This trip is now SOLD OUT.
For the November trip (with future trips very similiar in details):
There are two options:
1. Havana and Santiago: Leave Friday, November 18th and return Saturday, December 3rd
2. Havana only: Leave Friday, November 18th and return Sunday, November 27th
I do recommend the first and longer option, as you will get to see much more and experience the "other half" of Cuba - Santiago.
However, if your schedule simply does not allow you to be gone for two weeks, then I do recommend coming with us to see Havana, where we will still have an extremely good view of Cuba and its music & dance culture.
We will fly to Santiago on Sunday, November 27th. Or, we may instead take a road-trip to Santiago which will involve 1 or 2 nights spent in interesting locations between Havana and Santiago.
Salsaville's epic two-week Music & Dance Tour of Cuba - Havana and Santiago de Cuba
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The plan is to spend 8 nights taking in the big city and salsa capital of Havana, and then fly onto Santiago de Cuba to spend the rest of the trip (6 nights) in a more laid-back, provincial setting. Santiago has a rich cultural heritage, and is known as the capital of "Son" music, the root of all salsa music (i.e. Buena Vista Social Club.)
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There is only one flight per week between Miami and Santiago de Cuba, and it's on Friday. Thus, the return on Friday. (This way you will have a full two days to recover from your trip before getting back to work/life.)
We will have to see if there are better flight options come November. If we can, we will stay until Saturday, December 3rd instead. If not, we may depart for Cuba on Thursday, November 17th instead.
Exploring Cuban Music & Dance in Havana and Santiago de Cuba
This trip will be run under a legal people-to-people educational license for travel in Cuba.
The group size will be limited to 14 travelers, but may not be more than 9 people.
Please note that this will be run as a "boutique" tour, meaning that the group size will kept small, each member of the trip will receive individual attention, and the tour can be somewhat customized to your desires & interests. In addition, we are staying in upscale accommodations, but as a home-stay, not in a hotel. The group will be able to move around more efficiently and do more than a larger group could. This way we can all achieve my goal of making sure that each person has an amazing experience.
Included in the package price is:
Basic Travel:
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Flight from Denver to Tampa, FL
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Flight from Tampa, FL to Havana, Cuba
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One-way domestic flight from Havana to Santiago de Cuba
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Flight from Santiago de Cuba to Miami
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Flight from Miami to back to Denver
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Cuban tourist visa, departure tax, medical insurance, educational people-to-people license
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All airport transfers - this includes transportation to and from the Denver, Tampa, Havana, and Santiago airports
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One night in a hotel in Tampa (first night of trip)
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Every night at a fancy B&B in Havana and Santiago with a private room and bathroom
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Full time chauffeur-driven car available for the group everyday & night to take us wherever we need to go. At times we will have a second or third car available to transport the entire group at once.
Music & Dance Activities:
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Welcome dinner & dance parties at our Cuban dance schools - one in Havana, one in Santiago
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Group dance lessons for 3 hours per day for 8 days. And each student will have his/her own Cuban professional dance assistant/partner during each class.
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Two private one-hour dance lessons. (With options to take additional private lessons, time permitting, at only a nominal extra cost.)
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Ten nights out dancing in authentic Cuban nightclubs. This includes going out to the best-known clubs of Havana and Santiago to hear and dance to live famous international acts (such as Los Van Van, Havana De Primera, Pupy y Los Que Son Son, Manolito Simonet, Elito Revé, etc.) of Havana, and the most well-known Son/Salsa bands of Santiago.
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For about 4 of these 9 live dance concerts we will go out with a group of teachers and professional dancers to the clubs, and you will be able to dance with all of them to practice and enjoy dancing all night long.
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Visit to rehearsal of a famous salsa band with a private performance and lecture about music.
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In Santiago, a home-style neighborhood party with a local but internationally known Son/Salsa band. Local specialty food is served for all.
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Dance shows of the various genres of Cuban dance. (Rumba, Afro-Cuban, Son, Salsa (Casino), Rueda de Casino, Cha-cha-cha, Mambo, etc.)
Additional activities:
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At least one afternoon trip to "Playas del Este" -- a 30 minute drive to the most beautiful beaches in the Havana area.
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Guided tour through Havana for two or more afternoons -- one with a professional English-speaking Cuban guide, and the others with Eric.
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Guided tour through Santiago for one morning - with a professional English-speaking Cuban guide.
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Wandering around the streets of Havana and Santiago and encountering live son/salsa bands, and people to speak with.
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Visit to "El Morro" and other famous sites in the area of Santiago de Cuba
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Visit to a couple of Cubans' homes - on both sides of the economic spectrum - and hear them speak on life in Cuba today.
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If you have a special interest, such as seeing a Cuban school/university, baseball game, tobacco or coffee farm, etc., just ask and we will help to arrange this.
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Group dinners every night, including at some of Havana's and Santiago's best restaurants. (Cost of meals to be paid on your own.)
Professional photographer:
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For between 4-8 days & nights of our trip, we will have professional photographer with us capturing photos & videos of our activities - walking around Havana, taking dance lessons, visiting various sites,
etc., plus anything else you request.
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Our photographer is a local documentary filmmaker, who will become a part of our group, and who will always be happy to share his perspective on life in Cuba.
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On our last trip, we ended up with over 800 photos & videos, creating a permanent & special memory of our time there.
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Photos will be distributed on Flickr.com (or on a USB stick) in full resolution upon returning home.
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There will be an additional charge for this service of just $5 per day. We will all have to agree how many days we would like the photographer to be with our group.
The only things that are not included in the package price and you should bring money for are:
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Meals:
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Breakfasts: usually available in your casa/apartment. $5 is the typical price. Can go out for breakfast as well for a similar price.
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Lunches: $2 to $10.
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Dinners: $5 to $20. (We will usually go to fancier places, which will cost $10-$15 without drinks. A couple of nights we can eat for just $5.)
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All above mentioned prices are for Havana. For Santiago, prices are generally about one third less.
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Phone calls, internet use (Internet is $2/hour)
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Drinks at clubs: alcohol, etc.
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Medical care if needed (However, likely any medical care needed will be covered by your included medical insurance.)
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Gifts and souvenirs
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Excess baggage fees for airplane flights: One free checked bag is included on all flights, plus a carry-on. However, for the flight from Tampa to Havana there is a 44 lb. total limit (checked bag plus carry-on bag.) Beyond that you will have to pay a fee of $2 per pound. (For the flight back to Tampa there is no weight limit.)
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Laundry services (However, for $10 you can have a entire load of laundry done along with ironing of the clothes right from your casa.)
Trip cost:
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The cost of the trip is $3,250 (double occupancy), $3,450 (single occupancy) per person.
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The price for the Havana only trip is $2,700 (double occupancy), $2,850 (single occupancy).
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We have some extra pricing options for deluxe rooms:
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Room with ocean view: additional cost of $10 per day for the room
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One room in penthouse apartment: additional cost of $20 per day
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One spectacular room in penthouse with king-size bed with total ocean view: additional cost of $40 per day. (First night - the room is not available, so you will stay in another apartment.)
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This will be for about 8 days. These prices are per room, not per person. So if you are doing double occupancy, then the additional cost is only half that per person.
Payment schedule is as follows:
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$1,000 up front to reserve your spot on the trip.
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$1,000 due on September 1st
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All but $500 due on November 1st
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Final $500 due upon departure for Cuba.
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Late fees are $50 per day for any late payment.
If you need to cancel for whatever reason, I'm afraid none of the payments are refundable, except for a partial refund if we can find a replacement traveler and transfer the plane tickets into their name.
Why travel with Eric "El Cubanito" Freeman?
Eric has been traveling to Cuba since 1995. He has traveled there 16 times, and spent a total of 20 months there. He has studied dance there extensively and has developed numerous connections over the years. Join him to explore and experience the amazing things Cuba has to offer. The focus of the trip will be dancing and music, but the tour includes exploring Cuba's history, architecture, beaches, and their fascinating people.
APPLICATION FORM:
Please simply fill in here, and email me back.
1. Your cell phone number with the ability to receive text messages:
(If you do not have this, please provide an alternate phone number, and let me know that you cannot receive text messages.)
2. Do you have Facebook? We tend to use Facebook for group communications (mostly before the trip), but this is not at all required.
3. Fill in the info below from the ID you will use to board the domestic flight to Tampa/Miami.
Simplest would be as it appears on your passport. Otherwise, the info as it appears on your Driver's License.
First name:
Middle name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Gender:
Contact info for any emergency:
Name of person:
Relationship:
Phone number:
4. Your mailing address.
5. A good quality scan of your passport. (You can take a photo with a good quality smartphone camera instead.)
6. I need to know if you have any physical and/or psychological issues that could impede your ability to successfully participate in this trip.
7. Understand that this tour will involve walking at a moderate pace of up to 1-3 miles per day. This will be in, depending on the weather, fairly hot, humid conditions.
In addition, we will be doing (on about 8 days) 2 to 3 hours a day of dance lessons in well-ventilated, but non-airconditioned rooms.
In most evenings we will be going out dancing for 2-3 hours.
All activities are optional. If you are tired at any point, you can always opt-out and go home to relax, rest, etc.
8. Liability Waiver (will create). This basically involves: ....
9. What are your expectations for participating in this trip?
Eric "El Cubanito" Freeman
Owner, Salsaville Dance Studios
www.Salsaville.com
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