CUBA AGRICULTURAL TOUR

Highlights

• Visit state and private cattle , fruits, vegetable , rice , tobacco farms in western and central Cuba.
• Know Cuba´s countryside , and rural Cuba, learn about campesinos way of life , small towns.
• Connect with Cuban farmers at the state and private Sector, learn about new spirit of young Cuban entrepreneurs in the agriculture production.
• Experience the secrets of best cigar in the world: the Havano´s cigar.
• Enjoy beautiful Cuban landscapes :Viñales Valey and Topes de Collantes.
• Know Havana´s colonial and heritage city after its 500 anniversary of foundation in 2019.
• Enjoy the stylish , European´s flavor Cienfuegos City and colonial well preserved Trinidad City.

Places you will visit:

Travel Itinerary

Day 1, HAVANA ARRIVAL AND ACCOMMODATION

Arrival at Havana International Airport Jose Martí.

Meet and Greeting at the Airport.

Transfer In to Hotel, Check In.

Dinner at the Hotel´s restaurant.

Free evening

Accommodation in B & B at centrally located Hotel 4 * in Havana.

Day 2, HAVANA CITY TOUR . VISIT ORGANOPONIC IN ALAMAR, LEADER OF THE URBAN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN CUBA.

08:30 Breakfast.

09:30 Departing for Tour of Old Havana, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Starting the walking tour of Old Havana from the Templete, where Havana villa was founded in 1519. Walking through the Plaza de Armas and all other Squares of Old Havana: San Francisco de Asís Square, then to Old Square, visit the Cathedral Square. Seeing the main monuments, colonial architecture , the Palace of the “Capitanes Generales” , the palace of Segundo Cabo, the Real Fuerza Fortress first being built in Havana to defend the villa from the pirates and corsairs where the symbol of Havana “La Giraldilla” is placed at the top, the Lonja del Comercio ( use to be the Trading Center in Havana), the convent of San Francisco, the many statues, monuments , former palaces, buildings of different past centuries.

Entrance to Partagas Cigar Factory.

14:45 Travel to the town of Alamar, east of Havana, 15 minutes drive from Old Havana where you will visit the Organopónico of Alamar, one of the best example of urban agriculture in Cuba, where you will receive an explanation from the specialists about the origin of the organoponicos in Cuba, how they were developed as the need to produce agricultural products near the capital to feed the population in the 90´s when the former Soviet Union collapsed and all assistance which came from Rusia and its allies in Europe was stopped drastically, provoking the most serious economic crisis Cuba has been through which still has not being overcome.

The project was extended to the other provinces and cities …becoming a very important feature on the daily food supply of the Cuban households particularly on the cities where more than 65% of the Cubans live.

16:30 1 Hour Drive in Old American Vintage Cars visiting Revolution Square, worldwide known Havana Capitol building , between most emblematic Capitol of the world, the glorious Paseo del Prado avenue, the Revolution Square , civic and political square of Cuba well known for the gathering to listen Fidel Castro´s speeches, the Malecon Promenade , the Hotel Nacional of Cuba, the main avenues like Presidente and Paseo, 23 street Coppelia ice cream parlor, the John Lennon Park, the Fifth Avenue of Miramar up to the external area of the Morro Cabaña Fortress from where you will get a fantastic view of Havana from the other side of the harbor.

18:45 Back to the Hotel.

Free evening.

Try a nice dinner at a good private family restaurant named by locals as “Paladar”, and afterword , if energy still keep you alive, go for a dancing hall venue to dance Salsa or enjoy listening great ballad’s or Latin Jazz music.

Same accommodation as the previous night.

B (breakfast included)

Day 3, HAVANA – VUELTA ABAJO- VIÑALES VALLEY

08:00 Breakfast.

09:00 Breakfast and check Out.

09:15 Start one hour trekking tour through Cocosolo trail in Viñales Valley to appreciate the small cigar farms, the farmers laboring their land.

10:30 Departing to the westernmost province of Cuba, Pinar del Río to know the Vuelta Abajo region where best tobacco is produced. The tobacco leaf crop in the region of Vueta abajo ( San Juan y Martinez county and ductive lands for the production of the tobacco leaf which immerse into the world famous Havano Cigar. Nothing more relevant to get into the “secrets of the Havano´s world” that visit the region of Vuelta Abajo which has the best land for the tobacco crop, where best havano cigar have been produced over more than one century. In particular you will visit the Robaina tobacco farm which for more than a century, generation after generation, has been cultivating best tobacco leaves from which best havanos brands are made up.

You will get a detail explanation of the process of the crop, its different phases and moments, until the tobacco´s leaves already dried are sent to the factory to be transformed into a havano cigar by the expert´s hands of men and women dedicated to keep the tradition of the best havano in the world of cigars. Very possible that grandson of Robaina in charge of the Farm will be saying hello to you.

14:00 Luncheon at the Robaina´s private restaurant , a creole meal.

15:30 Visit the Research Center in Pinar del Río where best tobacco seeds are protected and improved.

This tour allows us to know some of the secrets that make of our tobacco, the best in the world. We will visit all the stages and processes possible to see depending of the season (seedbed, plantation, harvest, drying), besides the visits to the” despalillo” and finally the cigar factory. Also the way the seeds are kept and improve, and the way to protect the crop from pests.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel in the area of Viñales like Los Jazmines or La Ermita or also you may experience the B & B private guesthouses at the town.

Dinner on your own, recommending you trying the Private Family Restaurant in the town, there are many and good ones, including Mediterranean cuisine type moderate price. Enjoy also one of the music venues at evening to enjoy the nightlife with the local people.

Free evening.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included)

Day 4, VIÑALES VALLEY-CONSOLACION DEL SUR-VIÑALES VALLEY

After breakfast, leaving to Consolación del Sur, a city and county 36 kms from Viñales Valley, around 1 hour drive.

10:00 Visit the Genetic Livestock state enterprise “Camilo Cienfuegos” , one of the biggest in the western region and in general in Cuba with 20,000 or more head of cattle and one of national reference in the production of milk and meat as well as developing new genetic variety of cattle for the whole country. They have more than 1500 workers, generating an income of above 40 millions pesos , also provide the province with the 40 % of the milk which is consumed by the population in the province. Get explanations by the specialist of the farm.

13:00 Lunch in the area at a local restaurant.

14:30 Visit the farm own by farmer Jose Angel also at the Consolación del Sur county dedicated to the crop of rice, beans and tobacco . This Farm is part of the Cooperative CSS named July 26, exchange views with Jose angel about the Cooperative system , its advantage as well as its limitation, changes he thinks will be important to make . also talk about cooperation with expersts from Asian countries in the production of rice as part of an ongoing exchange project.

18:00 Back to Viñales.

Free evening.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel in the area of Viñales like Los Jazmines or La Ermita or also you may experience the B & B private guesthouses at the town.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included)

Day 5, VIÑALES- CIENFUEGOS

After early breakfast , check out.

08:45 Departing for Cienfuegos, light luncheon on the road.

14:30 Visit “ Carolina” , a Cattle Farm on the Cienfuegos province ( on the road from Cienfuegos to Trinidad) which produce milk , more than 40,000 liters yearly , with more than 160 cow and more than 500 hundreds of small livestock, you will see here also crops for feeding the animals as well as the community. You will get an explanation by one of the Specialist. The owner of the farm Regino Rodriguez , indicate that they have more than 500 hundreds goats and mil production is above 70,000 liters. He said they have been Improving the technical aspects with the mechanical milking and cattle crossing.

17:00 Continuation to Hotel in Cienfuegos City.

Check In and accommodation at Hotel boutique style Melia San Carlos 4*.

Dinner on your own.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included)

Day 6, CIENFUEGOS.

08:00 Breakfast.

09:00 Departing to Topes de Collantes´s Natural Park in the Sierra del Escambray in Trinidad (highest hill chain in the center of Cuba) visiting the coffee trail with the degustation some cup of coffee also a Codina trail to enjoy the Flora and Fauna of the region with a Cuban luncheon organized by the campesinos (countrymen).

14:45 Leaving Topes and in the way back to Cienfuegos , visit the fruit and vegetable farm El Pedregal , which an extension of around 8 hecgareas.

18:00 Back to the Hotel.

Free evening.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel Melia San Carlos 4* boutique style.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included)

Day 7, CIENFUEGOS-TRINIDAD.

08:00 Breakfast.

09:00 Check Out, Panoramic tour of Cienfuegos City visiting the Marti Park, the Central Alameda , the Palacio del Valle, Nautical Club.

10:45 Continuation to Trinidad.

12:15 Check In at the Premium Guesthouses in Trinidad at the city center ( accommodation can be improved to Hotels 5* like Iberostar Grand Trinidad or to the recently inaugurated Hotel Mystique Palace Trinidad 5* ) or it could be at the Beach Ancon 15 minutes driver from Trinidad City at Hotel Memories Brisas Trinidad del Mar 4*).

Luncheon on own.

15:30 City Tour of Trinidad, the quintessential of Cuba´s Colonial City, best preserved historical Center in all the America´s, visit the Santa Ana and the Major Square, entrance to Romantic Museum, visit the Cantero Palace, entrance to the Canchanchara Bar with a welcoming drink, visit the Handcraft Fair.

17:30 Free

20:00 Optional Dinner at the Family private Restaurant like San José , Museo 1514, Solananda or similar.

Free evening to enjoy the nightlife in Trinidad.

Accommodation at Hostels/Guesthouse at the City Center, breakfast included.

B (breakfast included)

Day 8, TRINIDAD -MANACA IZNAGA-SANCTI SPIRITU-TRINIDAD.

After early breakfast, departing to Manaca Iznaga , visit the tower , the sugar mills valley , fertile land what was the epicenter of the sugar production in Cuba in the XVIII and XIX Century, and the source of the richness in the region and prosperity of Trinidad.

After that driving in the direction of Sancti Spiritu toward town of Taguasco where you will visit the Finca del Medio Farm . Here you will appreciate a very interest farmers family project dedicated to the organic agriculture , and to the ecological agriculture , a farm which has set example for the rational use of the land in a productive way protecting at the same time the land from erosion, and contamination. They have livestock, vegetable, fruits.

Will get explanation of the project by the owner and his family.

Lunch at the farm.

Returning to Trinidad.

Free evening.

Accommodation at Hostels/Guesthouse at the City Center, breakfast included.

B (breakfast included)

Day 9, TRINIDAD-HAVANA .

08:00 Breakfast.

09:00 Departing to Havana , on the way visit the family farm “Marta” of Fernando Funes, a young academician and Engineer with a Doctorate degree in agro-ecology. Not satisfied with sticking to theory, Fernando has created a model eco-logical farm with a high degree of diversity and integration from bio-gas to bees and vegetable to vermiculture. It is an excellent example of the Cuban entrepreneur spirit new generations participating productively in the development of the Cuban countryside.

Visit the farm , get information of the different crops they are undertaking.

13:00 Luncheon at the Farm a meal prepare with many of products they produce there.

14:30 Continuation to Havana.

Check In at hotel in Havana.

Free evening , your last in Havana and in Cuba.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included)

Day 10, HAVANA DEPARTURE.

Breakfast.

Transfer Out on time to take flight outside of Havana.

B (breakfast included))

END OF SERVICES

Included:

• Accommodation in B & B as indicated in the Program.
• Meet and Greeting at the Airport.
• Private Transfer In.
• Tour Guide in full command of English and/or other foreign language for the whole staying in Cuba, with knowledge in agriculture.
• All the tours as indicate with the Entrances pointed out in the Program, with explanation by Specialist when mentioned.
• Private Transportation for all the tours.
• Luncheons and Dinners as indicated.
• Transfer Out.

Not included:

• Airfare.
• Tourist Visa
• Medical Insurance
• Services not mentioned in the Program.