Real, authentic and bold - see Colombia and Cuba, the Global Village way!
Cuba - our tour begins in Old Havana, one of the best-preserved colonial cities in all of the Americas. What you will see around you is a Cuban city that was once incredibly rich, as is still evident in its now faded art deco and internationally influenced design - none of which has lost its appeal. Many buildings are now being restored and a stroll around Havana when you arrive for the first day of your tour is a sensory overload. As the tour group will arrive into Havana at different times today, we recommend you sample some Moros y Cristianos (Rice & Beans) or a Cuban espresso with the locals, if you find yourself at a loose end.
Cuban food sometimes gets a bad rap, and perhaps deservedly so if you remain inside the confines of a tourist resort in and around Havana without the insider knowledge of our guides and our commitment to show you only the best and most authentic, on all of our Cuba tours. So across the five cities you will visit in Cuba, expect handpicked local places that are off the tourist trail not just in terms of food, but nightlife too - with Trinidad being a particular highlight. Cuba is, of course, the birthplace of the Mojito and you haven't really tried one unless it's been made with the world's best rum made with locally grown mint and raw cane sugar, while cooling off in the Caribbean sunshine with pastel colours bouncing off the walls
Che Guevara, his life and his influence on Cuba is a major theme of this trip. With our own A/C tour bus for the duration of the tour, it means lots of flexibility and opportunities to get off the beaten track. For example, as part of our trip around the Bay of Pigs, close to the UNESCO city of Cienfuegos and where a US-backed land invasion was attempted, there are a few beautiful swimming spots along the route that we can check out including a sinkhole that resembles a tropical fish tank! Visiting Santa Clara, you will see the giant statue of Che Guevara, sitting atop the mausoleum where he is buried. You will see a lot of unique places on our Cuba tour, that are again, off the well-worn tourist trail. If you are looking for a Cuban resort stay - our tours won't be that interesting for you. But, if you feel more comfortable seeing a secret bunker where the Soviet Union stored their nuclear weapons that precipitated the Cuban Missile Crisis followed by a freshly prepared lunch on a farm in Vinales with a tour group of like-minded travellers, this is most definitely up your street.
Next up is Colombia! From its ancient Andean archaeological ruins to more recent and still vibrant colonial towns, between snow tipped mountain peaks, vast jungle and incredible beaches along its coast, our tour of Colombia encapsulates much of what makes this one of the best places to visit in South America.
To get started, the Colombia tour takes in much of the best things to do in and around Bogotá, a colourful and historic city that hovers between upmarket, hip districts and barrios of the less well off. Throughout the tour we will hear about the chequered past of Colombia in regard to the conflict between government and FARC forces, with a peace agreement finally being reached in 2016. During the tour, you will learn much about the countries difficult history in conflict between government forces and marxist rebels as well as real insight into the explosion in narco trafficking activity during the 1980's and 1990's.
If Colombia was put in the spotlight by the Netflix series Narcos, so too was the beautiful city of Medellin. Once one of the world’s cocaine capitals, the city is a feature of our Colombia tour, a favourite of our own Global Village Tours staff and now a mecca for international remote workers. It’s skyhigh, slim apartment buildings against a backdrop of mountain peaks, electric nightlife and endless cafe culture are just part of what makes people want to stay. We will also take a trip outside of Medellin to La Manuela estate, Pablo Escobar's ranch.
Our Colombia tour takes in some incredible landscapes including Tayrona National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountain range including some time spent with the Wiwa indigenous people and a night in an eco resort for some R&R after some amazing hiking and little known swimming spots.
If you cant commit to the full tour for budget or date reaons, check out the Cuba and Colombia legs here.
Cuba May Day Tour Highlights
- Start your Cuba tour in the capital city Havana, one of the coolest cities on the planet.
- Visit five Cuban cities during the tour, travelling from Havana on to Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Santa Clara and Vinales
- At Global Village Tours, we take you to handpicked, authentic Cuban restaurants for the best Cuban food, not limited to a BBQ on a beautiful beach in Trinidad
- This tour is off the tourist trail and we get to check out some amazing beaches and little visited tropical swimming spots
- Get ready for vibrant Cuban nightlife with a lot of cool clubs, bars with a wide variety of music styles
Colombia Tour Highlights
- Extensive tour of Bogota highlighting all the key sites from the time of the war between the Colombian government and marxist rebels as well as checking out what makes the city great in these modern times.
- Visit to Medellin, Colombia's second city - former cocaine capital of the world and of course, the former home of Pablo Escobar. We also visit Escobar's former ranch, La Manuela Estate.
- Spend a night out in the Sierra Nevada national park with the indigenous Wiwa people as well as superb swimming and hiking.
- Some of Colombia's best food can be found in the the historic city of Cartagena, you will have a chance to sample a lot of it!
Show itinerary
Sunday 25th April
Arrive at Jose Martí International Airport in Havana, as per your own travel schedule. A taxi is approx $25 from the airport but if you wish to be picked up in a 1950s convertible ($50) that can be arranged in advance.
Transfer to your homestay accommodation in district Havana (we will provide you with all the arrival info)
Check-in to your AC/shower room and relax before meeting up with the rest of the group for a chat about the tour we will be taking together for the next 10 days.
In the evening we will get dinner at Cafe Laurent in Havana before getting a few bottles of rum and heading down to the Malecón to chill out there and get chatting to the locals. This is the giant promenade sea wall that runs along the city and one of the main hangout areas for locals and visitors. Always a great atmosphere down here.
Overnight at our casa accommodation.
Monday 26th April
In the morning, we head for the UNESCO world heritage city of Cienfuegos, a 5-hour drive via The Bay of Pigs
En route to Cienfuegos, we will travel through the central plain of Cuba where you can clearly smell the citrus plantations in the air. It takes us through swampland with unique fauna and varying species of reptiles including crocodiles and snakes. We may also visit a crocodile farm at Boca de Guamá
Once we hit the Carribean coast, we will make our way to the Bay of Pigs itself which apart from its historical significance of the US 1961 invasion, is generally a beautiful location. We will visit a museum in the area that documents the events of 1961
As mentioned in the tour introduction, you will be able to take a swim in some postcard style tropical swimming spots, including a sinkhole. Obviously, swimming is optional so if you prefer to chill out in the sun, then by all means! There will also be an opportunity to scuba dive and snorkel here (these are optional extra cost activities, let us know when booking if you wish to do either of these)
Arriving into Cienfuegos later in the day, prepare to be transported back in time with its relaxed atmosphere on the streets and French colonial style architecture
Check-in to our casa before heading out to the city for a walkabout, you can either stay with the group and guide or if you feel like exploring a bit by yourself, feel free
We will have dinner together that evening at a home-style private Cuban (paladar) restaurant with authentic food aplenty before getting a few drinks and checking out the nightlife
Overnight at your casa
Tuesday 27th April
This morning, we will take another little look around Cienfuegos. This will include visiting some Cuban shops to see how commerce is conducted here between selling imported goods and local/national produce
We can drink a cocktail on the roof of the Palacio de Valle - a palatial home built in 1913. Prepare for serious home envy here and incredible views from the top.
Leave Cienfuegos for the 1.5-hour drive to Trinidad
Hipster pizza joint lunch on arrival in Trinidad while our casa accommodation is being prepared before check-in.
After check-in we head off on an insider walking tour of the city. Once fantastically wealthy in the 1500's thanks to sugar cane cultivation, the city has been a place of major historical significance including during the revolution. You will learn a lot about the city which was also a centre of the slave trade, with lots of interesting stories. We will also check out a cigar shop
Next up is The Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra los Bandidos and which chronicles the town’s history. There is a tower here where we can grab some fairly breathtaking views
There will be a chance to try the local cocktail of Canchanchara - rum, lime, honey, crushed ice & soda water
Dinner at La Redacción, serving contemporary fusion cuisine
If you like nightlife and music, Trinidad is pretty special. There are a lot of live music venues catering for many tastes with plenty of salsa happening also. The night spots are centered around ancient colonial buildings and cobblestone streets
Overnight at your casa
Wednesday 28th April
We start today with a visit to Valle de los Ingenios (The valley of the sugar mills) which was once at the heart of commerce in Trinidad in the 1800s partly responsible for the cities wealth in days gone by.
Later in the afternoon you have the option between some free time to enjoy Trinidad at your own pace or alternatively, you can take a horse ride to a nearby waterfall or have a salsa lesson (there is an extra charge for both of these activities, let us know when booking if you would like to do them)
Dinner this evening we have a few different options depending on how hungry people are!
After dinner if people feel like partying we can visit the infamous Disco Ayala, buried deep in an underground cave. It is of course, optional but highly recommended!
Overnight at your casa
Thursday 29th April
Next stop on our blazing city trail is Santa Clara which played a key role in the revolution
On the way, we will stop at a family-run tobacco farm and see what it is involved in producing the world's most sought-after cigars. Coffee is also produced here, so you can sample some
As we approach Santa Clara you will see a gigantic statue of Ernesto Ché Guevara that towers above the mausoleum where he is buried
We will, of course, visit the museum that is dedicated to the life of this major historical figure. Afterward, we will take a walk about tour of Santa Clara city and check-out some cool sites scattered around the area including an armoured train that was derailed and captured by Ernesto Ché Guevara and his troops in the last battle of the revolution
Dinner in the evening and optional drinks. We will head out to a cultural centre where there will be music and other performances
Overnight stay in Santa Clara
Friday 30th April
Up early this morning to make our way back to Havana
We will check out the open air October Crisis museum that looks out on Havana Bay. There are old Soviet nuclear missiles here from 1962 – of the variety that brought the world on the cliff edge of thermonuclear war
Lunch in Havana
In the afternoon, we tour Old Havana, including the Plaza de las Armas, complete with a statue of Manuel de Cespedes, one of the leaders of the independence movement. The spot where the city of Havana was founded almost 500 years ago and an open-air exhibit of the Museo de la Revolución to see the yacht Granma and learn about its importance in Cuban history
Afterward, it’s off to the Havana Club Museum of Rum with free samples
Return to our casa to get freshened up for our last night out in Havana.
We go for a more upmarket dinner in Havana tonight and eat at San Cristobal Paladar Restaurant in the city. It’s about an hour away we can stroll there through the city or (for an extra charge, we can arrange to hire a Soviet-era Zil limousine to take you there)
Optional drinks and clubbing after dinner if you are up for it
Overnight stay at our homestay in Havana
Saturday 1st May - International Worker's Day (May Day)
Today is May Day and we want to take in as much as possible and get us nicely set up for the day ahead. So it's an early 6 am start for breakfast and leaving the casa at 6.30 am (don't worry, not all mornings are this early, just for May Day!)
We will make our way to Plaza De Revolución where the atmosphere will be building in preparation for the parade to start at 7.30 am. When things get started, we will join the parade with up to 1 million people parading through the plaza. It's an unbelievable experience and we will hopefully get a wave from the communist party delegation on the podium
The parade will finish up in the baseball stadium where we will meet our private bus and head into old Havana
We take a more relaxed stroll around Old Havana to see some of the Spanish colonial architecture and the famous Bacardi building before drinking a few daiquiris in Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bar El Floridita, the birthplace of the daiquiri itself
If you are in need of some rest after the early morning start, you can head back to the casa to relax and get cleaned up or if not, there will as usual be a great atmosphere at the Malecón if you want to drink a few beers there
Dinner that evening if you like, at a Soviet-inspired restaurant in Havana with typically Russian dishes on the menu
Overnight at our casa accommodation
Sunday 2nd May
We plan to depart Havana for Vinales at 11 am, this is dependent on Cuban bureaucracy so please be patient!
Lenin Hill is the first stop, the spot where the statue of Lenin was erected following his death. It's way off the beaten path but so worth it for the fact that it's a statue of Lenin in the Caribbean and not in one of our Eastern European destinations. It's a unique place and certainly Instagram worthy!
Nice lunch at a Cuban-style street restaurant
Secret bunker where the Soviet Union stored their nuclear weapons during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Again, this is way off the tourist trail and a must see location. It has only been made available for visitors recently, we are among the first to have access. There will likely be little other people here apart from our group
Next stop is the former Soviet Embassy, a perfect example of socialist architecture, like the Lenin Statue, a somewhat bizarre and uniquely impressive sight
The scenic drive along to Viñales is 2-3 hours in duration, so sit back and relax, taking in the sights along the way
Check into our casa before getting dinner and drinks in town. Although the town has retained its relaxed atmosphere, there is a bustling nightlife here
Overnight in our Viñales casa
Monday 3rd May
Morning visit to a prehistoric wall for some good photo opportunities before visiting a stunning tobacco farm with rolling hills all around where we can see the process of cigar making and also try out some of the produce if you like.
Lunch at this beautiful farm.
Viñales is famous for its caves, man of which are overrun with tourists. So, with our local guide we will get to some of the more quiet spots to enjoy. We will hike for an hour and journey through the cave network with flashlights before arriving at an amazing swimming spot.
Make our way back to the casa to get cleaned up before heading to one of the best spots in town to take in our last sunset, with a cocktail in hand.
The last dinner in Viñales will be an authentic home cooked Cuban meal at our casa.
We will wind down with drinks and chats on the patio in the casa's garden. At this point you will probably have made several friends for life!
Overnight at our Viñales casa.
Tuesday 4th May
Journey back to Havana after breakfast this morning.
For those not continuing to Colombia the trip ends here.
For everyone else we'll have dinner in Havana and an option to visit a niteclub often frequented by the sons and daughters of Cubas highest ranking generals and politicians!
Wednesday 5th May
We'll spend our last day in Havana checking out some of the lesser seen spots like the El Capitolio building.
After lunch we'll visit the Jose Marti monument in Revolution Square, which will allow us to see Havana from the highest point in the city!
Dinner and maybe a fairwell mojito in Havana then head to the airport for the flight to Bogota.
Thursday 6th May - Arrival
Arrive in Bogota.
Military Museum – there are some gems here, such as the history of Colombia’s involvement in the Korean war!
Next up is Congress and Supreme Court. Once seized by M19 Marxist guerrillas on the request of Pablo Escobar.
Parque Simon Bolivar.
Colón Theatre – a detailed history exists here of the peace process between the government and FARC.
Over the years Bogota has been able to shed its more rugged image, and now boasts a vibrant and contemporary night life. We will head out and take in a few of the city’s best watering holes.
Overnight in Bogota.
Friday 7th May – Sierra Nevada National Park
Early morning flight from Bogota to Cartagena.
On arrival, we drive straight to the Sierra Nevada national park, a breathtaking escape in to nature also home to many of the indigenous tribal population of Colombia.
Lunch in the park.
We spend the afternoon hiking deeper into the park and will spend some time swimming and sunbathing on a tropical beach.
We spend the night camping out in an eco nature reserve, we recommend you try the local rum!
Camping overnight
Saturday 8th May – Sierra Nevada National Park
We visit an indigenous Wiwa village in an Indian Reserve in the mid-highlands to learn about how they live
Local lunch with the Wiwa tribe
In the afternoon we head back to the beautiful coastal city of Cartagena. We check ourselves into the hotel before heading out for dinner to a Peruvian restaurant and drinks in Café Havana
Overnight in Cartagena
Sunday 9th May – Cartagena
Cartagena is an old colonial city, after breakfast we set off to take in some of the rich history here
We'll visit the old town and the city walls, with impressive 500-year-old coral stone forts from the Spanish era
Lunch at Interno, a restaurant staffed by former political prisoners – the food here is excellent and one of the most unique restaurants you will visit
Climb La Popa Hill. Take in stunning views of the area and we'll also check out the 17th century Santa Cruz monastery
We'll visit the Spanish Inquisition Palace, a grisly palace were misfortunate people were tortured and executed for crimes against Catholicism
Overnight in Cartagena
Monday 10th May – Medellin
We'll catch a flight at 10am to Medellin, Colombia’s second city
Medellin was infamously the home of the world most famous drug lord Pablo Escobar, but since the mid-1990s things have calmed down a lot and it is a beautiful metropolitan city bustling with culture and energy
We'll visit the amazing Museo de Antioquia to check out the world-famous sculptures by Fernando Botero
Dinner and drinks Medellin
Tuesday 10th May – Medellin
Up early for breakfast before our tour of Medellin
Our bus will take us out to visit a project that helps farmers change from cocoa growing to coffee, this is part of an ongoing initiative to eliminate the drug trade in Colombia
We'll stop at a roadside almuerzo
After lunch, we visit a village a charity had recently removed all the mines from. Here we can learn about the impact that the civil war has had on the people
Before dinner, we will have the honor of meeting 2 former FARC soldiers who can give us their insights in to the civil war
Dinner and overnight in Medellin
Wednesday 11th May – Medellin
What would a trip to Medellin be without learning a few things about its most famous resident Mr Pablo Escobar, so today we will do an Escobar tour like no other!
First we visit La Paz, the poor Medellin neighborhood community where Pablo grew up, our local guide can tell us some interesting history about this place
Next we'll check out a few of the places where Escobar used to launder his millions of dollars, we can also check out his bombed out safe in the Monaco building. Fans of 'Narcos' will enjoy this!
Next we'll take a ride up to the Cathedral in the hill overlooking the city. As well as boasting amazing views of Medellin, this was the site of Escobars prison where he was incarcerated until his notorious escape.
Next we will take a visit to the grave of the man himself. We can also see the grave of Escobars mentor Griselda Blanco nearby.
We complete the tour by visiting the notorious La Manuela Mansion, where Escobar lived a lavish and extravagant lifestyle
We jump on a boat that takes us to the mansion. We can have some time here to explore the grounds and take some photos, we might even run into one of the hippos left over from Escobars collection of exotic animals. The hippos flourished and have been a menace to local farmers in the area.
Overnight in Medellin
Thursday 12th May
