Active Cuba holiday in 12 days

Fly from the UK to Cuba where on arrival in Havana, you will be met by your driver and transferred in a classic American car to your accommodation, where you will stay for 2 nights.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel by your English-speaking guide for a grand tour of Havana in a Classic American car. You’ll pass the famous Malecon (Seafront promenade), the Capitol building (Capitolio), the Revolution Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, the Parque Central (Central Park) and the Gran Teatro de la Habana. There will be short stops along the way and once you get to Revolution Square, you’ll have plenty of free time to take pictures of the surrounding buildings.

After two hours, you’ll continue your guided tour on foot in Havana Vieja, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site by UNESCO. There will also be time to visit the Palacio de la Artesania to buy some souvenirs.

Leave Havana behind and drive westwards to the province of Pinar del Rio, famous for being Cuba’s tobacco capital and its distinctive limestone rock formations called Mogotes. Enjoy the rolling green scenery and the agricultural region’s typical red dirt and arrive at the small farmer’s town of Viñales.

Today you’ll see more of the countryside during your horse ride through the Viñales valley, dotted with small farms and stop at a local tobacco farm. Here you’ll learn about the growing and drying process of the region’s most famous product.

You’ll also visit a cave inside a ‘Mogote’ and there’s the opportunity to go for a swim in a natural pool inside the cave, so don’t forget to bring your swimming gear.

After Viñales, your journey continues to Las Terrazas, a tiny eco-village located inside the Sierra del Rosario biosphere reserve. A successful ecological restoration project turned land that had been badly damaged by extensive monoculture farming of coffee, into a biosphere reserve in the seventies.

Nowadays the area is lush with a rich birdlife and looks as if it’s been pristine and untouched by human hands for centuries. There’s only one hotel in the eco-village, which is where you will be staying, on a hill with lovely views of the small lakes.

Today you will be going on an interesting tour called ‘Community, Nature and History’, where you learn about the Las Terrazas community and its surrounding park, including visits of the artisanal market and art studios. Afterwards, visit the former coffee plantation of Buena Vista and where you pick up more information about the process of growing and processing coffee during the colonial era. Lunch is included at one of the local restaurants and at the end of the tour.

After lunch, you have the chance to see the beautiful natural scenery from above when you fly high over the treetops. During your guided zip lining adventure (six zip wires) you’ll be in good hands when you whizz high over the treetops and across the Las Terrazas lakes. At the end of this active day, you relax (or go for a swim) in the nearby San Juan river

Today’s route will take you from Las Terrazas to Cienfuegos, with an optional detour to the infamous Bay of Pigs, where the CIA-backed invasion of Cuban expats took place. You can visit the local museum commemorating the battle for a trip down the island’s history.

You’ll arrive in Cienfuegos in the late afternoon, in time for a stroll along the city’s boulevard to enjoy a lovely sunset. Cienfuegos is a relatively young city, founded in the 19th century, by mostly French colonists from Louisiana and Haiti, after France lost both colonies, and much of the city’s buildings are reflections of the French architectural style of the time

Leave your car behind as today you’ll be going on a kayaking excursion along the mangrove coast, taking in the natural beauty and exotic wildlife. Starting at the beach of Guajimico, which means ‘place of the fishes’ in the language of the Cuban natives, there will also be time to rest, swim and have lunch. Don’t forget to bring your swimwear and snorkelling gear.

Drive from Cienfuegos to Trinidad along the coastal road with its many small coves and beaches. Another option would be to drive through the Topes del Collante mountain range and visit the El Nicho waterfalls, again with the opportunity to dip into the natural pools beneath the waterfalls.

Time for another activity when you swap your car for a two-wheeler and cycle for about 10 kilometres to the Escambray mountains. Here you’ll park your pike and continue on foot for another 2 kilometers until you reach the beautiful waterfall Guanayara, where you can have that much refreshing swim and relax until it’s time to retrace your steps and head back to Trinidad. Entrance to the park needs to be paid locally (6.50 cuc)

Travel back to Havana for another night in this vibrant city.

Today you will be transferred back to the airport in time for your flight home.

The Manaca Iznaga is a former sugar plantation and the best-preserved sugar mill and plantation in the Valley the los Ingenios or Valley of the Sugar Mills. Founded in 1750 it has a haunting history as its owner became one of Cuba's wealthiest man through slave trafficking. The 44 metre high tower was used to watch the slaves. Nowadays you can climb the tower for views of the valley.

Kayak silently along the coast and take in the natural beauty and exotic wildlife of the mangroves. Starting at the beach of 'Guajimico', which means 'place of the fishes' in the language of the Cuban natives, there will also be time to rest, swim and lunch, so make sure to bring your swimwear and snorkelling gear.

Swap your car for two wheels and cycle about 10 kilometres along the coastal road to Cienfuegos. When you reach the Guanayara park in the Escambray mountain range, you can leave your bike at the entrance and walk for about 2 kilometres until you reach the beautiful Guanayara waterfalls with

The colourful colonial-style Hotel Los Jazmines is Located in Cuba’s western region, Pinar del Rio.

It boasts one of the most beautiful views of the Viñales Valley (if not Cuba). With its impressive limestone cliffs and mogotes and painted pink, the property is surrounded by lush gardens and close to several walking trails that cross the fields around the hotel.

The 78 en-suite rooms have big shutters that open up to a balcony and has all the modern amenities you can expect from a standard accommodation like A/C, telephone, and television. It’s the ideal base to explore Viñales, whether you’re a keen hiker, rock climber or birdwatcher. At the end of the day, after your horse-riding trip or your excursion to Las Terrazas, you can relax by the swimming pool.

The hotel has a restaurant, a massage room and a medical clinic.

the delightful Hotel La Moka is the only accommodation within the eco-village of Las Terrazas

Located within Cuba’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it’s the perfect place to relax and soak up the vibrancy of the art community that resides in the village.

Built by local workers in order to promote tourism to the area, the hotel is designed in a traditional Cuban style and set in lush gardens.

There are 42 rooms altogether, and the en-suite standard rooms are spacious and with large glass windows and balconies with lovely views of the surrounding area. The rooms have A/C, television, telephone, safe and a minibar A/C. If you are interested in staying with the locals, the hotel also offers five community rooms with shared facilities.

There is a swimming pool, tennis courts and a restaurant that uses local produce. The hotel can also organise tours in the area (like canopy tours, hiking and fishing trips) and is particularly popular with birdwatchers due to its location in the reserve and nearby lakes.

The Hotel La Union in the old part of Cienfuegos is another example of a classic gem.

Converted to an outstanding establishment that has maintained its architectural heritage, it was originally built in 1869 and completely restored in 2000. This elegant colonial-style property has 49 rooms.

Managed by the same company that also owns the Melia Buenavista in Cayo Santa Maria, the hotel has two most impressive open-air inner courtyards surrounded by spacious en-suite rooms. The rooms are all fitted out with colonial-style furniture and have A/C, safe, minibar and satellite television.

Other rooms either have a city or pool view. The hotel has an exclusive terrace bar, a meeting room and a restaurant that serves internationally renowned gastronomic dishes.

Located in the Old part of Havana and close to the San Francisco Square, you must definitely stay in the charming Hotel Raquel.

Especially if you appreciate the Art Nouveau style and history of this beautiful establishment. Originally built to house offices and used as storage space, the building was renovated and turned into a hotel with 25 rooms.

The impressive atrium with coloured light panels gives the building an ethereal look. The en-suite rooms with all its modern amenities look down into the covered courtyard.

As its name indicates the hotel has strong links with the Hebrew culture, which can also be found in the Jardin del Eden where dishes are prepared according to the Hebrew tradition.

Casa la Casona on the outskirts of Trinidad and close to the Santa Rosa Valley is perhaps the most beautiful Casa Particular of Cuba.

It feels more like a boutique hotel than a homestay. Set in its own grounds of 2 hectares, the casa is a haven for birds, colourful flora and the home of some amazing thoroughbred horses.

With only eight en-suite rooms, the colonial hacienda style homestay exudes peacefulness and serenity you only find in a few places. Each room has A/C, a minibar, safe and WIFI and either a living area or outdoor patio.

The open-air thatched roof restaurant serves a wide selection of food prepared with local produce from their own garden. Horseback rides departing from the Casa can be arranged (advance booking recommended), for rides up the Valle de Los Ingenios and includes lunch at the family farm La Victoria.