Highlights
* explore Old Havana with a local guide
* tour Ernest Hemingway’s former estate
* visit the colorful city of Cienfuegos
* spend three nights in the UNESCO World Heritage colonial town of Trinidad
* enjoy private concerts with local musicians
* visit a farm-to-table restaurant to make traditional dishes and a perfect mojito
* ride in Havana’s famous Classic Cars
* take a salsa lesson
* relax on a beautiful beach (Feb/March is perfect for swimming)
* visit a traditional cigar producer and try a rum & cigar pairing
* eat at the best private restaurants, known as paladares
* stretch your legs with an easy hike to a beautiful waterfall
* see traditional dance performances
* extend for two days to see the rolling hills around the Viñales Valley
* try your hand at Afro-Cuban percussion
Trip price includes
7 nights in a mix of comfortable B&Bs; 7 breakfasts, 4 dinners plus 7 lunches; all visits and transfers as per itinerary; at least 1 bilingual guide to accompany you throughout the week (*extension: 2 more nights B&B, 2 breakfasts, 1 dinner & 2 lunches)
Not included
3 dinners; drinks other than water at meals; Cuban visa/“tourist card” (we’ll help you get that); tips for local guides, drivers and hotel services; and anything not listed in the inclusions (*extension: 1 dinner plus lunch on departure day)
ITINERARY
Days 1 – 3: Welcome to Havana!
Spend your first three days in vibrant Old Havana, whose elegant colonial buildings and sunny squares will welcome you with bright colors and music spilling out of every doorway. We’ll learn about the city’s fascinating history, see its old Spanish colonial churches and forts, then relax with a ride in a Classic Car down the Malecon waterfront drive. We’ll also visit Ernest Hemingway’s former estate and gardens, take in some vibrant music and dance performances, and spend a fun afternoon at a farm-to-table restaurant where we learn to make traditional meals and the perfect mojito. Our hotel in Havana is a lovely upscale B&B built into one of the city’s historical old buildings. Unwind with a minty mojito on the hotel rooftop and enjoy dinners together in town. 3 nights Old Havana.
Days 4 – 6: The Colonial Cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad
Get out of the city for three days in two of the most beautiful towns on the island. Both Cienfuegos and Trinidad are UNESCO World Heritage protected sites for their unique architecture and historical importance in the Caribbean. Cienfuegos has the largest number of Neoclassical buildings in the Caribbean and Trinidad was important for Cuba’s sugar trade. We stay three nights in a restored private home with colorful floor tiles and Old World charm. Dine at some of the best paladares in the region and enjoy live music and salsa dancing once the sun goes down. We also have an easy walk out to a waterfall in the verdant hills nearby and then time to relax on a gorgeous sandy beach. 3 nights Trinidad.
Days 7 & 8: Final day in Havana and Departures (* or stay on 2 extra nights)
Drive back to Havana and enjoy a magical afternoon with a famous local dance troupe, who will show you how the island’s Afro-Caribbean rhythms captivated and inspired musicians and dancers around the world. We have one final dinner together before saying a fond “Adios” to Cuba on Day 8. We’ll provide you with suggestions on flights, travel insurance, and getting your visa so don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions!
** Days 9 & 10: Two-day Optional Extension to Viñales
New for 2025, we’re offering a two-night extension to the west of Havana in the verdant Viñales valley, where most of the island’s tobacco is grown. Enjoy more cultural visits while also taking some easy walks through the countryside, or hop aboard a traditional ox-cart and make your way slowly towards a delicious lunch at a tobacco farm! 2 Nights Viñales.
Both Manu and Claire plan on coming so we hope to see you there!
Julie Florin –
This Cuba tour was overflowing with music, art, dance, culture, and connecting with the Cuban people. And, of course, amazing, authentic food and Havana Club Rum. It didn’t feel like a tour, but like a visit with family and friends. Claire and Manu put together a mix of experiences we won’t soon forget and partnered with local guides to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the island and its culture. Both Claire and Manu are adept at “feeling out” the guests on the tour and make suggestions and adaptations that are like icing on top of the already incredible itinerary. This beautiful island came to life for us, and we are so lucky to be able to travel to Cuba now. Wild Sage provided us with a bucket-list experience, one that we won’t forget, but might repeat!
Barb and Dan –
We were so fortunate to be able to join Claire and Manu on their Wild Sage virgin venture to Cuba! The accommodations were wonderful, and the local guides were fantastic. We covered city tours, vocal recitals, dance demonstrations, cooking lessons, rum tasting, cigar smoking, a beach visit, a waterfall hike/swim and salsa lessons. We also had amazing lunches and dinners and got to experience entertaining night life. I’m sure I’m omitting something, but rest assured this tour is chock full of activities and adventure. Be sure to read all pre-trip material to best be prepared for foreign travel with no ATMs or credit cards. Claire and Manu outlined it all perfectly and were able to help with money conversion, visa paperwork, and everything to make it an unforgettable trip. We are telling everybody about Wild Sage!
Will and Nancy –
We have always wanted to visit Cuba, and our wish came true with an amazing trip in 2024 with Claire and Manu. Everything about it was memorable and marvelous. For us, highlights were the music, dancing, and art and, of course, mingling with the wonderful Cuban people. But wait – there’s more! In fact, so much more I can’t believe it was all squeezed into one week. There was a visit to an organic urban garden, rum and cigar tasting, a hike through the jungle to a waterfall, a leisurely afternoon at the beach, a visit to Ernest Hemingway’s home, and walking tours of Havana and Trinidad. Accommodations were wonderful and the food was scrumptious. Of course, there were occasional blackouts and internet connections were not always the greatest, but that’s Cuba. We feel fortunate to have been a part of Wild Sage’s inaugural Cuba journey, and I can only imagine future trips will be better and better.
Linda Foxworthy –
I have always wanted to visit Cuba, and when Claire and Manu ( who we have happily travelled with before) proposed a new tour there we immediately signed up. The access to private musical events, a personal afternoon at a farm to table restaurant, and an interesting variety of cultural and culinary experiences were exceptional, as well as a chance to learn more about the amazing history and complicated present of this country. Cuba is not your typical tourist destination, and the chance to experience it with what became a group of good-humored friends, and thoughtful and considerate guides was a wonderful experience. Not to mention, a lot of fun– will not forget our impromtu dinner of rum, cheese and crackers on the roof during a blackout!
Linda and Alan