NATIONAL PARKS WALKING ADVENTURE Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Playa Larga, Viñales, Havana 9 Days / 8 Nights Updated May 2, 2017 Visit us at www.wildland.com
Itinerary Overview Join us to uncover Cuba s sublime eccentricities on this exciting nine-day walking tour. Compare the colorful mix of French and Caribbean culture in the Pearl of the South, Cienfuegos, with the charming and well preserved Spanish colonial settlement of Trinidad. Hike through some of Cuba s most renowned national parks, each with its own unique topography from the mountains of Escambray to the Zapata wetlands and the limestone mogotes and caves in Valle de Viñales. Cuba s staggering natural beauty extends beyond its beaches, and its sweeping swamplands and crenellated mountains are known for their rare wildlife as well as their insurrectionist folklore. Led by a team of local guides and our own leader, we visit farmers, historians, national park officials, artists, small business entrepreneurs, and more on this artfully crafted Cuba walking tour. For those who are curious and want to explore on their feet rather than looking out a bus window this journey is the perfect choice. We walk up to eight miles each day with easy to moderate elevation gain. To deepen the educational and cultural exchange aspects of this trip, we use a mix of hotels and Casa Particulares. Casas are essentially Bed & Breakfast type accommodations, set within the context of a private house. We have carefully chosen Casas and promise a mix of warm, welcoming hosts or in some cases, simply the flavor of a small boutique hotel. Throughout this adventure, Cubanos greet you and share their daily lives through food, music, dance and personal stories. DAY OVERNIGHT HOTEL MEALS HIGHLIGHTS 1 CIENFUEGOS Hotel Union or Hotel Jagua D Arrival in Cienfuegos, transfer to hotel 2 TRINIDAD Casa Particulares BLD 3 TRINIDAD Casa Particular BLD 4 PLAYA LARGA OR PLAYA GIRON Casa Particular BLD 5 VIÑALES Villa Soroa BLD 6 VIÑALES Villa Soroa BLD Walking tour of Cienfuegos, hike and waterfall swimming at El Cubano National Park, Trinidad Hiking in Topes de Collantes National Park, coffee plantation visit, meeting with photographer Julio Munoz Visit Playa Giron and the Bay of Pigs, Snorkeling and hiking at Zapata National Park, meet with Zapata National Park Director Visit Finca Vigia and Hemmingway s Museum, Parque Lenin Walking in Viñales National Park, meet with a cigar maker 7 HAVANA Hotel Presidente, Havana Libre or similar BLD Soroa to Havana, Walking tour Old Havana, Classic car ride 8 DEPARTURE -- B Transfer to the airport for your departure 2
Daily Itinerary DAY 1: ARRIVE CIENFUEGOS!Bienvenido a Cuba! On arrival at the airport, meet your guide for a brief introduction to adventurerich, striking Cuba. Cuba s seductive Pearl of the South, Cienfuegos, possesses a hearty mix of French and Caribbean culture. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this popular colonial town sits on the coast where visitors are drawn to the glittering waters and eclectic colonial architecture. If you arrive early set out on your own to stroll the seaside malecón where musicians and poets thrive. Continue walking a mile or so along the narrow isthmus to Punta Gorda to see the quaint charm of 1950s suburban architecture built alongside the expansive grandeur of plantation-era manors. Overnight at Hotel Union or Jagua. [D] DAY 2: CIENFUEGOS EXPLORATION, EL CUBANO NATIONAL PARK AND TRINIDAD Get an early start this morning on a walking tour of Cienfuegos urban historic center at Jose Marti Plaza, the site of Cienfuegos most impressive architecture. Later this morning you have your first People-to-People visit with the Cantores de Cienfuegos, a world-renown choir. Take a drive along the coast to the beautiful historical town of Trinidad and on into the countryside for a day of hiking and water activities at El Cubano National Park. The park offers both a glimpse of history and the natural splendor of Cuba. See vestiges of the former sugar cane industry concentrated here as you hike on forested trails and take a dip in a pool at the base of a waterfall. You arrive late afternoon in time to explore Trinidad, a city beloved for its old-world charm. Walk around the preserved Spanish colonial settlement now a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the grand tastes of the past are present in Italian frescoes, finely wrought chandeliers, and bone china still gracing the plantation-era mansions. It s a tranquil town very different from Cienfuegos feisty Cuban vibe. Dine at a local restaurant, and possibly enjoy an outdoor concert and dancing at Casa de la Musica this evening. Overnight at Casas Particulares. [BLD] Walking: 3-4 miles 3
DAY 3: SIERRA ESCAMBRAY MOUNTAINS TOPES DE COLLANTES NATURE RESERVE Head out from Trinidad early to begin the trek into the Sierra Escambray mountains (sometimes known as the Guamuhaya Mountains). Within the long stretch of mountains lies the Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes, a highly-protected area by the Cuban government. Venture on one of the park s best hiking trails, the quintessential Topes Trail of Salto del Caburní. This threemile round trip hike leads to a 190-foot waterfall that crashes down overhanging cliffs into natural swimming holes below. If the water levels are low off the Salto del Caburní trail, an alternative hike to Vegas Grandes hike may be chosen. Vegas Grandes is a more level hike that leads through the fern and pine forests before finishing at a waterfall and pool. Later you visit a nearby coffee plantation with a small museum to learn about the role of coffee in Cuba, and the traditions surrounding it. Lunch is served in the mountains before returning to Trinidad later in the afternoon with time to continue exploring the town s historic center and sites. This afternoon meet acclaimed photographer Julio Munoz whose work capturing Trinidad has brought the town into the public eye. Dinner is at a local Trinidad restaurant followed by a relaxing evening listening to music at an outdoor concert. Overnight at Casas Particulares. [BLD] Walking: 4-7 miles DAY 4: PLAYA GIRON, BAY OF PIGS, ZAPATA NATIONAL PARK, PLAYA LARGA You drive west along the coast to one of the most famous locations in all of Cuba the Bay of Pigs or Bahia de Cochinos. It was here that the infamous 1960s CIA-sponsored invasion took place, but centuries earlier there had been other invasions, including one by the French pirate Gilbert Girón. Girón s decapitation at the hands of angry locals has been remembered by history through his Playa namesake. The town of Playa Giron is home to an excellent museum where we learn about the 1961 invasion. Today, this is a peaceful place and locals know Playa Girón for the warm Caribbean waters whose wealth of coral reefs and marine life make it a snorkeler s paradise. You stop for a snorkel session to witness first hand some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world located here within the boundaries of the Zapata National Park. Learn about the reasons for the reefs health and Cuba s role in protecting its marine ecosystems. It s the perfect place for snorkeling, with colorful fish and transparent, warm waters. 4
Zapata National Park, also called Ciénaga de Zapata, is a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Expansive tracts of dense forests and mangrovelined swampland are found here, all within a peninsula that is wild and largely untouched. Wildlife such as crocodiles, iguana, flamingos, and boars inhabit the wetlands, and birders can find endemic species such as the Cuban pygmy owl, bee hummingbird and Zapata rail. After savoring a picnic lunch, you continue to the Enigma Las Rocas, a trail which weaves through the forest among cenotes (sinkholes) common in this limestone geology. It s also an excellent birding area and you may see the Key West quail dove, Cuban bullfinch and Cuban peewee. You arrive in the late afternoon to the small town of Playa Larga village to check into our Casas Particulares. Those interested may want to take a swim at the beautiful beach just a few yards from our accommodations and enjoy a tropical sunset. Before dinner have an engaging people-to-people presentation from Frank Medina, director of Zapata National Park, who discusses the joint pressures of tourism and conservation facing the park. Overnight at Casa Particulares. [BLD] Walking: 2-3 miles DAY 5: HEMINGWAY ESTATE PARQUE LENIN PINAR DEL RIO You rise early and drive northwest to the edge of Havana where you visit Hemingway s former estate of Finca Vigia, home to the Museo de Ernesto Hemingway. Hemingway found inspiration for several of his books while in residence here. This is a fascinating tour with an expert museum guide to get an inside look of his life and the political events that swirled around this American living here in the revolution. A short drive and you re at Parque Lenin, one of Havana s largest parks, constructed between 1969-72 under the direction of Celia Sanchez, long-time associate of Fidel. You stop to stretch your legs and have a picnic lunch and then continue driving west to the mountain resort of Soroa, where you check into your hotel and if there s time, visit a local orchid garden. Overnight at Villa Soroa. [BLD] DAY 6: SIERRA DE LOS ORGANOS IN VINALES Gather early for a nourishing breakfast and head west to one of Cuba s most renowned national parks, the Sierra de los Órganos. Located in the Valle de Viñales, this park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the source of several stunning habitats. Wander the park s winding paths through tobacco plantations, small coffee plantations, local homes, and towering mogotes (large steep-sided limestone outcroppings), following your own pathway to discover something new. One of the more iconic sites is the Mogote dos Hermanas, the two mogote twin sisters, that lie side by side standing guard over stretches of flat fields. The limestone mogotes are part of Cuba s limestone karst valley and its complex cave systems. The caverns hold underground pools and historical evidence that the cave systems were once used by the indigenous Guanahatabeys as places of refuge. 5
This region is also the most famous in the world for fine tobacco. Like Burgundy is to wine, Vinales is to cigars. Visit a despalillo (a tobacco processing plant, not to be confused with a cigar factory), learning firsthand about the curing and fermenting processes that follow the harvest where the green tobacco leaf transforms into dried tobacco. You also explore fields of tobacco--cuba s export that has reached near-mythical status. The vast fields are a stunning sight with their rows upon rows of rich umber earth lined with tall stalks tobacco waving their wide, spring green leaves. You have the incredible opportunity to visit one of the valley s tobacco plantations where you might hear the melodious sounds of the vaguero, or field workers, whose songs speak of the valley s unique synthesis of indigenous, Spanish, and African cultures. Overnight at Villa Soroa. [BLD] Walking: 7-8 miles DAY 7: SOROA TO HAVANA, WALKING TOUR OF OLD HAVANA Leaving the countryside, you head to Havana and arrive to the old city for an eye-opening walking tour of Havana Vieja, also known as Colonial or Old Habana. You stroll down Obispo Street and visit historic sites of revolution and colonialism such as the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the Museo de la Cuidad, the Plaza de Armas, the Plaza de la Catedral, and the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana. As you walk, you learn more of Havana s turbulent past of plundering privates and affluent colonials as well as the Cubans of today, many who have come to the busy city with hopes for the future. After lunch in a scrumptious Paladar, you have more time to explore this fascinating city. There s the large art and craft market of Mercado San Jose, the Museum of Belles Artes with an impressive collection from around the globe, lively neighborhoods, and the seafront Malecon where lovers wander. In the evening, you celebrate your week together with a fine farewell dinner at one of Havana s best paladars. After dinner feel free to find your way to your evening s accommodations. If, however, you re feeling the infectious energy of the city, you might want to visit Fábrica des Artes, where the best of Cuba s avant-garde art can be experienced, or for a more low-key experience, head to UNEAC (The Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) for an evening bolero and other singing performances. Overnight at Hotel Presidente, Havana Libre or similar. [BLD] Walking: 3-4 miles DAY 8: DEPARTURE Transfer to the airport and say hasta luego! to Cuba. [B] 6
END OF SERVICES INCLUDED SERVICES: All guided tours and excursions (subject to change) Legal, licensed travel permit as a people-to-people program Bilingual group guide throughout Specialized activity guides based on activity of trip (snorkeling, hiking, etc) All necessary equipment for activities Carefully chosen people-to-people activities, personal visits and presentations with experts in a variety of fields and topics and access to exclusive experiences Accommodations in hotels and private casas particulares B&Bs Meals as indicated [B: breakfast L: lunch D: dinner] In-country ground transportation All entrance fees to scheduled activities and guest lecture fees One scheduled airport transfer for the group s departing flight. If your flight does not match up well, we recommend you take a taxi to the airport at your convenience (not included) Wildland Adventures travel consultation and pre-departure services NOT INCLUDED: International airfare Drinks, alcoholic beverages, and meals other than those listed above Personal expenses for extra services or goods, optional activities, or changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control Gratuities for main guide only (all gratuities for drivers, servers, and others who help us during the tour are already included). Cuba Tourist Visa Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services or evacuation Click here for Pricing Click here for Dates *Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break departures have a supplemental cost of $300 per person. Minimum age: 12 years old. Group size: 12 to 16. Departs with a minimum of 6 people. Private departures and custom trips are available on request for a minimum of 4 persons on alternate departure dates. If you are traveling solo, private accommodations (pending availability) can be secured by paying the single supplement fee. If you are traveling solo and wish to share a double room with another solo traveler of the same gender to avoid the single supplement fee, please let us know at the time of booking. We will do our best to find another traveler to pair you with, however if there is not another solo traveler of the same gender willing to share on your trip, you will be charged the single supplement fee. Frequently Asked Questions How difficult is the walking? We walk between three and eight miles each day. Our pace is casual and most hikes have little to no elevation gain. An exception is on day 1 and day 6 when our hikes do have 300-600 elevation gain/loss. What are the trail conditions? Trails are generally well maintained, but loose rock and dirt are common. On Day 6 our walk in Topes de Collantes is on paths that are uneven and steep in places. All paths may be slippery when wet. Walking boots are essential; walking poles are recommended. In the cities where we walk, careful attention to holes in the sidewalks or streets is critical. 7
Accommodations HOTEL UNION, CIENFUEGOS La Unión is housed in a beautiful example of a neo classical colonial building in the heart of Cienfuegos. Founded in 1869, La Union is one of Cienfuegos oldest hotels. The hotel includes some stunning open air locations including two patios, an open-air bar/courtyard, and the "Venus Negra" terrace, offering amazing views over the city and bay. The pool is tucked into an interior courtyard and guarded by a duo of sculpted lions. All rooms have a balcony as well as modern amenities such as air conditioning. CASAS PARTICULARES Spanish for private house, Casas particulares are owned by enterprising Cubans who want to share their homes and their lives with guests. Run similar to Bed and Breakfasts, these modest homes are renovated for comfort with private bath, natural light, and a/c. The neoclassical style of many homes includes spacious rooms gaily painted with outside gardens or terraces. Each casa is different with unique décor reflecting every family s personal charm and style. Although modest in amenities and service, these experiences offer a truly memorable and personal peopleto-people experience. VILLA SOROA Located in the western Sierra del Rosario Mountains, Villa Soroa is a colorful place that is perfect for nature lovers. A mountain stream runs through the grounds and the botanical garden next door has over 700 species of orchid alone. Each simple room at Villa Soroa has all the essentials for a comfortable stay including air conditioning and a terrace. In addition to the hotel restaurant, enjoy drinks and cocktails at the bar next to the swimming pool. A short 10-minute stroll takes you to a waterfall with an inviting pool at the base. 8
HOTEL PRESIDENTE, HAVANA Opened in 1928 with a whopping 10 floors, the Hotel Presidente was Havana s first skyscraper. The Presidente s architecture evokes a bygone era, enhanced by the vintage cars parked at the entrance. The deep, shaded terrace out front catches sea breezes and is popular for cocktails. The lobby looks like it could be an annex of the Museo de Artes Decorativas, with marble floors and columns, chandeliers, and classic furniture and chairs upholstered in ruby red, green and cream. To the left of the lobby is the classically chic Chez Merito restaurant. The buffet restaurant, where a robust breakfast is served, is nearby and has a Mediterranean flair. Just beyond is the compact pool a preferred spot for cooling off after a hot day exploring the city. Note: We are traveling under a people-to-people license as authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control by the general license of 31 CFR 515.565(b). Actual routes and activities may vary. As tourism to Cuba continues to evolve, together with our in-country experts, we are always looking for new Wild-style travel opportunities to share deeper and more personal insights through our expanding network of friends, boutique hotel proprietors, artists and musicians, professors and diplomats, and other Cubans who have much to share with us. Due to such rapidly changing developments in Cuban tourism, we may change programmed activities as new opportunities arise, and to substitute accommodations when other properties come on line. Because of increasing tourism to Cuba domestic prices continue to rise and are subject to change without notice, so it s best to book your trip ASAP to lock in your cost. 9
Booking your Wildland Adventure HOW TO RESERVE A TRIP You can book online using our Reserve a Trip form or by calling 1-800-345-4453. Your space on a trip is confirmed once we receive your reservation form and initial trip deposit. All travelers must sign and submit a Release of Liability. Deposit requirements are as follows: * $1000 per person *Additional deposit may be required to hold room reservations depending on time of booking CUBA PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS Full payment of the trip balance is due 90 days prior to departure. If you must cancel before departure, money will be returned less the cancellation fees charged by WA Inc. plus the trip deposit, and any other additional non-refundable cancellation fees and payments already advanced to airlines, hotels and local operators: Days Prior to Departure Cancellation fee per person 91 or more: $300 (plus trip deposit and any other non-refundable deposits) 61-90 days: 50% of land and charter air cost 60 or less: 100% of land and charter air cost PRE-DEPARTURE SERVICES Upon receipt of your deposit and completed reservation form, we will send you a comprehensive Pre- Departure Dossier. This contains important information to help you prepare including immunizations, visas, trip insurance, packing checklist, reading list, maps, cross-cultural information, optional trip extensions and more. You will receive a final trip packet including Final Reminders and local contact information in your destination 2-3 weeks prior to departure. REFERENCES AND QUESTIONS Have any questions or concerns? Call us a 1-800-345-4453 or email info@wildland.com. We re here to help and are happy to provide you with references from previous Wildland travelers. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Wildland Adventures, Inc. has arranged your trip utilizing the travel services of local in-country ground operators who are independent contractors. These local outfitters, lodges, hotels and other suppliers of your travel services will make every effort to conduct this trip as described in the itinerary; however, it is possible that due to transportation schedule changes, weather, delays and unforeseeable acts of God, humans or nature, this itinerary may vary from what is described. Participants must assume all risks whether identified in advance or unforeseen. All optional activities are at your own risk. Extra costs due to unexpected changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control are not included. We highly recommend purchasing traveler s insurance for trip delay, trip cancellation, baggage, accident or sickness. Representatives are available for assistance at any time during your trip. If preferred hotels are not available, every attempt will be made to reserve alternative accommodations of similar quality (if upgrade is necessary, higher rates may apply). All information and services provided are subject to our Terms and Conditions 10