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 Cuba is a mystical place. Blocked from the outside world, Cubans have managed to create a vibrant culture out of humble ingredients. It's a place with warm and friendly people who approach life with a dramatic flair and an ability to dance and sing even in the most difficult times. The people of Cuba are passionate, idealistic and at the same time dreamers.
Please note that this is not a regular vacation. Travelers who envision days full of sunbathing and sipping mojitos should be forewarned. The current regulations mean traveling with U.S. and Cuban government-authorized operators that allow for "person-to-person" travel that facilitates interaction with locals and an understanding of Cuba's culture. While this may make the tour seem more "educational" than a typical vacation, you will have the amazing opportunity to dive into a part of the world that has been cut off for more than half a century.
• Havana
• Old Havana *
• Las Terrazas National Park
• Afro-Cuban culture
• Criadero de Crocodilos, a crocodile farm
• Cienfuegos, city of domes *
• Colonial city of Sancti Spiritus
• Escambray Mountains
• 18th century town of Trinidad *
• Plaza de la Revolucion Ernesto Guevara, monument to Che
• Cayo Santa Maria
• Fishing town of Caibarién
• Steam Train in Remedios
* UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Day 1 - Wednesday, March 2, 2016
 Book a flight from your home city this morning to Miami, Florida (airport code MIA). Please time your arrival by mid-afternoon so you may participate in our Welcome Dinner this evening. If you are not able to arrive by 4:00 pm at the very latest, we suggest you plan to depart a day early, on Tuesday, March 1 and spend an extra night in Miami. For those who wish to arrive a day early, please indicate this on your reservation form so that we can hold a room for you at our hotel.
Meals: Welcome Dinner
Hotel: Miami Airport Marriott Hotel, Miami, 4*
Day 2 - Thursday, March 3, 2016
 We depart our hotel after breakfast and transfer to the airport this morning for our short flight to Cuba. Magical Havana is a city suspended in time with classic cars driving past colonial houses, with local Habaneros dancing to the rumba beat and cigar smoke filled wood-lined bars. Our first stop is to the Cuba's Gaudi-inspired neighborhood of a mosaic tile artist Jose Rodriguez Fuster, known as the "Picasso of the Caribbean." The entire area is surreal, with over 50 houses decorated in Fuster's unique style of mixing painting and ceramic mosaics. At the Revolution Square, take an elevator to the top of the 357-foot tall tower for spectacular views of the city.
Take a group photo under the iconic mural of Che Guevera, the first Minister of the interior appointed by Fidel Castro, before you leave. Enjoy lunch at La California restaurant, and then check in at our hotel, the Saratoga, Old Havana's grandest and most iconic hotel. Tonight enjoy a special Welcome Dinner at Café Elite to celebrate our arrival in Havana. Afterwards there is the opportunity to sample some of Havana's lively nightlife at one of the city's famous bars, La Esencia. Overnight in Havana.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Saratoga Hotel, Havana, 5*
Day 3 - Friday, March 4, 2016
 Havana Vieja, the old city with some of the most stunning Spanish colonial architecture in the world, received designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Visit some of the city's iconic sights, including: Capitolio, Obispo Street and the Cathedral Square with a local historian/architect. Continue with your educational overview of the City and its people with a visit to a Graphic Arts Studio for an overview of the importance of art in Cuban life through interactions with students and staff. Next, we take a special tour of the Museum of Fine Arts' Cuban Collection, housed in the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes. Cuban art is the perfect way to understand both the island's culture and history.
Enjoy lunch and then experience Afro Cuban culture. Our first stop today is Callejón de Hamel (Hamel's Alley) where Cuban artist Salvador González Escalona turned the entire neighborhood in a display of African influences in Cuban culture using an explosion of colors, Afro-Cuban imagery, and sculptures. End your day's touring with a visit to the unique Cuban National Zoo where many of the animals move freely in special areas that mimic their natural habitats and visitors view them from special buses that drive around the zoo grounds. After sunset, enjoy dinner at La Fontana and then hear great music at a private bar in Miramar neighborhood to interact with the locals.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Saratoga Hotel, Havana, 5*
Day 4 - Saturday, March 5, 2016
 Visit CENESEX, the National Center for Sexual Education, whose director is Mariela Castro, an activist for LGBT rights in Cuba. During your visit, duties permitting, Mariela Castro may join us to discuss her work with the CENESEX Project. Continue to Las Terrazas National Park, 45 minutes from Havana, where habaneros head for a breath of fresh mountain air. Hiking trails, small lakes, waterfalls, sulfurous springs and colonial-era coffee estates await exploration. This is ideal place to enjoy outdoor sport activities (optional), such as easy hiking trails, horseback riding, rowing on the lake, birdwatching, and an exciting zip line over the lake.
Several well-known Cuban artists are based at Las Terrazas, including Lester Campa, a political artist whose work has been exhibited internationally. You will enjoy lunch at "Casa del Campesino" before heading back to Havana in the afternoon feeling truly inspired. We end our touring today with a half-hour ride in a fancy, classic, exclusive, vintage car. Its then time for classic Cuban cocktail at the garden terrace of the National Hotel while you watch the sunset. Dinner is at La Moraleja Paladar where the menu is a mix of Cuban Creole cuisine with international mixes. Overnight in Havana.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Saratoga Hotel, Havana, 5*
Day 5 - Sunday, March 6, 2016
 Leave Havana behind today and drive into the center of the island country. After a stop at Finca Fiesta Campesina farm where we learn about the customs of Cuban farmers, we arrive at Criadero de Crocodilos, a huge crocodile farm and research facility working to save endangered species.
The farm has more than 100,000 reptilian residents, kept in a variety of pools, which you can observe from a viewing platform. Enjoy lunch at Casa Enrique, a private house, where the family owners offer an in-depth view of the challenges and benefits of owning a private business in Cuba.
We continue our drive in the afternoon, stopping at the Bay of Pigs (site of the failed 1961 U.S. invasion), where each spring millions of land crabs pour out of nearby swamps and into the shallow waters to breed. We tour Cienfuegos, whose Historic Center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its many domes and neoclassical architecture. Finally we arrive at Sancti Spiritus, a charming colonial city painted in blue with colonial architecture and narrow cobblestone streets. The evening is free with dinner at our hotel tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel del Rijo, Sancti Spiritus
Day 6 - Monday, March 7, 2016
 Our day begins with a visit to El Cubano Park in the Escambray Mountain range where we enjoy a walk along various hiking trails, visit a farmer's house, and take an informative bird watching and river walk. Afterward, we will have lunch at the park at a rustic restaurant. Travel on to Trinidad where we tour the city's Historical Center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, which boasts a wealth of architectural buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries around Plaza Mayor. Walk around historic Trinidad and visit with artists in their own galleries. Return to Sancti Spiritus in the late afternoon for a free evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Hotel del Rijo, Sancti Spiritus
Day 7 - Tuesday, March 8, 2016
 We drive to Santa Clara City, founded in 1689 but remembered throughout history for the Battle of Santa Clara in 1958. Visit the monument of Che at the Plaza de la Revolucion Ernesto Guevara, where the remains of Che and his comrades who fell in Bolivia have been interred at this site. We will have lunch at a community center for the elderly. We will get to experience El Mejunje Club with its traditional Cuban music and dancing, and then we visit the School of Music and Art to enjoy dance, theater and music performances by the students. Finally, we depart for Cayo Encenachos, an island located north of the main island of Cuba in the "Jardines del Rey "(King's gardens) archipelago. The evening is free to enjoy our all-inclusive resort.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Iberostar Ensenachos Hotel, Cayo Ensenachos, 5*
Day 8 - Wednesday, March 9, 2016
 We visit the fishing town of Caibarién and visit the Proyecto de Arte Por la Costa to meet with artist Madelin Perez Noa to learn about the importance of art in this community. Next, engage in a conversation on fishing practices with a local fisherman, an experience revealing the industry's impact on the community. Later visit an old sugar mill and learn about the importance of the sugar industry and how it has changed over the past 50 years, and why.
Afterwards, board a vintage steam train for a ride towards Remedios, interacting with the crew and conductor to learn the important role they played in the sugar cane community. In Remedios meet up with the local priest who provides many programs and activities to the community. We return to our resort, and our last evening in Cuba is spent learning how to make Mojitos and Cuba Libre cocktails and tasting various Cuban rum brands prior to our Farewell Dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Iberostar Ensenachos Hotel, Cayo Ensenachos, 5*
Day 9 - Thurday, March 10, 2016
Transfer to the Santa Clara Airport this morning for our flight back to Miami. You may arrange connections from Miami to your home city in the late afternoon, after 4:00 pm.
Meals: Breakfast
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• 8 nights hotel accommodations including first night at Miami hotel:
- 1 night at Miami Airport Marriott Hotel, Miami;
- 3 nights at Saratoga Hotel, Havana;
- 2 nights at Hotel del Rijo, Sancti Spiritus;
- 2 nights at Iberostar Ensenachos Hotel, Cayo Ensenachos
• Round-trip airfare between Miami, FL and Havana, Cuba;
• Visa fees;
• Hotel breakfasts daily plus Welcome & Farewell Dinners and other meals as specified in the itinerary;
• Ground transportation in air conditioned motorcoach;
• Sightseeing activities and entrances as listed in the itinerary;
• Fully guided and escorted tour;
• Bottled water on coach and at meals;
• All tips to driver, guide, and attendants.
• Round trip airfare from your home city to Miami, FL (MIA);
• Ground transportation for sightseeing on your own (taxis, local guides, etc.);
• Meals and optional activities not specifically listed in the itinerary;
• Camera fees; alcoholic beverages; laundry, telephone calls, faxes, or any other expenses of a personal nature;
• Travel Insurance.
Miami Airport Marriott Hotel, Miami
Miami Airport Marriott Hotel provides free transfer service to the Miami International Airport, which is 2 km away. A flat-screen cable TV is included in every room.
Each room is air-conditioned and features a desk and seating area at this South Florida Miami Airport Marriott. The en suite bathroom has a bath or shower.
 An outdoor heated pool and a fitness centre with free weights and cardiovascular equipment are provided at Miami Airport Marriott. The concierge staff can provide area information and book local attractions.
Guests can dine for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the on-site restaurants, Cane Fire Grille and Champions Sports Bar. The M Club offers complimentary buffet breakfast and refreshments. Starbucks is available on site.
Saratoga Hotel, Havana
 There are few hotels in Havana where the front door miraculously swings open (thanks to a deft doorman, naturally) – the Saratoga Hotel is one of those hotels. And that door has swept open for many notable guests since the historic hotel re-opened in 2005 including legendary guitarist Jimmy Page and pop phenom Beyoncé.
The Saratoga, voted one of the region's top hotels by Condé Nast Traveller, is fast gaining a reputation as the hip place to stay in Havana and not only for its high-profiled clientele: this hotel is living proof that international standards for luxury can be met, maintained and even improved upon, in Cuba.
 Behind the neoclassical façade, guests find an entire menu of services including a wine and tapas bar, the upscale Anacaona restaurant (grab the window table for unsurpassed people watching), and the Mezzanine Bar and WiFi area; the Deluxe Patio rooms overlook this inner courtyard.
Saratoga sets the standard for rooftop pools: from your chaise you'll be treated to unparalleled views of the majestic Capitolio, Central Park and the Prado beyond. Cocktails at sunset are highly recommended here.
Hotel del Rijo, Sancti Spiritus
 The Hotel del Rijo is a comfortable colonial style hotel, easy to find amid the streets of the ancient Sancti Spiritus dated 1514, it is the fourth village among the first seven founded by the Spaniards in Cuba, and the only one with a Latin name.
The majestic facade of the Hotel del Rijo is highlighted by several iron bars and a beautiful nailed wooden great hall door, all decorated in celestial blue with marble-like veins.
 The Hotel del Rijo has a privileged location. It is perfect for visitors who want to explore this wonderful city, discover its traditions, customs and the genuinely Cuban way of life.
All the rooms are wide and finely decorated; this is a main feature of typically colonial mansions. The hotel rooms are provided with air conditioning, toilet, safe, minibar, room service, telephone, radio and cable TV.
Iberostar Ensenachos Hotel, Cayo Ensenachos
 The Iberostar Ensenachos Hotel is an elegant luxury hotel, ideally located on unspoiled Cayo Ensenachos in an area of natural beauty, boasting two stunning, secluded white-sand beaches.
Discover more than 60 local species of flora and fauna at the nearby Cayo Santa Maria National Park and enjoy the powdery soft sand and brilliant turquoise waters.
 Revel in a wealth of sports and activities for all ages, including beach volleyball, water polo, tennis, windsurfing, kayaking, and more.
Entertainment runs from day to night with live music, fun games, and evening performances. After a day of non-stop action, treat yourself to a relaxing massage at the spa or lounge under the shade of lush palms.
Savour sumptuous cuisine at the resort's several restaurants featuring Italian, Asian, and international cuisine as well as fresh seafood and local delicacies. For a relaxing vacation in a natural paradise, the Iberostar Ensenachos is the ideal Cuba resort.
Entry Requirements
For U.S. Citizens a valid passport and a special visa are required to enter Cuba for stays of up to 60 days. Once you have booked this tour, you will be sent a visa form which you need to fill out completely and promptly return to us. Visas will be handed out to travelers in Miami prior to our flight to Cuba.
Immunizations
No immunizations are currently required for travel to Cuba, but it is wise to have your inoculations up-to-date. Is your tetanus booster current?
Exit Requirements
There is currently no separate departure tax required of visitors leaving Cuba other than that included with the cost of your airline ticket.
What to Bring
Think tropical climate when traveling to Cuba. Even in March, the daytime temperatures in the areas visited could reach low to mid 80s F, while the nighttime lows might only dip down into the upper 60s F. Pack light and try to limit yourself to one small suitcase plus carry-on. Pack medications in a carry-on just in case your bag doesn't arrive when you do. We suggest leaving expensive jewelry at home!
Money Matters
The national currency is the Convertible peso (CUC) which is divided into 100 centavos. Major credit cards like MasterCard and Visa are accepted at most establishments provided they were not issued by a bank in the United States. ATMs are available, but in more remote areas can be difficult to find. Currency can be exchanged at local offices, but travelers from the US should note that all dollar transaction incur a surcharge of 10 percent. This, of course, presents a problem for "Americanos," but those arriving via Montego Bay can exchange money freely and fairly there, or else bring cash to trade on the "local market."
We strongly encourage you purchase Travel Insurance to cover all aspects of your travel in Cuba.
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