After breakfast, we’ll drive to Las Terrazas, a small community and biosphere reserve to the west of the city which is part of the ‘Sierra del Rosario’. Here we’ll walk on a trail known as the ‘La Serafina’ trail.

The route skirts around the edge of Las Terrazas community, offering some excellent vantage points to understand the size and layout of the community. We walk in the Rio San Juan Valley, following the river for part of the route, and pass through a biodiverse habit containing pine forests, and land used for cultivation by local farmers. We see the ruins of ‘Santa Serafina Cafetal’ coffee plantation, the remnants of a bygone era when this region was an important coffee growing zone, before finishing our walk with a picnic lunch next to the San Juan River (opportunity to take a dip if you like!). The walk is leisurely with no difficult ascents or descents and a local guide gives us insight into the particulars of the region including the history of Las Terrazas community and the birdlife that is likely to be seen in the surrounding biosphere reserve.

After lunch and a visit to the community, there will be time to have a go at zip-lining through the forest canopy. An 800m course with 3 wires takes you right across the Las Terrazas community and lake and is great fun for all kids and parents alike. Zip lining is optional.

After breakfast, early in the morning we’ll transfer in our bus to Viñales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the most spectacular scenery on the island.

Today we’ll get a feel for the surrounding rural countryside of Viñales Valley, meeting local inhabitants and learning Cuba’s most famous export – tobacco.

On arrival in Viñales, we will start walking from La Ermita Hotel and follow a wide partially shaded trail through undulating terrain containing many species of trees. We stop at the Visitors’ Center then descend to the valley floor to meet a local farmer who will show us how tobacco is grown, harvested and ultimately made into exquisite cigars. The region of Pinar del Rio is known to have the most fertile land in Cuba and as such is the tobacco growing capital.

Today’s included lunch will be a packed-lunch picnic or restaurant.

We finish the trek in a local café close to Dos Hermanas “mogotes” and have a short transfer to our homestay accommodation, our home for the next three nights.

In the evening we enjoy dinner in our homestay.

A short walk from our Casa brings us to the trailhead for today’s walk amid the horse trails and lagoons that characterize Viñales farms.   The rich red earth and humid conditions are perfect for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and tobacco.

We’ll visit local farms and learn how farmers live and work, try a coffee or cocktail, then learn more about rural life.

Today we will have lunch in a restaurant located on the edge of the town, known as Finca Paraiso, a self-sufficient organic farm which uses the produce from their fields in their kitchen.

After lunch we walk down the hill towards Viñales Village and explore this lovely rural town.

This evening we’ll stroll back into Viñales for dinner at a local paladar and maybe enjoy a cocktail and live music at one of the bars in town.

After breakfast we’ll drive a short distance to Moncada village where our trek will begin. We’ll pay a quick visit the local village school, learning about the rural education system in Cuba and you may wish to gift stationery to the teachers.

Passing through farmland we’ll be rewarded with some stunning vistas before entering a covered forest and following a wide track to the base of the mountain. At a certain point we turn off the track and begin walking up as the trek takes on a very different feel.

The next kilometers take us along the only trail to the top of Los Acuáticos; there are sections where the path is very narrow and terrain steep.  Los Acuáticos are a community who believe in the healing powers of water and use water to cure many illnesses.

We’ll enjoy amazing views once we reach Los Acuáticos, the perfect place to rest and have our picnic lunch.

This afternoon’s walk is easier as we descend to the Mural de la Prehistoria, where we will see the work of Diego Rivera s pupil. A huge painting on a cliff representing the evolution in the area, but the must here is the unique Pina Colada.

Return home by foot for dinner and overnight.

Our final trek in Vinales takes us away from the village and into the wilderness.

An early start and short transfer to Rancho San Vicente where we pick up our packed lunch and start walking.   The focus today is on walking around the Costanera Mogote.  Starting in Rancho San Vicente we walk towards Ancon community and then climb up and over the mogote through a natural called Cueva Ruiseñor (Nightingale’s Cave).

After a tough climb we descend the other side of the mogote and walk along the northern side until we reach La Costanera community where we stop for picnic lunch, board the bus and transfer back to Havana (approx. 3 hours) and check in to our accommodation.

Havana is full of bars and restaurants and this evening you are free to choose where you eat.

After breakfast in our casas Particulares, we’ll embark upon on an orientation tour of Havana in vintage American cars from the 1950’s (approx. 1 hour). The tour will take us to ‘new’ Havana and we’ll visit the iconic Plaza de la Revolucion and the mysterious old trees of Bosque de Almendares.

Arrival in Old Havana, we leave the cars behind and enjoy a walking tour of Old Havana, focussing on the main plazas and surrounding streets. We’ll have lunch in a nearby ‘paladar’ restaurant in the Old Town and then the rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you to soak up the atmosphere or do some souvenir shopping.

In the early evening, put on your dancing shoes as we’ll be meeting up with some Cuban dancers for a 1 on 1 salsa dance class. Free time in the evening to choose how to spend the final night of the tour.

After breakfast in your casa particular, you have free time to enjoy Havana before transfer to the airport. And so it’s Adios, or, as we prefer to say hasta luego, see you later! Afternoon transfer (30–40 minutes approx.) to Havana airport.