Overview & Highlights
Relish the flexibility and decide how quickly you travel in a self-drive hire car, visiting less-visited but historically significant eastern side of Cuba. Hotels and some city tours are pre-booked.
- Guided walking tour of Old Havana
- Guided walking tour of colonial Trinidad
- Guided walking tour of Camaguey
- Guided panoramic tour of Santiago
This holiday takes you not only to Cuba’s highlights but also to areas less visited by tourists in the eastern half of the country. If you are adventurous in spirit, the most rewarding way to travel around Cuba is to drive your own hire-car. You will relish the flexibility, and the ability to choose how fast and how far you travel before stopping to enjoy a sight or chat to the locals. Your hotels are all pre-booked for you.
Cuba is unique and inspiring; a socialist stronghold, with a rebellious history, colonial splendour in many of the towns, spectacular countryside and a Caribbean heart. Its vibrancy and friendly people will make a lasting impression. Walk round Havana’s historic centre; then drive on to eastern region of the country and back, visiting Cuba’s other historic cities: Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Santiago and Santa Clara. Drive through the wild mountains of Sierra Maestra, Castro’s pre-revolution hiding place, and continue to the Caribbean coast, basing yourself at the unassuming little fishing port Gibara to explore the attractive wooded bays and glittering beaches of the unspoilt northeastern littoral.
Outline itinerary
Day 1
Transfer from the airport to your hotel in Havana.
Day 2
Guided walking tour of Old Havana. Collect hire car.
Day 3
Drive to Cienfuegos port, and on to colonial Trinidad.
Day 4
Walking tour of Trinidad and optional trips out into surrounding countryside.
Day 5
Drive to Camagüey via Sancti Spíritus.
Day 6
Guided walking tour of Camagüey.
Day 7
Drive from Camaguey to Santiago de Cuba
Day 8
Guided walking tour of Santiago.
Day 9
Drive from Santiago to Gibara.
Day 10
At leisure in Gibara.
Day 11
Drive back east to Santa Clara.
Day 12
Drive from Santa Clara back to Havana.
Day 13
Drop off your car and transfer to the airport.
Things to do
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Accommodation
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What our clients say
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Tailor made holiday
Our specialists have been expertly crafting award-winning tailor-made holidays to Latin America for 40 years. We would be delighted to create a truly personalised trip which perfectly matches your wishes and requirements.
Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert
Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.
Inspired by this trip
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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
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Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert
Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.
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Evie Oswald - Travel Expert
It's hard to believe that Evie has had time to cram so much in to her life so far. Having lived as a child in the Americas and Europe she found herself immediately attracted to Latin America.
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Sophie Barber - Travel Expert
Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.
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Lina Fuller - Travel Expert
Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.
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Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert
A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.
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Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert
Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.
