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Vamos a la playa y a la montaña! Embark on an epic journey around the whole island of Cuba and experience the Cuban way of life. This 10-day tour has it all, and it’s really up to you to decide how you spend most of your days—cycling, scuba diving, hiking, ziplining, snorkeling, horseback riding, the country is overflowing with fun activities. Whether you’re a bigger fan of lounging on the beach and mingling with the locals at casas particulares, or you’re just ready to go out and explore all there is, this tour has you covered. One thing you can count on is gaining insight into the customs, traditions, and lifestyle of the Cubanos!
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Arrive in Havana and settle into your accommodation. If you arrive by 7 pm, you’ll meet your guide and your group then for an optional dinner.
Accommodation: Guesthouse
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Road trip to Viñales takes 3–4 hours. You’ll spend 2 nights in the charming town of Vinales, where there’s plenty of outdoor activities available. On the morning of Day 3, take a half-day off-road cycling excursion through the valley and tobacco plantations with views of pincushion-carpeted hills. It’s possible to arrange a walking tour of the valley for those not who are not up for cycling. Spending afternoons in Viñales is up to you to decide, these are some options:
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- Zoom down Cuba’s best zipline
- Explore the country’s largest cave system, Cuevas Santo Tomas
- Learning to salsa with a local teacher
- Basking in the sun at Cayo Levisa, a white sand beach some 40 minutes away
- Horse riding
- Rock climbing
Viñales has a great nightlife, partly due to the fact that there’s really only 1 bar there and all the locals go there. Listen and dance to live music, experience how Cubans enjoy their nights out first-hand.
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast
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The drive to the Bay of Pigs will take circa 7 hours, but you’ll stop along the way for some snorkeling, right off the coast. Snorkeling equipment is available for hire at a low cost. You’ll stay the night in the town of Playa Giron, boasting a beautiful sandy beach. You’ll also be near Cienaga de Zapata, a densely forested area featuring wetlands, swamps, caves, and sinkholes.
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast
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Use the time you have left in the Bay of Pigs for either scuba diving over spectacular coral reefs or hiking with a national park guide through the nearby forests—see the wildlife, caves, and a freshwater sinkhole where you can snorkel with fish and turtles. If you’d like to take it easy today, hang out with your guesthouse family or go to the beach. In the afternoon, take a 3-hour drive to Trinidad. You’ll enjoy the views of Cuba’s Caribbean coast along the way and before you know it, you’ll be in Trinidad, a vibrant, authentic colonial city.
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast
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Time for some hiking! This 2-day trek takes you through the mountains near Trinidad—Sierra del Escambray. You’ll pass through valleys, over ridges, along mountain streams, and to hidden waterfalls. National park employees take care of the cooking and tents, providing sleeping mats and blankets. Still, it can get cold in the mountains at night so it’s best to bring your own sleeping bag, or at least a simple sleeping sheet. Every day you’ll cover around 6 miles (10 km). In the event that you prefer to stay in Trinidad, your guides can provide the extra night at a guesthouse free of charge. The night of Day 7 is back in Trinidad.
Accommodation: Tent and guesthouse
Meals: Breakfasts, two lunches, and dinner
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Today you have the full day to explore Trinidad! It’s a charming, vibrant city with cobblestone streets and old mansions around the town square. There are optional activities near you, such as scuba diving, ziplining, or horseback riding to a waterfall—or you can just relax on the beach. In the evening, there are several live music performances in the city center, so you’ll have a fun night out!
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast
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On your way back to Havana, you’ll stop in the city of Santa Clara to check out the Che Guevara museum. This is the only museum visit of the trip so we recommend visiting it—Che was an important person for Cuba’s recent history and the revolution. Eventually you’ll reach Havana and you can celebrate the last night together as a group. There are plenty of lively spots in the city, so enjoy your last night dancing and singing to Cuban tunes!
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast
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Today is your last day of the tour. Take a shuttle to the airport—it’s not included in the price of the trip, but it shouldn’t cost more than $20 per taxi—and catch your flight. Alternatively, stay a bit longer in Cuba, just ask your guides for some recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
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Included:
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- An experienced local guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- 10-day active Cuba tour (hiking, cycling, snorkeling throughout)
- Accommodation for 9 nights
- 8 nights of accommodation in casas particulares (twin-shared, air-conditioned rooms with an ensuite bathroom)
- 1 night camping in tents
- Some meals — all breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
- Transportation during the tour — private air-conditioned minibus, taxi, jeep, open-sided truck
- Activities as in the itinerary (half-day cycling excursion in Vinales, 2-day trek in Sierra Escambray Mountains, visit to Che Guevara Memorial)
- Airport pick-up
Add-ons:
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- Single occupancy — $250, available at checkout
Not included:
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- Flights to Cuba
- Airport drop-off at the end of the tour
- Accommodation prior to and after the tour — guides can arrange this, just let us know in advance
- Drinks and some meals
- Optional activities, day-tours, and excursions
- Visa and passport fees
- Travel medical insurance — required
- Guide gratuities — optional
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This Cuba active tour is beginner-friendly, requiring a basic level of fitness! You can check out day-by-day activities in the itinerary, but in general, you can expect a half-day cycling excursion, a 2-day trek in the Sierra Escambray Mountains, and some snorkeling.
There will be more optional activities as well, such as scuba diving, hiking, ziplining, horseback riding, rock climbing, learning to salsa, and more!
The most strenuous thing on this tour is hiking for 6 miles (10 km) for 2 days in a row and a half-day cycling tour. Still, if you’re not up for it, your guides can always arrange some other activities for you—or simply let you chill in the guesthouses or at the beach. Other than that, it’s up to you how you want to spend your free time. You always have the option to tailor this tour to your expectations and wishes.
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It can get very hot and humid in Cuba in the summer months of June through August, when lightweight clothing is recommended. In the winter months, it can get colder, particularly in the evenings. Although the temperatures generally don’t get very low in Cuba, the cold can be hard to escape from due to the humidity levels and the fact that Cuba houses aren’t set up for cold weather. During the day, the climate in Cuba is hot and tropical.
Clothing:
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- Fleece top or similar
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Pair of long trousers
- Sandals and footwear for walking
- Water shoes — optional
- Swimwear
- Small towel and swimwear
- Sun hat
Personal items:
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- Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag)
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Toiletries (sunscreen, soap, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Sunglasses
- First-aid kit (lip salve, aspirin, band-aids, antihistamine, Imodium or similar)
- Binoculars — optional
- Money belt — optional
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
It’s best to bring a backpack, a duffel bag, or a small travel case with wheels. Our advice is to pack as lightly as possible since you’ll normally have to carry your own luggage from the minibus to the accommodation. It’s possible to leave some luggage in Havana, just ask your guide to help you arrange it—it only costs around 5 euros per week.
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Group sizes and pricing
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- For this active Cuba tour, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 14:1.
- It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 14 participants.
- The standard price is based on twin-share rooms. Single occupancy can be arranged at an additional fee—you can add it to your booking at checkout.
- Solo travelers can share a room with another same-gender solo traveler at no extra cost, or guarantee a private room by paying a single occupancy fee.
Active Cuba tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the active Cuba tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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E-visa
Cuba has replaced its old pink and green paper visas with a new e-visa system.
If you already have a paper visa (tourist card), it’s valid until June 30, 2025. Starting in 2025, all visitors—including those from visa-exempt countries like China and Russia—need an e-visa to enter Cuba. The e-visa is valid for 90 days (renewable once for another 90), allows a single entry, and expires one year after issue. It can be extended once in Cuba for a small fee (your guides can assist), allowing you to stay up to 180 days on a single visit.
Apply online through the Cuban government website or via resellers like EASY TOURIST CARD. And for U.S. citizens or travelers coming from the U.S., check out CUBA VISA SERVICES. Your e-visa will be emailed to you. All this applies to most foreigners, but always check with your local consulate for specific entry requirements.
The D’Viajeros Customs & Immigration Form
This is required for all travelers to Cuba. When you receive your e-visa email, you’ll also get a link to the mandatory D’Viajeros online customs and immigration form. It must be completed no more than 7 days before your arrival date to validate your e-visa.
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This tour and its itinerary comply with US travel regulations and are legal for both US and non-US citizens. No special OFAC permission is needed. Your guides will provide you with an affidavit to sign as proof of legal travel.
When booking flights, you’ll need to select a permitted travel category—choose “Support for the Cuban People”. Once you get to Cuba and join this tour, all you’ll have to do is use private businesses and interact with locals. Here’s a summary of the 5 requirements:
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- Use privately-owned businesses (e.g. private restaurants, private shops, private taxis, etc.)
- Stay in privately-owned accommodation—these are the casas particulares you’ll be staying at.
- Maintain a full schedule of meaningful interactions for 6-8 hours a day.
“”Enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities and that result in meaningful interactions with individuals in Cuba.”
Here are some suggestions that are considered acceptable:- Supporting local artists by visiting galleries and/or purchasing art
- Conversing with your hosts at casa particular
- Volunteering
- Taking lessons (dance, language, music, sport…)
- Shopping in privately-owned businesses
- Eating at privately-owned restaurants
- Taking guided tours
- Avoid transactions with Cuban Government entities on this Prohibited List. The most important thing is to avoid the hotels and shops listed. For example, most 5-star hotels are prohibited so you wouldn’t want to make purchases there.
- Document your activities and transactions in a ledger or travel journal and maintain the records and receipts for 5 years.
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To get to your Cuba adventure, fly into Havana Airport (HAV). Airport shuttle to Havana is included, even if you arrive in Cuba prior to Day 1 of the tour, as long as you arrange your pre-tour accommodation through your guides. At 7pm, the guide will meet with those who have already arrived and go for an optional dinner.
Be sure to review all visa and entry requirements carefully. A detailed breakdown can be found above.
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The local currency is the Cuban Peso (CUP), but exchanging money isn’t necessary—USD and EUR cash are widely accepted (bring small bills, no coins).
Avoid official exchange offices due to poor rates—ask your guide or guesthouse for help if needed. Bring enough USD or EUR cash for your entire stay. Credit cards are unreliable in Cuba, and US-issued cards won’t work at all. Most local businesses only accept cash.
An estimated amount of €320 to €460 EUR ($350 to $500 USD) is recommended for local expenses during this active Cuba tour, including food, drinks, and optional activities, but excluding souvenirs. Meal costs can vary significantly, particularly in Havana, depending on the restaurant chosen.
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Medical and travel protection is mandatory. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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