Cuba local bird watching tour .

Cuba birdwatching areas:

Las Cumbres, Gran Piedra, Cauto river Los Mangos, Najasa Hill in Camaguey, Cayo Coco in Camaguey, Topes de Collantes and Las Salinas, Bermejas at Bay of Pigs

Destinations you will visit:

Travel Itinerary

DAY 1 Havana Welcome To Cuba

Welcome to Cuba!.

Arrival at Havana International Airport.

Meet and Greeting at the Airport.

Private Transfer to Hotel.

Information briefing.

Meeting to explain the Bird watching program planned to be implemented for clients, creating the atmosphere for such an incredible adventure starting the following day, also promoting the exchange with your Tour Guide about any aspect of your trip to Cuba.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel Aston panorama 4* or similar.

Day 2 Havana san diego de los baños in pinar del rio (145km).

Breakfast.

Check Out hotel.

Panoramic tour of Old and Modern Havana.

12:00 Depart to San Diego de los Baños in Pinar del Rio province ( around 2.30 hours drive).

On the way visit beautiful Viñales Valley, with its rare Mogotes hill, one of the most beautiful cuban landscape.

Visit the area, the town, optional luncheon.

17:00 Continuation to Las Cumbres in San Diego de los Baños.

Check In and dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel El Mirador 2* or Eco Hotel Finca Mil Cumbres.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 3 San Diego de los Baños-Las Cumbres-Las Terrazas-Havana.

Breakfast .

Today you will be bird watching at Mil Cumbres area know as the “paradise of birds”.

This is considered to be the site per excellence for bird watching in Cuba with more than 50 species having been reported, among them the cartacuba, tocororo, zorzal gato, tomeguín de la tierra, tomeguín del pinar, cabrero, chillona, aparecido de San Diego and the nightingale.

This walk allows one to appreciate the great biodiversity of the ecosystems, the beauty of the scenery and the high endemic level of the flora and fauna of the Sierra de los Órganos. It has been classified as an IBA site.

Optional lunch in a local restaurant.

Check Out and going back to Havana, on the way visit Las Terrazas community project , first Cuban Biosphere Reserve Site declared by UNESCO.

Visit the community , the ruins of the french coffee plantation, the interpretation center name Curujey, continuation to Havana.

20:00 Dinner at the Hotel´s restaurant.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel Aston Panorama 4* or similar.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 4 Havana-Santiago de Cuba

Box breakfast

Early departure from Havana Airport to Santiago de Cuba on a flight.

Meet and greeting at Santiago de Cuba international airport.

Tour of the City of Santiago de Cuba, second largest city of Cuba, also the most Caribbean of the cities in Cuba. With a great influence in the life of the country since the independence wars against the Spaniard colonial empire and in the formation of the Cuban nation, in the culture, the music, dancing, poetry in almost all spheres of life.

You will visit the historical center at Parque Cespedes, appreciate the architecture, the main buildings like the Cathedral and the Municipal government building.

Will also visit the Morro of San Pedro de la Roca fortress from where you will have a great view over the City and the harbor.

If it is of interest you could do on your own an exploration of the city.

Accommodation in H & B at Hotel Iberostar Casa Granda or Hotel Iberostar Imperial.

B, D ( breakfast and dinner included).

Day 5 Santiago de Cuba-Gran Piedra-Santiago de cuba

Breakfast .

Departing to Grand Piedra to do birthwatching. A total of 75 birds species has been identified , group it in 27 families of birds. Best represented birds are Passeriformes, with 10 families. Bird species endemism is represented by 9 species: long-tailed hawk (Accipiter gundlachi), sijú cotunto (Gymnoglaux lawrencii), sijú platanero (Glaucidium siju), tocororo (Priotelus temnurus), cartacuba (Todus multicolor), green woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percuss) juan chiví (Vireo gundlachii), pechero (Teretistris fornsi) and totí (Dives atroviolaceus).

Optional luncheon.

Accommodation in the area at Villa Grand Piedra of similar with an amazing view.

Dinner at the hotel´s restaurant.

B,D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 6 Stgo de Cuba – Rio Cauto el Mango-Granma .

Early Breakfast .

Check Out and departing to Rio Cauto, Contramaestre, Granma province, 112 kilometers from Santiago de Cuba.

Exploring El Mango área del Cauto River where you will see Ramsar site with 11 endemics bird species reported: long-tailed hawk, the catey and the churroso woodpecker, among others. Nest of the pink flamingo where its population approaches 50 thousand individuals.

It is one of the largest waterfowl reservoirs in Cuba, standing out among them for its abundance, the pink flamingo, which uses this area for its reproduction. It can also be highlighted that the endemic birds of Cuba are highly represented in this area, among which you can see the Catey (Aratinga euops), the tocororo (Priotelus temnurus) and the caracolero sparrowhawk (Rostrhamus sociabilis).

Continues trip to Bayamo to make overnight at Hotel sierra Maestra in Bayamo.

Check In

Dinner at the hotel´s restaurant.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel Sierra Maestra 2*

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 7 Bayamo-Najasa.

After breakfast, tour of this historical city of Cuba, the cadre of the cuban nationality, where first great war against Spanish colonialism started commanded by nationalist Carlos Manuel de Céspedes considered the Father of the Cuban land.

Continuation for 3.30 hours to reach Najasa , where you will be making overnight at Hotel Eco Hotel La Belen.

Dinner at the Hotel´s restaurant.

B, D ( breakfast and dinner included).

Day 8 Najasa.

Early Breakfast.

Bird watching Area: Sierra del Chorrillo.

Sendero de las Aves: located in the "Sierra del Chorrillo" Managed Resources Protected Area, this is a fascinating trip where visitors can find a great variety of birds such as the blue heron (Egretta caerulea), mountain sparrowhawk (Buteo jamaicensis), quail (Colinas virginianus), torcaza cuellimorada (Columba squamosa)

About 120 species of birds have been reported in this area , in addition to above mentioned birds species you could watch here Plain Pigeon, Cuban Parakeet, Cuban Parrot (also known as Rose-throated Parrot), Bare-legged Owl, Cuban Pygmy-owl, Cuban Palm Crow, three species of woodpecker, and Giant Kingbird.

Accommodation in H&B at Eco Hotel La Belen.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 9 Najasa-Cayo Coco .

08:00 Breakfast.

Departure for a 4.15 hours drive to reach Cayo Coco in Camaguey province .

Time to relax and enjoy beautiful Cayo Coco beach.

Accommodation in H&B at Eco Hotel La Belen.

B, D (breakfast and dinner included).

Day 10 Cayo Coco.

Breakfast.

The Parque Nacional El Baga is one of Cuba's seven national parks. It's located at the northwestern tip of Cayo Coco.

Bird-watching of both land and water species, visiting the different ecosystems present in the park with high levels of biodiversity among the birds, remarkable plants and beautiful scenery. The area is toured from Batey Campesino up to the Exhibition Center where visitors can see species such as the green woodpecker (Xyphydiopicus Percussus), the Jabao woodpecker (Melanerpes surpeciliaris), the chichinguaco (Quiscalus niger), sinsonte (mockingbird) (Mimus polyglottos), tomeguín de la tierra (Tiaris olivácea), etc. On the Bagá Route: cartacuba (Todus multicolor), pechero (Teretristis fornsi), Juan Chiví (Vireo gundlachii), barbiquejo (Geotrygon chrysia), zunzún (Chlorostylbon ricordii).

Accommodation in All inclusive Plan at Hotel Sol Cayo Coco 4* or similar.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 11 Cayo Coco-Topes De Collantes.

08:00 Breakfast.

Departure after breakfast to Topes de Collantes in the Sierra del Escambray hills´ range , second higher in Cuba belonging to central province of Sancti Spíritu.

Approximately after 5 hours drive you will be arriving at Topes de Collantes (including stops for bath and lunch).

At leisure to recognize the beautiful natural area .

Dinner included at the Hotel´s restaurant.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel Los Helechos 3*, dinner at the Hotel´s restaurant

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 12 Topes de Collantes.

Breakfast.

Today you will visit Los Helechos trail, abundant in tocororo (Priotelus temnurus), cartacuba (Todus multicolor), zorzal (Turdus plumbeus).

In its mountains there is a wide birdlife, including the Swift of the Collar and the Long-tailed Hawk, endemic to Cuba. It is also an IBA site.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel Los Helechos 3*.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 13 Topes de Collantes- Trinidad -Bay of Pigs, Peninsula de Zapata.

After breakfast departure to Trinidad , where you will have a tour of this incredible colonial city, best preserved colonial heritage in the American continent. Visit the Plaza Mayor and Plaza Santa Ana, appreciate the Cathedral and most significant buildings on this colonial city, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage City. You may have an optional luncheon in one of the cuban local restaurant in Trinidad.

Continuing for 1.45 drive to Bay of Pigs, Peninsula de Zapa where you will making overnight at Hotel Playa Larga 2* or similar.

Free afternoon.

Dinner at the local restaurant.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 14 Bay of Pigs/ Ciénaga de Zapata.

Breakfast

Las Salinas route is a harmonious combination of trekking and boating. You set out trekking from Playa Larga along a trail that parallels the western shore of the Bay of Pigs. On the way, you will go through several wooded areas and types of vegetation; pass some large but very shallow lakes, where several species of birds—including Roseate Flamingos (Phoenicopteus ruber) and Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) live. Along this route, you may also see some endemic species, such as Zapata Sparrows (Torreornis inexpectata) and Bee Hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae). When you get to Las Salinas, you’ll continue your trip in a small boat, going across the lake to Cayo Venado. The trip may include other cays, as well, so you can see different species of iguanas, hutias and crocodiles in their natural habitat.

Accommodation in H&B at Hotel Playa Larga 3* or Hotel Playa Giron 3* or Private Guest House.

B, D (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 15 CIENAGA DE ZAPATA (BAY OF PIGS)-HAVANA.

Breakfast

Bird Watching Areas: Bermejas

Target species: endemic quail-doves and owls; also we will be looking for Neartic migrants, such as Swainson’s Warbler and Worm-eating Warbler. This is the place to look for Fernandina’s Flicker. Cuba’s two endemic owls (Cuban Pygmy-Owl  and Bare-legged Owl), Cuban Nightjar, Bee Hummingbird, Cuban Parakeet, Cuban Trogon, Cuban Tody, and all four quail-dove species (the two rarest species are frequently encountered) can also be seen here, as well as many Nearctic warblers. RAMSAR Place.

Optional luncheon.

Check Out and departure to Havana.

Check it and your last lodging in Havana.

Las evening in Havana to enjoy nightlife.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel NH Capri 4* or any other Havana Hotel or at private guest house comfortable, modern equipped and located in centric Havana area.

B (Breakfast and dinner included).

Day 16 HAVANA-CITY TOUR -DEPARTURE.

Breakfast.

Havana tour in the morning for the ones interested.

Transfer Out on time to Havana International Airport to take flight out of the country (clients must be 3 hours in advance).

B (Breakfast included).

END OF SERVICES

Included:

• Accommodation as described.
• Meet and Greeting at the Airport.
• Private Transfer In/Out.
• Specialist Tour Guide in full command of English or any other language his salary, accommodation and meals.
• All the watching bird tours as indicated , with local fees included.
• Private transportation, with professional driver all the way.
• Luncheons and Dinners as indicated.
• 24 hours phone emergency number.
• Staff assistance during the whole staying for the implementation of the Program.
• Local Taxes

Not included:

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