Cuba Photography Tours Itineraries

Fabulous trip to a very interesting destination. Our guide Ernesto and driver Wilson took us on a really well planned and varied tour of the west and central parts of the island and having another three friendly families with us added to the fun. There was a great mix of history, culture, nature and relaxation. The only advice we would give to future travelers is to bring enough cash (Euros/dollars) as bank cards/ATMs are not widely available and to bring all items that you need for the holiday with you as shopping is limited. Very highly recommended for families with teens!

Just returned from Cuba with our 16 and 12 year olds, we all had a fantastic time. It was the first Explore trip we have done with the children. The itinerary is varied and we all enjoyed everything, we were expertly looked after by our local guide. We had a great group of 4 families, with the 'children' ranging from 12 to 19.
I'll share the answers to all the questions I wanted to ask before we went.
* suitcases are fine, no need for rucsacs. Laundry available in hotels but it is quite expensive.
* money - take enough cash to last you the whole holiday, we took Euros. Do not rely on using cards or cash machines. I had to go in store (rather than online) but took everything in 5 and 10 Euro bills, which was really handy.
*changing money - don't change any, or much, at the airport. Hotels have a poor exchange rate, you can get better rates out in local cafes etc. Keep some small denomination peso notes for tipping etc when you are out an about, but otherwise they prefer tips in Euros.
* Everything is priced in Pesos and also in MLC, where 1 MLC = 1 euro = 1 dollar = 1 pound etc
* all hotels were absolutely fine, the first hacienda better than the second. It was very hot, so a mosquito net is needed if you are planning on sleeping on the verandah instead of the tents. We turned double sheets into sleeping bags to take. Swimming pools at all hotels.
* the weather was good. The BBC forecast possibility of thunderstorms everyday, however these did not materialise other than on 3 occasions when it rained briefly, 1 being overnight. It is very humid in July / August
* Food was OK, lots of chicken, pork, lobster and fish .. with rice. Veggies found it more difficult.
* Bottled water was available everywhere we went. You are advised not to drink the tap water, but ice for drinks was fine.
* Expect food / drinks to be unavailable, sometimes you couldn't get quite obvious drinks
* Take everything you need, do not rely on buying anything while you are in Cuba
* The homestays are more like B and B's, so you don't really interact with the families very much at all
* The walks aren't as long as the itinerary suggests, all very manageable
* You will get wifi in the hotels, not at all at the haciendas. I'd recommend a VPN to make sure you can access everything. You can buy a tourist SIM card from Cubacel if you want to have back up data on an unlocked phone. Pick this up at the airport, (turn right after baggage reclaim)

This was our first Explore holiday and right from the start we found their customer service excellent. We had wanted to visit Cuba for a number of years and felt that an organised tour, specifically designed for families was the best option for us and we were not disappointed. The holiday was a great experience and Cuba is unique. It is not a typical Caribbean destination and if that is what you are after, Cuba may not be for you. It may be better suited for older children/teenagers as it is Cuba’s history and political system that makes it such a fascinating place to visit.

Great leader, excellent varied itinary.

Watching a Cuban farmer roll a cigar for us to try. Trying many different cocktails. Driving around Havana in 1950s American cars. Snorkelling near the bay of pigs. Swimming in waterfalls. Seeing hummingbirds. Having a bbq on a deserted coral sand island. Being in a small group of like-minded families, who really made the trip perfect.

Our trip to Cuba was a life-changing experience. The days were packed with exactly what the Supporting the Cuban People program promised.
Yaima was very helpful and wonderful in organizing our excursions. She was diligent and made sure all our concerns were addressed and that our trip was in line with our visa requirements. The excursions were very well planned and a great way to experience Cuba!
The trip was amazing, the whole process of booking was outstanding, the food, the hotel, everything top class service. Thank you for this wonderful experience.