Exploring Cuba | with Texas Association of Biology Teachers

Upon arrival in Havana, after clearing customs and collecting your luggage, you will be met by your guide and driver and taken to your hotel located on the Plaza de San Francisco in Old Havana. Have time to relax or explore the area before a welcome dinner this evening at El Templete.

Explore Old Havana's cobblestone streets, visiting the Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Plaza de la Catedral, and Plaza Vieja. Visit the scale model of Old Havana before lunch at Il Divino. Next, visit Organopónico Vivero Alamar, an incredible urban garden located outside of central Havana, widely considered one of the most successful organic farms in the city. During the tour, learn about the advances Cuba has made with respect to organic farming. Then enjoy dinner and a show at Habana Cafe.

Travel today to Viñales stopping at Sierra del Rosario en route. The 61,000-acre evergreen forest is home to Las Terrazas, a self-sustained community named after the reforestation project initiated in 1967. While at Las Terrazas, learn about their history, enjoy delicious coffee from their plantation, and visit an artist's studio. After a typical lunch, continue the journey with a stop at the Soroa Orchidarium, a garden built in the 1940s by Spanish lawyer Tomás Felipe Camacho to honor his wife and daughter. It is now considered a National Heritage Site as part of the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve, and it houses more than 20,000 plants, with 700 species of orchids, including more than 130 that are native to Cuba. The garden is under the care of the University of Pinar del Río, which hosts a botanical research center and orchid workshops on site. After spending time in Soroa, enjoy the scenic drive to your accommodations in Viñales. After settling into your room, join the group for dinner at a local restaurant in town.

This morning visit Mil Cumbres. Due to its complex geological formation and four different kinds of terrain, very peculiar flora and fauna inhabit this area including over 398 Cuban endemics and 48 local endemics. Receive a detailed explanation of the area in the biological station before beginning your exploration, led by expert guides. Continue on to explore the fascinating Cueva del Indio, an ancient limestone cave set adjacent to hills covered in lush vegetation. The cave was home to Indigenous Cuban civilizations and features paintings and archaeological remains from pre-Columbian times. Board a boat for a short cruise through its underground world of stalagmites, stalactites, and more. Late in the afternoon, return to town and after having time to freshen up, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, visit a tobacco farm and learn about Cuba's innovation in agriculture sustainability. Enjoy lunch at Agro Ecológico in the hills surrounding Viñales. Arrive early to meet the owners and learn how they juggle family, the farm, a paladar operation, and life in Cuba, and then savor the dishes made with the farm's fresh produce. This afternoon visit Con amor y esperanza Community Project before dinner at Finca de Paco.

Today, travel to the Zapata Peninsula, which is home to the largest wetlands in the Caribbean and borders the Bay of Pigs. Seventy percent of the area is a Biosphere Reserve and Cuba's largest national park. The Zapata area consists of scrub, mangrove swamp, and coastline, and more than 200 bird species have been recorded here. This is one of the most remote regions of Cuba, yet intrepid wildlife watchers will reap the benefits: not only incredible diversity of birds, but endemic reptile and plant species can be seen on the mangrove-lined waterways here. Zapata's wetlands give rise to more than 1000 species of plants and 37 species of reptiles including the endemic Cuban crocodile. Next, embark on a short excursion crossing the Tesoro Lagoon by boat to visit the Taína Village, where Cuban sculptor Rita Longa has depicted Cuba's Indigenous inhabitants and their way of life through life-sized statues. Enjoy lunch at La Boca and then visit a crocodile research center and breeding facility before continuing on to Playa Larga.

After breakfast visit Casa Ana to look for the endemic Bee Hummingbird, the smallest bird in the world. Next visit Refugio de Fauna Bermejas for an opportunity to see many birds endemic to Cuba such as the Cuban Tody, Fernandina's Flicker, and Cuba's national bird, the Cuban Trogon, known locally as the Tocororo. Have lunch at Cueva de los Peces with the option for snorkeling or birding. Later in the afternoon, go birding in the Sopillar region. This is a good place to see Blue-headed Quail-Dove, Mangrove Cuckoo, Cuban Parakeet and Cuban Parrot.

After breakfast, visit the Bay of Pigs Museum to learn about the famous events of the 1961 invasion. This afternoon, head back to Havana and visit the National Botanical Garden. The garden consists of over 1,400 acres and features 250 species of palms and a tranquil Japanese garden. In the evening enjoy a farewell dinner at El Aljibe.

Depart early for the airport in Havana for flights back to the U.S.