Cuba trip
Cuba trip with Belly of the beast
Spend eight days in Havana with Belly of the Beast‘s award-winning team of journalists and filmmakers.
Belly of the Beast is an award-winning media outlet that has become the go-to source for news, information and powerful documentaries about Cuba and U.S.-Cuba relations. Cuba is typically romanticized or demonized. But the reality is much more nuanced. Revealing that nuanced reality is the goal of Belly of the Beast’s work – and this trip.
Traveling with Belly of the Beast’s you’ll get to know a Cuba that is seldom shown in mainstream U.S. media or seen by other visitors to the island. You’ll have unprecedented access to Belly of the Beast’s team and work, and experience the country firsthand through the experiences of our journalists and filmmakers. You’ll also spend time with the inspiring people in Cuba who have been featured in Belly of the Beast’s videos and documentaries.
All our trips to Cuba are safe and legal. The itinerary is carefully designed to meet the category: “Educational Travel”
Dates & Cost
DATES
DAYS
Cuba Itinerary:
Afternoon: Arrive at José Martí International Airport.
Clear immigration and customs, and collect your baggage – a process that typically takes about 45 minutes. You will be greeted by a local Cuban guide and a driver.
Check into your casas particulares. Your guide will explain how to access the internet, provide a hotspot for each casa, help you exchange currency, and answer any questions you may have.
7 PM Meet and greet with Belly of the Beast’s team at a dinner in a beautiful villa in Miramar with a concert by a Cuban jazz artist.
9 AM Breakfast at casas
10 AM Visit Old Havana with Daniel Montero, journalist and producer with Belly of the Beast. We’ll get to know the colonial history of the city and visit its famous four squares and other landmarks like Obispo boulevard, the Capitol, Central Park, Alicia Alonso Grand Theatre, and the Floridita bar. Also, Daniel will tell you all about the history of Cuba-U.S. relations before 1959.
1 PM Lunch at Doña Eutimia, Cuba’s oldest paladar (privately owned restaurant) with the best ropa vieja and black beans.
3 PM Visit Belly of the Beast’s office. Join a screening of their award-winning documentary series The War on Cuba. See what a day in the office looks like and how their videos are made.
5 PM Back to casas
7 PM Dinner at D’Robles with Cuban entrepreneur and olympic champion Dayron Robles. Meet Dayron, who will talk about his restaurant and his experience as a business owner.
9 PM Optional outing to Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC), Cuba’s most famous club. FAC is an amazing multimedia venue with several spaces for live concerts, an open air movie theater, dance floors, art exhibitions, bars and restaurants.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
9 AM Breakfast at casas.
10:30 AM Visit to Deshidratados Havana, a small business that processes dehydrated food. Q+A with owner Oscar Fernández about the business, Cuba’s private sector and the challenges he faces in trying to export food to the United States.
12:30 PM Lunch at Wapa.
2:00 PM Convertible car tour led by David (Che) Sarzo, a taxi driver with decades of experience working with people from the U.S.
3:30 PM Screening of their groundbreaking documentary Uphill on the Hill. Q+A with Belly of the Beast founder and director Reed Lindsay and award-winning journalist Liz Oliva Fernández.
5:30 PM Back to casas.
Evening:
Dinner on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
8 AM Breakfast at casas.
9 AM Departure for Finca Marta organic farm, where you will get a personal tour from Fernando Funes, one of the pioneers of the agroecology movement in Cuba and the protagonist of one of our documentaries.
12 PM Lunch at Finca Marta made from organic food grown on the farm.
1:30 PM Return to Havana.
3 PM Exclusive screening of the soon-to-be released documentary Teresita’s Dream, Belly of the Beast’s latest film about a Cuban-made ground-breaking Alzheimer’s medication called NeuroEpo and the inspiring scientist who helped make it. Q+A with the film’s director Daniel Montero and director of photography Alfredo Lazcano.
5 PM Outing to jazz concert at Claxon, a stunning boutique hotel in the neighborhood of Vedado.
Optional: Outing to jazz concert at Claxon, a stunning boutique hotel in the neighborhood of Vedado.
Evening:
Dinner on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
9 AM Breakfast at casas.
10 AM Visit Callejón de Hamel, a community project that celebrates Afro-Cuban culture.
11:30 AM Visit a community health clinic in the working-class neighborhood of Cayo Hueso. Meet Dr. Roxana Martínez, who has been a family doctor in Cayo Hueso for 30 years. Q+A with Roxana about Cuba’s community-based, free healthcare system and the challenges it has faced due to U.S. sanctions.
12 PM Visit Cuba’s Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM), one of the island’s top scientific institutions. Discussion on Cuba’s biotech research and development with Dr. Teresita Rodríguez, the protagonist of our documentary who played a key role in the development of NeuroEpo.
1 PM Lunch at restaurant Otramanera.
3 PM Visit the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM), where thousands of students from dozens of countries study. Q+A with U.S. students at ELAM about Cuba’s health internationalism.
6 PM Dinner on your own
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
9 AM Breakfast at casas.
10 AM Join Belly of the Beast journalist Reed Lindsay on a visit to Finca Vigía, Ernest Hemingway’s house in the outskirts of Havana where he wrote some of his most famous novels.
12 PM Lunch at restaurant Marechiaro.
3 PM Screening of Hardliner on the Hudson, and Q+A with Liz or Reed.
5 PM Mojito and salsa workshop in Miramar.
7 PM Dinner at El Cocinero.
10 PM Evening of dancing and music at 1830, a legendary night club where Cubans from all generations dance salsa and casino.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
9 AM Breakfast at casas.
10 AM Screening of Belly of the Beast’s documentary Little League Dreams at casa in Miramar. Q+A with the film’s director, Daniel Montero.
11 AM Visit to Ciclo Eco Papel, a family business producing recycled paper and environmentally friendly handicrafts, or the art studio of Marnia Briones, a Cuban plastic artist who works with recycled materials.
3 PM Visit Tilán, a small business that makes natural cosmetics and oils from 100% Cuban raw materials, and meet its founder, Greta, a young Cuban entrepreneur who has turned down opportunities to migrate in order to develop her life project on the island.
4 PM Visit La Casita del Husillo community project, created and directed by Belly of the Beast journalist and outreach coordinator Thaís Lombao, which focuses on providing education and opportunities for the children of El Husillo, one of the poorest communities in Havana.
5:30 PM Back to casas.
7 PM Goodbye dinner at San Cristobal, an iconic private restaurant where the Obamas ate during their visit in March 2016.
Final discussion and reflections.
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
9 AM Breakfast at casas.
10 AM Departure according to the schedule.
Accommodation
Air condition
Towels and soap
Hair Dryer
Safe
Example from past accommodations
Inclusions
What’s included?
- All activities listed on the itinerary
- Cuban Visa
- Accommodation
- All breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
- Guides
- Tickets to all scheduled sites
- Ground transportation including airport pick up and drop off
- 24h bilingual director support
- Pre-departure Q&A
What’s not included
- Airfare
- Rest of Meals
- Alcohol
- Additional health & evacuation insurance
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Essential Travel Information
for Cuba trips
visa requirements, health, currency, and more
▹ Visa requirements for Cuba trips
Cuba requires each traveler to obtain a visa (tarjeta de turista) before entering the country. Colibri Travel & Tours can provide each of our travelers with a visa ($75 USD including shipping/handling). Alternatively, you can purchase your visa at the gate from the airline. It is mandatory that all airlines operating in Cuba have the blank visas available before boarding (cost: $50-$100 USD depending on the airline). Please make sure your passport is valid for at least another 6 months and has empty pages.
▹ How to make flight reservations for Cuba trips
If you are booking a flight on your own you will be asked by the airline to choose a travel category. Please choose: “ Support for the Cuban people”.
Colibri Travel & Tours can help with flight bookings.
▹ Health, Vaccinations
✔︎ All travelers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on this trip. When selecting your trip please make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to manage and enjoy our style of travel. Please note that if in the opinion of our group leader or local guide any traveler is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, we reserve the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund. You should be able to walk at least 2-3 miles a day and be able to climb at least two sets of stairs.
✔︎ You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure.
✔︎ There are no major health risks associated with traveling to Cuba. The most common tropical disease in Cuba is dengue. There is no vaccination against dengue and the best protection is mosquito spray.
✔︎ Please make sure to have mosquito spray and sunscreen (travel size) always with you.
✔︎ At least 30 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
✔︎ If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the trip and any possible delays (we recommend adding 1-2 weeks of supply).
✔︎ If you tend to get motion sickness please travel with appropriate medication. If you have a sensitive stomach consider bringing Imodium as well.
Health Insurance: international health insurance, evacuation, or cancelation insurance are not included. We recommend purchasing those before the trip. See the insurance box on the sidebar of this page.
▹ Electricity
Cuba operates on both US and European types of outlets and electricity so there is no need for a converter.
▹ Connectivity, Internet
✔︎ Please contact your phone provider to make sure that your phone will work in Cuba. International calls from Cuba are expensive (2 USD/min, 50c – text).
✔︎ The internet in Cuba is limited and can be accessed via a special internet card. Colibri will provide the cards ( $1.50 per 1 hour). We will make sure that you will be able to connect each day for 1-2 hours. Please remember that the connection is generally slow.
▹ Time zones
Cuba is in Eastern Time (ET) zone so 12 pm in New York it is also 12 pm in Havana.
▹ Currency, cash, credit cards
✔︎ You will be using Cuban currency for tourists CUC (peso convertible) and we will help you exchange the money after arrival in Havana. Cuban currency is not traded abroad so you can only exchange money in Cuba.
✔︎ Please note that you can’t use US credit cards or travelers checks in Cuba due to the US embargo so you must travel with cash. We recommend bringing at least $50-$70 per day per traveler (more if you plan to shop for art, cigars, etc.) for personal use and $300-$500 emergency cash.
Here is our blog with detailed information on money in Cuba.
▹ Transportation and arrival information
✔︎ If you add airport pick up our driver will meet you at the airport with a sign that says: Colibri Travel & Tours. If you do not see your driver immediately stay right by exit from the secure area for another 15 min. If you still can’t find each other please give us a call. The driver’s name and phone number will be provided within 24 hours before your departure.
✔︎ If you choose to arrange for your own transportation we will meet you at the hotel or casa. In this case please make sure that you have the address and phone number.
▹ Baggage allowance
✔︎ Our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motorcoaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights. Additional baggage can be a subject of extra fees. Contact your airline for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights.
✔︎ We recommend that you make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, documents, and a set of clothes, pajamas and cosmetics (travel size) in your carry-on bag in case of baggage delays.
▹ Tipping
✔︎ It’s customary to offer your guide and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep currency exchange rates in mind.
✔︎ We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10 per day per person and giving the tips to leaders to distribute between drivers, guides etc.
✔︎ Tips can only be paid in cash.
▹ Itinerary
Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It is important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure our travelers have the best experience. Your leader will keep you up to date with any such changes once on trip.
We LOVE to talk about travel. If you have any questions please give us a call: 617 301 1237 or email us: info@colibritraveltours.com.
We are always happy to talk to our travelers and answer the questions!
Blog
Register now!
Steps to enroll:
- Fill up the registration form on-line here.
2. Send us a copy of your passport and deposit check via password protected email or regular mail.
3. Pack your bags and enjoy!
Small group:
8 - 20 ppl
Physical rating:
Easy
Do you need a travel insurance?
Reviews
While Cuba is a fascinating country, it wouldn’t have been nearly as wonderful without your commentary, creativity, and enthusiasm. I was so utterly impressed with your knowledge of Cuba’s history, your remarkable ability to navigate the Cuban bureaucracy, and your unending flexibility and willingness to make our requests come to fruition. I don’t think that there was a detail that you didn’t attend to. Add to that your wonderful sense of humor, sensitivity and great spirit – and you are hard to beat! I would follow you on any trip you plan knowing it would be just as exciting, informative and fun as Cuba tours was.
As a recent participant on a Cuba Study tour through UMass Boston guided by Colibri Travel & Tours, I have nothing but high praise for Colibri’s preparations and follow through for all phases. As a frequent foreign traveler who avoids group tours I can say I was pleasantly surprised by their ability to cater to those folks who needed more guidance while leaving us solo types to explore as we wished. The local contacts they made for guide and driver were excellent. Our accommodations were far from spartan yet allowed people to soak up local flavor through the Cuban equivalent of Bed and Breakfasts. Finally, as on all tours, both solo, and group, unforeseen logistical problems arose which Sylvia handled with professional competence and aplomb. Kudos to Colibri.
We want to thank Colibri Travel & Tours for organizing our Cuba tours with great meals, and the excellent tour leaders, Jorge and Alex, who made the whole trip a truly unforgettable experience! It was absolutely superb in every way. The organization of the itinerary was excellent and accurate on every detail. Our group was lucky to have the most amazing, intelligent and funny tour directors ever - Sylvia. She provided valuable insight into the Cuban politics and the daily lives of the Cubans. What we loved about this travel company is that they gave us as much as they could in the time frame allotted but also gave the option of having our own personal time and helped arranged activities that we wanted.
Sylvia was amazing...in a country where things may not go as planned, Sylvia made everything appear seamless. Her knowledge of Cuba is astounding. She's unflappable...if plan A doesn't work she has a plan B, C and D and does it with a smile. What my wife and I experienced was eye opening, what Sylvia showed us, where she took us, what she taught us, made the trip more than we ever envisioned.
We had a great experience with Colibri Travel & Tours. They were super quick to respond to every email we sent prior to our trip. All details were set and we knew exactly where to meet our driver at Havana Airport. Jorge was wonderful! His knowledge of the Cuban history was incredible and his English was perfect!
This is my 5th experience with Colibri Travel & Tours, and once again, it failed to disappoint. I went to Cuba last year and Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Poland the previous years. As usual, a wonderful time was had by all, and big thanks to Sylvia and her staff for being prompt and accommodating. You are highly recommended!!
Colibri Travel & Tours is awesome! Our guide Jorge was warm, welcoming, smart, fully knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. We enjoyed deep conversations, as we were very curious about daily life in Cuba. As for accommodation, we stayed in stunning villas in Havana and charming “campesino” fincas in the countryside. We loved every bit of our Cuba tours.
