Cuba makes you want to dance into the night, experiencing the entertainment and living history inside the cities and searching for colorful flora and fauna protected in the national parks. Locals laugh as they jump into the Atlantic Ocean near the waterside avenue of the Malecón. A Tocororo twitters in the jade forest canopy. Flamingoes catch your eye against the waters of a quiet lagoon. Guitarists and bongo players fill the streets with passionate songs from sunrise to well past midnight. Your...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Havana – At First Glance
Havana is a city easily conjured in dreams. However, the streets and the people quickly exceed expectations. Your flight lands at Jose Marti International Airport, where you have your first look of the city. The airport already transports you to a different time, absent of wifi and long distance phone calls. Locals gather around the exit, holding up signs for old friends and returning family members. Your private transfer greets you at the baggage claim and escorts you into the city. Outside of the airport, ankle-high grass ripples in the breeze.
Fresh murals celebrating the Cuban socialist spirit decorate dilapidated walls. The contemporary high-rises of Vedado overlook the renovated colonial architecture of Old Havana. The aroma of the ocean drifts over the walls along the Malecón, the seaside avenue. You settle into your hotel, located in the heart of the antique city. Classic American cars park outside the columned arcades of Hotel Inglaterra, a 19th-century neoclassical edifice standing opposite the elegant walkway of the Paseo del Prado.
What's Included:
Day 2
Havana – Indulging in an Image
Day 3
Guama – Cuba Crocodile Country
Day 4
Cienfuegos – Witnessing Cuban Variety
Day 5
Trinidad – Picking Up the Pearl
Day 6
Trinidad – Finding Trinidad
Day 7
Santa Clara – Nature and the Revolution
Day 8
Las Terrazas – Eco-Friendly Immersion
Day 9
Las Terrazas – Vision of Vinales
Day 10
Havana – Unique Union
Trip Highlights
- Cruise across a lake in search of the colorful bird life of Cuba, coming close to a flock of resplendent flamingoes
- Enjoy a private salsa lesson to learn the traditional and graceful moves of the spirited dance
- Learn how to hand roll a cigar during your visit to a Cuban tobacco farm
- Witness the Che Guevara Monument and Cuba’s connection to the celebrated socialist hero
- Discover the natural wonders of Cuba during your visit to the crocodile farm in Guama
- Visit an eco-community tasked with reforesting the mountains outside of Havana
- Venture through the treetops on an exciting canopy zipline tour of the eco-community, providing an unparalleled view of your surroundings
- Find the artist market in the colonial city of Trinidad, where handcrafted goods, from paintings to clothing, and even musical instruments, are sold
- Stroll through the small museum located at the Bay of Pigs, telling the Cuban side of the historic American-Cuban tension
- Ride around the streets of Havana in a vintage classic American Car
Detailed Description
Encounter music and cobblestone streets, Spanish cathedrals and impressive fortresses; Cuba will captivate you during your 10-day cultural tour. Search the countryside for cascading waterfalls. Journey to a nearby valley in search of Jurassic caves. Witness the lingering reminder of the sugar and coffee baron eras at sprawling ruinous plantations. Follow the sounds of inviting traditional music and enjoy the natural aromas of the splashing sea. Cuba is a country you need to experience, indulging in the passionate culture, living history, and gregarious people.
Your flight arrives at the Havana International Airport. Your private transfer escorts you into the heart of Old Havana, where you settle into the comforts of your hotel surrounded by the colonial architecture. The following day, you step into a vintage car and explore the monuments of Havana. Enjoy a walking tour of the old city before visiting a Chocolate Museum. Next, you trade in Havana for the legendary countryside of Guama, where Fidel Castro used to vacation. Stroll through a revitalized Taino village and visit a large crocodile farm that helped bring the local reptiles back from the brink of extinction.
Trek through the canals of Zapata Swamp Park in search of the marvelous avifauna, including bee hummingbirds and flamingoes. Venture to the Bay of Pigs along the coastline to see the historic site that set the tone for Cuban-American relations before continuing to Cienfuegos. Then, you have a tour of the magnificent streets of Cienfuegos, along with an adventure through El Cubano Nature Reserve. Once in Trinidad, you have an orientation tour of the colonial city. The day is yours to discover the pleasures of the city, from its musical streets to its encompassing Afro-Cuban culture.
You can even make your way to a nearby valley to see the ruins of historic sugarcane plantations. You trek into the Escambray Mountains to follow the trails in Topes de Collante. Continue to the city of Santa Clara for an introductory tour of the city and its famous Che Guevara Monument. Your transfer takes you to the eco-community of Las Terrazas, located in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve. After you tour the community, you can travel along the 2,624-foot long zipline for a different view.
Afterward, you make your way to Vinales Valley. Follow your guide through a small tobacco farm to learn about the growing and cultivation process of Cuba’s largest export. You can even learn how to roll a cigar by hand from the tobacco farmer. Spend time taking in a panorama of the valley before returning to Havana. Celebrate your final evening in the city with a private salsa instruction, putting you at the heart of Cuban spirit. On your final day, your private transfer escorts you from the hotel to Jose Marti International Airport for your flight home.
Click here to browse our other Cuba itineraries, and gain further inspiration to perfect your Cuba vacation of a lifetime.
Starting Price
$5,300 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
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