The Best of Cuba Tour
Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! US citizens can legally travel on this tour under the authorized Support for the Cuban People category. Gardner Tours handles all legal paperwork, itinerary compliance, and 24/7 emergency support. Plus, we’ll guide you step-by-step through obtaining your official Cuban e-visa–making the process quick, simple, and completely worry-free, so you can focus on making unforgettable memories.
Absolutely! We welcome travelers from all over the world who want a comprehensive, unhurried holiday in Cuba. Non-U.S. citizens do not need to worry about U.S. travel categories and can travel freely on a standard international tourist entry visa. Our private chauffeured transportation, boutique stays, and dedicated private hosts ensure a seamless holiday experience from arrival to departure.
This ultimate 11-day / 10-night nationwide itinerary covers Havana, Trinidad, Viñales, and Cayo Levisa:
- Accommodations & Transport: 10 nights in hand-selected luxury boutique BnBs (4 nights Havana, 3 nights Trinidad, 3 nights Viñales), airport pick-up/drop-off, and all private chauffeured transportation across Cuba.
- Curated Dining: Daily artisanal breakfasts (10) and hand-picked fine dining dinners (10) included throughout the tour.
- Island & Beach Experiences: Full day at private island Cayo Levisa, full day at Playa del Este, afternoon at Playa Ancon, and Bay of Pigs snorkeling excursion.
- Nature & Cultural Highlights: Vegas Grande Waterfall hike, Trinidad & Sugar Valley tours, Cabaret Parisien Big Show, National Hotel visit, Classic Car Tour, Old Havana Walk, Cocktail & Coffee experiences, and Tobacco Farm or Cave tour.
- Extras: Dedicated private local guide and host, professional photography package, detailed itinerary packet, and 24/7 emergency support.
Every trip we host is 100% private and built around your group. You will not be paired with strangers—instead, you’ll travel alongside your own dedicated local guide and private driver across Cuba, enjoying full flexibility, premium comfort, and personalized hosting from start to finish.
Absolutely. While this tour provides the definitive grand overview of Cuba, we can adjust night stays in Havana, Trinidad, or Viñales, or incorporate private yacht charters, specialized cigar tastings, or spa days. To curate a tailored luxury experience, visit our Custom Design page or give us a call, and we will design a once-in-a-lifetime trip with you.
Travelers frequently purchase Cuban coffee, artwork, cigars, and rum for personal consumption. Customs regulations vary by destination country and can evolve over time. Prior to returning home, we recommend checking the latest official customs guidelines for your home nation regarding allowance limits and duty regulations. Ultimately, bringing items back is at your own discretion.
Have more questions? Visit our Cuba FAQs
Tell us how you'd like to travel and we will create a tour according to your desires. Build your Custom Tour now!
Tour Information
Description
Hospitality is our thing, and you’ll experience it to the full on this Best of Cuba Tour, which consists of the best from Havana, Trinidad, and Viñales. Designed for travelers seeking the complete Cuban experience from cars, cigars, natural landscapes, and culture, this 11 day / 10 night Best of Cuba Tour covers it all and more! On this tour, you will encounter a world famous cigar factory, dine at Cuba’s finest restaurants, tour the city in a classic car, learn about Cuba’s classic history on an Old Havana Walking Tour, learn how to make Cuban cocktails, enjoy a world-class show at the Mafia’s old headquarters, dance the night away in Cuban fashion, visit two of Cuba’s most pristine National Parks, learn the heart of the tobacco and coffee trade from Cuba’s local farmers, snorkel in the crystal clear waters of the Bay of Pigs, and so much more. You’ll experience Cuba’s rich history, sweet-natured people, mouth-watering cuisine, unique nature, and its world famous tobacco and coffee like never before. Your professional guide will accompany you the entire way, with four nights in awe-inspiring Havana, three nights in historic Trinidad, and three nights in the jaw-dropping Viñales Valley. On this tour, it’s guaranteed that you will experience Cuban culture at its best and gain a true understanding, from experience, what this island, “frozen in time”, was like in its early years.
Experience romantic Havana, colonial Trinidad, and awe-inspiring Viñales on this once-in-a-lifetime Best of Cuba Tour!
Itinerary
Day One: Arrival in Havana & Classic Car Tour
Based upon the time your flight arrives at José Martí International Airport in Havana, your professional guide will be waiting for you at your final customs exit. Following a quick meet and greet, you will ride into Old Havana, get settled into your BnB, then kick your tour off with a bang on a two-hour Classic Car Tour of the city! You will visit Havana’s most remarkable sites such as the Christ Statue overlooking the city, the Morro Castle, Revolution Square, the Capitol, the Vedado neighborhood, and finish with a breezy cruise down the Malecón (seawall) at sunset. After your classic car tour, you will be dropped off at our favorite restaurant in the city to experience their mouth-watering cuisine and the live music that the alley offers! If you choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB after dinner. If you desire to explore the nightlife of Old Havana, you will be free to do so.
Day Two: Cuban History & Culture
At the arranged time you choose, your professional guide will meet you at your BnB to begin your day. You will receive a completely comprehensive education on Cuban culture, history, folklore, and much more on an Old Havana Walking Tour. You will be walked through the city to learn of and visit some of its most historic and romantic sites like the Castle of the Royal Force, Plaza Vieja, the Havana Cathedral, La Bodeguita del Medio (one of Hemingway’s hangouts), and so much more. You will meet local artists at their shops and might even bump into a few of Havana’s personalities. Who knows, you might even find yourself dancing to traditional Cuban music with locals in the street! Your Old Havana Walking Tour will begin in the morning in the oldest part of the city, and following lunch at the location of your choice (your guide can give recommendations), you will complete the walking tour in the Capitol Area visiting locations like an artisan’s market, Central Park, the Capitol, the Original Partagas Cigar Factory, and the Museum of the Revolution among others.
After your walking tour is complete, you will have the time and freedom to rest and clean up before dinner if you so choose. For dinner, your guide will take you to one of our favorite places in the thick of the city. Like all of our partner restaurants, you will receive the most tasty cuisine in a unique atmosphere. This will be the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy your company. Following dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB if you so choose. If you desire to further explore the nightlife of Old Havana, you will be free to do so.
Day Three: Classic Havana
Day three in Havana comes with your choice of a Cigar Factory Tour or Cuban Dance Lesson. You will also experience a Cuban Cocktail Lesson (includes a minimum of one drink), time to purchase more souvenirs, and a fine dinner with live jazz!
Again, your guide will meet you at your chosen time in the morning, then you will be transported to your choice of either one of Havana's famous cigar factories to receive a complete education on the process of Cuba's world-renowned tobacco or just down the street to receive a complete education on Cuban dance!
Following your visit to a cigar factory tour or experiencing a Cuban dance lesson, you will return to Old Havana for lunch at the restaurant of your choice (your guide can give recommendations). After taking lunch, you may have a time of rest if you please, then you will get a private lesson on how to make Cuban cocktails where you will receive at least one cocktail to enjoy!
Just before dinner, you will take time to clean up and put your Cuban best on to experience one of the best nights you will have in Cuba, an incredible dinner accompanied with live jazz!
Following dinner, you will be transported to one of the most "happening" places in Havana, the Cuban Art Factory. La Fábrica de Arte Cubano (Cuban Art Factory) is an art gallery and club. The space was established inside a former cooking oil factory, and has since gained notoriety as one of Havana's premier nightclubs and art galas. You will experience some of Cuba's purest expressions in many forms of art. It'll definitely be a night to remember. After returning, want to explore more of Havana's nightlife? No problem! Otherwise, your guide will escort you back to your BnB.
Day Four: Blue Waters & A World-Class Show!
After a hearty breakfast, your privately arranged taxi will pick you up to transport you directly to Havana’s most pristine beach without hassle. Following your safe arrival, you may take the short walk down to the water to secure a lounge chair and umbrella to begin your amazing day at Havana’s most amazing beach! If you desire to sail a catamaran or paddle boat, you may also arrange this directly from the beach. Drinks will easily be acquired as there are usually servers not far away.
As for your lunch, there are options on and near the beach for you to dine (your guide can give recommendations). You may have authentic Cuban cuisine delivered to you at your lounge chair for a fair price, you may take a short walk to eat at the hotel restaurant just near to the beach, or you may even give the street food a try.
After a refreshing lunch, you will have a few more hours to relax at the beach before being transported back to Old Havana.
Just before dinner, you will take time to clean up and put your Cuban best on to experience one of the best nights you will have in Cuba, an incredible dinner and then a world-famous show at the Cabaret Parisien, the old American Mafia's hangout!
Once you have satisfied your appetite, you will be transported to the Cabaret Parisien. Before the show, you will get to experience History Hall, the main room where the mob bosses hung out before shows and during the "golden years." After a few drinks and experiencing History Hall, you'll get an unforgettable two-hour live show with music, dancers, and acrobats. Following the show, your driver will return you to your accommodations in Old Havana to rest and prepare for your departure to Trinidad the next day.
Day Five: Farewell Havana, Hello Trinidad!
Following breakfast, at a predetermined time, you will be picked up and transported to Colonial Trinidad. On the road, you will stop and share lunch at a wonderful roadside restaurant.
Upon arrival to Trinidad, you will settle into your BnB and have an hour or so to get acclimated, wash up, or take a quick nap.
At the perfect time, your guide will escort you to one of the main squares to begin your Trinidad City Tour. You will learn the history behind some of Trinidad's greatest sites and learn stories of great triumph and defeat in the area. Along the way, you will learn about each side of the culture from the music to the colonial architecture, many religions, and, of course, it's folklore. On the walking tour you wander the cobblestone streets to see and learn about some of Trinidad’s most famous sites like Céspedes Park, Plaza Mayor, the Convent of San Francisco Bell Tower, La Canchanchara, a sunset view at the Museum of History, and a few more key places that you won't want to miss.
After your educational walking tour, you will be led just up the hill for dinner at one of our favorite gourmet restaurants with a view. If you so choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB or, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Trinidad, you will be free to do so.
Day Six: Sugar Valley & Playa Ancón
Following a hearty breakfast, you will be driven into the Sugar Valley, a valley where over 30 sugar factories have existed over the past hundreds of years. As you can imagine, this put quite the imprint on Cuba's culture and their influence throughout the world. You casually visit The Port’s Hill, then an old sugar factory and plantation, which now serves as an archeological site, and towards the end of your tour, you will visit the former Manaca-Iznaga Sugar Factory and tower to hear quite a love story. You will have time to enjoy the valley, learn about the valley's dark history, the process that sugar cane undergoes to become sugar, and finally, you will taste some guarapo (sugar cane juice).
Upon completion of your Sugar Valley Tour, you will be returned to Trinidad where you will enjoy lunch at a restaurant of your choice (your guide can give recommendations).
After getting your fill, you will return to your BnB where you will be picked up by an arranged taxi that will transport you to Trinidad's most beautiful beach, Playa Ancón, for the afternoon.
Just after sunset, you will return to Trinidad and dine at another one of our favorite restaurants in the city. If you so choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB or, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Trinidad, you will be free to do so.
Day Seven: National Park & Gorgeous Waterfall
Once you have finished your breakfast, at a set time, your transportation will arrive to transport you into the Topes de Collantes National Park, one of Cuba's eleven national parks. You will be driven into the mountains where you will then be dropped off only to hike about 45 minutes down into the mountains. There you will find Vegas Grande, a giant waterfall that measures in total 246 feet / 75 meters, nestled on the side of a mountain, giving you the most immaculate view. You will have time to swim and explore with your travel companions, or you might simply desire to kick back and take in the view.
Whenever you are ready, you will be able to eat a sack lunch that has been prepared for you.
After your lunch, you will have a bit more time to enjoy the waterfall before hiking back up to the top of the mountain to catch your transportation back into Trinidad.
Once you arrive in Trinidad, you will have time to clean up before enjoying a scrumptious meal on your final night in Colonial Trinidad. Following dinner, you may return to your accommodations to rest and prepare for your travels to the Bay of Pigs and Viñales the following day.
Day Eight: Farewell Trinidad, Hello Bay of Pigs & Viñales!
After breakfast, at a predetermined time, you will take off for the Bay of Pigs to snorkel at one of the best places in Cuba. After about a two and a half hour ride, you will find a place to lounge, grab your snorkel gear, and begin to explore the crystal blue waters.
Once you have worked up an appetite, you will, at your own desire, go grab a delicious lunch that is provided on the grounds.
Just after lunch, you will have time to stretch your legs and prepare for the long ride to Viñales. Don't worry, we will stop as many times along the way as you desire.
Upon arrival to Viñales, you will get settled into your BnB, then head into town for dinner at one of our favorite spots along main street.
Following dinner, if you so choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB. However, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Viñales, you will be free to do so.
Day Nine: Coffee & Culture
Your morning will begin at your leisure with a delicious country-Cuban breakfast. Following, you will first be escorted to a local farm for an extensive education on Cuban coffee from a local farmer. There you will have the opportunity to learn the entire process that Cuban coffee undergoes from plant to espresso. Depending on the season and availability of coffee, you might even get to help in harvest and join in the process all the way from picking the beans to brewing your own espresso!
Once the coffee experience is complete, you will have the opportunity to kick back in some of the farm's homemade hammocks for a while. Then, as you wish, you can return to town for lunch at a local restaurant of your choice.
After some time of rest as you enjoy the slow pace of Viñales, you will have the choice of taking off for a tour of a local tobacco farm where you will receive an education on Cuban tobacco from seed to harvest from a local campesino (farmer). Depending on the season and availability of tobacco, you might even get to help in the process of harvest or roll your own cigar! At the end of the Tobacco Farm Tour, you will have the opportunity to kick your feet back with the farmers and enjoy a smoke, a drink, and the view as long as you please. Or you can choose to visit the Cave of the Indian, a relaxed tour, where you will encounter a performance by natives, explore the insides of a great cave, and finish on a boat through the mouth of the cave.
Following, you will be transported to what many claim as the best view in all of Cuba, a panoramic view of the Viñales Valley. You will see farms and mogotes (random mountainous formations in the valley) for miles and dream of what life was like as the natives roamed the land.
There, you will get the chance to relax for a bit and take some photographs at the viewpoint, then you will be taken just a short walk away to a restaurant with one of the best views in all of Viñales. You will taste their exquisite cuisine and relax as you soak in the view and assume the slow-paced lifestyle of the campesino. And if you’re one to enjoy a Cuban cocktail, this restaurant places a bottle of rum on your table and simply explains, “Here is a bottle for your table, in case you would like to add more rum to your cocktail.”
After dinner, if you so choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB. If you desire to explore the nightlife of Viñales, you will be free to do so.
Day Ten: Private Island & Beautiful Beach
You will quickly find that no one in Viñales is in a hurry, and you can take your breakfast whenever you wish. Following your breakfast, at an appointed time, you will make your way to the central park to catch a bus for Cayó Levisa, a private island just off the north coast.
It will take about 45 minutes by bus to reach the ferry, of which you will take a cross the waters to get to Cayó Levisa. Once you have arrived, you can choose a place to relax, explore the island, schedule a snorkel, dive, or catamaran, and begin to enjoy your day!
Very much like at the Bay of Pigs, once you have worked up an appetite, you will, at your own desire, go grab a delicious lunch that is provided on the grounds.
You will then have a few more hours to enjoy the waters at your own leisure. And at the appointed time, you will return to the ferry for your trip back to Viñales.
To finish your tour in the most immaculate style, after cleaning up, your private transportation will take you into the valley to a former tobacco farm that has been converted into an acclaimed restaurant manned by a Cuban chef that can’t be matched (he was trained by the King’s Chef in Spain). You will dine at what we and many around the world claim is Cuba’s best restaurant. Here you will experience the most attentive Cuban hospitality and the fine food that comes with it! We can guarantee that this will be the best dining experience that you will have in all of Cuba. The view, the hospitality, the cuisine, and the atmosphere simply can’t be beat.
If you choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB to relax as you wind down your evening before your departure the next morning. If you decide to explore the nightlife of Viñales on your final night in Cuba, you will be free to do so.
Day Eleven: Final Taste & Departure
Depending on the departure time of your flight, you might have the opportunity to relax and enjoy your last few hours in Viñales. If so, you will have time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs from local artisans and/or take those photos that you may have missed. At the appointed time, you will be picked up by your private transportation, escorted directly to the José Martí International Airport, and dropped off three to four hours prior to your departure. This will allow for an ample amount of time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs, check your bags, go through security and customs, and arrive at your gate for a safe flight home.
Included & Not Included
Included
- Professional Guide*
- Accommodations in BnB (Double Occ.)*
- Four Nights in Havana
- Three Nights in Trinidad
- Three Nights in Viñales
- Breakfasts (10) & Dinners (10)
- Airport Pick-up / Drop-off
- All Transportation
- Classic Car Tour (convertibles)
- Old Havana Walking Tour
- Cigar Factory Tour* or Cuban Dance Lesson
- Cuban Cocktail Lesson + Drinks
- Full Day at the Beach (Playa del Este)*
- Visit to National Hotel (Old Mafia HQ)
- Big Show at Cabaret Parisien
- Trinidad City Tour
- Sugar Valley Tour
- Afternoon at the Beach (Playa Ancon)*
- Vegas Grande Waterfall (National Park)*
- Snorkeling at the Bay of Pigs*
- Cuban Coffee Experience*
- Tobacco Farm Tour* or Indian Cave Tour
- Los Jazmines Viewpoint
- Full Day at Private Island (Cayo Levisa)*
- Professional Photography + Photos
- Detailed Itinerary & Tour Packet
- Seasonal Packing List
- Emergency Support
Not Included
- Airfare
- Cuban Visa
- Lunch
- Alcohol
- Tips (Guide, Drivers, etc)
More Information
- A star next to items under INCLUDED note that more information can be found in the WHAT TO EXPECT section.
What to Expect
WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR TOUR
On this Best of Cuba Tour, you will begin and end at the José Martí International Airport in Havana. You can expect your complete itinerary from transportation, accommodations, private tours/experiences, and meals (breakfasts & dinners) to be previously arranged and paid for by your guide. You will be accompanied the entire tour by at least one Gardner Tours professional guide, educated on Cuban culture, history, tobacco, coffee, etc, and all we require of you is to simply enjoy yourself! In the event that something changes or doesn’t go exactly as planned, please be patient and courteous, as it is our guarantee that our guides will handle any challenges with timely grace to ensure that you are taken care of and that you get the authentic Cuban experience you desire.
Your Tour Guide
Each of our guides are well versed in their culture and able to answer almost any question you may have for them! You will have complete freedom to take your tour at the pace you please, deciding to sit and enjoy the view as long as you desire, asking the tobacco farmer as many questions as you want, or simply enjoying your dinner just a little longer than you normally would. Your guide will give you time and space to enjoy your lunch each day as you like (with or without them). They will meet you at the arranged time each morning to begin your day and will drop you off at your BnB each night. They will serve you along the way and ensure that you are well taken care of during your entire stay.
Best of Cuba Tour Accommodations
Your accommodations will be at a Cuban BnB equipped with air-conditioner as well as a private bathroom. Each of our accommodation partners provide private rooms with a full bed and a twin bed, and can occupy up to three persons per room. If you desire to share a room with your travel companions (up to three persons per room), please specify in the details of your booking. If you’d like to upgrade your accommodations, please contact us before booking or wait for your confirmation email to view your options.
Cuban Cigar Factory
Cigar Factories in Cuba are closed on the weekends as well as two longer holidays during the year. If you happen to book during these times, it is our guarantee that you will get to experience the same education and cigar rolling experience.
Cuban Beaches & Waters
Although the waters of the Caribbean are usually bright blue, they are not always calm. November-April provides the best all-around weather for a tour, but the waters will most likely be choppy and the wind a bit chilly. May-October usually provides the warmest weather, yet the skies might not always be clear as that is also the rainy season. Please understand that most of the time, the beaches of Cuba are gorgeous, you may encounter one of the days that the weather is ugly. In that case, we will do our best to adjust accordingly so that you can receive the best experience.
Vegas Grande Waterfall Difficulty
The Vegas Grande Waterfall in the Topes de Collantes National Park is a beautiful waterfall with rushing water. However, it takes about a 45 minute to one hour hike to get to the waterfall and about a 45 minute to an hour hike to get out. The most difficult part of the hike is the descent just before arriving to the waterfall and, of course, that ascent when leaving. It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes in either direction at a moderate pace, depending on your ability and the conditions of the trail. On a difficulty level of 1 to 10, it is about a 6, but there will be no rush to get there or to return. This is your tour and you can take it as slow as you desire. Depending on the weather surrounding your hike, you might need to bring hiking boots in case the trail is wet and slippery. Please be prepared for this.
Cuban Coffee Harvest
Coffee harvest in Cuba is during the part of the dry season, from September to January. If you book in these months, you might even get to help in harvest! However, if you happen to book from February to August, know that you might see barren coffee plants, but it is our guarantee that you will experience the same education and coffee experience as if you were visiting in-season. You might not get to witness the acts of harvest, but you will definitely encounter one of the world’s greatest coffee cultures at work.
Cuba Tobacco Season
Tobacco season in Cuba is during the dry season, with planting season starting in late-October and harvest season from January to early-April. If you happen to book outside of these months, know that you might see barren lands, but it is our guarantee that you will experience the same education and tobacco experience as if you were visiting in-season. You might not get to witness the acts of planting or harvest, but you will definitely encounter the world's greatest tobacco culture at work.
Day at Cayo Levisa
Cayo Levisa is a private island off the north coast of the Pinar del Río Provence and it is dedicated only for tourists. It is about a 45 minute ride from Viñales and requires a ferry boat ride to arrive at the island. Once on the island, you can simply relax on the beach, reserve a catamaran or schedule a snorkel or dive. There is only one option for cuisine and drinks, but what is available is usually delicious. If you happen to be a picky eater, we advise you to bring snacks. We also recommend that you bring a change of clothes, sunscreen, and a beach towel (can be borrowed from your BnB) with you.
Our Guarantee To You
Gardner Tours is committed to delivering you the most hospitable and entertaining tours offered in Cuba! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Map & Location
Hospitality is our thing, and you’ll experience it to the full on this Best of Cuba Tour, which consists of the best from Havana, Trinidad, and Viñales. Designed for travelers seeking the complete Cuban experience from cars, cigars, natural landscapes, and culture, this 11 day / 10 night Best of Cuba Tour covers it all and more! On this tour, you will encounter a world famous cigar factory, dine at Cuba’s finest restaurants, tour the city in a classic car, learn about Cuba’s classic history on an Old Havana Walking Tour, learn how to make Cuban cocktails, enjoy a world-class show at the Mafia’s old headquarters, dance the night away in Cuban fashion, visit two of Cuba’s most pristine National Parks, learn the heart of the tobacco and coffee trade from Cuba’s local farmers, snorkel in the crystal clear waters of the Bay of Pigs, and so much more. You’ll experience Cuba’s rich history, sweet-natured people, mouth-watering cuisine, unique nature, and its world famous tobacco and coffee like never before. Your professional guide will accompany you the entire way, with four nights in awe-inspiring Havana, three nights in historic Trinidad, and three nights in the jaw-dropping Viñales Valley. On this tour, it’s guaranteed that you will experience Cuban culture at its best and gain a true understanding, from experience, what this island, “frozen in time”, was like in its early years.
Experience romantic Havana, colonial Trinidad, and awe-inspiring Viñales on this once-in-a-lifetime Best of Cuba Tour!
Day One: Arrival in Havana & Classic Car Tour
Based upon the time your flight arrives at José Martí International Airport in Havana, your professional guide will be waiting for you at your final customs exit. Following a quick meet and greet, you will ride into Old Havana, get settled into your BnB, then kick your tour off with a bang on a two-hour Classic Car Tour of the city! You will visit Havana’s most remarkable sites such as the Christ Statue overlooking the city, the Morro Castle, Revolution Square, the Capitol, the Vedado neighborhood, and finish with a breezy cruise down the Malecón (seawall) at sunset. After your classic car tour, you will be dropped off at our favorite restaurant in the city to experience their mouth-watering cuisine and the live music that the alley offers! If you choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB after dinner. If you desire to explore the nightlife of Old Havana, you will be free to do so.
Day Two: Cuban History & Culture
At the arranged time you choose, your professional guide will meet you at your BnB to begin your day. You will receive a completely comprehensive education on Cuban culture, history, folklore, and much more on an Old Havana Walking Tour. You will be walked through the city to learn of and visit some of its most historic and romantic sites like the Castle of the Royal Force, Plaza Vieja, the Havana Cathedral, La Bodeguita del Medio (one of Hemingway’s hangouts), and so much more. You will meet local artists at their shops and might even bump into a few of Havana’s personalities. Who knows, you might even find yourself dancing to traditional Cuban music with locals in the street! Your Old Havana Walking Tour will begin in the morning in the oldest part of the city, and following lunch at the location of your choice (your guide can give recommendations), you will complete the walking tour in the Capitol Area visiting locations like an artisan’s market, Central Park, the Capitol, the Original Partagas Cigar Factory, and the Museum of the Revolution among others.
After your walking tour is complete, you will have the time and freedom to rest and clean up before dinner if you so choose. For dinner, your guide will take you to one of our favorite places in the thick of the city. Like all of our partner restaurants, you will receive the most tasty cuisine in a unique atmosphere. This will be the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy your company. Following dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB if you so choose. If you desire to further explore the nightlife of Old Havana, you will be free to do so.
Day Three: Classic Havana
Day three in Havana comes with your choice of a Cigar Factory Tour or Cuban Dance Lesson. You will also experience a Cuban Cocktail Lesson (includes a minimum of one drink), time to purchase more souvenirs, and a fine dinner with live jazz!
Again, your guide will meet you at your chosen time in the morning, then you will be transported to your choice of either one of Havana's famous cigar factories to receive a complete education on the process of Cuba's world-renowned tobacco or just down the street to receive a complete education on Cuban dance!
Following your visit to a cigar factory tour or experiencing a Cuban dance lesson, you will return to Old Havana for lunch at the restaurant of your choice (your guide can give recommendations). After taking lunch, you may have a time of rest if you please, then you will get a private lesson on how to make Cuban cocktails where you will receive at least one cocktail to enjoy!
Just before dinner, you will take time to clean up and put your Cuban best on to experience one of the best nights you will have in Cuba, an incredible dinner accompanied with live jazz!
Following dinner, you will be transported to one of the most "happening" places in Havana, the Cuban Art Factory. La Fábrica de Arte Cubano (Cuban Art Factory) is an art gallery and club. The space was established inside a former cooking oil factory, and has since gained notoriety as one of Havana's premier nightclubs and art galas. You will experience some of Cuba's purest expressions in many forms of art. It'll definitely be a night to remember. After returning, want to explore more of Havana's nightlife? No problem! Otherwise, your guide will escort you back to your BnB.
Day Four: Blue Waters & A World-Class Show!
After a hearty breakfast, your privately arranged taxi will pick you up to transport you directly to Havana’s most pristine beach without hassle. Following your safe arrival, you may take the short walk down to the water to secure a lounge chair and umbrella to begin your amazing day at Havana’s most amazing beach! If you desire to sail a catamaran or paddle boat, you may also arrange this directly from the beach. Drinks will easily be acquired as there are usually servers not far away.
As for your lunch, there are options on and near the beach for you to dine (your guide can give recommendations). You may have authentic Cuban cuisine delivered to you at your lounge chair for a fair price, you may take a short walk to eat at the hotel restaurant just near to the beach, or you may even give the street food a try.
After a refreshing lunch, you will have a few more hours to relax at the beach before being transported back to Old Havana.
Just before dinner, you will take time to clean up and put your Cuban best on to experience one of the best nights you will have in Cuba, an incredible dinner and then a world-famous show at the Cabaret Parisien, the old American Mafia's hangout!
Once you have satisfied your appetite, you will be transported to the Cabaret Parisien. Before the show, you will get to experience History Hall, the main room where the mob bosses hung out before shows and during the "golden years." After a few drinks and experiencing History Hall, you'll get an unforgettable two-hour live show with music, dancers, and acrobats. Following the show, your driver will return you to your accommodations in Old Havana to rest and prepare for your departure to Trinidad the next day.
Day Five: Farewell Havana, Hello Trinidad!
Following breakfast, at a predetermined time, you will be picked up and transported to Colonial Trinidad. On the road, you will stop and share lunch at a wonderful roadside restaurant.
Upon arrival to Trinidad, you will settle into your BnB and have an hour or so to get acclimated, wash up, or take a quick nap.
At the perfect time, your guide will escort you to one of the main squares to begin your Trinidad City Tour. You will learn the history behind some of Trinidad's greatest sites and learn stories of great triumph and defeat in the area. Along the way, you will learn about each side of the culture from the music to the colonial architecture, many religions, and, of course, it's folklore. On the walking tour you wander the cobblestone streets to see and learn about some of Trinidad’s most famous sites like Céspedes Park, Plaza Mayor, the Convent of San Francisco Bell Tower, La Canchanchara, a sunset view at the Museum of History, and a few more key places that you won't want to miss.
After your educational walking tour, you will be led just up the hill for dinner at one of our favorite gourmet restaurants with a view. If you so choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB or, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Trinidad, you will be free to do so.
Day Six: Sugar Valley & Playa Ancón
Following a hearty breakfast, you will be driven into the Sugar Valley, a valley where over 30 sugar factories have existed over the past hundreds of years. As you can imagine, this put quite the imprint on Cuba's culture and their influence throughout the world. You casually visit The Port’s Hill, then an old sugar factory and plantation, which now serves as an archeological site, and towards the end of your tour, you will visit the former Manaca-Iznaga Sugar Factory and tower to hear quite a love story. You will have time to enjoy the valley, learn about the valley's dark history, the process that sugar cane undergoes to become sugar, and finally, you will taste some guarapo (sugar cane juice).
Upon completion of your Sugar Valley Tour, you will be returned to Trinidad where you will enjoy lunch at a restaurant of your choice (your guide can give recommendations).
After getting your fill, you will return to your BnB where you will be picked up by an arranged taxi that will transport you to Trinidad's most beautiful beach, Playa Ancón, for the afternoon.
Just after sunset, you will return to Trinidad and dine at another one of our favorite restaurants in the city. If you so choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB or, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Trinidad, you will be free to do so.
Day Seven: National Park & Gorgeous Waterfall
Once you have finished your breakfast, at a set time, your transportation will arrive to transport you into the Topes de Collantes National Park, one of Cuba's eleven national parks. You will be driven into the mountains where you will then be dropped off only to hike about 45 minutes down into the mountains. There you will find Vegas Grande, a giant waterfall that measures in total 246 feet / 75 meters, nestled on the side of a mountain, giving you the most immaculate view. You will have time to swim and explore with your travel companions, or you might simply desire to kick back and take in the view.
Whenever you are ready, you will be able to eat a sack lunch that has been prepared for you.
After your lunch, you will have a bit more time to enjoy the waterfall before hiking back up to the top of the mountain to catch your transportation back into Trinidad.
Once you arrive in Trinidad, you will have time to clean up before enjoying a scrumptious meal on your final night in Colonial Trinidad. Following dinner, you may return to your accommodations to rest and prepare for your travels to the Bay of Pigs and Viñales the following day.
Day Eight: Farewell Trinidad, Hello Bay of Pigs & Viñales!
After breakfast, at a predetermined time, you will take off for the Bay of Pigs to snorkel at one of the best places in Cuba. After about a two and a half hour ride, you will find a place to lounge, grab your snorkel gear, and begin to explore the crystal blue waters.
Once you have worked up an appetite, you will, at your own desire, go grab a delicious lunch that is provided on the grounds.
Just after lunch, you will have time to stretch your legs and prepare for the long ride to Viñales. Don't worry, we will stop as many times along the way as you desire.
Upon arrival to Viñales, you will get settled into your BnB, then head into town for dinner at one of our favorite spots along main street.
Following dinner, if you so choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB. However, if you desire to explore the nightlife of Viñales, you will be free to do so.
Day Nine: Coffee & Culture
Your morning will begin at your leisure with a delicious country-Cuban breakfast. Following, you will first be escorted to a local farm for an extensive education on Cuban coffee from a local farmer. There you will have the opportunity to learn the entire process that Cuban coffee undergoes from plant to espresso. Depending on the season and availability of coffee, you might even get to help in harvest and join in the process all the way from picking the beans to brewing your own espresso!
Once the coffee experience is complete, you will have the opportunity to kick back in some of the farm's homemade hammocks for a while. Then, as you wish, you can return to town for lunch at a local restaurant of your choice.
After some time of rest as you enjoy the slow pace of Viñales, you will have the choice of taking off for a tour of a local tobacco farm where you will receive an education on Cuban tobacco from seed to harvest from a local campesino (farmer). Depending on the season and availability of tobacco, you might even get to help in the process of harvest or roll your own cigar! At the end of the Tobacco Farm Tour, you will have the opportunity to kick your feet back with the farmers and enjoy a smoke, a drink, and the view as long as you please. Or you can choose to visit the Cave of the Indian, a relaxed tour, where you will encounter a performance by natives, explore the insides of a great cave, and finish on a boat through the mouth of the cave.
Following, you will be transported to what many claim as the best view in all of Cuba, a panoramic view of the Viñales Valley. You will see farms and mogotes (random mountainous formations in the valley) for miles and dream of what life was like as the natives roamed the land.
There, you will get the chance to relax for a bit and take some photographs at the viewpoint, then you will be taken just a short walk away to a restaurant with one of the best views in all of Viñales. You will taste their exquisite cuisine and relax as you soak in the view and assume the slow-paced lifestyle of the campesino. And if you’re one to enjoy a Cuban cocktail, this restaurant places a bottle of rum on your table and simply explains, “Here is a bottle for your table, in case you would like to add more rum to your cocktail.”
After dinner, if you so choose, your guide will drop you off at your BnB. If you desire to explore the nightlife of Viñales, you will be free to do so.
Day Ten: Private Island & Beautiful Beach
You will quickly find that no one in Viñales is in a hurry, and you can take your breakfast whenever you wish. Following your breakfast, at an appointed time, you will make your way to the central park to catch a bus for Cayó Levisa, a private island just off the north coast.
It will take about 45 minutes by bus to reach the ferry, of which you will take a cross the waters to get to Cayó Levisa. Once you have arrived, you can choose a place to relax, explore the island, schedule a snorkel, dive, or catamaran, and begin to enjoy your day!
Very much like at the Bay of Pigs, once you have worked up an appetite, you will, at your own desire, go grab a delicious lunch that is provided on the grounds.
You will then have a few more hours to enjoy the waters at your own leisure. And at the appointed time, you will return to the ferry for your trip back to Viñales.
To finish your tour in the most immaculate style, after cleaning up, your private transportation will take you into the valley to a former tobacco farm that has been converted into an acclaimed restaurant manned by a Cuban chef that can’t be matched (he was trained by the King’s Chef in Spain). You will dine at what we and many around the world claim is Cuba’s best restaurant. Here you will experience the most attentive Cuban hospitality and the fine food that comes with it! We can guarantee that this will be the best dining experience that you will have in all of Cuba. The view, the hospitality, the cuisine, and the atmosphere simply can’t be beat.
If you choose, after dinner, your guide will drop you off at your BnB to relax as you wind down your evening before your departure the next morning. If you decide to explore the nightlife of Viñales on your final night in Cuba, you will be free to do so.
Day Eleven: Final Taste & Departure
Depending on the departure time of your flight, you might have the opportunity to relax and enjoy your last few hours in Viñales. If so, you will have time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs from local artisans and/or take those photos that you may have missed. At the appointed time, you will be picked up by your private transportation, escorted directly to the José Martí International Airport, and dropped off three to four hours prior to your departure. This will allow for an ample amount of time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs, check your bags, go through security and customs, and arrive at your gate for a safe flight home.
Included
- Professional Guide*
- Accommodations in BnB (Double Occ.)*
- Four Nights in Havana
- Three Nights in Trinidad
- Three Nights in Viñales
- Breakfasts (10) & Dinners (10)
- Airport Pick-up / Drop-off
- All Transportation
- Classic Car Tour (convertibles)
- Old Havana Walking Tour
- Cigar Factory Tour* or Cuban Dance Lesson
- Cuban Cocktail Lesson + Drinks
- Full Day at the Beach (Playa del Este)*
- Visit to National Hotel (Old Mafia HQ)
- Big Show at Cabaret Parisien
- Trinidad City Tour
- Sugar Valley Tour
- Afternoon at the Beach (Playa Ancon)*
- Vegas Grande Waterfall (National Park)*
- Snorkeling at the Bay of Pigs*
- Cuban Coffee Experience*
- Tobacco Farm Tour* or Indian Cave Tour
- Los Jazmines Viewpoint
- Full Day at Private Island (Cayo Levisa)*
- Professional Photography + Photos
- Detailed Itinerary & Tour Packet
- Seasonal Packing List
- Emergency Support
Not Included
- Airfare
- Cuban Visa
- Lunch
- Alcohol
- Tips (Guide, Drivers, etc)
More Information
- A star next to items under INCLUDED note that more information can be found in the WHAT TO EXPECT section.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR TOUR
On this Best of Cuba Tour, you will begin and end at the José Martí International Airport in Havana. You can expect your complete itinerary from transportation, accommodations, private tours/experiences, and meals (breakfasts & dinners) to be previously arranged and paid for by your guide. You will be accompanied the entire tour by at least one Gardner Tours professional guide, educated on Cuban culture, history, tobacco, coffee, etc, and all we require of you is to simply enjoy yourself! In the event that something changes or doesn’t go exactly as planned, please be patient and courteous, as it is our guarantee that our guides will handle any challenges with timely grace to ensure that you are taken care of and that you get the authentic Cuban experience you desire.
Your Tour Guide
Each of our guides are well versed in their culture and able to answer almost any question you may have for them! You will have complete freedom to take your tour at the pace you please, deciding to sit and enjoy the view as long as you desire, asking the tobacco farmer as many questions as you want, or simply enjoying your dinner just a little longer than you normally would. Your guide will give you time and space to enjoy your lunch each day as you like (with or without them). They will meet you at the arranged time each morning to begin your day and will drop you off at your BnB each night. They will serve you along the way and ensure that you are well taken care of during your entire stay.
Best of Cuba Tour Accommodations
Your accommodations will be at a Cuban BnB equipped with air-conditioner as well as a private bathroom. Each of our accommodation partners provide private rooms with a full bed and a twin bed, and can occupy up to three persons per room. If you desire to share a room with your travel companions (up to three persons per room), please specify in the details of your booking. If you’d like to upgrade your accommodations, please contact us before booking or wait for your confirmation email to view your options.
Cuban Cigar Factory
Cigar Factories in Cuba are closed on the weekends as well as two longer holidays during the year. If you happen to book during these times, it is our guarantee that you will get to experience the same education and cigar rolling experience.
Cuban Beaches & Waters
Although the waters of the Caribbean are usually bright blue, they are not always calm. November-April provides the best all-around weather for a tour, but the waters will most likely be choppy and the wind a bit chilly. May-October usually provides the warmest weather, yet the skies might not always be clear as that is also the rainy season. Please understand that most of the time, the beaches of Cuba are gorgeous, you may encounter one of the days that the weather is ugly. In that case, we will do our best to adjust accordingly so that you can receive the best experience.
Vegas Grande Waterfall Difficulty
The Vegas Grande Waterfall in the Topes de Collantes National Park is a beautiful waterfall with rushing water. However, it takes about a 45 minute to one hour hike to get to the waterfall and about a 45 minute to an hour hike to get out. The most difficult part of the hike is the descent just before arriving to the waterfall and, of course, that ascent when leaving. It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes in either direction at a moderate pace, depending on your ability and the conditions of the trail. On a difficulty level of 1 to 10, it is about a 6, but there will be no rush to get there or to return. This is your tour and you can take it as slow as you desire. Depending on the weather surrounding your hike, you might need to bring hiking boots in case the trail is wet and slippery. Please be prepared for this.
Cuban Coffee Harvest
Coffee harvest in Cuba is during the part of the dry season, from September to January. If you book in these months, you might even get to help in harvest! However, if you happen to book from February to August, know that you might see barren coffee plants, but it is our guarantee that you will experience the same education and coffee experience as if you were visiting in-season. You might not get to witness the acts of harvest, but you will definitely encounter one of the world’s greatest coffee cultures at work.
Cuba Tobacco Season
Tobacco season in Cuba is during the dry season, with planting season starting in late-October and harvest season from January to early-April. If you happen to book outside of these months, know that you might see barren lands, but it is our guarantee that you will experience the same education and tobacco experience as if you were visiting in-season. You might not get to witness the acts of planting or harvest, but you will definitely encounter the world's greatest tobacco culture at work.
Day at Cayo Levisa
Cayo Levisa is a private island off the north coast of the Pinar del Río Provence and it is dedicated only for tourists. It is about a 45 minute ride from Viñales and requires a ferry boat ride to arrive at the island. Once on the island, you can simply relax on the beach, reserve a catamaran or schedule a snorkel or dive. There is only one option for cuisine and drinks, but what is available is usually delicious. If you happen to be a picky eater, we advise you to bring snacks. We also recommend that you bring a change of clothes, sunscreen, and a beach towel (can be borrowed from your BnB) with you.
Our Guarantee To You
Gardner Tours is committed to delivering you the most hospitable and entertaining tours offered in Cuba! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Preparation
After booking, you will receive an email with a detailed itinerary and tour packet. Those documents will guide you through the entire process of preparation (purchasing flights, visas, packing list, etc), what your arrival will look like, the details of your tour (duration), and how your departure will be handled.
Our team is committed to serve you with the utmost hospitality, so we are honored to serve you and ensure that you are prepared in the most comfortable way that suits you.
Be assured that if you need help, we will be here to personally guide each step of the way.
Arrival
Based upon the time your flight arrives at José Martí International Airport in Havana, your Gardner Tours Professional Guide will be waiting for you at your final customs exit.
Following a quick meet and greet, you will cruise into Old Havana in a privately arranged taxi, get settled into your BnB, then kick your tour off with a bang!
It won't take long before you're kicking back and enjoying a uniquely memorable vacation!
Duration
Your Gardner Tours Professional Guide will accompany you the entire way, guiding you through all eleven days of your tour. That includes four nights in awe-inspiring Havana, three nights in historic Trinidad, and three nights in the jaw-dropping Viñales Valley.
You will have complete freedom to take your tour at the pace you please, deciding to sit and enjoy the view as long as you desire, asking the tobacco farmer as many questions as you want, or simply enjoying your dinner just a little longer than normal. Your guide will serve you along the way and ensure that you are well taken care of during your entire stay.
Gardner Tours is committed to delivering you the most hospitable and entertaining tours offered in Cuba!
Departure
Depending on the departure time of your flight, you might have the opportunity to relax and enjoy your last few hours in Viñales. If so, you will have time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs from local artisans and/or take those photos that you may have missed.
At an appointed time, you will be picked up by your private transport, escorted directly to the José Martí International Airport, and dropped off three hours prior to your departure for an ample amount of time to purchase any last-minute souvenirs, check your bags, go through security and customs, and arrive at your gate for a safe flight home.
Your guide will accompany you all the way until the end.
Visit Three of Cuba’s Most Popular Destinations
On this Best of Cuba Tour, you get just that, the best of what Cuba has to offer in culture and nature from the mountains and national parks to the beaches, waterfalls, and tobacco fields.
Throughout your tour, between Havana, Trinidad, and Viñales, you will experience the classic cars, the soul moving music, big show atmosphere, the mouth-watering cuisine, and so much more!
It’s guaranteed that you will leave Cuba knowing that you didn’t miss anything.
Classic Cars, Cigars, and Cuban Cocktails
Whether you're cruising down the seawall at sunset in a 1950s classic American car, learning how to smoke your first cigar, or sitting back and enjoying your third Cuban cocktail of the evening, each day presents a number of these opportunities and more!
From the classic cars filling the streets to the rich tobacco culture found in the Viñales Valley, those delights often inspire comments like, “I’ve heard it said, but Cuba truly is an island frozen in time!” and “These are the things that made me remember why I love traveling so much!”
It is our honor to deliver you with the most hospitable experiences, to ensure that you truly unwind and enjoy yourself like never before on this Best of Cuba Tour.
A Perfect Private Experience for Your Group
Traveling with Gardner Tours means that you travel in private, no strangers! Each and every tour is tailored to you and your travel desires and needs. You will only travel with the people in your booking, allowing you to have the most amazing and memorable time possible in the setting that you choose with us!
There's nothing like traveling in your own private group and it is our honor to ensure that your time with us is world-class.
After all, we are a hospitality company!