| Cross-Cuba Bike Tour: Detailed Itinerary |
 |
 |
|
|
Day
1, Sunday
Arrive Santiago. (Cycling 20-30 km)
Domestic flight from Havana to Santiago de
Cuba. Check-in Hotel Casa Granda. Afternoon:
assignment and adjustment of bicycles and
bus excursion to Baconao National Park, a
UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve east of
Santiago (50 kilometers), including visit
to La Gran Piedra and Automobile Museum. Return
by bus to hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Evening free. |
|
 |
| Santiago de Cuba |
|
|
Day
2, Monday
Santiago/Baconao/Santiago (Cycling 20
km) Breakfast in the hotel.
Cycle to places of historical interest
for guided visits: San Juan Hill, Moncada
Barracks, house of Diego Valasquez,
Bacardi Museum. Lunch at the Morro fortress
guarding entrance to Santiago Bay. Return
to hotel. Dinner in hotel. Evening free. |
|
|
Day 3, Tuesday
Santiago/Chivirico (Cycling 46 km )
Breakfast in the hotel. Bus from Santiago
west to Playa Mar Verde (16 km). Cycle along
the coast to Chivirico (46 km). Check-in and
lunch at Hotel Sierra Mar. Afternoon and evening
free for swimming, snorkeling and exploring.
Dinner in hotel. |
|
Day
4, Wednesday
Chivirico/Turquino River/Marea del
Portillo (Cycling 48 km) Breakfast
in the hotel. Cycle west to the Turquino
River (48 km) at the base of El Pico
Real del Turquino, Cuba´s highest
mountain (1974 m) in the Turquino
National Park. Stop at El Uvero, a
sight of historical importance. Travel
by bus from here to Marea del Portillo
Hotel. Lunch in the hotel. Afternoon
free. Dinner in hotel. Evening free.
|
|
 |
| Chivirico |
|
|
|
Day
5, Thursday
Marea del Portillo/Manzanillo/Bayamo (Cycling
40 km) Breakfast in the hotel.
Bus to town of Media Luna. Cycle to City
of Manzanillo, traveling the 50 km along
the coast of the province of Granma, viewing
the geography of the mainly agricultural
province. Lunch at Hotel Guacanayabo. Continue
by bus to the historic city of Bayamo. Check
in to Hotel Royalton. Dinner in hotel. Evening
free.
|
|
 |
| Camagüey |
|
|
Day
6, Friday
Bayamo/Camaguey (Cycling 43 km )
Breakfast in hotel. Cycle west (43 km)
to the Cauto River, the longest in Cuba.
Box lunch en route. Bus to Hotel Camagüey
(210 km from Bayamo). Check in at the
hotel Camagüey. Dinner in the hotel.
Evening free. |
|
|
Day 7, Saturday
Camaguey/Santa Clara (Cycling 39 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Cycle to Florida (39
km). Take bus to Ciego de Avila Hotel. Lunch
in hotel. Continue by bus to Hotel Los Caneyes,
Santa Clara (224 km). Visit to the mausoleum
of Ernesto Che Guevara and the city center.
Dinner in the hotel. Evening free. |
|
Day
8, Sunday
Santa Clara/Remedios/Cayo las Brujas/Santa
Clara (Cycling 45 km) Breakfast
in the hotel. Bus to Remedios (49 km)
and visit the city. Continue by bus
to Caibarién (9 km) and begin
cycling on the causeway to the outer
keys. Cycle to Cayo Las Brujas (45 km).
Lunch at Villa Cayo Las Brujas. Return
by bus to Hotel Los Caneyes, Santa Clara.
Dinner in the hotel. Evening free. |
|
 |
| Mausoleum
of Ernesto Che Guevara |
|
|
|
Day 9, Monday
Santa Clara/Jibacoa/Trinidad (Cycling 40 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Bus south to the highway
(8 km). Cycle to Jibacoa (40 km) in the Escambray
mountains. Continue by bus to Hotel Brisas
Trinidad del Mar in Playa Ancón with
lunch in the hotel. Afternoon visits to Canchanchara
(where a special local drink is prepared)
and the Museum of the Romantics and other
attractions. Dinner in the hotel. Evening
free. |
|
 |
| Trinidad |
|
|
Day
10, Tuesday
Trinidad/Cienfuegos (Cycling 45 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Bus to the outskirts
of Trinidad. Cycle to Guajimico (45
km). Continue by bus to the Botanical
Gardens of Cienfuegos (26 km) for walking
tour. Bus to the Hotel La Unión
in the city of Cienfuegos (16 k). Check
in and lunch in Club Náutico.
Visits to the Terry Theatre and the
Tomas Acea cemetary. Dinner in the hotel.
Evening free. |
|
|
Day
11, Wednesday
Cienfuegos/Playa Larga (Cycling 46 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Bus to Yaguaramas
(49 km). Cycle to Playa Giron (38 km) for
visit to the Museum of the Bay of Pigs Invasion
and on to Caleta Buena (8 km) for lunch. Afternoon
in Caleta Buena for swimming and snorkeling.
Bus to the Villa Playa Larga (42 km) at the
northern tip of the Bay of Pigs. Check in
and dine in the hotel. Evening free. |
|
 |
| Playa
Larga |
|
|
Day
12, Thursday
Playa Larga Vicinity (Cycling 43 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Morning
excursion by bus in the Montemar National
Park (Zapata swamp) and to La Salina
for bird watching. Return to the hotel
and cycle to La Cueva de los Peces (16
km) for lunch. After lunch cycle to
Boca de Guama and the Ecological Center
(27 km). Return by bus to Villa Playa
Larga. Dinner in the hotel. Evening
free. |
|
|
|
Day 13, Friday
Playa Larga/Yumuri Valley. Breakfast
in the hotel. Bus from Playa Larga
to Jagüey Grande (35 km). Cycle
from Jagüey Grande to Jovellanos
(39 km). Box lunch en route. Bus to
the Hotel Casa del Valle in the Yumuri
Valley (63 k). Dinner in the hotel.
Evening free.
Day 14, Saturday
Yumuri Valley/Havana (Cycling 45 km)
Breakfast in the hotel. Cycle westwards
along the Yumurí Valley to
the former Hershey Sugar Mill (45
km). Guided tour of the company town
and mill followed by lunch in the
Hershey Gardens, an outdoor bar-restaurant.
Continue to Havana by bus. Check-in
Hotel Sevilla or a similar hotel.
Farewell dinner in the hotel. |
|
|
Day
15, Sunday
End of Tour
Breakfast in hotel and check out of hotel
by 12 noon. Transfer by bus to airport.
|
|
 |
|
Hablamos
Español