Cuba

Upon your arrival at Havana International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Note: Only one group airport transfer is included in the price. Additional transfers can be arranged at an extra cost.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing and exploring the city at your own pace, until the group re-assembles for dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Paseo Del Prado or Kempinski (5-star) in the heart of Old Havana.

After breakfast, you will start your 3-hour exploration of Havana with one of the most iconic activities in the country: a ride in a classic car. You will start by visiting Hemmingway’s House (Finca Vigia) and then, you will tour around Havana, passing by highlights like Bar Floridita, Cojimar, Hotel Ambos Mundos, Nacional Capitol Building, Malecon, Hotel Nacional, Chinatown, Carlos III Street, Revolution Square, and Cristobal Colon Cemeter.

After lunch, at around 2pm, you will embark on a 3-hour walking tour of Old Havana. You will pass by old squares, the marketplace, the shipwreck museum, Obispo Street and several other interesting spots. Your guide will explain the rich history of the city and share stories about the founders, the heroes, the sites, and the evolution of the town over time. Spanish explorers named Havana “the key to the new world”, and, indeed, the city quickly became a vital trading hub for many nations. A visit to a shipwreck museum will help you delve even deeper into Cuba’s history.

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your own pace, strolling and having dinner. At 9pm, the group will reassemble for an evening walk in the old town, including Jose Marti main square (total duration: 45-min to 1 hour). Havana is beautiful at night, and you guide will assist you even further towards enjoying the sights, sounds and ambiance of this 500-year-old city.

Accommodation: Hotel Paseo Del Prado or Kempinski (5-star) in the heart of Old Havana.

After breakfast, you will continue with your city exploration, this time visiting the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes that houses the largest collection of art in the country. One building is dedicated to Cuban art and highlights a variety of artistic styles and mediums including examples from the Spanish occupation to the revolutions. A second building houses art work from around the world (duration of the activity: around 1 hour).

At around 11am, you will visit the San Jose arts and craft market place, where you will have ample time to explore it in detail and connect with the current artistic side of the city.

Enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace, strolling around the streets of the old town, taking photos, and interacting with the friendly locals. Your guide will be glad to share ideas and tips to further enrich your afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel Paseo Del Prado or Kempinski (5-star) in the heart of Old Havana.

After an early breakfast, you will leave Havana, heading towards the charming town of Vinales (approx. a 2.5-3-hr drive). Vinales is located in Cuba’s western mountain range and in the heart of the world-famous tobacco valley. On the way, you will stop on a high lookout to capture the stunning beauty of the valley and mountain-scape.

Once at Vinales, you will check in in the hotel and enjoy lunch before the group re-assembles to embark on an adventurous activity. You will be able to choose one of the options below (the group has to decide on one activity only):

Option 1: Cave boat tour and Mural (activity difficulty level: easy).
Option 2: Ziplining and Mural (activity difficulty level: easy).

The Mural (more accurately: the Mural de la Prehistoria – Prehistoric Mural) is painted on the wall of the Pita Mogote in Sierra de los Órganos, 4 km west of the town of Viñales. Work on this mural began in 1961 following the design of Leovigildo González Morillo, who acquired his knowledge mainly from the teachings of the famous artist Diego Rivera. The Mural has a length of 120 m, being one of the biggest open-air paintings in the world and it took four years and twenty farmers to complete it.

Once back at your hotel, you will be able to enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace, relaxing, having dinner, and exploring the charming streets of Vinales.

Accommodation: Casa Buena Vista or similar.

After an early breakfast, you will depart for one of the most exciting adventures of your trip: horseback riding in the Vinales Valley, arguably the most beautiful valley in Cuba. The activity will last about 2.5 hours (no prior horseback riding experience is required) and will include a visit to a local tobacco and coffee farm where you will learn the production process of the famous cigars of Cuba and local coffee. Life in these fields has remained almost the same for the past 300 years, so you will be given the opportunity to experience authentic Cuba and the local way of life in a breathtaking setting.

At around 12:00 pm, you can stop for lunch at Finca Agro-ecologica El Paraiso, perhaps the best authentic dinning experience in Cuba, overlooking the entire Valley (cost of the meal is not included in the price).

Afterwards, you will head towards Cienguegos, the ‘Pearl of the South’ (a 5.5-hour drive, the longest in the trip). With its mix of French architecture, markets, boutique shops, and beautiful sea-side malecon, Cienguegos is one of the most beautiful cities in Cuba. Here, you will visit the main square, drive along the malecon (seaside esplanade) and stop at the famous sugar palace. Enjoy the roof-top view of the bay and see if you can spot the lunch spot on the south-side of the bay. Your guide will be there to point out points of interest from this high advantage point.

Accommodation: Hotel Jagua, Palacio y Balbin or similar.

After another early breakfast, you will embark on a morning hiking adventure on the El Nicho Hike. With its ethereal forests, waterfalls, and healing drop pools, the landscape is magical and you will feel you wandered into the Land of the Elves in The Lord of the Rings.

Difficulty level of the hike: Easy to Moderate.
Duration of the hike: 1 hr for the entire activity.

You will stop for a well-deserved lunch at El Nicho (cost of the meal is not included in the price), and then you will head to Lake Hanabanilla for a boat cruise. Hanabanilla is a beautiful lake in the Escambray Mountain range surrounded by lush tropical forests. After a 30-min boat cruise, you will enjoy a 45-min guided hike to Rio Negro.

Difficulty level of the hike: Easy to Moderate.
Duration of the hike: 45 mins.
Duration of Boat cruise: 30mins.

Finally, you will head to Trinidad (approx a 2-hr drive), where, after checking in in the hotel, you can enjoy a relaxing evening, exploring the old town at your own pace.

Accommodation: Hotel Iberostar Grand Hotel (5 star) or similar.

You will depart from your hotel at around 8:30am for a hiking adventure on the Guajimico Trail (one-hour driving distance to the starting point). You will hike across ancient coral cliff-tops that meander through spectacular caves. On the way, you will also have some free-time to enjoy snorkeling and swimming in a hidden cove with towering cliffs and aqua blue waters. The reefs are healthy and fish are abundant.

Difficulty level of the hike: Easy to Moderate.
Duration of the hike: 1.5-2 hours (back and forth, including cave exploration)
Relaxation time: 1.5 hours (snorkeling, swimming)

At around 3pm, you will be back to Trinidad, where you will have a couple of hours to freshen up and relax before going on a walking tour around the old town.

The walking tour will last for about 2 hours, during which your guide will take you around the oldest part of this 500-year-old city. Trinidad is the third, most visited town in Cuba, and is famous for its distinct character. Its cobble-stone streets, live music, art galleries, open markets and rich history draw thousands of visitors in search of “real” Cuba. Trinidad has its roots in the “Sugar Boom” movement that exploded in this area hundreds of years ago. Your guide will share the stories and history that led to the development of the city as we see it today. Make sure to wear good stable shoes for walking on cobble-stone streets.

After dinner, at around 9:00pm, you will enjoy a salsa lesson, during which you will learn the basic steps in a private setting. Don’t be shy, give it a try! Afterwards, you will be free to enjoy the buzz of Old Trinidad by night, full of live music and lots of dancing.

Accommodation: Hotel Iberostar Grand Hotel (5 star) or similar.

Enjoy a free day in Trinidad, strolling through the streets, connecting with the locals, shopping, and taking in the vibe of the city.

Alternatively, you can embark on an optional Catamaran tour to Cayo Blanco Island: a true Caribbean experience. The trip will last from 9am to 4pm (including lunch and drinks), and the boat departs from the marina at 8:30am (cost not included in the price). During the trip, you can enjoy 45 mins of snorkeling off the catamaran, 2-3 hours of relaxation and swimming on white-sand beaches, and wildlife viewing (many different birds, lizards including large iguanas, curly-tail, friendly tree-rats and thousands of hermit crabs). The sailing time is about 1.15 hours, one way.

Accommodation: Hotel Iberostar Grand Hotel (5 star) or similar.

After an early breakfast, you will depart towards Topes de Collantes (about a 1-hour drive), where you will meet with a Russian 4x4 mountain truck that will enable you to enjoy the rest of the scenic drive through the mountains. You will continue your journey on the trick which is open on the sides and has a roof over-top. It gets breezier and cooler as you gain elevation, so a light wind jacket or wind-proof sweater is recommended for the tour. Along the way, you will stop a couple of times for photos.

After one more hour of driving, you will reach the starting point of the Nengoa Trail hike. This trail is one of the highlights of the trip, thanks to its remote location and its hidden cave with a beautiful waterfall within. The water is cold but it’s worth swimming in it, surrounded by an unforgettable setting.

Along this easy trail, you will visit the remote, simple and charming dwelling of the Nengoa family. The members of the family live there permanently, working as coffee farmers in the lush jungle. You will have the opportunity to learn all about the process of farming coffee and, more importantly, enjoy a cup or two or even buy local roasted coffee for your loved ones, back home. You will also have time to interact with the family, and enjoy the simple but tasty lunch they will prepare especially for you. This is one of the most authentic experiences you will have on the trip, and one of the best memories you will have for the years to come.

Difficulty level of the hike: Easy to Moderate.
Duration of the hike: 3hrs.
Driving time: 1.5hrs from Trinidad to start of hike

Afterwards, you will return to Trinidad, to freshen up, relax and take your last afternoon stroll in the city before a farewell dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Iberostar Grand Hotel (5 star) or similar.

After breakfast, you will drive back to Havana (a 4-hour drive) for your departure flight back home. Alternatively, you may extend your trip to visit Varadero.

Notes:

• It is recommended that you book afternoon flights.
• One group airport transfer is included. Additional can be arranged at an extra cost.

Please note: There are no guides provided for Varadero as it is an all-inclusive resort.