Cycle Cuba!

• 7nts Cycle Cuba escorted tour from£495per person

Tour in brief:

• 1
• Day 1: UK - Havana Arrival at Havana s International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight accommodation at Hotel Plaza or similar in Old Havana on BB basis.

• 2
• Day 2: Havana-Pinar del Rio After breakfast transfer to Pinar del Río, the famous tobacco region in western Cuba. Pinar del Río is quiet and cosy compared to Havana, where nothing sits still. Once there, you will visit a tobacco factory and go on a tour of the town. Lunch at Hotel Aguas Claras. After lunch, we will prepare our bikes for the start of the bike tour. The afternoon ride will take us to the Viñales Valley. Here, the legendary tobacco is grown among the crags and rocks of the steep cliffs. Viñales Valley is a place of exceptional beauty, dotted with odd shaped Mogotes (limestone mountains) and numerous caves. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Aguas Claras.

• 3
• Day 3: Cycle to Cayo Jutías - Paradise Secluded Beach! After breakfast we will set off on a ride to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Sierra de Órganos, which lies in the Northwest. The picturesque beach of Cayo Jutías is situated on a little island connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway. Once there, we can have lunch on the beach, hire a boat or have a swim in the beautiful sea. After relaxing you can either take the bus or cycle back to Viñales to the Hotel Rancho San Vicente, where we’ll be having dinner and spending the night. Biking distance: 55 km.

• 4
• Day 4: Ancón Valley Today we will take the Jagua Vieja Road to Palma at Ancón Valley - a 30 km tour of quaint landscapes and untouched valleys. En route there is the possibility of visiting the country lodge where Fidel Castro held secret reunions during the Cuban Revolution. We will have a picnic lunch in the lush valley and then be taken to our next destination which will be the Hotel Aguas Claras which is nestled in idyllic surroundings which are perfect for a short hike or walk. This is where we will have dinner and spend the night. Biking distance: 30 km.

• 5
• Day 5: Soroa After breakfast we will be taken to Cueva de los Portales. This beautiful area was the hideout that Che Guevara used during the 62 standoff with Kennedy and this will be the site for our picnic. After the picnic we will visit the caves and then we will start the day s bike ride to Soroa over the Carretera Central. The route is one that will take us 45 km to the northeast, past characteristic little villages. In Soroa, we recommend paying the famous orchid gardens a visit. Dinner will be at the Hotel Villa Soroa where we will also spend the night. Biking distance: 45 km.

• 6
• Day 6: Las Terrazas Morning cycle to Las Terrazas. Today s trip is only 20km long. The community we will visit can be found in Sierra del Rosario, a UNESCO protected rural area of sustainable development. The river San Juan and its little waterfall flow through the thick forest where one can see little lakes, ruins and coffee plantations from the 19th century and sulphurous sources. Most farmers in Sierra live in communities which were formed in the course of a government program in 1968. The most well known is Las Terrazas. The name comes from overgrown terraced fields which are typical of this region. The 900 inhabitants of this community live off the timber industry and eco tourism. En route we will have a little picnic lunch. Dinner will be taken at a farmhouse. Accommodation: Hotel el Moka. Biking distance: 20 km.

• 7
• Day 7: Havana In the morning we return to Havana. Our guide will take us for a city sightseeing tour on which you can get your final few lasting impressions of the old city of Havana and the Spanish-Andalusian architecture, framed by the tropical sun and lush vegetation, which is characteristic of Habana Vieja. Overnight accommodation at Hotel Plaza on BB basis.

• 8
• Day 8: Adiós Cuba! After breakfast you have the opportunity to explore Havana on your own before the transfer takes you to the airport.

Price Includes:

• 7 overnight accommodations on BB basis.
  4 x lunches, 5 x dinners
  Multilingual qualified tour guide
  Accompanying mini-van
  Entrance fees on the excursions
  Bikes

Escorted Tour departure dates

• YEAR 2010
  18th July, 8th and 29th August, 10th and 31st October, 21st November, 26th December.

  YEAR 2011
  9th and 30th Jan, 13th Feb, 13th March, 24th April, 22nd May, 19th June, 17th July, 7th and 28th August, 16th October.

Price Excludes:

• International flights, Havana Airport taxes (25.00 convertible pesos) and tourist card (£15.00).

  Please note helmets are also excluded.