Cycling In Cuba

Cycling In Cuba
Experience cycling on quiet roads through the verdant countryside and along the stunning coastlines of Cuba. En route we explore the colonial towns of Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Remedios and Trinidad – where we experience Cuban hospitality in Casas Particulares. We also visit the historic Bay of Pigs, the monument to Che Guavara in Santa Clara and the vibrant capital Havana

Cycling In Cuba Tour Highlights
Cycle Cuba – With very little traffic this is the ideal way to see the island
Tropical Island – Cycling with a backdrop of lush vegetation, pristine beaches and mountains
Havana Vieja (Havana Old Town) – Explore this atmospheric UNESCO Heritage Site
Spanish Colonial Towns – Including the beautiful original founding towns of Remedios and Trinidad
Casas Particulares – Stay in locally-owned and run private homestays in the heart of colonial Trinidad
Historical Sites – Cycle beside the infamous ‘Bay of Pigs’; visit Che Guevara’s mausoleum in Santa Clara
Carribean Islands – Cycle the causeway over tropical waters to the islands of Cayo Santa Maria

Why Book this tour Cycling In Cuba
Unlike many other operators, we include the hire of your bike in the overall cost of the holiday: you don’t need to bring your own or pay extra to hire one locally. We also provide a support vehicle, spare parts and take care of day to day bike maintenance. All you need bring is your own helmet.

Cycling Information
On this tour we cycle 198 km over five days (an average of 40 km per day). One of the cycling days is circular and therefore optional. The terrain is mostly flat and on tarmac, although this is in poor condition in places. Cuban roads have little traffic. A support vehicle accompanies the rides throughout the tour. We have graded the route as easy to moderate.

Climate
Cuba
The dry season is from November to April. Average temperatures are 22-26C. Though the sky is often cloudless during the dry season, cold wet snaps do come in from North America especially in Dec and Jan, when the temperatures can drop to as low as 5C at night. From May to October there are normally fine mornings and clear evenings, afternoon rains tend to be short & heavy. Temperatures are hot and humid.

Cycling In Cuba: Day 1: Join tour in Havana
Our tour begins in Havana. Built around a deep natural harbour, Havana is one of the most impressive colonial cities surviving in the Americas today. Crumbling tenement buildings and 1950s American Cadillacs rub shoulders with white marble grandeur and the still audible echoes of the Cuban Revolution. The largest city in the Caribbean and Cuba’s political and cultural heart, it is the perfect place to start this remarkable journey.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room Available
Included Meals: None

Cycling In Cuba: Day 2: Cycle the Bay of Pigs. Drive to Yaguanabo via Cienfuegos
This morning we depart the city and drive (2 hours) to the Bay of Pigs – the infamous site of a failed US-backed invasion in 1961. We then enjoy a relatively easy warm-up ride along the flat, following the Caribbean coast from Boca de Guama our route ends at the Cueva de los Peces – a flooded tectonic fault (or cenote) with resident tropical fish. We resume our journey by road, travelling on to the colonial city of Cienfuegos. We have a chance to take in some of its impressive 19th century architecture on a short walking tour of the centre, before continuing by bus (45 mins) to our hotel at Yaguanabo beach.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 28 kilometres
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba: Day 3: Coastal ride to Trinidad. Afternoon walking tour
Continuing south-east this morning we cycle along the Caribbean coast to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trinidad, one of the best preserved colonial towns in the country. Founded in 1514, the town was a haven for pirates and slavers before the arrival of the French in the early years of the 19th century and today remains one of Cuba’s cultural gems. This afternoon we enjoy a walking tour around the town, taking in the lovely setting of the central square and the cathedral. For the next two nights we will enjoy local hospitality staying in casas particulares – private houses.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 30 kilometres (Total ascent and descent 150 metres)
Overnight: Simple Homestay
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba: Day 4: Free day in Trinidad for additional rides or relaxation
We have a chance to enjoy Cuba’s beautiful Caribbean coastline today. Options include a day relaxing on the beach, or perhaps a trip on a catamaran out into the azure waters that lie off the coast. For those still wanting to stretch their legs we also have the option to cycle out to the Ancon Peninsula (30 kilometres return). Alternatively, you can simply relax on the white sands of nearby Playa Ancon, or perhaps return to wander through Trinidad’s charming colonial streets.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 30 kilometres (optional, unescorted)
Overnight: Simple Homestay
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba: Day 5: Ride through the ‘valley of the sugar mills’ to Mayajigua
Leaving Trinidad after breakfast this morning we cycle through the historic landscapes of the Valle de los Ingenios (valley of the sugar mills), with its ruined mills and infamous slave watchtower. By the middle years of the 19th century the valley was responsible for a third of all Cuba’s sugar production, before the wars of independence saw the mills destroyed. We cycle to the watchtower of Manaca Iznaga, before continuing through the valley. Re-joining our bus we drive a short distance to the colonial town of Sancti Spiritus where we stop to pay a short visit to the old town, before continuing by bus for about one hour on to our night stop in Mayajigua.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 60 kilometres (Total ascent 150 metres, total descent 250 metres)
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba: Day 6: Cuban countryside cycle. Visit Cayo Santa Maria. Visit Remedios
We cycle directly from the hotel on a relatively flat route through Cuban countryside. Rejoining our bus, we drive to the islands of Cayo Santa Maria along the interesting causeway road that picks its way across the shallow waters some 50 kilometres before reaching the first island. The superb beaches and turquoise waters have attracted a number of hotels and we spend a couple of hours to have lunch, swim and relax before returning across the causeway and continuing on to the colonial town of Remedios (one hour journey time). Founded in 1524 and considered by many to be one of Cuba’s most picturesque towns, Remedios still retains something of the flavour of its 17th century heritage when it served as the regional capital. We have some freetime to explore this town before continuing by bus to our hotel in Santa Clara, a short 40 minute drive away.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 50 kilometres (Total ascent 100 metres, total descent 100 metres)
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Cycling In Cuba: Day 7: Visit Che Guevara Mausoleum. Afternoon tour of Havana
With no cycling planned for our final day the first stop this morning in Santa Clara is to visit the Che Guevara Monument – final resting place of one of the world’s most iconic figures and one of the country’s most emotive shrines to its revolutionary heritage. Continuing on to Havana (three hours), we then spend this afternoon wandering through the heart of the old capital, exploring the neo-classical architecture of the Vieja district and taking in the baroque grandeur of the 18th century Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana among other fine buildings from another age.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room Available
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba: Day 8: Tour ends in Havana
The tour ends in Havana this morning after breakfast.
Included Meals: Breakfast

Cycling In Cuba Pricing due to currency fluctuations and seasonal changes please inquire for the best possible price.

Cycling In Cuba What’s Included:
Bike Details
Your included bike will be a 24 or 27 gear Conor Avenue, Stevens Galant SX or Radon TCS hybrid with front suspension and will be the correct frame size for your height. A pannier and water bottle holder are included as well as the facility to fit your own pedals or saddle if you wish to bring them. A support vehicle accompanies the rides throughout the tour. We provide spare parts and take care of the day to day maintenance. All you need to bring is your own helmet.
Tour Staff
Driver(s), Explore Tour Leader / Cycle guide

Cycling In Cuba What’s NOT Included:
Equipment
We strongly recommend you take a cycle helmet, cycle water bottle, torch, sunhat and suncream. For added comfort you may like to bring a gel seat cover. Panniers are provided. Please consider carrying all or some of your cycling equipment, e.g. helmet, as part of your hand luggage.
International flights
Any extra local transport (subways, taxis, buses) unless covered by the included passes
Baggage handling & luggage forwarding

Accommodation changes and upgrade are available for all our Cycling Tour, make an inquiry now