Colorful Cuba Small Group Tours
DATES TBD
"Thanks to our two wonderful tour guides, as well as the fabulous PhotoFly Travel Club planners and organizers who set up the tour, it was a profound experience that will never be forgotten. The many different things we learned about Cuba, the places we visited, the people we met, it was a journey unprecedented in my life." - Steve, Cuba '24
Quickly becoming one of our most popular trips, we have sold out every tour since we launched this program in 2020! Despite what you've heard, this trip is completely legal and the country is safe for Americans who wish to travel there.
Our Cuba small group tour is the ideal way to get up close and personal with this colorful country's people, food, culture, and incredible scenery. From the rural Viñales Valley with its gorgeous landscapes and friendly locals, to the romantic sea wall in Cienfuegos, to Trinidad with its colorful buildings and cobblestone streets, we're just scratching the surface of these unforgettable experiences that await us. Learn about Cuba’s proud and patriotic culture, its tumultuous history, its thriving arts scene, and its burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit. And, of course, it goes without saying the photography opportunities are special and scenes here are unlike many other places!
Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
Havana
Old Havana: With a majority of the buildings over 100 years old, rich history is felt around every street, building, and alleyway. Our privately guided walking tour includes many of the historical sites and we'll also learn about the early roots of this Spanish colony. Our accommodations are in Old Havana only a few steps away from a main plaza, the capitolio government building, grand theaters, and plenty of restaurants, bars, and galleries. We'll also have private transportation to see other neighborhoods like Miramar and Vedado as we welcome you to this Caribbean island.
Fusterlandia & Jaimanitas Fishing Village: On the outskirts of the Havana coastline, we'll encounter a colorful fishing village made famous by local artist, Jose Fuster. Fuster has made his entire home, and much of the surrounding neighborhood, into a vast and varied piece of art using tiles to create beautiful mosaics around every corner.
Callejon de Hamel: An attractive street art project where local resident Salvador Gonzáles Escalona has decorated and painted in vibrant colors, a pedestrian alleyway with scrap objects like bathtubs, hand pumps, and pinwheels. Many 
of these works are dedicated to various Afro-Cuban deities from the Santeria religion, making this an excellent stop to learn about this fascinating belief system and snap some awesome photos!
"On first impressions, Havana can seem like a confusing jigsaw puzzle, but work out how to put the pieces together and a beautiful picture emerges...No one could have invented Havana. It’s too audacious, too contradictory, and – despite 50 years of withering neglect – too damned beautiful. How it does it is anyone’s guess. Maybe it’s the swashbuckling history still almost perceptible in atmospheric colonial streets; the survivalist spirit of a populace scarred by two independence wars, a revolution and a US trade embargo; or the indefatigable salsa energy that ricochets off walls and emanates most emphatically from the people...(And it must be noted that the) art culture in Havana is currently one of the city's biggest surprises! Don’t come here with a long list of questions. Just arrive with an open mind and prepare for a long, slow seduction."
Soroa
"Known appropriately as the 'rainbow of Cuba,' Soroa, a gorgeous natural area and tiny settlement 50 miles southwest of Havana, is the closest mountain resort to the 
capital. The growth of tall trees and orchids thrive here" (- Lonely Planet)
Las Terrazas: Nearby Soroa, this mountain community was built as a reforestation project in the 1960s and is now part of the same UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. We'll take a walk around town & meet a local community leader who will give us some insight into how the community project being carried out here works. We can also discover great art, woodwork, and pottery studios open to the public.
Orchid Garden: The highlight of Soroa is arguably this specialized botanical garden, with a collection of 20,000 specimens and more than 350 species of orchids, some Cuban and others from Asia and Latin America. Amazing macro and micro photography opportunities here!
Viñales
This slow, relaxed, wonderfully traditional settlement is a place that steadfastly refuses to put on a show. What you see here is what you get – an 
agricultural town where front doors are left wide open, everyone knows everyone else, and a night out on the tiles involves sitting on a sillón (rocking chair) on a rustic porch analyzing the Milky Way. Here we dip indulgently into the natural world, hiking, horse-riding or cycling through some of the most wonderful landscapes in Cuba." - Lonely Planet
Sustainable Farm Discovery: Meet a local Cuban farmer and his family who'll show us around their organic farm and explain the methods they use to grow their
produce without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. The icing on the cake is a delicious dinner with the family using fresh produce right from the farm we've just learned about!
Valley Walking Tour & Tobacco Plantation: A beautiful walk 
through the valley will take us to a local tobacco farm to learn about the making of Cuba’s famous cigars. Viñales is one of the premier locations in the world for tobacco cultivation & a local farmer will give us a cigar rolling demonstration and insight into how the socialist system in Cuba works, with regards to how much of the tobacco produced by the family is given to the government, and how much of it they are free to sell on the private market.
Cienfuegos
"Cuba's so-called 'Pearl of the South' is arranged around the country's most spectacular natural bay, & has long seduced travelers from around the island with its elegance, enlightened French airs, and feisty Caribbean spirit. If Cuba has a Paris, this is most definitely it." - Lonely Planet
Bay of Pigs: Enjoy a scenic drive along the site where the landing of U.S. sponsored counter-
revolutionary exile militia occurred in 1961.
Sinkhole Snorkel: Stop for a swim and snorkel by a sinkhole which resembles a huge natural tropical fish tank!
Guided Orientation Walk & the Palacio de Valle : On arrival in the city we'll take a short walk to see and learn the local landmarks followed by a visit to the Palacio de Valle, an "Arabian Nights" like aspiring restaurant with a fantastic terrace bar. This colorful riot of tiles, turrets, and stucco resembles an outrageously ornate Moroccan casbah.
Trinidad
"Trinidad is one of a kind, a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement where the clocks stopped in 1850 and have yet to restart. Huge sugar fortunes amassed in the 
nearby Valle de los Ingenios during the early 19th century created the illustrious colonial-style mansions bedecked with Italian frescoes, Wedgwood china and French chandeliers. The cobblestone streets, replete with leather-faced guajiros (country folk), snorting donkeys and melodic troubadours, retain a quiet air. Come nightfall, the live-music scene is particularly good." - Lonely Planet
Guided Trinidad Walk: Home to numerous churches and many beautiful colonial buildings, we'll begin with a cultural tour of Trinidad. Some of the extravagant colonial houses have been made into museums so we'll visit a couple to gain fascinating insight into the lifestyle during these times gone by. On the other end of the social scale were the African slaves, who had a profound influence on the city's culture, music, and religious beliefs, and as part of our walk around the town, we drop by an Afro Cuban temple to Yemaya, an important figure in the Santeria religion.
Bartending Demo: With our sights on the Trinidad foodie scene we'll enjoy a bartending demonstration and discussion of the history behind Cuba’s most popular cocktails.
Salsa Lesson: Visit a local dance school for a demonstration and lesson in the dances of Cuba. And of course, experiencing Trinidad wouldn’t be complete without a night of
dancing and music, and what better way to burn calories and practice what we've learned!
Salto de Javira Waterfall: An easy hike brings us to this beautiful waterfall, perfect for photos and a dip to cool off! If we're lucky, we might even be able to swim behind the falls and see the stalagmites and bats that call the small cave their habitat for their day-long slumber.
Dinner and/or cocktails on the Beach: Weather permitting, we'll celebrate this amazing journey though Cuba together with a feast on the beach or at the very least, a delicious cocktail!
Price: $2549.00
Single Supplement: $795.00
Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
This trip is 100% legal for American tourists!
Many are surprised to find out that travel to Cuba for American citizens is safe and legal! Our Cuba small group tour is fully licensed and compliant with all US regulations regarding a visit to this island. Please email us if you have specific questions.
Cancellation Policy & Refunds
There is a $300 administrative fee for all cancellations. Cancellations made 120 days or more prior to trip departure date (Group 1: September 16th, 2025 | Group 2: September 16th, 2025) are fully refundable except for the $300 fee. Cancellations less than 120 days prior to the trip departure date (Group 1: September 17th, 2025 | Group 2: September 27th, 2025) will receive no refund of the full amount due. No refunds on unused portions of the tour. Credit card fees and PayPal processing fees cannot be refunded. After airline tickets are issued, airline cancellations are per the airline’s policy and are usually non-refundable and changeable with a fee plus new ticket price. Travel insurance strongly encouraged (ask us about policy options). Accommodations subject to change based on availability
Roommate Pairing Policy: Please be advised that PhotoFly endeavors, but does not guarantee, to secure a suitable roommate for travelers electing to share accommodations. In the event a match cannot be arranged no less than forty-five (45) days prior to the scheduled departure date, the traveler shall be required to convert to a single occupancy room and shall be responsible for the associated single supplement fee. Should a roommate become available after said date, PhotoFly will facilitate the pairing and issue a refund for the previously paid single supplement.
Optional Activity Cancellation Policy: Travelers wishing to cancel any optional activity(s) have until the day before Day 1 on the official itinerary to receive a refund. Please note that this is subject to approval by the provider and PhotoFly will act in good faith to recoup the money. From Day 1 on, cancellations for personal reasons (changed mind, potential bad weather, etc.) are not entitled to any refunds and PhotoFly will directly ask the provider for money back (subject to approval).
Payment Policy & Details
Payment online incurs 3.7% credit card processing fee or 3.6% PayPal processing fee (automatically added to shopping cart). PayPal payments from outside the USA incur a 4.5% processing fee. Please mail check to avoid fees to:
Local Planet Travel
105 Swallowtail Pl
Greenville, SC 29607
If mailing a check, please reserve your spot via the above trip page and select "check payments" on the checkout page.
We also accept no fee payments via Venmo & Zelle. Should you wish to pay via either method, see the instructions below.
Venmo: Send trip payments to @photofly (www.venmo.com/photofly)
Zelle: Send trip payments to steve.juba@localplanettravel.com
*DO NOT put the word Cuba in the payment description as it will likely be flagged by your bank and rejected or held indefinitely. Please put “PhotoFly January 2026 Trip” instead.
