Western Cuba By Bus

Day 1 — Havana

On arrival in Havana, you will be met at the airport and transferred the short distance to your chosen accommodation in the city.

With flights from the UK and Europe all arriving from late afternoon onwards, most clients will be happy to stretch their legs and have something to eat and drink before getting an earlyish night.

Day 2 — Havana

Gateway to the country and the nation’s capital city, Havana is also Cuba’s number one tourist destination.

Having recently celebrated its 500^th birthday, Havana is packed with things to see and do as well as being a great place to simply sit and watch the world go by.

The city’s UNESCO designated historic quarter, known as Old Havana, is where the vast majority of its main attractions are located, not to mention its best accommodation options.

No activities or excursions are included with this itinerary although there are a number of optional Trips that we can pre-book.

The most popular of these are the walking tour of Old Havana and the classic car ride around ‘New’ Havana, which combine perfectly to form a great first day’s introduction to the city.

Day 3 — Havana

The day is at leisure in Havana for you to continue exploring this fascinating city, either on your own or on one of our optional Trips.

On the opposite side of the harbour mouth from Old Havana, one could easily spend the morning exploring the Morro Castle and La Cabana before catching the iconic ferry back.

In the afternoon, another very popular option is to visit a cigar factory where you can witness Cuba’s most iconic export being hand rolled along traditional methods.

After an early night yesterday, there are numerous live music venues to enjoy after dinner as well as a couple of great shows including the wonderful Legendarios del Guajirito.

Day 4 — Havana to Vinales

After an early breakfast, you will be collected from your accommodation and transferred to the designated pick-up point for the first of your Cuba bus journeys, from Havana to Vinales.

Departure time from Havana is generally around 08.30 and the journey time to Vinales is approximately 4 ½ hours.

On arrival in Vinales, you will met at the applicable drop off point and transferred to your chosen hotel or casa.

After a late lunch, we suggest spending the afternoon exploring this charming, rural town with its attractive main square and traditional houses.

Day 5 — Vinales

If you managed to visit a cigar factory while in Havana, this will be an opportunity to see where the tobacco that forms the basic, raw ingredient is grown.

In addition to being one of the most important tobacco growing regions in Cuba, the Vinales Valley is also famous for its outstanding natural beauty and, in particular, the limestone mogotes that rise sheer from the valley floor.

The limestone bedrock that covers the region also means that the Vinales area is dotted with caves, some of which, like Cueva del Indio, have been opened up for tourism.

We offer a number of optional, pre-bookable Trips in and around the Vinales area including guided walks along the valley floor, visits to tobacco farms and caves as well as full day, guided treks of the surrounding countryside.

Day 6 — Vinales to Cienfuegos

A transfer is included from your accommodation to the pick-up point for the early morning bus from Vinales to Cienfuegos.

Exact times will be confirmed to you locally but the bus generally departs Vinales around 07.00. Journey time is approximately 7 hours including a 30 minute break en-route.

On arrival in Cienfuegos you will be met and transferred to your chosen accommodation.

After a long day on the road, most clients will probably be happy to stretch their legs and enjoy a late lunch before relaxing at their hotel (perhaps with a pool) or casa. To round off the day, why not hit the water on a sunset cruise around Cienfuegos Bay?

Day 7 — Cienfuegos

Despite being another UNESCO World Heritage site, the maritime city of Cienfuegos receives far fewer visitors than it deserves.

With its picturesque setting, broad streets and grand, colonial architecture, Cienfuegos is a great city to explore on foot either on your own or with a guide.

The centre of the city is built around the large, main square, Parque Jose Marti while nearby Punta Gorda was once the city’s smartest residential neighbourhood and still home to grand old mansions, the marina and Palacio de Valle.

For those clients with the time, a rightly popular Day Trip from Cienfuegos is to head out of the city and into the nearby Escambray Mountains, following guided trails to El Nicho waterfalls for a cool, refreshing dip in the natural pools.

Day 8 — Cienfuegos to Trinidad

Although there is a tourist bus service between Cienfuegos & Trinidad, it’s only an hour by car so a private taxi transfer is included for this pleasant journey along the coast.

Even older than Havana, and yet another UNESCO World Heritage site, Trinidad is often referred to as Cuba’s museum town, a testament to the town’s historic, colonial centre, barely changed it would seem from the time of the Spanish empire.

Having checked in at the accommodation of your choosing, you can head out and explore the town’s cobbled streets, picturesque plazas and quirky museums on your own or, if you prefer a guide, book our private, 3-hour walking tour.

In the evening, Trinidad boasts numerous bars, restaurants and live music venues, all within easy walking distance.

Day 9 — Trinidad

As well as being a wonderful destination in its own right, Trinidad is also a great base for exploring numerous nearby attractions.

We offer a number of optional, pre-bookable Trips of the area including our recommendation for today, a combined visit to the nearby Valley of the Sugar Mills and the town of Sancti Spiritus.

This trip includes lunch and takes the best part of the day so, on return to Trinidad, most clients will be happy to spend the remainder of the day simply relaxing or perhaps heading back out for a gentle stroll around town and perhaps a touch of shopping.

Day 10 — Trinidad

The day is at leisure for you to explore on your own or book one of our optional Trips.

For those who wish to relax, there are daily catamaran excursions from the nearby marina to islands such as Cayo Iguana.

Close to town, there is also El Cubano Park where a gentle, level trail ends up at natural pools that, as with El Nicho, are perfect for a refreshing swim.

Alternatively, if you’re after something a bit more active, there are numerous options for trekking in the mountains to the north of Trinidad. Due to the need for transport and a guide, if you do wish to go trekking we strongly recommend booking this in advance.

Day 11 — Trinidad to Havana

This morning, you will be collected from your accommodation and dropped at the designated pick-up point for the bus back to Havana.

Departure is normally around 08.30 and the journey time 5 hours plus.

On arrival in Old Havana, you will again me met and transferred to the accommodation of your choice. The rest of the day is at leisure.

(Alternative: If you wish to extend your holiday, it is possible to travel from Trinidad to Santa Clara by bus, add a night or two there and then take another bus back to Havana).

Day 12 — Havana and home

Your final day in Havana is free for you to soak up the atmosphere of the city, engage in an improving retail scene or simply relax at your hotel or casa.

Depending on your flight schedule (flights to the UK and Europe all depart from late afternoon onwards) you will be transferred to the airport in good time for your journey home.