Cuba - Special Events - Cuban Cigar Festival Tour 2007

Whether you are a cigar smoker or not this festival is now one of the best party weeks of the year worldwide.

During the Festival del Habano week, cigar lovers and their friends from around the world gather in Havana for what has become an internationally recognised event. In addition to the events organised by Habanos, the Cuban Cigar marketing company, In Cloud 9 has added some fun options and trips exclusively for our clients.

The following itinerary is a suggestion, although a number of excursions, add-ons and activities can be added for you on request.

Sunday
9.30am	Virgin from London to Havana (Flights from many other countries are available on request)
Virgin arrives 2.10pm local time flight arrives at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana.VIP Arrival Service at the airport, which cuts out the long immigration queues, and gives you cold refreshing drinks while your luggage is collected and cleared through customs for you. Transfer to the five star Parque Central Hotel in Havana. Welcome drinks, snacks and VIP check-in at the hotel. Dinner in a local paladar (Paid by you locally) Hemingway bar crawl around old Havana for those with energy left. (drinks paid locally)

Monday
7.30 – 10.00	Breakfast at the hotel
10.00am	Guided walking tour of Old Havana stopping at a few of Hemingway’s old haunts.
1.00pm	Lunch in Old Havana paid by you locally.
Free afternoon to stroll around Old Havana, relax by the hotel’s swimming pool or go to the newly refurbished Club Havana beach club. The club has a good beach, water-sports, tennis, massage, two good restaurants and beach bars.
7.30pm	Welcome Night at Gran Teatro de la Habana: Cuban National Ballet featuring Shakespeare and his Masks. Followed by the Festival Welcome Cocktail Party

Tuesday
7.30 – 10.00	Breakfast at the Hotel.
9.00am	Optional - Depart for the Vuelta Abajo, the top tobacco region in Cuba. Here you will visit San Juan y Martinez and San Luis, the two villages the region is centred around. You will visit the covered tobacco plantations that grow the very smooth leaves used for the wrapper of the cigars. In this area we will also show you the curing and fermenting processes that ensure that the flavour of the Cuban Cigar is the best in the world.After the tour of this area we will take you for a local lunch with local drinks (Included).
3.00pm	Leave Pinar del Rio for Havana.
Free night or:
7.30pm	Optional drinks on the Hotel Nacional Terrace followed by dinner is a local restaurant.
10.00pm	Various live music venues. See list for recommendations.

Wednesday
7.30 – 9.30	Breakfast at the Hotel
9:30 am	For cigar lovers, Tour of the famous “El Laguito” factory, where they roll the Cohiba cigars. Opening of the International Seminar. Followed by tobacco and cigar lectures. Or: Plan B - Free day. Optional trips, Deep sea fishing, Havana beach club, Day trip to Cayo  Largo. Club Havana is a relaxed beach and country club and is accessible if you wish, and only 20 mins by taxi from the hotel. All Special Places clients have a special entrance rate of only $10 - $15 per day. There are two restaurants, an informal one on the beach and a formal one in the clubhouse. The club also has a large swimming pool, water-sports, tennis courts, gym, massage, sauna and steam rooms.
7.00pm	Meet in the bar for drinks in the hotel bar.
8.00pm	Cigar Distributors party night, nationality varies from year to year.

Thursday
7.30 – 10.00	Breakfast at the hotel.
AM	Visit to the “El Laguito” Factory for the cigar rollers competition. Or Free day and night to enjoy Havana or do an optional night trip somewhere.

Friday March
7.30 - 9.00	Breakfast at the hotel
Free Day
8.30 pm	Festival del Habano Gala Dinner – This is the “Cigar Oscars”

Saturday
7.30 – 10.00	Breakfast at the Hotel
Free day for various activities such as deep-sea fishing, horse riding, day trip to Cayo Largo for the fabulous beaches.

Sunday
7.30 – 10.00	Breakfast at the hotel
Free day to enjoy Havana. Check out of the hotel (Late check out subject to availability)
2.30pm	Transfer to the airport
6.00pm	Virgin Flight home. Arriving next day (If in Europe).

• All travellers must be adequately insured.
• Flights can be arranged from the UK, USA, Africa and most European and Caribbean hubs on request.
• All times quoted are local times and may vary nearer the time of travel, these will be confirmed to you then.
• Bed and Breakfast is included at the Hotel Nacional for 7 nights (Other hotels can be quoted for)
• All food and drinks are paid for by you locally, except where stated as “(Included)” Please note that most meals and drinks parties are in fact included in the above itinerary.
• All optional items are subject to numbers of people interested and availability locally.
• * The Gala Cigar Dinners have been going for 9 years, of which Fidel Castro has hosted six, we can not however guarantee his appearance at the 2007 dinner, although he may well be there depending on his busy schedule.

The inclusive tour cost per person sharing a room is from UK£995

(Single supplement UK£150) The price is inclusive of all ground arrangements in Cuba.

(Prices below in CUCs can be converted to UK£ at a rate of 1.5CUCs to £1.00)

Festival del Habano activities and prices: (Must be booked and paid for in advance) Please advise us what you would like to be included in?

ACTIVITIES PRICES IN CUC

• Welcome Night 200.00 CUC
• Visit to Plantations 75.00 CUC
• International Seminar 300.00 CUC
• Visit to Habanos Factory “El Laguito” 10.00 CUC
• Distributors’ Night dedicated to the Habanos 175.00 CUC
• Gala Dinner 500.00 CUC
• COMPLET PROGRAM (Full Package) 1,260.00 CUC
• ACCOMPANYING PROGRAM 1,160.00 CUC

For details or reservations on this and other exclusive tours please contact:

UK Office: Beech Hanger Ashurst, Tunbridge Wells Kent TN39ST UK Tel.: +44 870 2424036 Fax: +44 1892 740972 E-mail: toby@incoloud9.com

Cuban Office: Lonja de Comercio, Calle Lamparilla 2, Oficina 2, Habana Vieja, Cuba Tel +5378606104 / 5 Fax. +5378664245 E-mail: toby@incloud9.com

SKYPE name tobybrocklehurst

Excursions and add on trips are available on request here are some examples:

Cayo Largo is a stunning island around half an hour’s flight South of Havana in the Caribbean. The 25 kms of beaches are amongst the best in the Caribbean. The sand is so white that it is actually cold under your feet, even in the middle of a sunny day. The swimming in the warm clear waters off the beaches and coral reefs is ideal for snorkelling and a very wide variety of fish and sea life can be seen. Turtles lay their eggs on most of the beaches, including right in front of the hotels.

Day trips to Cayo Largo are available departing at around 6.45am from Havana hotels arriving in Cayo Largo at around 8.30, giving you the whole day to enjoy the beach, fishing, snorkelling, boat trips etc. This will cost between 150 and $170CUCs depending on whether you do a boat trip with a lobster lunch on board or simply relax on the beach with all inclusive drinks, cocktails and food at the five star Sol Club hotel. Bonefishing can also be arranged on request for an extra charge in advance only. A one night stay in a Five star hotel, all inclusive of food and drink, is from 250CUCs giving you two full days on the beach.

Deep-Sea Fishing off Havana was made famous by Hemingway’s book “Old Man and The Sea”. Since 1959, the revolution as made it impossible for the waters of Cuba to be fished by many people. As a result there is an abundance of big game fish, Blue, Black and White Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Wahoo, Kingfish and many more, can be caught straight in front of Havana. Within half a kilometre of the Havana shore the water is around 1100 metres deep!! Deep-sea fishing is available from two marinas, one east and the other west of Havana, the cost is around 300CUCs per boat for 6 – 8 hours fishing.

This price may alter pending on which month the tour is requested, due to the flight price & accommodation charges. Should you have any queries regarding this tour please do not hesitate in contacting us at
info@incloud9.com