9 days · 8 nights · from Miami
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
Nine days through el Oriente at a moderate pace, on hybrid, gravel or electric bikes. Flights, homestays with solar backup, healthy meals and bikes included.
- Riding
- 5–6 riding days, 10–25 miles each, done by noon
- Bikes
- Hybrid, gravel or e-bike, your choice, included
- Who it’s for
- Generally fit and active. This is not a hard-core road ride.
- Where you sleep
- Family-run homestays with solar backup
The journey
It is legal and safe to fly from the USA with us. This 9-day journey mixes 5–6 days of moderate riding (10–25 miles per riding day plus a 5-mile orientation ride) with farm visits, music, beaches and meaningful cultural experiences. Your bilingual guides provide insights into the unique culture and history of this Caribbean island. The tour is fully supported and designed so you can ride at a comfortable pace on aluminum hybrid or electric bikes. It explores el Oriente, Cuba's historic, culturally rich and less-touristed east, including Santiago de Cuba, the country's original capital and the birthplace of salsa music and dance.
Highlights
Scenic cycling routes
Cycle 5–6 of the 9 days through Cuba's towns, landscapes, tropical forests and countryside.
Farm-to-table celebration
Visit a unique organic farm, home to the Bamboo Bike Project, and enjoy a fresh farm lunch.
Relax at Guardalavaca Beach
Walk three blocks from your house to white sand and clear water. Optional snorkeling, scuba, sailing and fishing.
Classic car ride in Santiago
Cruise in vintage cars for a unique perspective on the city and its history.
Rooftop salsa lesson
In Santiago, where salsa was born, learn the basics of the rhythms of Cuba.
Stay in casas particulares
Homestays with Cuban families, Cuban-style bed and breakfasts, with solar backup for the lights.
Day by day
Mornings on the bike, afternoons in the water or wandering town, evenings at the table. The itinerary can shift with flights and weather, and the support van is always close by.
MiamiHolguínGibaraGuardalavacaSantiago de CubaMiami
- 1
Miami to Holguín
5 miles- Fly together from Miami to Holguín
- Lunch on the SAG (support and gear) vehicle
- Bike fit and a 5-mile orientation ride
- Check in to your casa particular
- Dinner and sightseeing in the city center
- 2
Holguín to Gibara
22 miles- Breakfast at your casa
- Visit a sustainable organic farm tied to the Cuba Bamboo Bike Project we helped create. Farm-to-table lunch with local cheeses, honey, fruit and flan
- Afternoon ride to Gibara, a quiet seaside fishing town
- Check in, unwind and wander the town
- Rooftop cocktails and music
- Dinner prepared by a local chef
- 3
Gibara to Guardalavaca
24 miles- Breakfast, then cross Gibara Bay on the local ferry
- Ride through peaceful rural villages and visit a family farm
- Lunch in Santa Lucía at a paladar (private café)
- Continue to Guardalavaca, a beach town on the north coast
- Evening fiesta: Cuban BBQ, live music and dancing
- 4
Guardalavaca beach day
No planned riding- Walk to the beach: snorkel, scuba, sail, fish or simply unwind
- Lunch at a paladar or beachside spot
- Optional massage
- Dinner at a local paladar with fresh seafood
- 5
Guardalavaca and the open-air museum
10 miles- Sleep in after the celebration
- Ride to Museo Chorro de Maíta, an open-air archaeological site with a reconstructed Taíno Indian village
- Lunch, then free time at the beach
- Optional massage
- Dinner at your casa and pack for an early departure
- 6
Guardalavaca to Santiago de Cuba
25 miles- Early breakfast, then ride to lunch
- Bus the rest of the way to Santiago de Cuba
- Check in to your casa
- Dinner at a cool local restaurant
- 7
Santiago de Cuba
14 miles, optional- Visit the Museum of the Revolution
- Bike to the fortress that guarded Santiago from pirates
- Lunch at a local favorite café
- Walking tour of the main plaza and shops
- Dinner at your casa, then a salsa dance lesson
- 8
Santiago de Cuba and Playa Siboney
15 miles- Ride to Playa Siboney, then relax, swim and massage
- Lunch straight from the Caribbean Sea
- Free time to relax or shop
- Farewell dinner in a private home
- 9
Home to Miami
No riding- Early breakfast
- Bus to the airport for the 10 AM flight to Miami, arriving 11:50 AM
- ¡Ciao, Cuba!
How it actually works
The practical things people ask about on the phone.
What’s included
- Roundtrip flights Miami → Holguín and Santiago → Miami, with all travel logistics handled
- 8 nights in welcoming casas particulares, family-run Cuban homestays with solar backup
- All meals and bottled water: farm-fresh, home-cooked food, vegetarian dishes and dinners at our favorite restaurants
- 5–6 days of riding (15–25 miles per day), typically 8 AM to noon with breaks every hour
- Fully supported cycling with a fueled SAG vehicle, reserve fuel on board, and expert local guides
- Bike rental: choose an e-bike, a hybrid or a gravel bike
- Immersive cultural experiences: salsa dancing, classic car tour, organic farm visits, museums and more
- Guided prep before departure (e-visa, forms, insurance) and legal travel under the “Support for the Cuban People” category
What’s not
- Flights to and from Miami International Airport (MIA)
- A night's lodging in Miami before our group flight to Cuba
- Travel insurance (required), including emergency medical evacuation
- Cuba e-visa, about $60, through eVisaCuba.com
- Single-room supplement of $375 if you prefer a private room. Happy to share? We'll pair you with another traveler at no extra cost.
- Alcoholic beverages and personal purchases
$3,895 per person
35% deposit reserves your spot; the remainder is due 60 days before departure. Full refund if we cancel for weather or unforeseen conditions. Deposits can be applied to a future tour for a documented medical reason or family emergency; other cancellations forfeit the deposit because our small groups sell out.
2027 dates
We run this tour January through May, when it's cooler and not hurricane season. Groups are capped at 12. Private departures are available for groups of 8–14.
- Spots available
January 13–21, 2027
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
- Spots available
February 10–18, 2027
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
- Spots available
March 10–18, 2027
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
- Spots available
April 7–15, 2027
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
- Spots available
May 12–20, 2027
Eastern Cuba Culture & Cycling Tour
“I have traveled with many tour groups domestically and internationally. Cuba Bike Tours is unique to them all. At every stop along the way, we are welcomed into casas particulares as though I am a distant auntie come to visit my Cuban family. Everyone is glad to see me, and I am treated with respect and appreciation. Although I bring many requested gifts to my host families, I leave with a far greater gift: the shared joy of Cuban daily life, music, dance and community.”
“I couldn't have asked for a better trip. As promised, it was a submersion into the Cuban culture and Cuban people. Their warmth and hospitality is unsurpassed. Many of the meals were unexpectedly delicious, accommodations comfortable, bikes well maintained and activities other than cycling were varied. Yes, bathrooms are primitive and there were electrical outages, so if you are prepared, it contributes to the adventure. The friendliness of the people, and the sound of ever-present music will be forever etched in my memory.”
The Cuba trip
planning guide
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