Frequently Asked Questions

For privacy reasons we cannot provide you with advance details on your traveling companions. However, our tours appeal to a wide range of travellers, most of whom share an adventurous spirit and a desire to experience this destination at a grass-roots level. The tours are conducted in English, so this tends to attract many travellers from North America, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Most participants find the mixture of nationalities an interesting and enjoyable part of the experience.

The age composition we get in the groups in Cuba is really quite a lottery, and tour groups can be made up of people from all ages. A typical group might be, say, a couple in their 20's, a single guy in his 30's, 2 single women in their 30's, a woman in her 40's and a single man in his 50's... something like that anyway.

Here are some statistics we have compiled for the participants on our tours in Cuba.

Percentage of our travellers by age group

An average of 58% females and 42% males participate in our tours in Cuba.

Anyone 18 years or older can join our tours. Anyone under this age can also participate as long as they are accompanied by and adult. As a minimum, you need an average level of fitness and mobility. Most tour participants are in the range 25 to 45, however there are no restrictions based on age, and people have enjoyed the tour of all ages as long as they are physically fit and ready for some fun and adventure. We firmly believe that age doesn’t matter and that attitude is more important. For older travellers we stress that adventure travel is inherently more rigorous than conventional vacations and can be physically demanding. You must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off buses, and carry your own luggage. While our guides work hard to ensure that all our travellers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day’s activities unaided. You will be encouraged (rather than expected) to participate in optional group activities.

See Info for U.S. Travellers

Yes!. It is feasible to bring you child of any age with you on the tour in Cuba.

Prices for children travelling on the tours are as follows:

1 Child

2nd Child

CAR SEAT: For infants is advisable to bring a child seat for a car, so that the baby can travel safely in our transport in Cuba.

COT: Depending on your preferences, if you have a portable cot/crib you may find that useful as well. In the guesthouses we can usually make arrangements to provide a cot for the baby, however in the hotels this may not always be possible.

The guesthouses can provide a higher level of attention to your specific needs than the hotels, and are usually delighted to have a baby in the house.

We do not have a physical rating as such for the tours. The following describes some aspects of the tours that may give you a better idea of the physical requirements.

There are no included activities and there is mostly free time for which the tour guide can help you arrange activities that suit you. This way you can pick and choose activities that suit your interest and physical capacity. For most travel days the start time is very reasonable and you'll have time for a relaxing breakfast.

There are many activities available that do require a certain fitness level, however these are optional and there are always less strenuous options available.

There is generally some walking required to get from the places of accommodation to see the basic sights of the cities we visit, and from the guesthouses to say a local restaurant. Most of the Cuban cities are quite flat and roads paved, however often these roads are poorly maintained and decorated with potholes that can be dangerous if you do not take appropriate care. In some cities, such as Trinidad, there are cobblestones and the streets can be quite steep.

For some people the most strenuous thing that the groups do are the travel days from one place to the next. These can be quite tiring. The transport is quite comfortable but some of the journeys are up to 8 hours.

The heat and humidity can be another factor affecting people`s well being, especially in summer months of June, July, and August, when the even the Cubans complain.

You are usually only required to carry luggage for a block or two at a time, however this can be avoided if you are prepared to pay a small tip (such as $1) to one of the family members or friends for them to help you with your luggage. In any case there is no need to bring lots of luggage with you to Cuba - just a few changes of clothes and some travel accessories such as a camera and toiletries etc.

It can be quite difficult to join a tour after it has begun. It is usually possible to leave a tour early, however you will be responsible for your own arrangements from the moment you decide to leave the tour. You would also be responsible for all costs associated with joining a tour late or leaving one early. If you feel this may be necessary please contact us before you go on your trip.

As of August 1, 2023, we eliminated the local payments for all of our tours. 

See How much spending money do I need

See Weather and Climate in Cuba

In the event of a hurricane during a tour in Cuba, the tour itinerary can be changed and improvised to visit places that are least affected. In this way we try to maximize the enjoyment and safety of the group. Tropical storms and hurricanes are not uncommon in the Caribbean and we have extensive experience dealing with such phenomena, while still providing a positive, safe, and enjoyable experience for our tour groups.

We recommend that travellers purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover them in event of such circumstances. This should also cover you if a hurricane affects your travel arrangements after you have left for Cuba, and while on the tour.

The peak of the hurricane season is September and October, although occasionally hurricanes also occur in the other months between July and November. Cuba is very organised as far their preparation for hurricanes. Cubans are used to dealing with such phenomena, and evacuations are comprehensive and well organised, and tourists are well protected.

Accommodation is on a twin share basis and, if you are travelling on your own, you will be sharing a room with another traveller of the same sex. If there are an odd number of group members and you have to have a room to yourself, you do not have to pay extra. If at some stage during the tour you wish to have a room to yourself, the tour guide can arrange this on a request basis and charge you the difference in cost. This is subject to availability.

If you decide at the booking stage, that you want a single room throughout the tour, you can buy the "single supplement". The prices for this for each tour can bee seen on the tour pages for each tour.

Yes, in most cases we can arrange additional accommodation at our starting or ending hotel. You can order this on your booking form. Click here to see the options.

When we re-confirm your booking on the tour, we will provide you with the mobile phone number of your guide. You can then give this to friends and relatives in case they need to contact you while you are in Cuba. We suggest that they use this only in the case of an emergency as phone calls to Cuba can be expensive.

See Airport arrival transfers in Cuba

We strongly recommend bringing to Cuba, a backpack or duffel bag, or a small travel case with wheels. Keep in mind that you will normally have to carry your own luggage on and off buses and along cobblestone streets. If you need to leave some luggage in Havana, this will be possible and you can ask the tour guide to help you arrange this. See also our page about what to take on the tour.

See Clothing

To bring a drone for photography or video purposes to Cuba you must have prior authorization from Instituto de la Aeronáutica Civil de Cuba (IACC). Some travellers have reported being able to pay a small daily fee for drone authorization in customs. It is important to let the authorities know if you are carrying a drone, attempts to conceal it could be penalized.

See Travel Visas for Cuba

It's important that you receive the most accurate and up-to-date travel health information for the region you will be visiting. The only person qualified to provide you with this advice is your family physician or a specialist from a Travel Health clinic. Our travel health precautions page does provide links to a number of websites that contain excellent background information related to travel health issues. Nevertheless these websites are no substitute for a personal consultation with a qualified medical professional.

Tips are not included in the tour price and tipping is entirely at your discretion. Click here for some further suggestions.

See Travel Health Issues Relevant to Cuba

See Travel Insurance for Cuba

See Communications in Cuba

See Safety in Cuba

See Flights to Cuba

See Local Mobile Phone Service

Yes! The tours we run that help make Cuba travel legal for US citizens are perfect for anyone looking for a more inclusive tour that gives you a deeper understanding of Cuba.

If you are living in the U.S., regardless of nationality you are subject to all the same regulations as U.S. citizens.

Tourists are required to have a valid passport and a tourist visa to enter Cuba. There is conflicting information about the validity requirements for your passport, some sources say it must be valid for 3 months beyond your dates of travel and some say it must be valid for 6 months. To be on the safe side, it is better to renew your passport if it will expire within a year.

Yes, you can fly to Cuba via the USA. However, regardless of your nationality, you are subject to the same OFAC regulations as a US citizen/resident. See more information here.