The Majestic Cuba Tour Itinerary

Cuba is one of the most enchanting and captivating countries in the world, a pulsating and multifaceted blend of history, music, dance, gracious people and vibrant island culture. Join photographer Daryl Hawk on this unique opportunity to engage with the Cuban people and to discover the allure that is Cuba.

The people of Cuba are the country’s treasure and its most dynamic force. They are extremely friendly and generous of spirit, resourceful, resilient, and incredibly open to sharing their personal lives and their country with visitors. With our eyes and hearts open, we travel off the beaten tourist trail to better understand this intriguing country through direct exchanges with the Cuban people. Our upscale privately run hotels and casa de particulars are owned by individuals who have a flair for creating delicious breakfasts, amazing service and unique charm.

Our Humanitarian Assistance changes peoples lives.
The warm and wonderful Cuban people are in great need of certain basic items like aspirin, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, bandaids, vitamins, coloring books & crayons, etc. We encourage our clients to bring some of these items with them to distribute.

Customized itineraries to match your specific interests available.

Day 1

Check-in at our privately owned boutique hotel, Azul Habana, Habana #54 e/Cuarteles y Pena Pobre. Originally deemed “casas particulares”, the idea by the Cuban government was to allow small steps in the private sector. Over the past decade, there has been an influx of privately run hotels/bed and breakfasts that not only helped solve the demand issue for tourism, yet offered charming experiences and equal to better caliber lodging options than traditional hotels on the island.

Orientation with a local guide. Discuss the week ahead as well logistical issues such as changing money and other cultural norms.

Walk from the hotel to the Revolutionary Museum and then onward to the Malecon and watch the waves crash on the seawall. Continue to the rooftop of the Hotel Prado for a view of all of Havana. Dinner at a restaurant near your hotel.

Day 2 – Havana – Four Historic Plazas Walking Tour, Buena Vista Social Club

• Breakfast at home

• 9:00am: Walking tour of the Old City. Wander through the Plaza de Armas, a scenic tree-lined plaza formerly at the center of influence in Cuba. It is surrounded by many of the most historic structures in Havana as well as important monuments. See the Plaza de San Francisco, a cobbled plaza surrounded by buildings dating from the 18th century, dominated by the baroque Iglesia and Convento de San Francisco dating from 1719. Visit the Plaza Vieja, surrounded by sumptuous houses of the Havana aristocracy from the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit Plaza de la Catedral and the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana.

• 1:00pm: Lunch at one of Daryl’s favorite restaurants.

• 2:00pm: After lunch we then go to the Havana Club Rum Factory for a tour as well as trying samples of the finest rum.

• 8pm dinner at the legendary Buena Vista Social Club and enjoy a 3 course dinner and live performances of salsa, rumba, bolero, guaguanco and much more!

Day 3 – Day Trip to Soroa and Vinales

Breakfast at home. Day trip to Soroa, “the rainbow of Cuba”, a gorgeous mountain community. Arrive in Soroa at 9:30 and experience the magnificent hillside gardens at Orquuideario Soroa, which has the largest collection of orchids in Cuba – over 700 species.

Our journey continues to Vinales, considered by many to be the most beautiful place in Cuba. The Viñales Valley is a National Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is encircled by mountains and its landscape is interspersed with spectacular dome-shaped limestone outcrops (mogotes). Traditional techniques are still in use for agricultural production, particularly tobacco, which makes Viñales famous for being the premier tobacco growing area in the world. Our excursion will include a visit to the tobacco farm, La Guarita, to learn about the cultivation and production process. You will then get to try some of the finest cigars in the world including the Montecristo Illustre. We will then have an amazing farm to table lunch at Finca Ecological Paraiso with magnificent views of the mogotes and the Vinales Valley. We will also visit an Indian cave where you will both walk and take a boat and admire spectacular cave paintings and also archaeological remains from pre-Columbian Cuban civilizations.

Return to Havana and dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.

Day 4 – Ernest Hemingway’s House, National Ballet, Classic Car Ride

• Breakfast at home

• The day begins at 10am with a visit to Finca Vigia, the home of Ernest Hemingway, which was kept exactly the same as when he lived there. See his famous fishing boat, Pilar!

• Drive to Cojimar, Ernest Hemingways fishing village where we will explore the area and have lunch at his favorite restaurant.

• Tour the world famous National Ballet Theatre.

• Ride in a 1950s classic car and drive down the Malecon, the forest and then onto the National Hotel.

• 5pm happy hour at Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar, La Floridita for daiquiries and live Cuba music. Dinner at Cuban Palador.

Day 5 – Havana – Fusterlandia and Fort Ceremony

• Breakfast at home

• 9:00am: Visit Fusterlandia – a neighborhood that has been turned into a masterpiece of intricate tile work and kaleidoscopic colors by famous artist Jose Fuster.

• We return to Old Havana for a stroll around Plaza Vieaja before 1pm lunch at Daryl’s favorite Palador.

• We continue our stroll through Plaza Vieja to see a car museum and then walk up Obisbo street, the liveliest street in Havana!

• 6:00pm: Dinner at restaurant near the hotel.

• 8:00pm: We go to the cannon blasting ceremony at the famous Castillo Del Morro which is a tradition that dates back to the colonial era.

Day 6 – Havana

• In the morning, We will take a 2 hour bus tour of Havana’s most iconic sites, including the Revolutionary Plaza, the Capital, Marina Hemmingway, etc.

• In the afternoon, we will walk along the Prado and will experience the Gran Teatra Ballet Tour: considered Havana’s most beautiful building. We will then walk to the Havana Club Rum Factory Tour.

• Dinner at one of Daryl’s favorite restaurants.

Day 7-Havana

Day 8 – Havana

• A free day to see Havana’s beautiful coastlines and experience one of the most amazing beaches in Havana- Playa Estes.

• Farewell Dinner.

Day 9 – Departure

• Say Farewell (for now). Depart for Jose Marti International. Recommended that you arrive at the airport at least 2.5 hours prior to flight departure.

Details

What’s Included

• Private hotel as mentioned in the itinerary
• Meals as per itinerary
• All ground transportation in Cuba to organized activities
• Admission to all scheduled educational  and special activities
• English-speaking local guides
• 24 hour english speaking concierges service at hotel
• Daryl will be taking photos of all the participants throughout the trip and receive them when you get home

Not Included

• Round-trip airfare
• Tips
• Individual house or hotel expenses (mini bar, room service, laundry fees, etc.)
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tickets to the Buena Vista Social Club

Pricing

• Single: $3,750 per person
• Double: $2,900 per person

NOTE REGARDING Majestic Cuba Tour:

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change. Due to the unique nature of our programming, each departure is custom designed and not every activity listed on this itinerary is always available. Please rest assured that our team in both Cuba and the U.S. takes extra care in planning each excursion and draws from almost two decades of experience, relationships, and activities to make each itinerary exceptional.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

PAYMENT:
– A DEPOSIT OF 50% PER PERSON IS DUE WITH INITIAL BOOKING AND 50% IS DUE 10 WEEKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
– A SIGNED COPY OF THE RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT SHOULD BE TURNED NO LATER THAN TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
– PLEASE INQUIRE IF YOUR INTERESTED IN PURCHASING TRIP INSURANCE FROM A CERTIFIED THIRD PARTY OR CONTACT ALLIANZ AT 866-672-9580

CANCELLATION POLICY
– CANCELLATIONS MADE MORE THAN 150 DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ARE FULLY REFUNDABLE
– CANCELLATIONS MADE WITHIN 149 to 91 DAYS OF TRIP DEPARTURE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A 50% REFUND
– CANCELLATIONS MADE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF TRIP DEPARTURE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND
-IN CASE OF A POSTPONEMENT YOUR DEPOSITS WILL BE APPLIED TO A NEW FUTURE DATE MINUS A MINIMUM AMOUNT ALREADY PAID TO THE HOTEL

PASSPORT AND VISA
ALL TRAVELERS ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY A VALID PASSPORT AND CUBAN VISA. PASSPORT SHOULD BE VALID FOR A MINIMUM OF 6 MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE DATE. YOU SHOULD OBTAIN YOUR VISA VIA THE LINK WHICH THEY WILL SEND YOU FOR A SMALL FEE.