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Kayaking in Cuba
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Kayaking in Cuba

Duration8 days
Activity levelModerate
Carbon emissions17.6kg CO2e per day
Included
Accommodation
Gear
Meals
Staff

Get a fresh perspective and see Cuba from the water.

GO PRIVATE
From £1835/pp
Enquire or book
512x388 Havana

Havana

Visit Cuba’s vibrant and beautiful capital with a local guide

512x388 Kayaking

Nature

See the pristine nature of Cuba from the water

512x388 Kayaking

Paddle

in fresh water lakes, rivers and the sea

512x388 Trinidad

Culture

Visit 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Havana, Cienfuegos & Trinidad)

What's included

Cubania Icon Accomodation

Accommodation

2 nights in hotels, 5 nights in casas particulares

Cubania Icon Kayak

Gear

Kayaks (single/double), personal flotation devices, dry bag

Cubania Icon Meals

Meals

All Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners

Cubania Icon Staff

Staff

Cubania office 24 hour contact, English-Speaking Cuban tour guide, qualified kayaking guide, driver

What’s not included: Flights, travel insurance, vaccinations, visas, gratuities

  • Cuban Car Driving Along the Malecón, HavanaCuban Car Driving Along the Malecón, Havana
    Day 1

    Arrival in Havana

    Welcome to Cuba! You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation for the night. Tonight is at leisure for you to relax into your exciting new surroundings. Your guide will be able to recommend nearby restaurants and bars for this evening.

    • Casa Particular, Havana
    View details
  • Guided tour of old Havana
    Day 2

    Havana City Tour

    Havana City Tour; Transfer to Playa Larga

    • Casa Particular, Playa Larga
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Kayaking in Cuba
    Day 3

    Kayaking in Bay of Pigs

    Kayaking in Bay of Pigs; Transfer to Cienfuegos

    • 4.5 km (5 hrs activity time)
    • Casa particular, Cienfuegos
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Young Man Kayaking in Cienfuegos, Cuba
    Day 4

    Kayaking in Bay of Cienfuegos

    Kayaking in Bay of Cienfuegos; Transfer to Hanabanilla

    • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
    • Hotel Hanabanilla, Hanabanilla
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Kayaking in Cuba
    Day 5

    Kayaking on Lake Hanabanilla

    Kayaking on Lake Hanabanilla; Transfer to Guajimico on Cuba’s south coast

    • 4.5 km (5 hrs + 1 hr sunset paddle)
    • Hotel Guajimico
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Day 6

    Kayaking on the Caribbean Sea

    Kayaking on the Caribbean Sea; Transfer to Trinidad

    • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
    • Casa Particular, Trinidad
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Travellers enjoying meal in Cuban Paladar
    Day 7

    Kayaking River Guaurabo

    Kayaking River Guaurabo to Ancon Peninsula; Transfer to Havana via Santa Clara

    • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
    • Casa particular, Havana
    • Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    View details
  • Day 8

    Departure Day

    End of tour; Transfer to airport

    • Breakfast
    View details

What to bring

  1. Appropriate clothing

    and footwear for water-based activities

  2. Kayaking gloves

    and snorkelling gear if you have them

  3. Sun protection

    high strength sunscreen, sunglasses, cap or sun hat (wide rimmed best)

  4. Light clothing

    Light cotton and linen clothing suitable for tropical climates.

Cubans dress casually but are always impeccably turned out. Avoid bringing expensive or flashy jewellery.

Is this tour for me?

Travel style: Kayaking

Discover Cuba from the water while immersing yourself in local culture.

Difficulty Level: Moderate

You are used to exercising regularly and enjoy being active.

Group style: Small

2 - 20 people, mixed nationalities. Minimum age 12 years (accompanied by an adult)

Go Private:

Create your own travel bubble by booking a private trip with friends or family. Private departures confirmed with two participants.

Notes:

No previous experience necessary but should be confident in water (able to swim) and have a reasonable level of fitness. Hot and humid conditions during summer months.

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Kayaking in Cuba • FREETRIPNOTES

Kayaking in Cuba • FREETRIPNOTES

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Kayaking in Cuba Group Tour Enquiry Form

Please fill in the form below and we will get back to you to discuss and personalise your Cubania Travel experience!

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Please fill in the form below and we will get back to you to discuss and personalise your Cubania Travel experience!

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Kayaking in Cuba

SMALL GROUP

Select date to join small group departure. Confirmed with a minimum of 2 paying participants. Choose to pay in full now or secure your trip by paying a deposit for each participant.

From  £1835/pp

GO PRIVATE

Make your own Private Group from  £1835/pp

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Day 1: Arrival in Havana

Day 2: Havana City Tour

Day 3: Kayaking in Bay of Pigs

Day 4: Kayaking in Bay of Cienfuegos

Day 5: Kayaking on Lake Hanabanilla

Day 6: Kayaking on the Caribbean Sea

Day 7: Kayaking River Guaurabo

Day 8: Departure Day

Day 1: Arrival in Havana

  • Casa Particular, Havana

Welcome to Cuba! You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation for the night. Tonight is at leisure for you to relax into your exciting new surroundings. Your guide will be able to recommend nearby restaurants and bars for this evening.

Day 2: Havana City Tour

  • Casa Particular, Playa Larga
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast in our casas and an introductory meeting with our Cuban tour leader, we start the day with an interesting visit to Fundación Antonio Núñez Jiménez to learn about Cuban nature and the conservation of biodiversity on the island. Afterwards we’ll take a walking tour of Old Havana, seeing some of the main sights that make this historical capital a fascinating and unique destination to visit. We’ll have lunch in a private ‘paladar’ restaurant in the Old Town.

Departing Havana, we drive south eastwards (approx. 2.5 hours) into Matanzas Province and to the lowlands of the Zapata Peninsula. Upon arrival in the laid back coastal town of Playa Larga we’ll check in to our ‘casa particular’ private homestay located just one block from the scenic beach. We will also meet our kayak instructor and have dinner together, and no doubt enjoy the sunset whilst having a drink on the roof-top terrace.

Day 3: Kayaking in Bay of Pigs

  • 4.5 km (5 hrs activity time)
  • Casa particular, Cienfuegos
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

This morning we’ll go on our first kayaking expedition, exploring the distinctive mangroves of the Zapata Peninsula coastline along the western side of the famous ‘Bay of Pigs’. This region is a flourishing natural habit for all kinds of bird species (such as flamingos and bee hummingbirds) as well as crocodiles and iguanas. We’ll see sandy beaches, rocky islands, and forests of mangroves today and learn all about the nature and history of this part of Cuba. After eating a packed lunch in the area, we’ll then return to Playa Larga in our vehicle and continue onwards along the southern coastline to the beautiful city of Cienfuegos (approx. 1.5 hours). Along the route we’ll make a short stop at the museum in Playa Girón which explains events surrounding the CIA-backed ‘Bay of Pigs’ invasion of Castro’s Cuba in April 1961. Upon arrival in Cienfuegos we’ll take an orientation tour of the main plaza and Malecon coastal road, check in to our casas, and go out for dinner in a local paladar restaurant.

Day 4: Kayaking in Bay of Cienfuegos

  • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
  • Hotel Hanabanilla, Hanabanilla
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

In the morning we’ll transfer to the mouth of the bay and to a scenic start point for today’s kayaking route which is called ‘La Milpa’. Crossing the entrance of the bay we’ll disembark on the other side to visit the strategically placed fortress ‘Castillo de Jagua’ protecting the shipping channel into Cienfuegos. Back on our kayaks we’ll continue on towards our lunchtime destination ‘Rancho Cristal’ passing several small fishing communities along the way. After enjoying lunch with a view over the bay, we’ll take to the road and head inland towards the looming Escambray mountain range. Our destination is Hanabanilla, a Soviet style hotel wonderfully located in the mountains next to a lake and surrounded by a lush green forest habitat. Hotel facilities and food are basic as per most state-run hotels in Cuba, however we believe that the location more than makes up for this. Dinner will be in a paladar restaurant in the nearby community.

Day 5: Kayaking on Lake Hanabanilla

  • 4.5 km (5 hrs + 1 hr sunset paddle)
  • Hotel Guajimico
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today we are on fresh water for the first time as we launch our kayaks onto Lake Hanabanilla and paddle towards the amazing waterfall known as ‘Cascada Los Helechos’. Here we’ll stop to walk along a short hiking trail and either have a swim in the waterfall’s cold and clear waters or simply take a moment to enjoy this fantastic spot. We launch our kayaks again in the direction of ‘Río Negro’, another beautiful place located half way down the lake. Here we’ll have another opportunity to walk up to a lookout point offering magnificent views. Lunch will be at the Río Negro Restaurant and afterwards we’ll paddle gently across the lake enjoying the surrounding scenery before arriving back at the hotel. In the afternoon we transfer by road out of the mountains and back down to the south coast. Our destination for the night is Villa Guajimico. Once again, the hotel is not the highlight here, it is the beautiful natural habitat, tranquil surroundings, and marine opportunities that draw up to this location. In the early evening we can take our kayaks out once again onto the Caribbean Sea and see the sunset from the water.

Day 6: Kayaking on the Caribbean Sea

  • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
  • Casa Particular, Trinidad
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

This morning we take to the Caribbean waters again and paddle to an isolated beach with rocky cliffs on both sides. Here we’ll enjoy some beach time and there will be an opportunity to snorkel at a section of coral reef. We return by kayak back along the coastline to Guajimico. From here we’ll drive along the coastal ride and stop for lunch in ‘La Vega’ community. Here there will be an optional activity for those who are comfortable on horseback – a 5 km trail down to a small cove and beach. Continuing onwards by road we arrive at one of Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the town of Trinidad. The small town’s picturesque cobbled streets and colourful buildings rightly attract visitors from all over the world, and there are plenty of cultural delights to explore in our time here. Our guide will give an orientation tour and include a visit to a traditional pottery making house and a vendor of the local rum and honey drink known as ‘Canchánchara’. After checking into our casas particulares we’ll go out for dinner in the evening and then on to a live music venue in the town.

Day 7: Kayaking River Guaurabo

  • 3.5 km (4 hrs activity time)
  • Casa particular, Havana
  • Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast at our casas we’ll take a short transfer to the outskirts of Trinidad town and the start point of today’s kayaking expedition. We’ll be navigating ‘Rio Guaurabo’ winding our way down to the fishing port of ‘La Boca’ before reaching open sea and paddling up the Ancon peninsula to a beach called ‘Playa Maria Aguilar’. Here we’ll stop for a swim and rest before transferring to another nearby fishing town called Casilda where we’ll have lunch in a paladar restaurant. After lunch we have a fairly long drive back to Havana, stopping along the route to visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum in the outskirts of Santa Clara. Arriving in Havana we’ll check in to our casas particulares and then go out for our last dinner together. Enjoy your last night out in Havana!

Day 8: Departure Day

  • Breakfast

Our tour ends today as we say goodbye to Havana. Check out of casas and enjoy the morning at leisure – you’ll be able to store your luggage. Depending on your flight time, transfer to airport for departure flight. Should you wish to book extra nights in Havana or any extra services then contact Cubania in advance.