Escorted group tours to Cuba
with a most experienced professional accompanying the group throughout its travel

These accompanied trips are organized by EdutourstoCuba.com in collaboration with Dr. Ernest Reinhold, from Edmonton, Alberta and our reliable and professional Cuban partners. It is a pleasure working with Dr. Reinhold, Director of Cultours, Inc. The first trip to Cuba in 2004 and last trip in February 2005 were great success. There is no trip planned with Cultours for 2006.

Culture, History, Architecture,
Ecology and Environment

From Pinar del Rio to Santiago de Cuba

Cultours Cuba 2004 group picture

Cultours Cuba 2004 testimonial from Dr. Ernest Reinhold

Cultours' Cuba 2004 tour, planned and organized in collaboration with EduToursToCuba.com, was an unqualified success. As in all of its tours, Cultours' Cuba 2004 introduced its travelers to the history, culture, environment and contemporary life of this beautiful country. In 18 short days, traveling almost from one extreme of the island to the other, west to east, visiting major cities and notable regions, we gained a good understanding of Cuba's political and economic history, and its current situation. Throughout the tour, Manuel Silva, our guide, provided interesting and informative comments about all the places we visited, and gave us an insight into life in Cuba today. In several architecturally notable cities, his comments were supplemented by excellent lectures given by local architects about the history and architectural features of their city. Special events included visits to a cigar factory and a rum distillery; a bird watching outing; attending most enjoyable musical performances at several Casa de la Trova were among tour highlights.

With only one exception, our hotels were always comfortable and well equipped, at times approaching 4 or 5 star categories. Food was good, plentiful, with buffet-style offerings providing great variety.

A very large, modern tour bus provided ample space and great riding comfort, and Sr. Santiago, our friendly and helpful driver, made us feel safe even on the narrowest or in the most congested streets.

Needless to say, credit for the success of the tour must go to EduToursToCuba.com, in particular to its director, Arnold August, whose thoughtful planning and attention to detail has few equals. EduToursToCuba.com' Cuban partners also deserve praise for their professional and personal concern, seeing to it that the tour program ran smoothly and fulfilled its objectives.

In light of the success of its first tour to Cuba in February 2004, Cultours is now planning the next tour for spring 2005. With the good cooperation of EduToursToCuba.com and their Cuban partners and the experience gained in organizing the first tour, Cuba 2005 promises to equal, perhaps even surpass, Cuba 2004 as an enjoyable and rewarding educational travel experience.

February 6 - 22, 2005

Cultours is pleased to announce its second tour to Cuba in as many years. We rarely offer a tour to the same destination in successive years, but news of the success of our Spring 2004 Cuba tour has stimulated so many inquiries about the date of our "next" Cuba tour, and as six names were left on our wait list, we have decided to revisit Cuba in February 2005.

When Canada is still in the grip of winter, Cuba offers a mild climate not only to enjoy its well-known beaches but also to explore its many other attractions, environmental as well as historical and cultural. In a seventeen-day tour, Cultours presents a stimulating program of visits to the major regions and cities of this intriguing Caribbean island and offers a first-hand look at a still surviving socialist political and economic system. Accompanied by a professional guide throughout, the program includes four special presentations on colonial architecture and history; a field trip in a national park, visits to tobacco, sugar and banana plantations, a rum distillery, a cigar factory, an orchid garden, a school, musical performances and other attractions.

The itinerary remains essentially the same as on our previous, much appreciated tour, but we have upgraded several hotels, adding a new beach location, replaced a long road trip by a shorter flight, added a beautiful colonial town, and included a field trip that promises sightings of Cuba's colorful birds and its less appealing though interesting reptiles. While our emphasis is on exploring Cuba's land and seascapes, its history, culture and architecture, we are returning to two of Cuba's most attractive beach resorts, Ancon and Varadero, to again spend two days devoted to R & R. Here are some of the tour's highlights:

Havana: two full days allow us to see the major sites of modern and "Old Havana", a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. At a suburban high school that has an exchange program with Canadian schools we will have an opportunity to speak with students and teachers and become familiar with the Cuban school system.

The Eastern Beaches is the capital's closest resort area. Here, Hotel Tropicoco is a convenient overnight stop to catch an early flight to Santiago de Cuba. At this "all-inclusive" hotel, beverages and snacks are, with some restrictions, available free of charge.

Piñar del Rio, Cuba's western-most province is of particular interest to nature lovers as it contains two biosphere reserves. Las Terrazas, one of our destinations, is an ecologically conscious community that lies within the Sierra del Rosario biosphere, sanctioned by UNESCO in 1985. Viñales Valley, also in Piñar del Rio province, with its verdant fields and meadows seen against a background of oddly shaped carst hills, is considered to be one of the most beautiful spots in Cuba and is, deservedly, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to its beauty, the valley is also known for the many species of birds and plants, some unique to the area. Another point of interest in the valley is the Cueva del Indio, one of several caves found in the Valley. Previously inhabited by Indians, the cave is now open to visitors who may walk for about 300 m. on foot into the cave and then take a boat for another 400 m. The unique landscape and the abundant birdlife make Viñales Valley a photographer's and birdwatcher's paradise. Soroa, where our hotel is located, is home to an Orchid Garden with some 350 species of orchids and many other tropical plants on display. Here we will also visit the waterfall Salto de Arco Iris.

Santiago de Cuba: Cuba's second largest city was founded in 1514 and boasts some of the oldest buildings in Cuba. In modern times, it played a significant role in Fidel Castro's revolutionary struggle and is the city where, on January 1, 1959, he declared the success of the revolution. During our two-day stay we will have guided tours of colonial and modern Santiago. The city's Morro Castle, an outstanding example of colonial fortress construction, is a World Heritage Site.

Camagüey: a mid-size city in Cuba's interior, it has a notable historical center that goes back to the 16^th century.

Trinidad: from our hotel on Ancon Beach it is only a short drive to Trinidad where a special lecture on the town's history and architecture, and a panoramic tour, will introduce us to one of the first settlements founded by the Spanish.

Valle de los Ingenios: the Valley of the Sugar Mills is the site of many ruins of 19^th century sugar factories. A nearby observation tower offers fine views of the area.

Cienfuegos, located on Cienfuegos Bay, offers beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea and many sites of architectural interest.

Zapata Peninsula, comprising Parque Montemar, contains a large wetland area of mangroves, marshes and swamps that is home to 160 species of birds, 31 types of reptiles, and 12 species of mammals, including the rare manatee. A field trip guided by a local naturalist will acquaint us with the ecology and wildlife of the area.

Santa Clara is perhaps best known as the final resting place of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, with Castro, the leading figure of the revolution. Lonely Planet considers that a visit to Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara alone is worth a trip to Santa Clara.

Remedios, near Santa Clara, was founded in 1524 and is considered to be one of Cuba's prettiest towns. It boasts a beautiful, well-treed central park, the second oldest church in Cuba and many houses with Spanish grill on windows facing the street.

Matanzas was a wealthy and cultured city during colonial times, which is reflected today in the neo-classical style of many of its buildings and houses with impressive porches. As the home of some of Cuba's best-known poets, among them Cintio Vitier and Carlida Oliver Labra, the city is known as the "Athens of Cuba".

Varadero is the beach resort where we will spend our last full day in Cuba, enjoying its sun, sand, and blue-green water, or some more active pursuits such as snorkeling, scuba diving, skydiving, sailing or walking along nature trails. As at Hotel Tropicoco, beverages and snacks are, with some restrictions, available free of charge.

All tour destinations are listed in the detailed day-by-day itinerary that you will find on Cultours' web site.
www.cultours-travel.com

View from Palacio de la Valle, Cienfuegos

Cultours is owned and operated by Dr. Ernest Reinhold, a retired associate dean and professor at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His professional background is language/literature study, anthropology and linguistics. In addition to this background in teaching, research and administration, Ernest brings to tour development and leading the experience and responsibility that comes with some 30 years of mountaineering, photography, and the patience and discipline of practicing and having taught Yoga. Moreover, extended stays in Nepal, India, Thailand and China have given him invaluable experience in living and traveling in some of Cultours' major destinations.

Ernest organized his first tour in 1985, following a three-week trek, in 1984, with the Alpine Club of Canada through the Khumbu region of Nepal, reaching Everest Base Camp. His fledgling tour consisted of five friends: his destination was again Nepal, and his aim, to give them the same exhilarating experience he enjoyed the previous year. He succeeded, and decided to continue with this very satisfying activity.

After this small beginning, Ernest organized tours for the Faculty of Extension of the University of Alberta, but in 1988 chose to become independent, founding Vista Travels which he incorporated as Cultours, Inc, in 1991. Altogether, he has developed and personally escorted over 30 tours to Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Participation has grown from 5 to 20 persons per tour, and more than 300 participants from Alberta, and many from other provinces and the USA, have traveled with him to some two dozen countries. Quite a number of his travel companions have been on several of his tours, some on as many as 10 or more. All speak highly of the tours' content, organization and ambience.

Ernest has given Cultours his personal stamp: believing in offering a rich travel experience, his itineraries explore well defined cultural areas, visit centers of regional, historical and/or religious significance in an effort to understand and appreciate life and culture of people often very different from our own. Overland travel and visits to small, rural centers provide opportunities for contact with local people and an insight into their lives. Tour programs seek to include special events and, where possible, arrange for meetings with special people such as Mother Teresa and His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

Over the years, Ernest has had a serious personal concern about conditions in developing countries and, in his tours, tries to provide opportunities to travelers to gain some direct experience of local social and economic conditions which, at times, may be troubling. On the other hand, nearly every tour includes a visit to an aid organization which is dedicated to improving the life of the people they serve. Such visits are most rewarding experiences and have encouraged a number of our participants to become active supporters of this or a similar organization.

By design, Cultours' groups are small, never exceeding 20 or 22 persons. As they all comprise a core of "old hands" who have had successful experiences of previous tours, newcomers are soon made to feel at home, quickly losing any sense of apprehension or insecurity often associated with travel in large groups or with total strangers. In their composition, the groups are a good blend of age, profession and personal status: some participants are retired seniors, others are still engaged in their professional, business or trade activities; some are single (and are often matched up with a room mate), others come as couples. No matter what their background, they soon enjoy the congeniality, the relaxed and friendly atmosphere that characterize Cultours groups.

In organizing his tours, Ernest relies on local tour operators and travel agents with many of whom he has worked for years and who are totally dependable. Following his itinerary outline and instructions, they provide reliable transportation, first-class hotels, and well trained, English-speaking local guides. Inevitably, while some minor hitches do occur, in almost 20 years of travel planning, Cultours' has been able to offer its travelers enjoyable, rewarding and trouble-free tours.

For more information please contact:
Dr. Ernest Reinhold
Phone/Fax (780) 433-3533
cultours@telusplanet.net
www.cultours-travel.com

If you would like to escort another group on any subject matter and you can obtain at least 15 participants, and thus earn a complimentary trip, please contact Edu Tours To Cuba.com