Disclaimer:
This is a sample itinerary for a person-to-person educational visa circa April 2017. We had our itinerary printed out in case someone asked us to present it at the airport. No one did, and my understanding is that this is rare. The itinerary is not reported to the US government at the time of travel. This is good for two reasons.
First, travel logistics in Cuba are extremely unpredictable. And second, there is very little internet, so the the vast majority of things to do on the island simply aren’t online. It’s really not possible to say what you’re going to do, and when you’re going to do it, and then stick to your schedule. But US citizens traveling under educational visas are required to have an itinerary, so make sure you have one before you go.
Our strategy was to make a full itinerary and then take detailed notes to amend it after the trip was over. It did change, and I think that’s fair, because you really can’t control for things like the wheel flying off of your car and getting to a town a full day later than planned. True story. You’ll see that this itinerary includes tours that are advertised online. When we got our boots on the ground, we found it was much more economical to ask around and find a guide with a free afternoon to take you around, or do the tour yourself. It’s hard to plan in advance for this sort of thing though, hence the itinerary below.
4/15/2017:
- Breakfast at casa particular with host family
- Full day at Museo de la Revolución studying recent political history.
- Dinner at casa particular with host family.
4/16/2017:
- Quick breakfast.
- Take Ferry to Regla.
- Peso Lunch.
- Afternoon at the Museum of Regla to study the history of Afrocuban religions.
- Dinner at casa particular with host family.
4/17/2017: Breakfast at casa particular with host family.
- National History Museum to study colonial history.
- Peso Lunch.
- 2pm-5pm Architecture walk.
- Dinner at casa particular with host family.
4/17/2017: Quick breakfast.
- Full day at National Museum of Fine Arts.
- Peso dinner.
- Evening Salsa lessons.
4/18/2017: Final breakfast at casa particular with Havana host family.
- Travel to Vinales.
- Peso Lunch
- Scooter tour of local tobacco farms.
- Dinner at casa particular with host family.
4/19/2017: Quick breakfast.
- Full day ecological “Knowing Vinales” tour.
- (Lunch and dinner included.)
- Return to casa particular.
4/20/2017: Breakfast at casa particular with host family.
- “Secrets of the Tobacco Tour” (6 hours, Lunch included)
- Dinner at casa particular with host family.
4/21/2017 Quick breakfast.
- Organic farming tour (half day)
- Return to Havana.
4/22/2017 Catch return flight home.