fiesta - 8 days - idea - experience cuba tours · 2020. 6. 1. · fiesta - 8 days - idea private...

1 Tailored Journeys Pty Ltd, WA, 6153. Trading as Experience Cuba Tours.2018.

Your Experts in Tailor Made Cuba Tours experiencecubatours.com.au [email protected] 1300 79 55 31

Remember, this is just an idea, a conversation starter. It is a totally bespoke tour for you, so let us know what you think.

Come and experience Cuba; a place where time appears to have stood still. Get to know the most exciting island in the

Caribbean. Enjoy not just the old American cars in the streets or the colonial architecture in Old Havana, feel the sense

that the world of modern tourism has somehow largely bypassed the Caribbean’s largest island. Cuba is one of the few

remaining communist countries in the world. Its isolation from the modern world has perhaps helped to conserve the

Cuban society’s personality where you can feel like “the pulsating heart of what it means to be Latino”, with music, dance,

and the fiesta being core. Come and Experience Cuba: an undeniably fascinating and unique destination.

Inclusions: o Personalised welcome and greeting at Havana airport by ECT

representative.

o Havana airport transfers on arrival and departure.

o Comfort accommodation in "casas particulares" (guesthouses

or home-stays) with private bathrooms/ensuites and air-

conditioning. *

o Daily breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner as specified in the tour.

o Bottle of water daily.

o Private transfers as specified below. **

o Same private local Cuban guide throughout.

o Activities/excursions as specified below.

o Travelers Information Package with lots of practical advice (PDF).

o Cuba Tourist Map, advised by MINTUR, Minister of Tourism in Cuba. ***

o DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Cuba with a pull-out map (hard-copy). ****

o All ECT personnel tips.

Fiesta - 8 Days - Idea Private Escorted Cuba Tour Program

Cuba is not a holiday, it’s an Experience!


Included Activities: o Old Havana walking tour.

o Classic Convertible Car tour of Modern Havana.

o Hemingway Tour visit to Finca La Vigia (entry fees

included).

o Mariel: A taste of Cuba tour. All meals and drinks included.

o Pinar del Rio. Selection of 2 activities included.

o Panoramic and cultural tour of Cienfuegos, Trinidad and

Santa Clara.

o Visit to Che Guevara Mausoleum (entry fees included).

Not included: o International flights.

o Travel insurances (required to participate in our tours).

o Visas and passport fees. *****

o Meals (except those specified in the itinerary).

o Drinks (except the bottles of water as specified in the tour).

o Additional optional activities not specified in the tour below.

o Tips (except ECT personnel).

Itinerary Highlights: (All times are approximate and subject to change)

Day 1: Havana. Arrival. Greeted and welcome at airport by our Experience Cuba Tours representatives. Look for our

logo and your group leader name, which is usually the person that made the booking. Transfers to your accommodation.

Day 2: Havana. Old and Modern Havana Tour: Enjoy a walking tour of the

colonial district Havana Vieja (Old Havana) accompanied by your private

local guide. Learn about the city’s nearly 500-year-old heart, now a

pedestrian-only UNESCO World Heritage Site and discuss the city’s

architecture and historic restoration efforts. a genuine living museum. This

colonial and historic centre is a museum at open air of architecture, art and

culture. Bask in a beautiful Classic Convertible Car, while you take in the

highlights of modern Havana. Visit Central Havana, Cerro and Vedado

neighbourhoods, making stops at diverse points of interest. Today’s tour is a

real treat for history and culture enthusiasts.

Tips: Due to its preservation degree and architectural richness of its

monuments and buildings, Old Havana was acknowledged in 1982 by the

UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Dress appropriately for the weather,

wear sunscreen, and good walking shoes.


Day 3: Havana. Hemingway Tour: Relive Hemingway’s steps in Havana by

visiting the Nobel Prize’s favourite spots in the city. Ernest Hemingway loved

Cuba so much that he considered himself a “Cubano Sato” - which

translates to a garden variety Cuban. Hemingway felt a kinship with the

Cuban people and was inspired by many of his experiences while he was in

Cuba and on the waters surrounding the island nation. In response, the

Cuban people have showed equal admiration. Today a Hemingway industry

flourishes in Havana - where his image is seen nearly as much as other

famous Cuban icons. Visit where he lived at the "Finca La Vigia" and Room

511 at the Ambos Mundos Hotel. Stopover at La Bodeguita del Medio and El

Floridita: the birthplace of the Daiquiry.

Day 4: Mariel. A Taste of Cuba Tour - Our signature tour: 1 full day tour in Mariel. All meals and drinks included.

Get a taste of life in a small Cuban town. Mingle with the

locals, be the guest for one full day of an authentic Cuban

family, play some dominos, have a go at dancing some

salsa, and help to cook your own food. Mariel is a

municipality, located approximately 40 kilometres west of

Havana City. Its port is the nearest port to the United

States. In 1980, some 125,000 Cubans left Mariel and went

to the United States in what is known as the Mariel boatlift.

While most reached the USA, many died during the

journey. Those involved became known as "Marielitos.

Overnight in Soroa.

Day 5: Pinar del Rio. Travel to the Western province of Pinar del Rio. An area of great importance, though it may not

have the large cities and infrastructure that you would normally associate with importance, to Cuba as it is an area that

produces some of the world’s finest tobacco. Still stereotyped as a simple area with pure country folk it has withstood the

temptation to adopt the big tourist developments and remains an area of simple houses and homes in basic small villages

and towns. Overnight in Viñales. Select 2 from the following options:

o Soroa Tour: Soroa is in the western part of the Sierra del Rosario Mountains in the extreme south-east of the

province. Surrounded by exuberant nature, Soroa owes its name to Frenchman Jean Paul Soroa who at the end

of the 18th century was impressed by the splendour of

the local vegetation, installing his coffee plantations

and naming the place after himself. The area has a

mountainous section made up of low and medium

elevations with narrow valleys between the mountains

developed along the rivers. The most famous


attraction in Soroa is the Orchid Botanical Garden which contains more than 700 species from all over the world,

of which 250 are endemic from Cuba.

o Tobacco Plantation: Visit a tobacco plantation in the area, where you will learn how Cuba’s world-famous cigars

are made. The fertile land and favourable climate of this area make for perfect cigar tobacco growing conditions.

o Viñales Prehistoric Mural: Visit to Mural de la Prehistoria, an outstanding natural and man-made site, which was

given status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The mural is the work of the former Director of Mapping

at the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Leovigildo González Morillo. A master of neo-caveman artistry. Morillo

undertook the massive project of portraying world history up until the age of humans on a rock wall in the Viñales

Valley. Spanning from early molluscs and other ancient sea-organisms, the rock face mural moves through the

age of the dinosaurs and ends with three giant red human figures.

o Indian Cave: Continue with a visit to “La Cueva del Indio” (Indian Cave), with a boat trip through a subterranean

river. It was here that the Guanajatabey Indians built their primitive homes in caves hollowed out of the limestone

mogotes, where relics of this nomadic people have been found along with fossils of Pleistocene mammals

embedded in the rock. Deep inside the caves, albino fish swim and butterfly bats flit.

o Las Terrazas: Visit this small ecotourism community and nature reserve founded in 1971 in the municipality of

Candelaria, Artemisa Province, Cuba. It has many arts and crafts workshops and a beautifully restored 19th

Century coffee plantation – Cafetal Buenavista it is in the Sierra del Rosario mountains, which was designated a

Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1984.

Day 6: Pinar del Rio – Cienfuegos – Trinidad. Continue to Cienfuegos, also known as ‘the Pearl of the South’. This city

earned a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing in 2005 and owes its founding and large parts of historical architecture to

French settlers from Bordeaux and Louisiana. Founded in 1819 it has a steeped nautical and musical history with a

monument dedicated to one of its favourite sons, Beny Moré who was born in the province. It is also the site of one of

Cuba’s oldest and finest theatres, Thomas Terry. Enjoy a panoramic and cultural walking tour around this vibrant, eclectic

city. Continue to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Trinidad and enjoy a panoramic and cultural tour of Trinidad city.

Founded in 1514 by the Spanish it was known as the “Villa de la Santisima Trinidad” but has now just come to be called

Trinidad. It has undergone great restoration and conservation works which has made it one of the best-preserved colonial

cities of the Caribbean and South America. The oldest part of the city, comprising of an area of 55 blocks, is one of its

greatest attractions containing some beautiful churches and public squares. Cuban music fills the streets from the almost

countless cafes, bars and restaurants giving it a very lively and jovial atmosphere. Overnight in Trinidad.


Day 7: Trinidad – Santa Clara – Havana. Cultural panoramic tour

Travel to the rebellious and revolutionary city of Santa Clara. Now the

resting place of one of the most famous of modern day ‘guerrillas’ Che

Guevara who in December 1958 led the assault on Batista’s forces and

‘liberated’ Santa Clara. This proved pivotal in the revolution and ended

Batista’s regime. There is now a dedicated memorial/museum to Che

Guevara and 29 fellow guerrillas. Many personal effects of Che’s and

the revolution are contained in the museum such as his personal gun,

binoculars, water bottle, and many pictures of times during the

revolution. Continue your travel to Havana.

Day 8: Havana. Departure: Transfers to airport.


Travel Times Summary (approximate): Havana to Mariel: 1 hour.

Mariel to Soroa: 0:45 hours.

Soroa to Viñales: 1:45 hours.

Viñales to Cienfuegos: 5:45 hours.

Cienfuegos to Trinidad: 1:30 hour.

Trinidad to Santa Clara: 2:00 hours.

Santa Clara to Havana: 3:30 hours.

Prices (per person) in AUD As shown on our website.

* Inquire for an upgrade of accommodation to Select casas, private apartments, luxury villas or hotels (incurs surcharges).

** Transport/transfers are provided in cars or minivans as specified. A mix of classic old cars, more modern cars and minivans may be

used

*** Map is provided as a hard-copy and on arrival in Cuba.

**** Allow 4 weeks for delivery to Australia and New Zealand. (1 per couple).

***** Experience Cuba Tours can arrange yours visas for additional costs. You must be eligible for this service, please refer to our T&Cs

for details or ask your ECT travel consultant.


Additional Itinerary Notes It is an exciting time in Cuba with rapidly changing legislation and local conditions. Cuba has seen a massive increase in tourism, which

has put a strain on local tourist infrastructure. While we will strive to operate our tours as closely to published itineraries as possible,

conditions often change from one day to the next, and minor tour modifications may be necessary with no advance notice. Casa

Particulares (homestays, B&B’s or guesthouses) are family run businesses that are legal and formalised to provide accommodation to

foreigners in Cuba. Though much nicer than general Cuban homes they can seem quite rustic and bare compared to what most

international travellers are used to back home. Experience Cuba Tours utilises different categories of casas (Standard, Comfort and

Select homestays and guesthouses), private self-contained apartments, villas and hotels stays, so make sure to let us know your

preferences to quote accordingly. Cuba as a developing country is subject to power outages and it is common to have low water

pressures in the showers and sinks. It is also common for the shower to be electric. If understanding and expectations are kept in check

staying at Casa Particulares is a very personal and pleasurable way to accommodate yourself in Cuba.

The transport system in Cuba is in many ways different to anywhere else in the world. Experience Cuba Tours, as other tour operators

in the island, are restricted in a large way by the local transport laws. We use privately owned transport with approved licences to

provide taxi services to tourists and the state-owned transport services of TRANSTUR, the only inter-provincial taxi provider in Cuba.

The privately-owned transports vary between classic vintage cars (hardtop and convertible) and more modern models of cars, all in

good condition. It is not law in Cuba for cars to be fitted with seat belts and neither is it against the law to use a mobile phone while

driving. This is not condoned or encouraged by Experience Cuba Tours but when travelling to other countries it is customary to abide

by the local laws. Should you have any issues or concerns regarding your tour or services provided to you by Experience Cuba Tours,

Tailored Journeys Pty Ltd while on your tour, you should contact the company’s representative Laynet Luna immediately. We will

attempt in good faith to resolve the issue. Failure to notify the company at the time may limits Experience Cuba Tour’s ability to resolve

the matter at a later date.

While it is hard to know what every individual's expectations might be, we do remind travellers that Cuba is in most respects a third

world country and as such considerations should be made and understood.

Tailored Journeys Pty Ltd, trading as Experience Cuba Tours. ABN: 98 612 512 400 ACN: 612 512 400

1300 79 55 31, [email protected]. 9/20 Kearns Cres, Ardross, WA, 6153. Australia.

Please refer to our Terms and conditions: https://www.experiencecubatours.com.au/terms-and-conditions/

ATAS Travel Accredited No. A14203.

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.experiencecubatours.com.au/terms-and-conditions/

fiesta - 8 days - idea - experience cuba tours · 2020. 6. 1. · fiesta - 8 days - idea private...

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