Tour length: 8 days

Price: US$500 plus a local payment of 200CUC, payable to your tour leader on arrival
Single supplement (optional, if you want to guarantee a bedroom to yourself): $250

Maximum group size: 12 people, plus your tour leader

Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival day
Day 2, 3 and 4: Viñales (via Soroa)
Day 5 and 6: Maria La Gorda
Day 7: Havana
Day 8: Departure day

Inclusions:
Accommodation: 7 nights in hotels and casas particulares (home stays)
Meals: All breakfasts
Transport: Local buses or private coach between cities
Your arrival airport transfer in Havana is also included.

Local tour leader throughout.

Not included:
International flights
Visa and passport fees, travel insurance
Meals not listed above; drinks
Optional activities/excursions and associated transport
Tips
Departure taxes (25 Cuban Convertible Pesos – CUC) and departure airport transfer

Day 1 – Havana

Today is your arrival day, so there are no activities planned. In the evening, there will be a welcome meeting for your group; your tour leader will leave a note at the hotel reception desk with details of when to meet – usually some time around 7:30pm. This is your chance to receive important information about your trip, meet your leader and the rest of your group, and to go for dinner together or maybe explore the city at night.

Day 2, 3 and 4 – Viñales (via Soroa)

We leave Havana fairly early and start our drive west. The further west we go, the more you can see the landscape transform from the bustling area around Havana to rural farmland and small villages. We break our journey by making a stop in Soroa, where you can either take a short, steep hike up to a breathtaking lookout or, if you’re feeling a bit less energetic, visit the famous Orquideario, a large botanical garden and nursery which is home to thousands of species of orchid and other plants, many of which are native to Cuba.  After frenetic Havana, the pace of life in Viñales seems much different, and here you have three nights to take a breath, enjoy your homestay, really get to know the town and sample its numerous enticing activities.

About Viñales: The small town of Viñales, in Pinar del Rio province, is surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery to be found in Cuba. Large, tree-covered limestone karsts – also known as ‘pincushion’ hills – sprout from the ground, rising to tower above the rolling fields and small farmhouses that dot the countryside. Tobacco is one of the main crops here, and cigars infused with local flavour can be purchased directly from the farmers if you wish. Walks in the countryside and visits to caves are some of the options on offer, and in the evenings this sleepy little town really comes alive. If ever there was a place in Cuba to meet a local and be swept off your chair to dance the salsa, it is here. Live music reigns supreme, and the laid-back, welcoming, friendly locals make you feel right at home.

Travel time:
Havana – Viñales: approximately 4 hours, including the stop in Soroa.

Day 5 and 6 – Maria La Gorda

We leave Viñales and continue even further west; the tiny resort of Maria La Gorda makes Viñales look like a giant metropolis in comparison! We drive within sight of the blue waters of the Caribbean for miles before arriving at our destination, where we stay for two nights.

About Maria La Gorda: Driving to Maria La Gorda, you really get the sense of leaving behind the ‘big smoke’ and heading into isolation. Situated on the extreme south-western tip of Cuba, Maria La Gorda is a haven of palm trees, white sand and azure water. The resort is an international dive centre and the diving is fantastic; depending on the season, you can see turtles nesting, or you can keep an eye out for the black coral which is famous in the region. Alternatively, you can take a cruise to enjoy the views of the sunset over the Caribbean, or visit the nearby Guanahacabibes National Park to spot the smallest bird in the world, the zunzuncito, or bee hummingbird. Of course, if you prefer things at a more leisurely pace, you can just sit back and soak up the sun on the beach, enjoy a drink at the beachside bar, or try your hand at the giant chess set to while away the hours.

Travel time:
Viñales – Maria La Gorda: approximately 3.5 hours.

Day 7 – Havana

Today we leave early: the journey from Maria La Gorda to Havana is fairly lengthy and we still want to make the most of our day! Any sleep that we miss from the early departure can easily be caught on the bus.

Spend your free afternoon in Havana enjoying all that the city is famed for. On your last night, enjoy a meal with your fellow travellers, and maybe indulge in some of Havana’s legendary nightlife!

About Havana: “Havana.” The word alone conjures images of cigars, rum, salsa, men in dapper suits, and buildings with grand archways crumbling in the sun. Havana is all this and more; a wondrous mix of the old and the new. Ride a classic Chevrolet convertible along the seaside walk, the Malecon, to the Plaza de San Francisco de Assisi, and from there delve into the narrow streets of Old Havana, where the clatter of carts and cars mixes with the shouts of vendors and the ever-present rumble of a nearby stereo or live band pumping out hip-swinging music. Old Havana is in the midst of transformation; many of the older buildings have been selected for renovation and reconstruction, saving some of these priceless architectural gems from almost certain collapse. These brightly-painted ‘reborn’ homes and shops stand shoulder to shoulder with the older, untouched buildings, providing stark contrast and a photographer’s dream.

Returning to the modern world in Vedado, bars, restaurants and nightclubs stand alongside the packed Coppelia ice cream outlets, where locals queue for hours to get a scoop of the icy good stuff. On the terrace of the grand Hotel Nacional, sip a mojito overlooking the Malecon as the sun sets, enjoying the sea breezes which ease the tropical heat in the evenings, serenaded by a live band. Whatever your Cuban dream, you’re bound to find it in some corner of Havana – all you have to do is look for it.

Travel time:
Maria La Gorda – Havana: approximately 5 hours.

Day 8 – Departure day

You are free to leave at any time today. Bon voyage!

In love with this trip? Book now!

Want more? This trip can also be paired with the 15-Day Experience the East trip; departure dates have been aligned so you can follow the East with the West.

We can assist you with finding accommodation if you wish to add extra days in Havana at the end of your trip; please let us know at the time of booking. Please see your Trip Notes for a list of optional activities in each city.

*Before booking any tour, make sure you have read the Terms & Conditions and your specific Trip Notes, which form a part of the Terms and Conditions.