana features the first church built on the island, a street paved with wooden bricks, palatial residences, the hotel where Ernest Hemingway wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” the beautiful Bacardi building, and the Cuba’s former presidential palace. Some of the notable buildings you will see during this tour include the house built by Ponce de Leon’s grandson, a section of Havana’s original colonial era sewer system, and the beautiful Palacio Viena Hotel, which like many structures in Old Havana has been undergoing a never-ending renovation. Our tour of Old Havana includes stops at Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bars, El Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982, Old Havana is the largest, oldest, and most authentic colonial area in the western hemisphere. (4 hours)
- Lunch at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- 2:00pm Continuation of Old Havana Tour
- Dinner at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- 9:00pm Live music at venue to be determined.
DAY 3 “SUPPORT FOR CUBA’S SMALL FARMER”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- 9:00am Rural Life in Havana Tour, visit several small farms, a carpentry workshop, and several small businesses in rural Havana. (4-5 hours)
- Lunch at private restaurant.
- 2:00pm Continuation of tour.
- Dinner at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- Live music at venue to be determined.
DAY 4 “VALLEY OF VINALES”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- 8:00pm Transfer to Viñales.
- 11:30am Tour of the Valley of Viñales, which is one of the most unique experiences on the island of Cuba and the world. The rock formations that the valley is famous for are only found here and in southern China. This UNESCO World Heritage site is best seen on horseback, but you will also have the choice of taking a walking tour or a cycling tour. During your day at Viñales you will visit the Mirador de los Jazmines, la Cueva del Indio (Indian’s cave), and you will tour a tobacco farm. You will have time to explore the quaint town of Viñales and enjoy a personalized tour of the valley that is oriented towards your groups wishes. The views along the various routes that traverse the valley are spectacular, and everyone enjoys it in their own way.
- Lunch included in this tour and dinner at B&B.
- FREE TIME! Enjoy the evening on your own.
DAY 5 “VINALES”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- Continuation of Viñales Tour.
- Lunch included in tour.
- 2:00pm Transfer to Havana.
- 6:00pm Settle into B&B in Havana.
- Dinner at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- 9:00pm Live music at venue to be determined.
DAY 6 “SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- 9:00am RESOLVIENDO Workshop, through this workshop we attempt to give our guests a peek into the life of a regular Cuban citizen. You will see an actual tarjeta de abastecimiento, which roughly translates to provisions card. These are the small notebooks that every Cuban citizen is given at birth, and which entitles them to five chicken eggs, a quarter chicken, coffee, and cooking oil for free, and other items at a reduced price every month. The provision card also entitles its’ bearer to purchase select items that are deemed to be necessities at discounted prices. You will visit what is known in Cuba as an agricultural market, agro, and is basically the produce section of a supermarket, where most people buy their fresh produce. You will visit a bread distribution point, where bread is distributed through the provision card at discounted prices. Depending on schedule and other factors you may also visit a grocery store, meat market, and other markets where meats are sold. This workshop will show visitors some of the daily rituals most Cubans deal with, it will be presented by your guide, and sometimes we have invited guests who are experts in certain areas of the food distribution chain in Cuba. The history of the provisions card will also be covered. (4 hours)
- Lunch at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- 2:00pm Small Business Tour in Support of the Cuban People includes visits to various Havana neighborhoods in a classic Chevrolet or Ford and stops to speak with several private small business owners in areas of urban Havana most visitors to not see. You will be able to speak directly with these Cuban entrepreneurs and learn what it’s like to do business in Cuba. (3 hours)
- Dinner at restaurant of guest’s choice. (Not included in tour price)
- Live music at venue to be determined.
DAY 7 “Adios Cuba”
- Breakfast at B&B.
- Transfer to Jose Marti International Airport for return flight, schedule to be determined.
Price includes all listed activities, Cuban entry visa, full-time English-speaking professional guide, all transportation*, and 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 1 dinner.
DOES NOT INCLUDE YOUR AIRFARE.
Your price per person with Bed&Breakfast DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $940
Price per person SINGLE OCCUPANCY $995
Nighttime activity schedule subject to change.
*LATE NIGHT TRANSPORTATION TO RETURN TO B&B NOT INCLUDED.