10 days captivating Cuba - includes direct flights

The programme is varied and interesting...

 

Direct fights to Havana

Interesting daily itinarary -the whole file will be sent to you on request

 

Dear 45+ Not Grumpy Member
As the leading specialist, with over 25 years’ experience of providing authentic tailor-made travel to Cuba,

we are delighted to propose the following holiday to you. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you feel that our quotation does not perfectly suit your plans or budget, we can happily make changes as you wish, or talk through your ideas in more detail. We can also delay your flight home, and add extra nights in Havana, or a longer beach extension should you wish.

I have seen all of this accommodation, so please let me know if you have any questions. We always book well located, popular group accommodation.

Group prices can vary depending on the amount of people travelling, so please consider this quotation as

an estimate. Pricing is based on 10 people travelling.

Exclusivity

This quotation is based on a private group tour solely for members of 45+ Not Grumpy.

Flights

Flights do usually become full, and prices can increase. We can usually assist by holding scheduled airline seats under no obligation to you, whilst we finalise your itinerary and secure accommodation. This is

beneficial to you, as it will usually stop the airfare increasing. For the moment, I am basing this price on Virgin’s regular trade flight prices but can get a group quote as we progress when you may have a bette r idea of numbers.

This quotation includes the following flights:

FLIGHT DETAILS

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Accommodation

This quotation includes the following accommodation:

From Location

Nights Accommodation Room Type Board

Comments

Monday 3 Dec Thursday 6 Dec Saturday 8 Dec

Sunday 9 Dec Tuesday 11 Dec

Havana Vinales Cienfuegos Trinidad Varadero

3 2 1 2 2

Casa Vieja or similar
Leyanis y Jesus or similar

Hostal Camila or similar
Hostal Lola or similar

Hotel Blau Varadero

Standard Standard Standard

Standard Standard

Bed & breakfast Bed & breakfast Bed & breakfast Bed & breakfast All-inclusive

On request On request On request On request On request

Highly recommended and extremely popular, Casas Particulares (often referred
licensed private bed and breakfast accommodation, with many offering a more boutique hotel -style stay. The recommended properties in our portfolio consistently attract excellent feedback from guests and for many are a highlight of their holiday in Cuba. To find out more about casas particulares, please click here.

Day 1 – Havana Airport

Day 11 – Varadero

Day 19 – Varadero

Havana Airport

Tour Transportation

Tour Transfer

Air-Conditioned Tour Transportation appropriate for group size included, to and from each accommodation and to each organised activity Air-Conditioned Tour Transportation appropriate for group size included

to as ‘Casas’) are fully -

Your Transportation

Pick Up Location Drop off Location Type of Transfer Comments

Your Itinerary Day 1

• Arrive on Virgin Atlantic flight direct from London, Gatwick. Welcome on arrival at Havana Airport by Captivating Cuba representative and directed to 45+ Not Grumpy transportation

• Transfer to accommodation

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• Group dinner reservation at recommended local paladar – see our list of our favourites for inspiration (cost of meal payable locally)

• Overnight at recommended casa particular in Old Havana

Day 2

• Breakfast at accommodation, introduction to English speaking guide for the tour around 9am

• Walking Tour of Old Havana

One of our most popular experiences! A 3-hour private walking tour of Old Havana with one of
our knowledgeable and professional guides. We purposely do not include any visits to museums, galleries or markets on this tour so that you have the maximum opportunity to enjoy the tour to your own preference. You can discuss with the guide at the start of the tour the places that you really wish to see and pay locally the nominal price to enter any museums of your choice. Suggestions to include could be the Havana Club Rum Museum, Museum of the Revolution, and the Belles Artes Museum.

The ultimate Cuba experience is to travel through the streets of Havana, taking in the sights and sounds of this unique, historic city in an Old American car with a local driver! During your ride, you can make stops as you wish, we recommend a short stop at the impressive Revolution Square, as well as a drive along the sea front promenade the ‘Malecon’, and passing by John Lennon Park, 5th Avenue, and the e legant district of Miramar.

Relax until dinner

Group dinner reservation at recommended local paladar – see our list of our favourites (cost of meal

payable locally)

Overnight at recommended casa particular in Old Havana

• Lunch at recommended local paladar (choice of 3-course set menu included)

• Old American Car Tour

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Day 3

• Breakfast at accommodation

• Cigar Factory

Located in the Vedado district, this morning visit to a working cigar factory is a not to be missed experience during your stay in Havana. Experience the whole process where local rollers still hand roll every cigar using tobacco leaves brought in from the plantations at Pinar Del Rio. You can also watch the sorting and packaging process linked to tobacco quality, before the cigars are boxed ready to be exported throughout the world.

Learn how to make the perfect mojito and other Cuban speciality cocktails (and of course get to drink them!) in a local Havana old town bar. Children are allowed in the bars during the day when accom panied by parents, and can make non-alcoholic cocktails, but are unfortunately not permitted in the evening. Highly recommended for fun groups!

Dinner at the highly recommended paladar, 5 Sentidos (choice of 3-course set menu).

An Evening at the Buena Vista Social Club
The remaining members of the world-famous Buena Vista Social Club perform every evening in an authentic Cuban music venue in an old classic Cuban taverna. Lots of fun, great music and a fantastic atmosphere!

Overnight at recommended casa particular in Havana

• Group lunch reservation at recommended local paladar – see our list of our favourites for inspiration (cost

of meal payable locally)

• Cocktail Lesson

• Private Tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vinales Valley
Our tour is a classic introduction to the UNESCO preserved World Heritage site with a few unique and exclusive extras added to make it a very memorable day.

Your private tour takes you to the famous Vinales Valley viewpoint where you can look down on the valley dotted with tobacco drying houses and the spectacular karst limestone scenery. The guide will introduce you to the region and the plans for the day.
Continuing down to the valley you will drive through the Dos Hermanos Valley with the limestone ‘Mogote’ cliffs towering above and make a short stop at the Pre-History Mural. This 120-meter-tall painting, one of the largest al fresco paintings in the world, was commissioned by Fidel Castro in 1961 and depicts the images of the pre-historical time in Vinales.

Take a stroll into the valley and visit the world-famous tobacco plantations where the guide describes the processoftheproductionofthetobaccoleavesforCuba’scigars. Visitasmalllocalfarm,meetthefarmer and visit a special selection house where the tobacco leaves are graded f or use in the different brands of Cigar when handmade at the factory. Enjoy a freshly prepared Cuban coffee or even a cigar at the farm!

Continuing to the El Palenque De Los Cimarrones, a cave in the cliffs that recreates one of the nomadic homes set up by runaway slaves and you can gain an insight into the Afro Cuba religion in Cuba in the 19 th Century. The caves of El Indio are the next visit, which were discovered in 1920 and are thought to have been a refuge of the Guanahatabey Indians as well as a burial site! After a walk through the limestone caves system, enjoy a 400m boat ride that takes you out of the cool caves and back into the heat of the day.

You will then visit an artist project where a local farmer has created unique and amazing wood sculptures from roots and foliage found in the valley. Now a small museum his studio offers a fascinating insight into his work, that gradually is become recognised outside Cuba.

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Day 4

• Breakfast at accommodation

• Depart Havana for Vinales

• Upon arrival, Vinales Private tour

• Lunch at Finca Paraiso, an organic farm restaurant. This family run cooperative farm is an award winning

organic farm and you will learn all about the farm practices whilst sitting on the terrace overlooking ‘Silencio’ Valley.

• The rest of the day and evening is at leisure

• Group dinner reservation at our highly recommend paladar, 3 Jotas (cost of meal payable locally)

• Overnight at recommended casa particular in Vinales

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Day 5

• Sunrise walk to Los Aquaticos followed by late breakfast at accommodation

Walk to Los Aquaticos
Watching the sunrise over the Vinales Valley is one of the most awe-inspiring experiences in Cuba and we absolutely recommend this tour.
As the dawn approaches and the fantastic night sky teeming with stars starts to fade, head off with your dedicated local guide on a 4-mile round trip walk towards the Los Aquaticos community located on a hillside with the most amazing views of the valley. Founded in 1943 this small mountain community had set up home in the area and used the healing powers of local water and plants to provide medicines for the rural population. The small community still exists with a handful of families still living a simple life at Los Aquaticos.

Arriving at the community and the amazing viewpoint in time to watch the first rays of the sun appear to start the new day, you will have past snoozing goats and pigs and the ever-increasing noise of the dawn chorusbackedbythecockerelswakinguptheVinalesvillageinthedistance. Thereisachanceforasimple homemade coffee whilst the light increases and the warmth envelopes the valley, melting the morning mists.

A camera is a must to capture this most precious experience before the trail takes us further into the Dos Hermanos valley with amazing view of the mogotes and then finally we arrive at the pre -historic mural. This unique painting measuring 120 metres in length, painted on the side of a mogote, depicts in a very colourful way prehistorical life in Cuba and was an idea developed by Celia Sanchez the leading female revolutionary and close friend of Fidel Castro.

We recommend wearing strong walking shoes and a sun hat with sun cream, plenty of water and your camera. A small packed breakfast is also provided however it would be a good idea to also bring snacks

Page |8 such as a cereal bar or nuts. It should be possible to request an early breakfast before leaving or a late

breakfast after the walk from your accommodation

Rest of the day at leisure for optional activities. ..........

The rst of th itinarary in the emai to be sent to yu.

 

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Deposits will be payabe dirctly to Captivating Cuba

 

Dee

07976 069922