DAY 1 – Arrive in Varadero and transfer to
a 4* all inclusive resort.
DAY 2 – Breakfast and transfer to Havana with
a tour of the most important areas of the city. Lunch at
a restaurant in Old Havana and then continue your tour of Old Havana
with time to spend on your own. Accommodation and dinner
will be at the Occidental Miramar hotel.
DAY 3– Breakfast and transfer to Havana east
and visit to Vivero Organoponico Alamar (Google this for
article by Bill McKibben), with an agricultural engineer.
You will have plenty of time here to learn all the aspects of Organiponicos
in Cuba and how they operate and sustain themselves.
We will have lunch in the fishing village of Cojimar where Ernest
Hemingway once kept his boat, the Pilar and have lunch at Las Terrazas
restaurant where he frequented.
Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 4 – Breakfast and visit to the National Botanical
Garden in Havana. Check this link: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/565519430nKubtH. We
will also take in some of the areas along the Almendares river/park. Dinner
tonight will be at the Al Jibe chicken restaurant…check: http://www.cuba–restaurants–guide.com/restaurants/havana/el_aljibe.htm There
may be some free time this day to explore the city of Havana on
your own. Lunch not included.
DAY 5 – Breakfast and transfer to Vinales in
the beautiful Vinales valley (google) with unique hill formations
forming magotes (huge haystack formations composed of limestone
and sandstone) The rich soil here produces some the worlds
best tobacco and farming methods take you back to a time lost in
history in most parts of the world. Accommodation and dinner
will be at the either La Ermita or Jazmines hotel and dinner will
be at the hotel. Lunch will be at one of the out lying restaurants
and we will tour the area with a stop at a famous private garden
with a feast of different plants and fruits.
DAY 6 – Breakfast and transfer to Soroa
in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range. Visit to the Orquiderio
Soroa (famous orchid garden) built between 1943 and 1953 by a Spanish
lawyer in memory of his wife and daughter (google). There
are 700 orchid species, 6000 ornamentals, various growing houses
and research facilities. Accommodation and dinner will be at either
La Moka hotel or Soroa, a short walk from the gardens.. Lunch
at a local restaurant.
DAY 7 – Breakfast and visit to Las Terrazas another
unique mountainous area which was declared Cuba’s first Unesco
sanctioned biosphere reserve. We will go on a nature hike
in this area and return for lunch at El Romerso VEGETARIAN restaurant
(lunch is not included). The restaurant uses home–grown organic
vegetables and herbs, solar energy and keeps its own bees. Perhaps
we can visit their garden after lunch. Transfer to Havana
with accommodation and dinner at Occidental Miramar hotel.
DAY 8 – Breakfast and transfer to the city of
Cienfuegos, the ”pearl for the south” We will check into the hotel
upon arrival in Cienfuegos (either hotel Jagua or Union) and you
will have time to relax by the pool or explore the city on your
own. It is a small, clean and very safe city surrounding
a huge, protected bay. Dinner will be at the hotel. Lunch
not included.
DAY 9 – Breakfast and transfer to El Nicho park
which is located in the Sierra de Trinidad mountains opposite to
Topes de Collantes. This is again a feast of nature and El
Nicho hosts a small river which cascades down the side of the mountains
creating pools for swimming, spectacular scenery and lush vegetation. After
a nature hike with a local guide and perhaps a refreshing swim
we will have lunch before returning to Cienfuegos. Dinner
at the hotel.
DAY 10 – Breakfast and visit to the Cienfuegos
botanical garden which was a former botanical institute and research
centre for Harvard University. The garden has a remarkable collection
of tropical palm trees among other peculiar plants such as the
“Cavanillesia platanifolia”, “Lecythis spp” and “Strychnos nux–vomica”. The
garden is located just outside the city and you will have a local
guide to walk you through the varieties finishing at the greenhouse
area.
We will continue along the Caribbean coast before we arrive in
the UNESCO heritage town of Trinidad. We will spend the night
here at one of the beach resorts.
DAY 11– Breakfast and spend the morning in Trinidad
on a city tour and have time to wander around this charming, cobble
stoned, heritage city on your own before returning to the resort
for lunch and some free beach time in the afternoon.
DAY 12 – Breakfast and transfer into the Escambray
mountain range to the community of Topes de Collantes. The
drive up to Topes offers spectacular views of the valley and Caribbean
with royal palms, pine trees and an a variety of flowering trees
en route. Once we arrive at Topes we will load into a big
Russian truck and drive to a location set in the forest where our
local guide will explain the flora and fauna and once we arrive
at Codina valley, you will be taken on a short eco hike and then
have a Cuban style lunch.
Transfer to the city of Santa Clara with stops along the way to
enjoy the scenery and perhaps a visit to a local house to experience
the Cuban country lifestyle. Accommodation at hotel
Granjita. Dinner will be at the hotel.
DAY 13 – Breakfast and visit the Che Guevarra
monument which is where the remains of Che are resting in the mausoleum. There
is a small museum which is worth a visit. Continue
to Varadero with accommodation at a 4* all inclusive beach
resort.
DAY 14 –Free Day
DAY 15 – Transfer to the airport
PRICE – $2295 DOUBLE
Add $350 for single supplement
INCLUDED:
Excellent accommodations
All ground transportation
Breakfast and dinner daily
Lunches where mentioned
3 nights at an all Inclusive resort
All entry fees
Guided tours
Cuban guide and driver
Canadian tour leader
F U N
NOT INCLUDED:
Air Fare
Beverages (except at all inclusive resorts)
Tips for bell boys and chambermaids (a collection is made at the
beginning of the tour for tips of guides and driver and
you will be informed of the amount with other detailed information
mailed to you once you sign up)
$25 cuc's Cuban airport tax (A cuc is a Cuban convertible
peso and you buy them in Cuba at a variable rate based on the
US dollar)
Trip insurance (cancellation and medical if required).
VALID PASSPORT REQUIRED
-Deposit and final payment: A $500 deposit is required at time of booking and can be done by cheque (check) or credit card.
Final payment to be made 60 days prior to tour date. Cheques should be made payable to Square 1 Travel and mailed to
SQUARE 1 TRAVEL
449–B Fifth Street
Courtenay BC V9N 1J7
250–334–0355
1–877–334–0355
Terms of deposit and final payment:
If a tour is cancelled by Tom Robertson of Cuba1tours, operating through Square1travel,
you will receive a full refund of deposit and final payment. If you cancel after you
have submitted your deposit and/or final payment within 60 days of the tour date your
money will be 100% non refundable.
If you are using credit cards for payment of Cuba portion there
will be a 3% service charge added.
WHEN BOOKING PLEASE STATE SPECIFICALLY WHICH TOUR, BY NAME
AND THE TIME YOU WISH TO GO. GARDEN/CULTURAL TOUR – FEBRUARY
4 TO 18, 2012
To Book contact Tom Robertson or Louise
Square 1 Travel
250 334 0355
or
250 334 1675 (Tom)
or
toll free 877 334 0355
email– tom@cuba1tours.com
www.cuba1tours.com
