Cycling Western Cuba

Highlights: Explore Havana, guided Tour of Old Havana, fit Bikes

Bienvenidos a Cuba! Gather this afternoon at our Havana hotel for an orientation and bike fitting. Once you have satisfied your appetite with a welcome dinner together, you can head back to the hotel, or stay out and take in the sights and music of Old Town Havana.

Highlights: Bicycle Carretera Central, cycle to the Rainbow of Cuba

We shuttle out of Havana this morning to begin our ride through western Cuba. The bustle of the city fades away as you bicycle quiet roads into the hills toward the UNESCO Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve that surrounds the town of Soroa in the Cordillera de Guaniguanico. Aptly named the “Rainbow of Cuba,” the reserve brims with rivers, waterfalls, and orchid-laden trees. Our hotel is nestled in a lush and tropical garden filled with orchids. Have a cool drink by the pool before dinner.

Highlights: Learn about Cuban Cigars

Follow Cuba’s Carretera Central as you pedal deep into the heart of tobacco country. Coast down to the plains and wind your way through small towns to San Diego de Los Bańos, a once-popular thermal hot springs vacation town. We’ll have lunch after our ride and then shuttle to Pinar del Rio. This evening we’ll visit a local arts organization that provides much-needed support to adults and kids with developmental disabilities. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Highlights: Cycle through the San Carlos Valley, Mogotes and limestone caves.

Today we continue West from Pinar del Río. After a shuttle out of town, you’ll cycle the beautiful San Carlos Valley which boasts incredible views of limestone bluffs blanketed in lush forests overlooking isolated huts and rust-colored tobacco fields. The stocky limestone “mogotes” abruptly rise from flat plains, giving the valley a fantastical appearance. Lunch is along the way before shuttling into Viñales. Tonight we have dinner at our hotel.

Highlights: Explore the limestone caves of Vinales, visit an organic farm

Take the day to stretch out your legs and explore the wonderful town of Viñales and its surrounding valley, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 for its outstanding natural beauty, unique landscape, and traditional agricultural practices. We’ll organize a group hike to explore the mogotes before heading to lunch at a local organic farm where we’ll learn about smallholder sustainable agriculture.

Highlights: Pedal the Carretera del Norte

We pedal north and away from the tourist track today through small rural farming villages en route to the coastal village of Palma Rubia where we’ll regroup, have lunch and then shuttle back to the hills for a relaxing stay at Las Terrazas, a small community with a vibrant creative scene within an eco-community and nature reserve.

Highlights: Pedal ridgeline roads

Our ride today takes us through a variety of routes with varying terrains and views. Enjoy some of Cuba’s lushest landscapes as we head out of La Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve where stretches of forests and grasslands, rounded hills and waving royal palm trees surround you. The beautiful lush hills then give way to cultivated farmland and small rural towns as we pedal our final kilometers outside Havana. We’ll regroup for a picnic lunch before shuttling into Havana. We’ll celebrate the end of our tour in style tonight at a local restaurant in Havana for dinner.

Highlights: Explore Havana or head home

We’ll have breakfast early before sending you on your way to explore Cuba or head home! If this sounds great but you’re short on time check out our Bicycling Central Cuba or Bicycling Western Cuba