The Culture, History and Heroes Tour
A three-night tour visiting some of Cuba’s most famous colonial and historical cities, along with a variety of carefully chosen visits en-route. The Culture History and Heroes Tour offers you the chance to enjoy all the major sights of this vibrant and diverse area of Cuba, and also allow some independence to explore on your own or relax and choose your own activities and dining options at times.
- Relive the failed US backed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs
- Take a boat ride through the mangroves in the Zapata National Park
- Swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea
- Overnight in the charming French influenced Colonial city of Cienfuegos, overlooking a large bay
- Visit spectacular El Nicho National Park and waterfalls
- Spend 2 nights enjoying the fascinating UNESCO preserved museum city of Trinidad with its bars, restaurants and live music venues
- Take a picturesque journey through the Escambray, Cuba’s second highest mountain range
- Visit Santa Clara, the final resting place of the Revolutionary hero Ernesto 'Che' Guevara
- Duration:
- 3 Nights / 4Days
- Accommodation:
- We use a mixture of very well located, good quality casas particulares and hotels.
- Extensions
- On the last day, it is possible to transfer clients to the beaches of Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Varadero, Jibacoa or further afield a for a few days relaxing on the beach, or alternatively back to Havana or elsewhere for more exploration time.
Guaranteed Tour
Group Size
Private Tour Available
Tour Departures
Meals Included
Local Support
Transport
Accommodation
Physical Ability
Upgrades Available
Download The Culture, History and Heroes Tour Full Itinerary:
The Culture, History and Heroes Tour Itinerary Highlights
Day1 | The Bay of Pigs & Cienfuegos
You will depart Havana and head south east through the Sugar Cane and Citrus plantations towards the UNESCO preserved Zapata National Park where the first stop will be at Guama, a replica village of Cuba’s earliest settlers the Taino Indians reached by an exhilarating boat ride through the mangroves.
Continuing the journey into the Zapata National Park you reach the Bay of Pigs the site of the failed CIA backed invasion of Cuba that was repelled by Fidel and Che and their revolutionaries.
You will arrive in Cienfuegos known as the Pearl of the South, with a strong French colonial atmosphere and overlooking a beautiful bay. Wander through the central squares and along the ‘Malecon’ promenade after which you will be dropped at your accommodation.
This evening there will be time to enjoy an independent exploration of Cienfuegos.
Day 2 | Cienfuegos & El Nicho & Trinidad
Visit El Nicho Park, a marvel of nature with waterfalls and natural pools in an area hidden among the mountains and one of the most beautiful spots in Cuba. A paradise which combines the green of the vegetation, rivers, the Black Creek waterfalls, where water can plunge more than 30 meters.
During the tour, you can walk up through numerous walking paths with ‘El Reino de las Aguas’ being a gentle hiking trail of 2 km (1.2 miles) or you could choose a more difficult route, observe the flora and fauna and enjoy swimming in the cool river pools at the end of the walk.
A traditional and rustic Cuban style lunch is served locally before heading through the national reserve in the Escambray Mountains range to Trinidad.
Day 3 | Trinidad
After breakfast, the day begins with a 2-hour walking tour of Trinidad, a city founded in 1514 and now totally preserved by UNESCO.
Your tour can include a visit to the History Museum that depicts the long history of the city, and a local potter’s house selling Trinidad ceramics. You will be free to choose any of the museums or places that may interest you. The tour will end in the lively Canchanchara bar listening to Cuban music whilst sampling the local sugar cane cocktail.
Day 4 | Santa Clara
Travel east along the picturesque road towards the historic Sugar Mill valley, the site of the former sugar plantations, which are Cuba’s link to the slave trade within the Caribbean at the time. See the old plantation houses and ghostly tower of Manaca Iznaga where you can to climb the tower.
Continue through the mountains and small rural villages to Santa Clara, a city of major historical significance. Visit ‘Tren Blindado’ the train that was attacked by Che Guevara and the turning point in the Cuban Revolution, as well as the final resting place of Che Guevara at the very symbolic Che mausoleum and museum.
You will be dropped at your chosen accommodation in your destination of choice after the tour. Perhaps more nights in Havana or a beach resort of your choice such as Varadero or Cayo Santa Maria.
