Cuban Highlights Ride

• Accommodation: 7 Classic nights (Cuban guesthouses known as Casa Particulares)
• Six days of cycling with full vehicle support
• 90 percent paved roads, 10 percent unpaved tracks
• Tour enables legal travel to Cuba for US citizens under the Support for Cuban People program
• Cuban Tourist Cards included for most UK residents

Seven breakfasts, six lunches and three dinners are included, allowing the option to try local restaurants on the other evenings. The paladares are likely to be a highlight of any visit to Cuba – they are one of the few types of private enterprise allowed (although still heavily regulated). Think soul food – rice, black beans, slow-roast pork or chicken, fresh fish, lobster and plenty of tropical fruit. The atmosphere in private paladares and the opportunity to integrate with Cubans will absolutely enhance your stay! In general, Cuba is not renowned for its culinary excellence (although it is improving) and some ingredients are just not possible to acquire. Food tends to be simple and relatively expensive – in no small part due to the long trade embargo imposed by the US. Dishes are relatively simple, with most mealtimes consisting of meat or fish accompanied by rice and salad or vegetables. Seafood is widely available on the coast, including cheap and abundant lobster! Vegetarians will find that choices are limited, but it's still possible to eat well. Snacks are not freely available in Cuba so you may wish to bring some with you – particularly energy snacks, as food shops, cafes and restaurants are scarce in many of the rural areas we visit. It can be difficult to find quick lunches on the go as Cubans typically eat two meals a day – we provide packed lunches during the day and there are plenty of water and fruit refreshment stops. While food choice can be basic, on the plus side there is absolutely no shortage of rum! Havana Club, Black Tears, Ron Santiago, Caney… after your visit, you will be an expert. Drinking water is provided on cycling days – we allow for 100floz (3 litres) per person. On non-cycling days, water is not provided. We ask that you bring a filter water bottle to fill with provided water on cycling days and at public fountains and taps on non-cycling days. This helps to cut down on plastic and the need to buy water.

The dry season runs from November to April (with December to March being the peak months for traditional tourism). It is very humid between May and October, with heavy rains at times and the possibility of hurricanes. July and August are some of the most popular months to visit but are extremely hot (average 28C/82F) and wet. Cuba has an average of six hours of sunshine per day with a more or less constant humidity of 62 percent. Water temperature is normally 24C-28C (75F-82F).

This trip rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Average daily distance: 25mi (40km)

Number of days cycling: Six

Vehicle support: 100 percent

Terrain and route: 90 percent paved, 10 percent dirt roads; some hills

Understanding Cuba: Cuba’s famously turbulent history and economic stagnation has resulted in daily difficulties: supermarket shelves can be bare, finding a working ATM is often tricky, wifi is unreliable and there are frequent power outages. Our tour leader helps to unravel the nuances and red tape of island life, allowing you to truly absorb this fascinating destination. We strongly recommend reading the Trip Notes carefully, there’s plenty of information in there that will enhance your experience!

The cycling: The trip is not too strenuous, but a reasonable level of fitness is required. Many of the roads are in good condition but expect potholes and poor road conditions in some sections. The roads are almost always free of heavy traffic, except in the towns. Mountain bikes with hybrid tyres are ideal for this trip and flat bars are preferable, but a good strong tourer will suffice (though make sure you have suitably low gearing).

Staying hydrated: When cycling, please drink lots of water as the heat and humidity can be high (especially June to August). Some may prefer to ride a slightly reduced distance each day to avoid cycling in the middle of the day. If this is the case, our back-up vehicle is available. The rest of the group can continue the itinerary as planned.

Phone signal: Phone networks don’t make or receive calls particularly well in Cuba, and coverage may not be available in many locations. There is 4G but not all phone networks work here, so please check with your service provider before travel. Data roaming from your home network can be incredibly expensive – we recommend switching this off. There are several ways to connect to the internet using a mobile device, but it’s best not to expect a reliable internet connection. Most casas particulares have free wifi which, while much slower than your usual connection, is adequate for keeping in touch with friends and family via WhatsApp or email. If you have time, you could buy a Cuban sim card to access roaming; however, service is slow and it may take a couple of hours to buy and register your sim card.