Walking Tours
Breathtaking mountain and coastal walks <> Independent and Self-Guided Walking
You get a very different view of things with Cuba Select Travel on a walking, hiking or trekking tour. Discovering the countryside at your own pace, on foot, you’ll get to know the place you’ve chosen intimately and absorb the sights, the scents and the atmosphere in a way you never could behind the wheel of an automobile.
Cuba Select Travel offers you gentle rambles across sun-drenched hillsides to challenging mountain, gorge and ridge hikes. And everything in between! You can get right off the beaten track; you’ll walk to places tourists seldom see. You can walk in the Sierra Maestra Mountain where Fidel Castro and Che Guevara launched their revolution, or be seduced by breathtaking coastal walks.
In many areas we think our independent or self-guided tours are the best
way to get a real experience of the country. Unless you have a lot of time
to do your own planning, and patience, you’ll appreciate our meticulous
research and trip design with carefully chosen routes picked for trailside
interest. And at the end of each walk, country hotels provide the
authentic flavor of each region.
All that remains is to contact us with your specific preferences, travel dates, numbers of persons travelling and we will provide you with more details.
Below is a suggested 12 day walking tour covering all of Cuba
Day 1
Arrive in Havana City
Met and assisted upon arrival at Havana airport by CST representative.
Brief Orientation Meeting.
Transfer to your hotel in the Old Havana District to be greeted by a Cuban welcome cocktail.
Check in at hotel.
Relax after your flight and enjoy some free time before the start of your programme tomorrow.
Take a pleasant orientation stroll for a romantic evening of cocktails and dinner at El Patio.
Restaurant in Cathedral Square with entertainment by Cuban Musicians.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 2
Discover Havana, Cigars & Cocktails with Hemingway
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning walk to visit one of Havana's famous cigar factories.
Private guided orientation and walking tour from your hotel, for approximately 3 hours, around the principal streets and squares of the historical centre: the Plaza de Armas, the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Garden, the Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Garden, the Plaza Vieja, the Plaza de la Cathedral and the area of the original city walls. Stopping along the way at some of Hemingway's haunts.
Lunch at a typical Havana restaurant facing the bay area (El Templete).
Return to hotel on foot.
Afternoon at leisure.
Pleasantly walk for 1 1/2 hours to the water front promenade "The Malecón" in the direction of the entrance of the Harbour by the Point Fortress, across from the Morro Castle to enjoy of the sunset.
Then, walk up the Prado Promenade for dinner at the World famous Floridita Bar Restaurant.
Daiquiri cocktail and Lobster dinner at the Floridita Bar Restaurant, one of Hemingway's favorite hide outs.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 3
Viñales Valley
Breakfast at hotel.
Early morning day excursion to Viñales Valley with transfer.
Walk to the East of the Valley to see "The Tradiciones Campesinas Trail" Intensity: Medium to Low.
6 Kms (4 hours).
Lunch included on the Trail in a farmer's casa.
Transfer back to hotel in Havana.
Free evening with suggestions for dining around.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast
Day 4
Las Terrazas Eco Mountain Community
Breakfast at hotel.
Early check out from the hotel.
Transfer from hotel to Soroa Orchid Garden.
Visit Soroa Orchid Garden.
Short transfer from Soroa to Las Terrazas.
Arrive in Las Terrazas, at the Curujey meeting point, for a briefing on the Community, the day activities and a welcome cocktail.
Take some water and any necessary items with you.
Walk the trail "Santa Serafina".Observation of the flora, the fauna (birds) and the ruins of an Old French Coffee Plantation.
Intensity: Medium. Duration: (3 to 4 hours) Distance (6 to 7 Kms).
Transfer to the picnic lunch area.
Picnic lunch at the Baños del San Juan natural swimming pools.
Transfer from Los Baños del San Juan hotel.
Check in at the hotel.
Dinner at Casa del Campesino or at the community vegetarian restaurant.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 5
Trinidad
Early breakfast at the hotel.
Check out from the hotel.
Transfer to Trinidad stopping on route for lunch at Cienfuegos.
Arrive in Trinidad.
Check into hotel.
Free time to walk around this historic old Spanish colonial city and enjoy the surroundings or do your own thing, maybe bargain for your souvenir of preference with the local craft vendors.
Enjoy the evening entertainment on the Cathedral steps.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Enjoy the evening entertainment on the cathedral steps.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 6
Trinidad Topes de Collantes
Breakfast at the hotel.
Arrange to take a picnic lunch from the hotel.
Transfer from hotel to La Carpeta Central at the Topes de Collantes Mountain.
Arrive at Topes de Collantes reception area and meet with local guide.
Walk your way to where the Caburní Trail begins. Descend until you reach the Caburní Waterfall.
Walk along the trail with local guide. Intensity: High, Duration: 5 hours and distance: 6 kms.
Caburní Waterfall (The biggest one in Cuba).
Time to relax catch your breath and have a drink.
Walk your way back up the trail to La Carpeta Central.
Picnic lunch break at last stage of the walk in suitable area (seats available).
Time to relax and catch your breath.
Arrive back at the La Carpeta Central.
Return to Trinidad City.
Rest of afternoon at leisure.
A lobster dinner at Grill Caribe Restaurant right on María Aguilar beach and enjoy the sunset is an option.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 7
Trinidad - Havana - flight to Santiago de Cuba
Breakfast at the Hotel.
Transfer from the hotel to Havana.
On the way stop at Zapata Península to do a walk through one of the trails which involves birdwatching in the biggest marsh of the Caribbean, number one bird sanctuary in Cuba. Observation of flora and fauna, forest areas and palm trees.
Soplillar or Pálpite Trails: Adjustable from 2 to 4 kilometers from 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
Lunch in Pío Cuá Restaurant (buffet).
Transfer from Zapata to Havana.
Arrive in Havana.
Stop at Club Habana to take a shower and refresh.
Transfer from Club Habana to domestic airport.
Check in for flight Havana / Santiago de Cuba.
Flight to Santiago de Cuba.
Transfer from airport to your hotel.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 8
Santiago de Cuba
Breakfast at the hotel.
Small walking tour of Santiago de Cuba colonial core in the area around Parque Céspedes.
Transfer from colonial core of Santiago de Cuba to Sierra Mar hotel on the south coast of Santiago.
Get ready for coastal walk of the southern coast of Santiago.
Lunch in the hotel (possibility to enjoy the all inclusive facilities for a couple of hours).
Transfer back to hotel in Santiago de Cuba.
Leisure time.
Dinner in the Zún Zún Restaurant in the most exclusive neighbourhood of Santiago.
Enjoy the nightlife in the city such as at Patio de Los Abuelos or Casa de la Trova.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 9
Santiago de Cuba
Baracoa - Excursions
Early breakfast at hotel.
Check out from hotel.
Transfer from Santiago to Baracoa (4 hours to 4 1/2 hours drive).
Arrive in Baracoa.
Explore the town Baracoa.
Check in at the hotel.
Freshen up and get ready for excursion.
Lunch at Rancho Duaba right at the mouth of Duada river, on the beach side, a beautiful location. You can access it from the road through a trail of approximately 2 kilometers.
Return to hotel.
Rest of afternoon at leisure.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 10
Baracoa - Excursions
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to place where the walk starts.
Do the Balcón de Iberia Trail in the Alejandro de Humboldt Natural Park (lunch included in the excursion).
Distance: 7 to 11 kilometers, Duration: 5 to 6 hours, Intensity: high.
The Iberia area of the Natural Park is considered its core and the best preserved zone of the park. There, you will be able to see different kinds of forests and a natural waterfall 6 meters high and you will have time to swim in the waterfall and the river.
Return to starting point.
Transfer to hotel.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 11
Baracoa Excursion - Santiago de Cuba - flight to Havana
Breakfast at the hotel.
Leave everything already packed in the rooms or with concierge.
Transfer to place where the walk starts.
Do the Yunque Excursion or El Recreo Excursion.
El Yunque Excursion with lunch: (Those who would like to take it easy could do a smaller walk to a cascade nearby called "Salto del Duaba". Alongside you will be able to see a wide variety of endemic birds and the arboreal fern, very typical of the region. Possibility to swim in the river).
Distance: 5 kilometres, Duration: 5 to 6 hours, Intensity: high. The Yunque mountains approximately 575 meters high.
80 % of the excursion happens in the shade. You will be able to see an endemic palm tree called: Cocotrina Yunquense, different kinds of birds and exuberant vegetation. Possibility to see the Polimita Picta, endemic colourful snail.
El Recreo Excursion with lunch:
Duration: 2 1/2 to 3 hours excursion.
Length: 3 kilometers, Intensity: Moderate.
In the first part of the walk there is a little bit of climbing, later cross a river. It is possible to have some time to take a swim. Throughout the walk you can see evergreen forests, forests of galleries and pine tree forests.
Possibility to see the Polimita Picta, endemic colourful snail.
Return to place where you will be collected to be taken back to the hotel.
Transfer to Santiago de Cuba airport for a late flight into Havana.
Arrive Havana and transfer to hotel.
Accommodation at 3 star hotel with breakfast.
Day 12
Havana - Outbound flights
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning at leisure.
Check out from hotel.
Transfer from hotel to Havana International Airport for outbound flight.
Notes
Accommodation: We pre-arrange all your accommodation along the route for you which includes breakfast, or other meals if there are no other dining options available in the area, or that the accommodation rates must include extra meals.
Transfers: We arrange various transportation options depending on numbers of persons travelling and your budget.
Meals: The food and beverage places mentioned are suggested options for you pay on the spot unless they form part of an excursion. Some hotels can provide picnic lunch boxes. Alternatively, we can book and quote you for meals and drinks where not included.
