Tour info

About Our Group Tours

To find out more about how our group tours including group sizes, solo travellers and why to choose us. Please click here.

Tour Leader

On this tour, you’ll be accompanied from start to finish by one of our exceptional local Cuban tour leaders. Owing to government restrictions on foreign tour leaders working in Cuba, we always use a pool of handpicked and JLA trained local leaders. From the moment you land in Cuba until the day the tour ends they will deal with all the practicalities, expertly adapting to the circumstances and individual needs of the group. Rather than different guides in different cities, your leader will get to know the group and keep you informed and entertained as you go.

Summary Of Nights

12 days, 11 nights: Havana 2; Viñales 2; Cienfuegos 2; Trinidad 3; Santa Clara 1; Havana 1.

Accommodation

We use a mixture of medium-class hotels, as well as private homestays. We must emphasise that in Cuba the standard of accommodation (and service) varies. All hotels have private facilities. In Trinidad you will be staying in casas particulares, or family homes. This system allows Cuban families to open up a few rooms to tourists. As each family has 2 or maybe 3 rooms, larger groups will be split among a number of different properties, but these will be located near one another and your tour leader will arrange meeting points and be on hand for assistance. Facilities within the houses vary; all have communal outside areas such as patios and roof terraces to relax in, and all offer excellent meals at additional cost. Due to Cuba’s strict regulations, casas particulares or private homes which are open to tourists are of a relatively high standard, however they do not necessarily conform to recognised hotel standards. With tourism growing the casa particulares are increasing in scale and also in development meaning most now have fridges in the rooms and even TV’s – something unheard of a few years ago. In all cases the rooms are clean and have private bathrooms with hot water. Staying in these is a great way to get an insight into the Cuban way of life and meet its friendly people.

Examples of the hotels include:

• Havana: Palacio de los Corredores
• Viñales: Nature Central
• Cienfuegos: La Union
• Trinidad: Casa Particulares
• Santa Clara: Central Villa Clara

Hotels are subject to change and are dependent on availability and more so then anywhere else in Latin America can change at the last minute.

Transport

5 road journeys (longest 5hrs with stops) all in private vehicles.

Meals

Breakfast daily.

Optional Excursions

Travelling Alone

There is no extra cost for single travellers who are willing to share a room. You will be accommodated with another same-sex member of the group who is also travelling solo. For single travellers who wish to have their own room there are a limited number of single rooms available, which carry a surcharge.

Climate

Cuba is generally hot throughout the year, although due to higher temperatures in the summer and also the risk of hurricanes we do not run this tour during that period.

A comprehensive overview of the weather in all the regions you are visiting can be found in our Destination pages. Our Travel Experts can answer your questions on climate and further details will be sent with your confirmation documents.

Clothing, Equipment and Luggage

A daypack is essential for carrying rainwear, snacks, books/tablet and a water bottle. Light, summer clothing will be adequate for this hot climate, and the dress code is very casual everywhere. Thin, long-sleeved garments may be useful for evenings, and a lightweight raincoat is the best protection against tropical downpours. Your footwear should include comfortable walking shoes or trainers and sandals. We recommend that you pack a torch as lighting can be poor at night.

Money

Please see the Country Info tab on this holiday for our latest currency information and advice about how to take your spending money. Tipping in Latin America is almost always done using cash. It is customary to tip tour leaders, local guides, drivers, boat crews and other service providers such as restaurant staff and porters. Full tipping guidelines are sent with your confirmation documents as is advice on local costs.

Health, Entry Requirements and Insurance

For health information on travelling to Cuba including recommended vaccinations, please see https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/

A completed Cuban tourist card is essential for all UK citizens travelling to Cuba. The cost of this is included in the holiday price and the card will be issued with your final documents.

Travel insurance is essential and documentation must be shown so please take it with you. Details of our recommended policy can be found on the Travel insurance website.

Our full briefing dossier contains more information on vaccinations, visas and insurance and will be provided with your final travel documents or can be requested from your travel consultant at any time.

Country info

When is the best time to visit Cuba?

The high season for visitors is Dec - Apr when the weather is usually sunny, mostly dry and not too humid, though there can be cool days. Hurricane and tropical storms are possible Aug - Nov.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

What's the official language of Cuba?

The official language of Cuba is Spanish.

What is the official currency in Cuba?

The Cuban National Peso (CUP) is the only official cash currency in Cuba, however many outlets will accept US dollars and some may also accept Euros. We recommend you bring your funds in US$ cash and exchange a small amount into CUPs when in Cuba. You can also exchange Euros but we don't recommend Sterling. Your bank notes should not be damaged in any way. As a foreign tourist you should receive a considerably better exchange rate than the ‘official’ rate used for commercial transactions.

A limited number of ATM's are available around Cuba, but queues can be large, charges can be high, and the official rate of exchange is given which makes them much less attractive.

Changing small amounts at a time into CUPs will help to avoid having leftover currency when you leave Cuba (it is not always easy to exchange CUPs back to other currencies).

Private hotels, bars and restaurants often accept payments directly in US$ (or Euros) cash. For these transactions bring small denominations if possible, and note that coins will not be accepted. Change may sometimes be given in CUPs.

You’ll generally need to use a credit/debit card to cover transactions in government shops and hotels, as well as car-rental extras such as petrol and local fees. However, some clients have issues using cards in Cuba so don’t rely on them as your only source of funding. Be sure to check with your bank that your cards are accepted in Cuba (cards linked to US banks are not accepted locally). At Cadeca exchange offices it is now possible to purchase a prepaid card (Tarjeta Clasica) which can be bought in cash with US Dollars/Euros. These can be used to obtain petrol.

Using money changers in the street is not recommended as it is illegal and you are more likely to receive forgeries.

What is the time difference between Cuba and UK?

Cuba operates daylight saving hours, so is generally 5 hours behind the UK year round, but as the dates of their time changes are slightly different, there are short periods around March and October/November when this will vary.

Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?

Holders of a full British passport do not require a visa, although passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the trip begins. A completed Cuban tourist card is essential for all UK citizens travelling to Cuba, we will organise this for you. Clients with a different nationality should enquire with us or check with the Cuban consulate.
APIS – Many countries now oblige airlines to provide additional information about passengers prior to the flight departure. This Advance Passenger Information (APIS) must be supplied to us promptly in order to issue tickets and avoid fare increases. We will provide the airlines with the relevant details if we are booking your international flights. If the information is not provided you may be denied boarding.

What vaccinations are recommended for visiting Cuba?

Please check Travel Health Pro for information on health recommendations and vaccinations for the destinations you are visiting. Please note that many Latin American countries require proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever if you have recently travelled to another country where Yellow Fever is present.

What places combine well with Cuba?

Mexico’s Yucatán is a great place to combine with Cuba. Flights from Cancún to Havana take approximately 1hr 15mins.

What are the festivals and cultural events in Cuba?

There are carnivals throughout the country on different dates. Havana’s carnival moves around date-wise year upon year, but is always accompanied by parades, music, drumming and dancing. Santiago’s carnival in July is probably the biggest and the best.

International Jazz Festival takes place in Havana in December. This is one of the world’s best, and there are workshops and concerts to enjoy.