Small group tours to Cuba

Environment

On our small group tours to Cuba we visit and support the conservation of several National Parks, including Topes de Collantes in the Sierra Escambray; the Humboldt National Park outside of Baracoa; and Turquino National Park in the Sierra Maestra mountains. By paying entrance fees and hiring local guides within these parks, we encourage the continued preservation and research of these areas.

We visit and support the community project of Las Terrazas in the Sierra del Rosario UNESCO biosphere reserve. This is Cuba’s premier centre for ecotourism, which offers the chance to get a little bit closer to the local community, who coexist harmoniously with their surroundings. The model community was set up as part of a reforestation project and also as a scheme to promote self sufficiency and education in rural areas.

Community

Much of the accommodation on this tour is in private Cuban houses, known as casas particulars. Many Cubans open their homes to travelers to supplement their income with dollars, meaning they can buy many goods not available in local currency – clothes, toothpaste, shampoo etc. Similarly, we also endeavour to eat in ‘paladars’, private homes that serve tourists a hearty, local meal and provide an opportunity for Cubans to earn a living.

Our style of travel ensures that as many local people as possible benefit by our being there. This tour runs with a maximum of 16 people which helps to minimise the impact on delicate environments. Clients joining this tour are encouraged (at their own discretion) to take gifts of everyday items which can be hard to come by in Cuba and are often very costly.