Salsaville Dance Studios

Salsaville's epic two-week plus Music & Dance People-to-People Tour of Cuba - Havana, Baracoa and Santiago de Cuba

The plan is to first spend 7 nights taking in the big city and salsa capital, Havana. We will explore the salsa scene in depth (parties, concerts, local dance clubs, and more), meet locals, and take in the architectural splendor that is Havana.

Then, we all fly all the way across the country to arrive in one of the most isolated regions of the island - the very quaint and charming Baracoa - Cuba's first settlement and its first capital. Baracoa is much more laid back than Havana and Santiago and has its own music & dance culture. But the main attraction here is seeing its most abundant natural beauty, considered among the very best on the island, which we will explore extensively during our three and a half days there. Click here to read a good article about this area.

Finally, we all take a relaxed ride in our own bus, with a handful of short stops along the way, seeing gorgeous countryside, coast, and mountains to finally arrive at Santiago de Cuba.

In our final destination, Santiago, we have 7 nights in this more provincial setting, which is known as the cultural capital of Cuba. "Son" music, the root of all salsa music (e.g., Buena Vista Social Club) is from here, and you will live and breathe it during our stay here.

Each destination is very different and all provide unique and amazing experiences:

• Havana has more striking city sights, is close to spectacular beaches, and has internationally famous salsa bands playing live every night.
• Santiago is more compact with a somewhat laid-back smaller-town feel even though its Cuba's second largest city. It is very easy to get around on foot, and has numerous easily accessible and wonderful music & dance experiences.
• Baracoa is its own small world, and provides us a chance to completely disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the cities, relax and connect with a variety of gorgeous nature.

* Depending on where you are coming from and how early you are willing to get up, you should be able to arrive to Havana the same day and thus leave on Saturday, November 23rd. Otherwise, you might need to leave the afternoon before, spent the night in either Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, or Houston, and then fly to Havana the following morning/early afternoon.

Testimonials from Salsaville's 1st Music & Dance trip to Cuba - November 2015
Testimonials from Salsaville's 2nd Music & Dance trip to Cuba - January 2016
Testimonials from Salsaville's 3rd Music & Dance trip to Cuba - March 2016
Testimonials from Salsaville's 4th Music & Dance trip to Cuba - November 2016
Testimonials from Salsaville's 5th Music & Dance trip to Cuba - January 2017

And the trips just keep getting better and better each time. Here are some testimonials from more recent trips:

Testimonials from Salsaville's 11th Music & Dance trip to Cuba - January 2019

The Application Form is at bottom of this page.

This trip will be run under a legal people-to-people educational license for travel in Cuba.

The group size will be limited to 16 or so travelers.
Please note that this will be run as a "semi-boutique" tour, meaning that the group size will kept on the small side, 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:

• All airline travel, including:
  • Flight from your home airport to Havana, Cuba.
  • One-way domestic flight from Havana to Baracoa.
  • Very comfortable bus transfer from Baracoa to Santiago de Cuba.
  • Flight back to your home airport.
• All airport transfers in Cuba.
• One night in a hotel in the connecting city such as Miami if an overnight stay is necessary.
• Cuban tourist visa, departure tax, medical insurance, educational people-to-people license.
• Every night at a fancy B&B in Havana, Santiago and Baracoa with a private room, AC, and bathroom.
• Chauffeur-driven cars available in Havana for the group every day & night to take us wherever we need to go.

Music & Dance Activities:

• Welcome dinner & dance parties at our Cuban dance schools - one in Havana, one in Santiago.
• 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.
• Two private one-hour dance lessons. (With options to take additional private lessons, time permitting, at only a nominal extra cost.)
• 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. In Havana, groups such as Maikel Blanco, Los Van Van, Havana De Primera, Pupy y Los Que Son Son, Manolito Simonet, Elito Revé, etc In Santiago, groups such as the grammy-award winners, Septeto Santiaguero, and numerous other high-caliber son bands.
• For many of our nights out dancing, we will have along with us a group of our instructors and Cuban dance partners to dance and hang out with us all night long.
• Visit to rehearsal of a famous salsa band with a private performance and interactive lecture about Cuban music.
• In Santiago, a home-style neighborhood party with a local but internationally known Son/Salsa band. Local specialty food is served for all.
• 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:

• At least one afternoon trip to "Playas del Este" -- a 30 minute drive to the most beautiful beaches in the Havana area.
• Guided tour through Havana for two or more afternoons -- one with a professional English-speaking Cuban guide, and the others with Eric.
• Guided tour through Santiago for one morning - with a professional English-speaking Cuban guide, with sit-down question-and-answer session after (fascinating for most people.)
• Wandering around the streets of Havana and Santiago and encountering live son/salsa bands, and people to speak with.
• Visit to "El Morro" and other famous sites in the area of Santiago de Cuba.
• Visit to a couple of Cubans' homes - on both sides of the economic spectrum - and hear them speak on life in Cuba today.
• 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.
• Group dinners every night, including at some of Havana's and Santiago's best restaurants. (Cost of meals to be paid on your own.)
• Two day tours of the region around Baracoa with an expert local guide. This will include visiting an organic cacao farm, a canoe ride and walk in the famous "Boca de Yumurí", visiting local musicians, a local beach, all while driving through the beautiful countryside.

The only things that are not included in the package price and you should bring money for are:

• Meals:
  • Breakfasts: usually available in your casa/apartment. $5 is the typical price. Can go out for breakfast as well for a similar price.
  • Lunches: $2 to $12.
  • 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.)
  • All above mentioned prices are for Havana. For Santiago and Baracoa, prices are generally about one third less.
• Phone calls, internet use (Internet is between $1 to $2 per hour.)
• Drinks at clubs: alcohol, etc.
• Medical care if needed (However, likely any medical care needed will be covered by your included medical insurance.)
• Gifts and souvenirs
• Excess baggage fees for airplane flights: One free checked bag is included on all flights, plus a carry-on.
• Laundry services (For $10 you can have a entire load of laundry done along with ironing of the clothes right from your casa.)
• Gratuities - leaving tips

Trip cost, which INCLUDES all airline travel starting and ending at your home airport:

• The cost of the full trip is $3,450 (double occupancy), $3,650 (single occupancy) per person leaving Sunday, December 8th. ($60 extra per person for leaving on Dec. 10th.)
• The price for the Havana-only trip is $2,900 (double occupancy), $3,050 (single occupancy).
• The price for the Santiago & Baracoa-only trip is $2,900 (double occupancy), $3,050 (single occupancy).
• We will have some options for deluxe rooms in Havana:
  • Upgraded room with ocean view: additional cost of $10 per night.
  • Deluxe room in penthouse apartment: additional cost of $15 per night.
  • Spectacular room in penthouse with king-size bed with total ocean view: additional cost of $35 per night.
  • 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.
• We also have some options for some upgraded rooms in Santiago and Baracoa for $5 per night.

Payment schedule is as follows:

• $1,000 up front to reserve your spot on the trip.
• Another $1,000 due on September 1st.
• The remainder of the total trip cost minus $500 due on November 1st.
• Final $500 due upon arrival in Cuba.
• 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 24 times, and spent a total of over 27 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 copy & paste the below text into an email to eric@salsaville.com and fill in:
(Please avoid printing out this form and writing in answers by hand.)

1. Which dates are you signing up for:
Option #1: Full Trip: November 23rd to December 8th or 10th (Please indicate your return date here.)
Option #2: Havana Only: November 23rd to December 1st
Option #3: Baracoa & Santiago only: November 29th to December 8th or 10th (Please indicate your return date here.)

2. Would you like single or double occupancy?
If double occupancy, tell me the number of beds needed and the name of the person you are sharing a room with.
(Or, although tricky, let me know if you would like me to attempt to match you with another traveler to share a room with.)

Note: All rooms have AC and en-suite bathrooms (i.e. the bathroom is directly connected to your bedroom.)

3. Do you want any room upgrades? (This is on a space available basis only.)
Please indicate for which cities you would like a room upgrade. (And for Havana, specify which upgrade.)

Havana:

• Upgraded room with ocean view @ additional cost of $10 per night.
• Deluxe room in penthouse apartment @ additional cost of $15 per night.
• Spectacular room in penthouse apartment with king-size bed with total ocean view @ additional cost of $35 per night.

Baracoa: Upgraded room @ additional cost of $5 per night.

Santiago: Upgraded room @ additional cost of $5 per night.

(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.)

4. Please indicate your preferred origin and return airports:
For example if you live in Boulder, CO, then normally DIA (Denver) would be the airport for both leaving and returning. If you want to return to a different airport, or perhaps stay in Miami on your own for a few extra days on the way back, please indicate this.

5. Your email address:
(If you do not check your email at least once every 24 hours, please let me know that.)

6. Your cell phone number with the ability to receive text messages:
(If you do not have a cell phone that you regularly use, please provide an alternate phone number, and let me know that you cannot receive text messages.)

7. Do you have Facebook?
We tend to use Facebook for group communications (mostly before the trip), but this is not at all required.

8. Fill in the info below as it appears on your passport.
First name:
Middle name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Gender:

9. Contact info for any emergency:
Name of person:
Relationship:
Phone number:

10. Your mailing address:

11. Attach a good quality scan of your passport. (Taking a photo with a smartphone camera works fine.)

12. Do you have any physical and/or psychological issues that could impede your ability to successfully participate in this trip?

13. This tour will involve walking a total of 1-3 miles per day. This may be in, depending on the weather, somewhat hot, humid conditions. Are you able to do this while maintaining an average moderate pace?
(If not, it does not mean you cannot come on the trip. I would just need to know this ahead of time in order to possibly make some adjustments. If you are unsure by what I mean as an "average moderate pace", please ask, and we can figure it out together.)

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 back to your room to relax, rest, etc.

14. You will need to sign a fairly standard liability waiver to sign which will be delivered to you upon accepting of your application.

15. From time to time you will be asked for your input on some aspect of planning the trip. You will sometimes be asked to respond in as little as 24-48 hours. (Examples include RSVP'ing to a proposed group orientation meeting time, and getting your go ahead in purchasing specific airline flights.) I will need your timely response in order to help effectively plan the trip. Do you agree to do your best to respond in a timely-manner?

16. What are your expectations for participating in this trip? (Two sentence minimum here please.)

17. Please list any dietary restrictions that could be relevant to this trip - like if you don't eat red meat, poultry, fish, dairy, etc.



Eric "El Cubanito" Freeman
Owner, Salsaville Dance Studios
www.Salsaville.com
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