Long-established relationships in Cuba make it possible for Abercrombie & Kent to offer a degree of access and insight no other travel company can match. With experience orchestrating seamless travel to Cuba for guests from the United Kingdom for the past five years, A&K has access to people and cultural experiences that reveal the diversity of this intriguing destination.

“We’ve built upon our experience in Cuba, as well as the rest of the world, to ensure our guests will discover Cuba at its most intimate, authentic and in complete comfort,” explains Abercrombie & Kent USA President Scott Wiseman. “We have arranged an expedited immigration process on arrival, exclusive accommodations at Cuba’s best hotels and a carefully-planned itinerary that includes private access to Hemingway’s home, Finca Vigia for an informative discussion with the curator and local staff involved in restoring the home and its lush surroundings.”

Abercrombie & Kent has partnered with the Foundation for Caribbean Studies, a licensed people-to-people non-profit organization, on an itinerary that takes Americans beyond Havana to Trinidad in central Cuba, a Spanish colonial settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the rural countryside.  There is time to explore Cuba’s cultural and historical wonders, while meeting local people to talk about daily life in Cuba and to enjoy mojitos, salsa dancing and intimate dinners at paladars (privately-owned restaurants) for a first-hand introduction to Cuba’s growing private business sector.

Learn the finer points of tobacco, rum and coffee: the “triangle” of the Cuban economy. Try your hand at crafting one of Cuba’s most enduring icons during a hands-on rolling workshop at a cigar factory, followed by a tour of a working tobacco plantation. Taste Cuba’s other famous exports during a visit to the Rum Museum, located inside an evocative seventeenth-century colonial residence, and at a coffee plantation where you learn the provenance of cortaditos (espresso topped with steamed milk).

Experience Ernest Hemingway’s Cuba, on a privately guided visit to room 511 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos, Hemingway’s hideout, where he is said to have penned For Whom the Bell Tolls. Visit his seaside home, Finca Vigia, before it opens to the public to discuss preservation efforts with the caretaker, then take a walking tour of Cojimar, the inspiration for The Old Man and the Sea, and meet a local fisherman who brings local folklore to life. Enjoy lunch at Las Terrazas, another of Papa’s favorite haunts.

Visit the Valley of the Sugar Mills, the most important sugar production region during colonial times. Explore Old Havana with a local architect, who shares his insights into the city’s restoration projects. Wander the streets of Matanzas, one of Cuba’s most authentic cities and the birthplace of rumba. Explore the intriguing Farmacia Museum with members of the family that preserved the tools of the trade used in Latin America’s first pharmacy and established the museum.

Meet with Cuban artists including Cuban community iconic painter and ceramicist, Jose Fuster, while visiting his art studio, and Salvador Gonzales for a tour of Callejon de Hamel, a tiny alley he turned into an Afro-Cuban art and music epicentre. Discover Guanabacoa, known for its strong Santeria influence and nearby Regla, to visit the Afro-Cuban Museum and the Shrine of the Black Virgin, steeped in local legend. Explore Las Terrazas, a pioneering eco-village turned UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Ride in style in a vintage America car to the historic Santa Isabel Hotel for dinner on the rooftop terrace. Experience a tradition as old as Havana itself, the cañonazo ceremony, from VIP seats, followed by a carnival parade.

A&K Exclusives in Cuba:

• The best hotels including the 5-star Iberostar Gran Hotel Trinidad, a beautifully restored boutique hotel in the center of Trinidad (A&K is the only US tour operator to offer lodging here) and exclusive rooms at Havana’s historic Hotel Nacional
• VIP access to Fincas Vigia, Ernest Hemingway’s home at Cojimar, before it opens to the public, viewing his immaculately-preserved home in small groups of three or four
• Discover Matanzas (A&K is the only travel company visiting the culturally-rich city) on a private visit and tour a 19th-century pharmacy, hosted by descendants of the original owners
• Enjoy a hands-on lesson in local environmental conservation by planting a tree at the beautiful Cienfuegos Botanical Gardens
• Travel in comfort and style on the newest and most deluxe motor coach available with first-class leather seats and air conditioning
• Charter flight from Miami to Havana includes expedited check-in and baggage retrieval, in addition to a dedicated immigration agent.

Abercrombie & Kent’s inaugural departure of Cuba: The Forbidden Isle is Sept 30-Oct 10, followed by Oct 14-24 and 17-27, Nov 23-Dec 2, Dec 12-22 and Dec 21-30.* Eleven days from $4,325 per person, double occupancy. Discover the soul of this enigmatic, exotic destination, long out of reach but now within your grasp, by calling 800.554.7094 to speak with a travel specialist or go towww.abercrombiekent.com.

The best time to go is when it has rained recently, when the forest is most lush.  The green canopy-like plants that cover the trees in the forest are exotic and beautiful looking.  I took a couple of avid bird-watchers that I was guiding here once and they managed to see three different species.

The trails are not groomed, but easy to follow, I just had to watch out for roots.  I always stop for a while to watch kids playing at the playground here.  Next time I plan to bring money to rent a little rowboat and paddle along the river.

The addition of a little cafe at one end of the park has definitely improved the park.  I’ve been lucky to glimpse some brides being photographed here—it would be a great spot for pictures!

Nicole currently divides her time between Ottawa and Havana, working as a musician, guide and writer. She has travelled all over Canada, the USA and Cuba, as well as Mexico, Costa Rica, England and the Dominican Republic. She has also lived in Spain, where she worked as an English teacher. Aside from travelling and music, Nicole enjoys cooking and has worked in several restaurants and has a BA Honours in Translation from the University of Ottawa.

Later at night, the Malecon turns into a hip hang-out spot. Couples get intimate here, groups of friends drink, families walk, and others fish. There is always something going on.

When the ocean gets rough, the Malecon is sometimes closed because of the huge waves that crash over the wall. Though I’m sad I can’t walk, I always go out with my camera to try and capture the powerful waves.

Nicole currently divides her time between Ottawa and Havana, working as a musician, guide and writer. She has travelled all over Canada, the USA and Cuba, as well as Mexico, Costa Rica, England and the Dominican Republic. She has also lived in Spain, where she worked as an English teacher. Aside from travelling and music, Nicole enjoys cooking and has worked in several restaurants and has a BA Honours in Translation from the University of Ottawa.

There are a few tables at one side of the restaurant, where I have sat on a few occasions to order fried eggs in a nest of French fries.  Casa de Huevos is a local café and not many tourists hang out here.  Espresso costs just a peso, which is around 5 cents American and there is often a lineup to get a midday java.

Upon arriving on my last visit, I yelled “ultimo” to get a spot as the last person in line.  Once it was my turn to squeeze into the crowd around the coffee bar, the bartender threw a saucer in front of me and took my order.  While I waited for my double espresso, I watched, amazed, as locals added four or five spoons of sugar to their espresso.

As everywhere in Cuba, there is a black market here. Need coffee for home? I’ve bought a bagful here on more than one occasion.

Nicole currently divides her time between Ottawa and Havana, working as a musician, guide and writer. She has travelled all over Canada, the USA and Cuba, as well as Mexico, Costa Rica, England and the Dominican Republic. She has also lived in Spain, where she worked as an English teacher. Aside from travelling and music, Nicole enjoys cooking and has worked in several restaurants and has a BA Honours in Translation from the University of Ottawa.

In 2005, Cienfuegos’ central square was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Imposing structures here include the domed Palacio del Ayuntamiento, the home of the provincial assembly, and the Palacio Ferrer, distinguished by its cupola with blue mosaic decoration. Cienfuegos is also home to a thermal power station and could have been the site of Cuba’s first nuclear power station if the Cubans hadn’t closed the project after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. There must be a law in Cienfuegos that states you can’t paint your house in the same colour as your next door neighbour. Sage greens, light blues, faded yellows and understated oranges all make for a photographer’s delight.

Julian has written articles on Middle Eastern and European architecture for the US magazine Skipping Stones. He has written travel articles that were published in The Toronto Globe and Mail, Fate Magazine, National Catholic Register, and Northwest Travel. Julian has also written articles for the In The Know Traveler, Go Nomad, InTravelmag, and Go World Travel websites. He has also taken many photographs that have appeared in travel guides by National Geographic, Thomas Cook and The Rough Guides. Examples of his work can be found at http://www.photographersdirect.com/sellers/details.asp?portfolio=13734

Julian has written articles on Middle Eastern and European architecture for the US magazine Skipping Stones. He has written travel articles that were published in The Toronto Globe and Mail, Fate Magazine, National Catholic Register, and Northwest Travel. Julian has also written articles for the In The Know Traveler, Go Nomad, InTravelmag, and Go World Travel websites. He has also taken many photographs that have appeared in travel guides by National Geographic, Thomas Cook and The Rough Guides. Examples of his work can be found at http://www.photographersdirect.com/sellers/details.asp?portfolio=13734

Upon arriving in the outer district (tbn), I immediately headed into a bookstore and inquired about the museum. There I was met by strange looks. “Che Guevara?  Museum?  No not here?”  Another look at the map would show that this supposed museum was no more than a block from where I was standing, so I headed for the first policeman I saw. He had heard of this museum, but my broken Spanish ascertain that it was not a museum at all, but perhaps an old house (casa antigua). The officer directed me two blocks west and to the right. 

Traveling further than he directed and seeing nothing I decided to stop and ask a woman in a convenient store, “Do you know of a Che Guevara Museum or House near by?” This woman assured me it was neither a museum or a house, but my poor Spanish failed to fully understand what I exactly I was looking for. She then directed me two blocks east and to the right sending me right back where I began. Following her directions I found myself at a pizzeria and a train pass. I stopped for lunch, and asked my waiter if he knew of a Che Guevara museum or house or statue and he again assured me it was not any of the above, but whatever it was was just up the street.

I crossed the tracks looking out for a marker or statue or sign when I stopped in front of a novelty store. There in the window I saw countless busts and photos of Che along with Simpson figurines, Homer clocks, and Freddy Kruger masks. Something told me this was it. Upon walking in, I was met by a life size Che doll that stood above the entrance. Once inside I met an kind Argentinian man who informed me that I had indeed made it to the right place, but that the museum had been shut down after the 2001 political upheaval. This older man surrounded by US slasher movie masks, novelty mugs, and antiques was more than happy to bring out his collection of Che photo albums and paraphernalia.  It seemed as if he stood there waiting for people like me to come up and ask about Che, because what spilled out was a mix of history, sentimentality, and current US and global affairs that lasted almost an hour.

At this point, one question loomed in my mind, where did Che go?  Why did no one in Argentina care for a museum? Why are there no remnants of him except for the same T-shirts of a bearded man in a beret popular in America. The man told me that for many Argentinians Che is not a sense of pride, but shame and thought of as a man who left his country for Cuba. But, he assured me that Che was in every other foreign traveler who made the same strange trek as me.

For more on a visit to the museum, museocheguevaraargentina.blogspot.com/.
Or just stroll by 129 Rojas, Capital, 1405 Buenos Aires.

Of course until that occurs, you can do as thousands have done and go illegally via Mexico or Canada, but that certainly isn’t recommended. To go there legally you need to apply for a special permit from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Contact USA Cuba Travel (877-462-8221, usacubatravel.com) for application guidance or more information.