An Honest Update on Cuba: Upholding the Gardner Standard

Since 2012, Cuba has held a massive piece of our hearts. For over a decade, we’ve walked the vibrant, sun-drenched streets of Havana, sat down at the kitchen tables of local families, and curated private journeys designed to show you the true, beautiful soul of the island.

Our mission has always been simple: to curate the most purposeful, private travel experiences built on a bedrock of genuine human connection. Because we view our travelers as an extension of our own family, we believe in telling it to you straight—even when it means making a tough call behind the scenes.

With that in mind, we want to share an important update regarding our Cuba Tours.

The Reality on the Ground Right Now

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news lately, you might know that Cuba is currently navigating a severe, widespread fuel shortage, which has led to more unpredictable electricity blackouts across the island. When you combine that with the shifting political pressures between the USA and Cuba, logistically executing flawless, unhurried travels has become incredibly difficult.

The Gardner Standard of hospitality is our promise to you. It means we guarantee a seamless, high-quality experience every single time you step off a plane with us. Right now, because of these external factors completely out of our hands, we simply cannot guarantee two of the most important pieces of your trip: reliable transportation and consistent electricity in your accommodations.

We are incredibly proud that many of our local partners, from restaurants to BnBs, have stepped up by installing solar power. However, the reality is that not all of them offer full, 24/7 solar grids that can reliably power air conditioning and give you the full, premium comfort that we desire for you after a long day of exploring.

Hitting Pause in Cuba: Looking Forward to 2027

Because we refuse to compromise on your comfort or dilute the magic of your experience, Gardner Tours has decided to officially put a pause on our Cuba operations until at least January of 2027.

We have absolute trust that the situation on the island will stabilize down the road. When it does, we’ll be the very first ones back on the ground, ready to open those doors for you again. Until January 2027, we’ll be continually reassessing the landscape, keeping our high standards of hospitality at the front of every single decision we make.

Our Doors are Still Open (With Full Transparency)

As y'all know, we aren't a rigid, corporate entity run by a far-away boardroom. We are a small business run by real people with a deep passion for wholehearted, personal travel.

Because we respect your autonomy as a traveler, you are still technically free to book our Cuba Tours on our website right now. But since we treat our travelers like family, we strongly suggest not booking a departure date before January 1, 2027.

Where to Go Instead: Unhurried, Private Hospitality

While Cuba takes a brief rest, we are ready to welcome you in our other incredible, private destinations that are fully operational and seamlessly vetted:

• Texas (Four Ways to Explore): Experience the best of our home state. Dive into slow-paced luxury on our Texas Heritage Tour, discover local roots on the Texas Traditions Tour, take a deep dive on the True Texas Tour, or escape for a premium getaway on our Texas Cowboy Country Weekend.
  
  
• Guatemala (Two Tailored Expeditions): Immerse yourself in cobblestone charm, active volcanoes, and rich Mayan culture. Choose our Classic Guatemala Tour for a beautifully paced journey, or step up to our Premium Guatemala Tour for the absolute pinnacle of luxury.
  
  
• The Philippines (A Fully Custom Journey): Because this stunning paradise deserves a personalized approach, we offer the Philippines exclusively through our Custom Build Option. After you tell us what you'd like to do, we will hand-craft a private itinerary to ensure you get the best of the Philippines.
  
  
• Alaska (An Exclusive Yacht Voyage): Skip the crowded cruise ships. Our Alaska Private Yacht Expedition places you and your inner circle aboard a private luxury vessel to witness ancient glaciers and untouched wilderness in complete privacy.

Whether it’s the colonial streets of Antigua or the glacial waters of the Last Frontier, we handle every single detail so you can focus entirely on the people you’re traveling with.

Thank y'all for walking this journey with us, trusting our standard, and supporting our small business. If you have any questions about an upcoming trip or want to look into an alternative destination for this year, just reach out to us directly–we have traveled around the world a time or two and are happy to build you something special!

We hope to see y'all on the road soon,

Colby & Josie Gardner