Day 1 Arrive in Holguin and
transfer to hotel Mirador de Mayabe perched on a hill outside the
city of Holguin. Dinner at the hotel. You should have time to assemble
your bike.
Day 2 This will be a free day for you to acclimatize,
check out your bikes with a ride around the Holguin area, or just
relax. Breakfast and dinner will be included at the hotel.
Day 3 -Breakfast and cycle directly from the hotel.
We will cycle along fairly quiet paved roads through small villages
with our riding destination the town of Mayari (approx. 85 kms) and
then transfer by bus to the island of Cayo Saetia, an exotic animal
reserve, where we will spend the night. This is a quiet island with
one small villa and beaches within a short walking distance. We will
stop for a box lunch which is included and dinner will be at the
villa.
Day 4 Breakfast and transfer to Levisa to begin
cycling the main paved highway and then continue along undulating/hilly
roads through some small towns and beautiful countryside with light
traffic to Los Indios (Approx. 61 kms). We will board the bus at
this point and drive to Cuba€™s oldest city, Baracoa. Box lunch is
included. We will stay at either Porto Santo hotel or El Castillo.
You can unpack your suitcase here as we will spend three nights.
Dinner at the hotel.
Day 5 Breakfast and cycle to a small fishing village
at the mouth of the Yumuri river. This is a beautiful ride, up and
down small hills, past small villages and magnificent vegetation.
The road is paved~with little traffic. At Yumuri we will have the
opportunity to hike up the river and swim in some magnificent pools
(this will depend on the weather) and later have fish and fried bananas
prepared, for a small donation, by a local fisherman. Dinner will
be at the hotel. (Approx. 60 kms return)
Day 6 Breakfast and city tour before cycling
to Maguana beach, the only white sand beach in the area. We will
have lunch here and spend a few hours enjoying the beach and ocean.
We will cycle back to the hotel in the afternoon. Dinner this night
will be at a small finca (farm). (Approx. 40 kms return)
Day 7 Breakfast and transfer by bus over the
Farola Viaduct which climbs steeply to an elevation of 800 metres.
Once we get over the mountain we will begin cycling along paved coastal
roads with magnificent Caribbean vistas and our cycling destination
will be Tortuguilla where you can jump in the ocean if you wish (We
will pack some food to have a pic nic here) (Approx. 60 kms). We
then pack our bikes on the bus and head to the city of Guantanamo
and accommodation and dinner will be at Hotel Guantanamo.
Day 8 Breakfast and cycle to the town of La Maya
(approx. 63 kms) or for those wishing a longer ride, to Santiago
de Cuba (approx. 90 kms). These paved roads take you along through
more of the Cuban countryside with sugar cane fields, mountains in
the distance and not much traffic until you get close to the towns
and city of Santiago. Mostly flat and undulating. We will spend two
nights in Santiago de Cuba at Villa Gaviota with dinner and breakfast
included. Lunch not included.
Day 9 Breakfast and bus/walking tour of the most
important parts of Santiago, one of the largest and most important
cities in Cuba. We will finish the tour in the central park, Cespedes,
where you can have lunch at the Grand hotel overlooking the park
and city. Dinner will be at a small property on the outskirts of
the city. (cycling is optional this day)
Day 10 Breakfast and transfer our bikes to the
edge of the city to avoid cycling through the heavy traffic. We begin
the day by cycling along the Caribbean coast to our destination,
the Sierra Mar, an all inclusive resort. This day will be an easy
ride along mostly flat roads with little traffic and you will be
able to enjoy some time swimming and relaxing in the sea or pool
upon arrival. (Approx. 56 kms)
Day 11 Breakfast and head out early as this ride
will be along the most beautiful road in all of Cuba. It is paved
with the Sierra Maestra mountains on one side and the Caribbean on
the other. It reminds one of the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island.
The traffic along this coastal road is almost non existent and the
little villages are worth a stop to meet the locals. We have to pack
a lunch as this road has nothing in the way of €śconvenience stores€ť.
Our destination is another all inclusive resort, Marrea del Portillo
and you can finish the day with a swim in the Caribbean or the pool
before enjoying this all inclusive. (Approx. 112 kms). The road has
some hilly areas and it does get hot around noon. Last time we did
this tour only one person did the entire distance. Parts for the
road are crappy as well.
Day 12 Breakfast and transfer bikes past some
steep hills before we cycle along paved country roads with some hills,
flats, nice scenery and little traffic. Bring something to eat from
the hotel. Our cycling destination is a small town, Campechuela (Approx.
75 kms), where we will load the bikes on the bus and transfer to
the city of Bayamo, one the cleanest most progressive cities in Cuba.
Accommodation will be at the Royalton hotel overlooking the main
square. You will enjoy walking around this city and we wilhave dinner
at the hotel or a restaurant outside the hotel.
Day 13 Breakfast and cycle back to the city of
Holguin along a reasonably flat, paved road (Approx. 75 kms) We will
load the bikes on the trailer and transfer to your final destination
and a place of luxury, the all inclusive Playa Costa Verde resort
on a small, golden sand beach.
Day 14 Free day.
Day 15 Transfer to Holguin airport for your return
flight.