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Viรฑales Day Trip Tour from Havana
A Viรฑales Day Trip Tour from Havana was the perfect solution to a problem I commonly have when planning trips – never enough time!
Originally, we wanted to stay in a Casa Particular in Viรฑales for a few days, but we just didn’t have the time in our limited seven days in Cuba. We were so happy we found this Airbnb experience that offered a day trip.
Where is Viรฑales?
Viรฑales is a town in Western Cuba home to lush fields, tobacco farms, rock climbing, and so much more. Just a couple hours away from bustling Havana, Viรฑales makes for a perfect day trip to enjoy life at a slower pace!
Why book an Airbnb Experience?
Because most of the tourism is run by the communist government, booking Airbnb experiences is the most direct way to give Cuban people money to support them for their services.
Most Cubans must work government jobs that only pay a monthly average wage of $20-40 USD (a month!) To make ends meet, many Cubans work on the side in the tourism industry.
By booking an Airbnb or Airbnb Experience, your money will go to supporting the Cuban people directly, rather than to a hotel or tourist agency. This rule doesnโt just apply to Cuba, itโs just like shopping locally. Your money goes to the people, rather than larger corporations.
Also, it is way more of an authentic experience!
Now that I’ve briefed you on Cuban geography and politics, let’s get to it!
– Viรฑales Day Trip Tour from Havana –
Depart from Havana around 8 a.m.
We were picked up in this awesome classic car from Havana around 8-9 a.m.
Honestly, nobody is on time in Cuba, so if you have a tour booked and they are running behind – that is totally normal! Patience is key, as keep in mind internet is not always readily available here.
The 2.5-hour drive to Viรฑales was really enjoyable. Make sure to bring your passport everywhere with you in Cuba, as cops will often flag you down when you are leaving city limits.
Horseback Riding through Mogotes Valley.
The first stop on our tour was riding beautiful horses through the lush valley.
Anytime I think of engaging in tourism with animals, I always do some research into the specifics of how the animals are treated.
We almost booked a different tour in Viรฑales before coming across this one, however, there were a number of reviews of how badly the horses were treated. Luckily on this tour, the horses seemed to be very well taken care of.
This photo doesn’t do the views of the valley justice, it was so stunning!
The Art of Cuban Cigars
This was unexpectedly one of my favorite parts of the tour! Smoking a Cuban cigar in Cuba is definitely a bucket list moment worth all the hype. You learn where the tobacco grows, how to roll it, and of course how to smoke it.
Bring cash with you so you can buy cigars and other souvenirs! If you personally don’t want them, they make excellent gifts to give away back home.
Say hello to the little farm animals
After the horseback riding and cigar demonstration, you just get to chill and hang out with the farmers while smoking cigars. It honestly feels like you’re visiting your family’s farm! It was so nice, and all the animals were so adorable.
– Check out my post. 41 photos of Cuba –
Explore the Caves of Viรฑales
Horseback, cigars, and now caves – oh my! This tour has quite a variety, which always kept things interesting. We enjoyed a nice boat ride through the beautiful caves of Viรฑales.
Enjoy a late lunch with a view.
On your way back to Havana, you will stop at a delicious restaurant with an incredible view. I ordered the Cuban Ropa Vieja, which is the National Dish of Cuba. It was incredibly delicious!
That concludes a full-day trip Tour to Viรฑales.
While Havana is a great place to base yourself during your time in Cuba, I highly recommend venturing out beyond.
You can book this Viรฑales Day Trip Tour on Airbnb here.
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