
Cuba's nature displays the smallest of a number of
animals, such as the tiny frog Monte Iberia Dwarf Eleuth (
Eleutherodactylus iberia) only 0.3 inches
long and exclusively found in some mountainous regions of eastern Cuba; the butterfly bat (
Natalus
lepidus), which is only 7 inches from wingtips and weighs just a couple of grams; and the endangered
zunzuncito or
bee humming bird (
Mellisuga helenae) roughly 3 inches long. There is also a dwarf scorpion
(
Microtityus fundorai) between 0.3 and 0.7 inches long among males.

The
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Peninsula de Guanahacabibes is one of the country's largest natural reserves.
Nature tourism is a major atraction since the area is inhabited by 172 species of birds belonging to 42 families, 11 of which are endemic
and 84 are migratory. Experts also believe that 4 of the 7 species of marine turtles living on the planet have
survived in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. The coastline also contains preserved coral reefs, with the northern
coast being lined by the cays and isles of the western Colorados Archipelago.

Exploration of
Viñales Valley, containing the
most spectacular scenery in Cuba and some of the most interesting and varied geological formations on the island. The valley
is particularly famous for its great freestanding rock formations called
mogotes.
Santo Tomas Cave, Cuba's largest cave system.
The cave is spectacular, especially where the roof has collapsed and you walk into a green jungle paradise sunk
into a mountaintop. Several cave rooms are connected over an area of 45 kilometers in length, extend over seven
levels. The rooms bear names such as "Salón del Caos" (Chaos Saloon), "Increíble" (incredible) or "Tinieblas"
(darkness). Solid footwear and clothing are recommended.

Four rivers run through the evergreen and
semi-deciduous tropical forest of
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Sierra del Rosario, natural habitat to one of the world's smallest frogs
and more than 115 bird species including a large number of migratory birds that nest in Cuba’s tropical climate.
Peninsula de Zapata Biosphere Reserve contains the largest wetlands in the Caribbean with blue-water beaches, forests, rivers, lakes, flooded caverns. Natural habitat to the Cuban crocodile, the jutia and 175 bird species.
Las Salinas Wildlife Refuge, unique Cuban site for bird watching where two continental
corridors of migratory birds coincide. Natural habitat to several bird species such as Roseate Flamingo (
Phoenicopterus ruber), Sandhill Crane (
Grus canadensis),
Roseate, Yellow-headed Warbler (
Teretistris fernandinae), Spoonbill (
Ajaia ajaja), Clapper Rail (
Rallus longirostris), Common Black Hawk (
Buteogallus anthracinus) and many others.
Topes de Collantes National Park in the
Escambray mountains in Central Cuba. A perfect place for encountering the Cuban Emerald (
Chlorostilbon ricordii),
Broad-winged Hawk (
Buteo platypterus), Cuban Parrot (
Amazono leucocephala), Fernandina’s Flicker
(
Colaptes fernandinae) and others.
Caguanes National Park, in north-central Cuba contains marine, land and swampy areas, with a wealth of well-preserved
natural attractions suited for nature lovers and bird watchers alike! Its cave system has over 35 grottoes and caves,
which contain the largest expressions of rupestrian art in central Cuba.
Day 1. Friday 3 May 2024.
Hello Cuba
Arrival at
Santa Clara International Airport.
Meet your Cuban tour guide and bus driver.
Private transfer to
Havana City.
Check in at your hotel
Habana Libre Hotel located at the cultural center of Havana City.
Group check-in.
Breakfast is complimentary from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Cuba is renowned for its exceptional biodiversity. Its ecosystems are among the richest and best preserved in the Caribbean.
Cuba boasts more than 84 protected areas, making up almost 14% of the lands and 16% of the shelf, along with 6 UNESCO Biosphere
Reserves. Its flora is abundant and varied; it is estimated that the 110,992-square-kilometre archipelago contains almost 4% of all
the world’s plant life.
Day 2. Saturday 4 May 2024.
Havana
Morning: meeting with representatives of
Cuba’s National Center for Protected Areas (CNAP).
The Center, created in 1995 by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, is responsible for the management of Cuba's National
System of Protected Areas. With a network of 15 provincial environmental groups, CNAP is the maximum authority
responsible for conservation in Cuba. CNAP also has experience implementing conservationist projects with
international funding such as UNEP-GEF, WWF Canada and CIDA.
Lunch: a new wave of paladares (privately-owned restaurants) has recently swept the Cuban dining scene offering excellent food and charming ambient. Today we’ll enjoy a welcome lunch at the stylish
Paladar San Cristobal, one of Havana's top ten private restaurants.
Afternoon: guided walking tour of
Old Havana, UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit to
Square of Arms, ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers and surrounded by impressive buildings such as:
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales was the former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City.
Palacio del Segundo Cabo, the seat of the second authority of the island.
Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. The castle was recently renovated
and reopened in June 2008 to hold the impressive maritime museum. Well laid out exhibits chart Spain and Cuba's naval history.
Visit to
San Francisco Square, one of the oldest in the historical quarter.
Visit to
Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Notice it doesn't have a church or government building around.
Here we will visit important institution for visual arts.
Visit to the
Cathedral Square, the most beautiful and private 18th century colonial plaza of Cuba, named after the masterpiece of
Cuban baroque architecture: the Cathedral of Havana built by the Jesuit order.
Free time in the famous
handicraft market of Old Havana where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.
Evening: tonight we have a
Cuban band playing for us! You'll learn to dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, and other popular Cuban rhythms
with instruction from bandleaders.
Day 3. Sunday 5 May 2024.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Guanahacabibes
Morning: early transfer to Maria la Gorda at the
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Peninsula de Guanahacabibes.
The
Guanahacabibes National Park is one of the country's largest natural reserves. It is separated from the
rest of the island by white sand plains where one of Cuba's largest lakeside areas lies. A relatively small area holds some
100 lakes, as well as the largest and purest fields of silica sand, which is 99.8% pure.
Nature tourism is a major attraction since the area is inhabited by 172 species of birds belonging to 42 families, 11 of which are endemic and 84 are migratory.
Experts also believe that 4 of the 7 species of marine turtles living on the planet have survived in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.
The coastline also contains preserved coral reefs, with the northern coast being lined by the cays and isles of the western Colorados Archipelago.
Check in and lunch at
Maria La Gorda resort.
Afternoon: free so that you embark on your favourite natural expeditions. Worth mentioning:
Trails such as Las Perlas Cave, Forest Facing the Sea, Guanahacabibes before Columbus, La Majagua and Hoyo del Palmar.
Birds watching spots such as Currents Cape, La Bajada, El Bosque, Hoyo del Palmar and Herbazal de Cienaga.
Scuba diving. Maria la Gorda offer 39 diving sites of high level diving, some are still not named, all of them are less
than hour cruise, some at even a few minutes away.
Day 4. Monday 6 May 2024.
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vinales
Morning: transfer to
Vinales Valley in Sierra de los Organos mountain range, declared as a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999,
in the category of Cultural Landscape. Among the reasons listed is the following: "
The Vinales Valley is an outstanding,
calcic landscape in which the traditional agricultural methods (particularly the tobacco harvest) have been preserved
without alteration for centuries. A rich vernacular tradition is preserved as well in the region in terms of architecture,
handcraft and music".
Over arrival visit to
Cueva de Santo Tomas, Cuba's largest cave system. The cave is spectacular, especially
where the roof has collapsed and you walk into a green jungle paradise sunk into a mountaintop. Several cave rooms are connected over an area of 45 kilometers in length, extend over seven levels.
The rooms bear names such as "Salón del Caos" (Chaos Saloon), "Increíble" (incredible) or "Tinieblas" (darkness).
Solid footwear and clothing are recommended.
Lunch at
El Mural de La Prehistoria.
Afternoon: exploration of
Viñales Valley containing the most spectacular scenery in Cuba and some of the most interesting and varied
geological formations on the island. The valley is particularly famous for its great freestanding rock formations called
mogotes.
Meet with
local farmers that have been passing from generation to generation the secrets of growing the best tobacco in the world.
Visit to
Mural de la Prehistoria, a huge painting on the side of a Mogote.
Explore
Viñales town at your leisure: its open-air craft market, Parque Marti, town church, and other interesting sites of this
charming colonial hamlet.
Visit Carmen and Caridad Miranda’s botanical garden, called the
Viñales Botanical Garden. The two widows maintain a garden
full of fruits, orchids and medicinal plants.
Check in at
Los Jazmines hotel. Time to relax by the swimming pool!
Day 5. Tuesday 7 May 2024.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Sierra del Rosario
Morning: check out your hotel and transfer to
Las Terrazas eco-community in
Sierra del Rosario,
first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Cuba.
Four rivers run through the evergreen and semi-deciduous tropical forest of Sierra del Rosario, natural habitat to one of the
world's smallest frogs and more than 115 bird species including a large number of migratory birds that nest in Cuba’s tropical climate.
Group welcome by Dr. Maritza Garcia,
Director of the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve.
We’ll exchange with the environmental scientists and technicians responsible for the restoration of the jungles and forests
of Las Terrazas to learn the principles, approaches and practices that combined serve to sustain the region.
Later we visit the ruins of a
French Coffee Plantation built in 1801 where we will have lunch.
As we explore the area, we can spot birds such as the Cuban Trogon (
Priotelus temnurus), the national bird of Cuba, Red-legged Honeycreeper (
Cyanerpes cyaneus), Gundlachs hawk
(
Accipiter gundlachi) and others.
Mid-afternoon: transfer to
Peninsula de Zapata National Park, declared
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and
Ramsar Site, located in the southern coast of the island.
It covers an area of 5000 square kilometres of woods and seacoast vegetation, marsh and mangroves. The park is the natural home
to over 160 bird species and 900 varieties of higher plant families. It is also a favourite stop for tens of thousands of migratory
birds!
This is the habitat of endemic bird species such as the Zapata Rail (
Cyanolimnas cerverai), the Zapata Wren (
Ferminia cerverai)
and Zapata Sparrow (
Torreornis inexpectata). The swamp is also the natural habitat of the Cuban Crocodile (
Crocodrylus rhombifer
Cuvier), considered as a national symbol after its resemblance with the geography of the island.
Check in at
Villa Playa Larga. Dinner at hotel
Day 6 Wednesday 8 May 2024.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Peninsula de Zapata
Early morning expedition to
Las Salinas Wildlife Refuge, unique Cuban site for
birdwatching where two continental
corridors of migratory birds coincide.
We will be looking for the Roseate Flamingo (
Phoenicopterus ruber), Sand hill Crane (
Grus canadensis),
Yellow-headed Warbler (
Teretistris fernandinae), Spoonbill (
Ajaia ajaja), Clapper Rail (
Rallus longirostris),
Common Black Hawk (
Buteogallus anthracinus) and others.
Visit to
La Boca and
Guama Ceramic Workshop.
12:30 p.m. Lunch at
La Boca restaurant.
Afternoon: meet with Dr. Jorge L Jiménez,
Director of the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve, to learn about their conservation work
in the area and the challenges they face today.
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Peninsula de Zapata, is the largest protected area in the Caribbean. There are numerous
areas designated for environmental conservation, such as the Zapata Swamp Natural Reserve and Las Salinas Wildlife Refuge.
The swamp is not only known for its size but also for being the best preserved wetlands in all of the Antilles, designated as
a "Wetland of International Importance" by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971.
Visit to
Guama Crocodile Breeding Farm, that has successfully bred one of the largest reptiles of Cuba since 1974.
The Cuban
Crocodile (
Crocodrylus rhombifer Cuvier) is considered an endangered species that can be found at the Zapata Swamps and Lanier
Swamps only. The Cuban Crocodile (
Crocodrylus rhombifer Cuvier) is one of the two most aggressive species of crocodiles in the
world and endemic to Cuba.
Late afternoon: transfer to
Trinidad City.
Check in at
Luxury Casa Particular. You'll have time for dinner and a swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Day 7. Thursday 9 May 2024.
Topes de Collantes National Park
Morning: we will board former Russian army trucks for
Topes de Collantes in the Escambray Mountain Range,
Cuba's second highest mountain range- reaching 3,700 feet atop Pico San Juan. The mountains are home to small mountain
villages and are a delight for birders and walkers alike. Slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines, ancient tree ferns, bamboo,
and eucalyptus.
Arrival at
Hacienda Codina, an old Spanish Hacienda, once part of a large Spanish coffee plantation where we will have a typical
lunch. Followed by a walk around this area to admire the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Topes de Collantes National Park in the Escambray mountains in Central Cuba, a perfect place for
encountering the Cuban Emerald
(
Chlorostilbon ricordii), Broad-winged Hawk (
Buteo platypterus), Cuban Parrot (
Amazono leucocephala),
Fernandina’s Flicker
(
Colaptes fernandinae) and many others.
Afternoon: guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage Site,
Trinidad’s Historical Center, a perfect relic of
the early days of
the Spanish colony with beautifully preserved streets and buildings with hardly a trace of the 20th century anywhere.
We will stop at a mirador (lookout) over the
Sugar Mill Valley, where the sugar barons used to have their countryside mansions and
mills. This site is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Trinidad is well known for its
pottery makers. We meet with a family that has been passing the tradition for generations:
the Santanders.
Day 8. Friday 10 May 2024.
Buenavista Biosphere Reserve- Caguanes National Park
Morning: departure to
Caguanes National Park in
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Buenavista.
The Buenavista Biosphere Reserve is situated on the northern coast of Cuba, in parts of the Villa Clara, Sancti
Spiritus and Ciego de Avila provinces, covering a total surface area of 313,502 hectares.
The Buenavista Biosphere Reserve has eleven core areas in two National Parks: Caguanes and Santa Maria Key.
Other ecological reserves are established on Cayo Francés, Cayo Santa María, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Coco,
while a fauna reserve is set up on Cayo Las Loras.
Caguanes National Park, in north-central Cuba contains marine, land and swampy areas, with a wealth of well-preserved natural
attractions suited for nature lovers and bird watchers alike! Its cave system has over 35 grottoes and caves, which contain the
largest expressions of rupestrian art in central Cuba.
One of the singular features of this national park is the group of stone
formations called Piedras Cays, which are surrounded by the sea and have coastal cliffs, natural arches and sea niches that serve
as refuges for many species of flora and fauna.
En route, we will meet with Ernesto Pulido,
director of Buenavista of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, in its offices in Sancti Spiritus.
Check in at all inclusive
Cayo Santa Maria Beach Resort, located in Cayo Santa Maria Key, a small 13 km long island located in the province of Villa Clara.
Day 9. Saturday 11 May 2024.
Buenavista Biosphere Reserve- Cayo Santa Maria
Enjoy a day of relaxation and adventure.
Laze on secluded sandy beaches. Slip on a snorkel and flippers and head out
into sparkling waters to glimpse rainbow fish and coral. Or pull on your hiking boots and keep your eyes peeled for
rare birds, lizards and other native animals.
Here, life is all about making the most of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve’s
natural beauty. There’s a sugar-white
sandy beach that stretches for 13 kilometres, the whole island is a bird-watcher’s dream, and there’s just a smattering of shops.
Day 10. Sunday 12 May 2024.
Departure
Early morning departure to Santa Clara City
International Airport for departure.