An excellent cycling trip with plenty to challenge the keen cyclist. We saw hugely varied aspects of Cuban life, from farming to city and town life. The group were great fun and we all got on very well. The tour guide was excellent and looked after us from start to finish.
Cycling Cuba commencing 22/10/15 This was our first time of travelling with Exodus and our first 'organised cycling tour'. albeit my wife and I have cycled many hundreds of miles in various and exotic parts of the world before.
We had the advantage over most on our group as we had visited Cuba five years earlier whilst on a walking holiday.
From day one the 'support team' of Jose our guide and the two drivers were attentive and very professional. This included Roberto the 'cycling mechanic' who stayed with us for the first three days, to ensure we all 'fitted' our bicycles and that all the 'brought from home' items such as specialist peddles, saddles, bicycle GPS kits and extra water bottles stayed attached to the bikes.
During the tour both drivers namely Jose-Lewis ( bicycle & supply bus) and Jose-Ursa (people carrying bus) brilliantly anticipated stops for the essential supply of vast quantities drinking water together a seemly never ending supply of fruit ( Papaya, pineapple, oranges, avocado & guava) together with coconut cake and peanut brittle to maintain our energy levels. Both drivers although attentive did not crowd the riders but kept a respectable distance.
Cuba is ideally suited for cycling with very low traffic levels and courteous drivers. The roads are generally good although potholes proliferate the further you get from centres of population. A good cyclist has to be alert to these wherever you ride.
The accommodation was mostly very good, with stays in wonderfully atmospheric 'colonial style' hotels where the staff would make every effort to ensure your stay was memorable.
However, we did experience the most dreadful conditions on the third night at the Playa Largo ( Bay of Pigs) where we stayed at what can only described an ex-'young pioneers camp' of concrete chalets, all of which had seen better days, with poor standard of cleanliness and curtains hanging off rails. Having visited Cuba before we are aware that there are shortfalls, but not like this. To add to our displeasure for our 16 hours stay at this encampment there was NO running water. We could not shower or more importantly flush the WC.
On approaching the hotel management they just shrugged their shoulders and laughed! Luckily the group dined out that evening at a local 'casa-restaurant '.
This was the worst experience of the whole trip! You must consider finding an alternative hotel, more so after spending a wonderful evening at the Valasco boutique hotel at Matanzas the previous night!
We were probably the eldest in the group my wife and I being almost 70. However we found the cycling
exhilarating and achievable, but like most in group heat took its toll. Riding in temperatures of 38c experienced on the tarmacked roads made distances easily ridden at home challenging.
The routes were well planned but it is our opinion that the group could have benefitted from earlier starts to avoid the mid-day heat. This was highlighted when the clocks were put back in the second week of our stay.
Week long tour of western Cuba stopping off at loads of interesting and enjoyable locations: just some were Cienfuegos, Trinidad, pottery studio and 'have a go', Vinales Valley and tobacco/coffee plantation with fascinating demonstrations and of course not forgetting the wonderful Havana.
Lovely places to stay and very very good food.