7 Day New Year Orishas Afro Culture & Yoga Retreat
Enjoy the best New Years’ Eve ever!
Reconnection . Inspiration . Spirituality
Summary
The last day of the year is a day when everyone leaves the bad behind and welcomes new dreams and challenges. For many, traveling to Cuba is a dream and together with Yalorde Yoga, this New Year’s Eve you can make it a reality.
Enjoy the beauty of Cuban history, culture, and people. Immerse yourself in the streets of Havana and discover why Cuba is such a unique and exotic country.
This New Year Orishas Afro-Cuban Culture and yoga holiday is an attempt to share my love for this warm country where I was born and the African heritage that runs through my veins.
With Love,
Ludisis Mones
- New Year Eve Celebration
- 6 nights accommodation
- daily yoga classes
- full time local cuban guide
- private transportation
- Custom-made itinerary
- small group of participants
Retreat Itinerary
- Today you will arrive in Cuba and Ludisis will pick you up at the José Martí International Airport in Havana.
- Check-in at Casa Casa Particular in Havana.
- Walking tour through the historical center of Old Havana with our local guide in English.
- Lunch in the heart of Old Havana, in one of those old squares that will captivate you with its colonial architecture (price not included).
- Delicious breakfast prepared lovingly by your local hosts at Casa Particular in Havana.
- Travel by classic car with air conditioning to the city of Trinidad, one of the best-preserved colonial cities, not only in Cuba but also in Latin America (included).
- Short Excursion to the City of Cienfuegos: The call Pearl of the South.
- Check-in at Villa Sonia our private house in Trinidad 1:00 p.m.
- Walking Tour of the city of Trinidad (Optional Transfer to the city: 8 CUC).
- Tasty lunch prepared by our hostess Sonia (price not included).
- Night of Traditional Music and Cuban Folklore on the Stairway of the House of Music of Trinidad. It is the most popular place to dance Salsa under the stars of Cuba (transfer to the club and entrance fee not included).
- Enjoy the tasty tropical fruits at your breakfast in Villa Sonia.
- Excursion to the Topes de Collantes Natural Park, an immense protected area that owns 45% of the country’s endemic birds (optional, recommended, price not included).
- Lunch in a restaurant of typical rural food in the middle of nature (if you take the excursion-price not included).
- Vipassana Meditation session and Hatha Yoga class at sunset on the seashore (included).
- Homemade Cuban dinner made by our local hostesses Lisandra and Sonia.
- Excellent opportunity to learn to prepare some of the most exquisite dishes of Cuban cuisine (optional dinner-price not included).
- Delicious breakfast at the Villa Sonia.
- Travel in a private car with air conditioning to the city of Havana (included).
- Classes of Afro-Cuban Dance and Dance Salsa Cubana with Ludisis (included).
- Tour of modern Havana in a classic American classic car (optional tour book before the trip).
- Traditional show of Cuban live music with a cast that has won 7 Grammy awards, members of the famous “Buena Vista Social Club”, all combined with the best Creole food and cocktails (book in advance if you wish to attend.) The best traditional music shows and Cuban dance in the country.
- Section of Hatha Yoga and meditation with views of Havana.
- Delicious breakfast at Casa Particular in Havana.
- Free Time to enjoy Havana by yourself.
- Preparation for the celebration of the new year.
- Guided tour with Ludisis to the neighborhoods of Havana where you will know the real life of the Cuban.
- Introduction to Cuban popular culture, guided custom tour by your local guide Ludisis (Visits to non-tourist neighborhoods, a workshop on the Cuban health system. The food distribution system, visits “Un Solar” (local community homes that are not visited by tourists).
- Great New Year Celebration You will enjoy the best new year’s experience surrounded by music, typical food, dances, and many surprises. (The transportation to the place and the value of the dinner are not included).
- Breakfast at Casa Particular in Havana and check-in at another Casa Particular (included).
- Transfer to Viñales by private car (included).
- Horseback riding through the tobacco plantations and workshop on the production and harvesting of Cuban tobacco (recommended – not included).
- Tour of caves, prehistoric murals and coffee plantations (included).
- Lunch at the Guajiro restaurant (organic food from the garden to the table), (lunch not included).
- Transfer to Havana (included).
- Dinner in Havana (not included).
- Hatha Yoga and Vipassana Meditation Section (Closing Ceremony of the retreat).
- Breakfast and Check out at Casa Particular in Havana.
- Transfer to the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana (included).
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Retreat Description
All levels are welcome! During our yoga retreat in Cuba, you will receive daily Hatha Yoga classes. Hatha Yoga helps to harmonize the body, breathing, wisdom, and spirit, conceptualizing and exploring the nature of being.
To take you by the hand through its streets, cities, and beaches, I have created an itinerary that gathers visits to 3 of the most important cities that belong to the World Heritage: La Habana, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad.
To immerse yourself in the purest Cuba, we will visit the Valley of Viñales where the farmer full of patience and pride grows and harvests the best Cuban tobacco in the country, where he will teach you that Cuban tobacco is the result of a long process where nothing is left to chance.
Enjoy the Cuban salsa dance with our dance workshop with locals who will show you the peculiar movements of this typical Cuban dance genre.
To penetrate our rich Cuban culture, you will meet and share with local practitioners of the Afro-Cuban or Santería religion.
You will have the opportunity to appreciate the different deities in a real Yoruba temple and learn about their own characteristics that differentiate them from each other.
You will feel part of our Cuban family in our “Casas particulares” (private houses) in Havana and Trinidad where we will stay during the trip.
The typical Cuban family atmosphere offered by these lodgings will allow you to delve deeper into our Cuban culture and be a local during these 7 days.
As a Cuban, Yalorde Yoga feels very proud to accompany you in this experience to “The Most Beautiful Island of the Caribbean Sea”, I invite you to discover Cuba in an active and healing way through this New Year Culture and yoga vacation.
Yes, Americans can join this tour!
During our tours, you will engage in additional authorized Support for the Cuban People activities. In addition, you stay in rooms in a rented accommodation in a private Cuban residence (Casas particulares), you eat in private Cuban restaurants (paladares) and you buy in privately-owned stores (cuentapropista), as stated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) (§515.574 Support for the Cuban People, Note 2 to paragraph (a)).
Yalorde Yoga Villa - Accommodation
Trip Facts
What is included?
- Individualized and personalized guide of Ludisis
- Hatha Yoga classes and meditation sessions
- Walking tour of Old Havana in English
- 6 nights accommodation in beautiful Villas
- Airports transfers
- Excursions in Havana, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad
- Transportation to and from Havana, Viñales, and Trinidad
- All breakfasts at our Casas in Cuba
- Afro Cuban music workshop
- Tobacco Plantation Excursion
- Behind our African roots in Cuba excursion
- Self-acceptance session circle
- Afro-Cuban Dance Workshop
- Visit to Temples and magic surprises
- Unique custom-made itinerary created with Love for you
What is not included?
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa
- Personal expenses
- Additional activities not included in the itinerary
- Meals
- PCR test
- Medical Insurance
Summary Of Travel Times:
- Havana to Viñales – 3 hours
- Havana to Cienfuegos – 2 h 45 min
- Cienfuegos to Trinidad – 1 h 22 min
- Trinidad to Havana – 4 hours
- José Martí International Airport to Casa Particular – 35 minutes
Cancelation Policy:
- 100% deposit refund for cancellation 1+ days before retreat start date.
- 50% deposit refund for cancellation 1-0 days before retreat start date.
- 0% deposit refund for cancellation 0-0 days before the retreat start date.
Remaining Payment:
- The remaining balance is due upon arrival.
- If paid at the time of booking, a full refund of the remaining balance is available up to the day before your retreat start date.
Questions & Anwsers
Notice for travelers in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19):
- Vaccinated travelers are allowed to enter Cuba.
- All travelers must carry a COVID-19 negative RT-PCR certification, carried out no more than 72 hours before traveling, in a certified laboratory, in the country of origin. and a vaccination certificate.
- Children under 12 years of age, regardless of their nationality, upon arrival in Cuba, will be exempt from presenting a vaccination schedule or RT-PCR test.
- When boarding the flight at origin, airlines will require their passengers to provide evidence of a vaccination scheme, and a negative RT-PCR test applied within 72 hours beforehand.
This tour complies with the general license category “Support for Cuban People” for individuals (515.574).
The tour provides the basis and support for your compliance with the law. Our tours are original and tailor made. A cuban plan them, and a cuban run it.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you need any assistance preparing your visa (also called Travelcard).
While the weather can’t be predicted, it’s usually nice and sunny in Cuba.
June, July, and August are the hottest months.
Tropical showers usually come through in August – November, but they usually pass quickly.
They leave clear blue skies, lots of warm weather, and sunshine.
A part of the proceeds of this retreat is used to support the children of the local community in Havana.
If you wish, you can contribute with donations that you can personally deliver to the children and families most in need in Havana.
The electrical supply in Cuba is 110 volts / 50 cycles standard, and all appliances use flat, two-pronged plugs (like the ones used in the US and Canada).
We recommend bringing adaptors and converters with you if your appliances don’t use 110 volts or flat, two-pronged plugs.
Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required).
Health & Safety:
• Face masks (required)
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Rubber gloves
Warm Weather:
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Shorts/skirts (Longer shorts/skirts are recommended)
• Sun hat/bandana
• Swimwear
Essentials:
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket
Fly to Havana Jose Marti Airport Cuba (HAV) and you will be greeted by Ludisis at the airport.
This tour complies with the general license category “Support for Cuban People” for individuals (515.574).
The tour provides the basis and support for your compliance with the law. Special arrangements may be available for travelers who prefer to travel under the “People to People” category.
Our tours are original and tailor-made. A Cuban plans them, and a Cuban runs it.
Americans can actually join any of our Cuba tours, as long as they take the steps to fulfill the requirements for legal travel to Cuba.
This involves traveling to Cuba in a way that satisfies conditions for a general license for Cuba. We recommend you to travel under the category: “Support to the Cuban people”.
Our retreats have a full itinerary of cultural activities included and use services that support private locally owned businesses in Cuba.
Having a full schedule of tour activities included, as well as most meals, these tours represent an alternative to our original style Cuba tours which involve only essential inclusions, and mostly free time at each destination in Cuba.
The currency in Cuba is the Cuban Peso (CUP).
We do not recommend you bring travellers cheques, as it is very difficult to exchange them in Cuba.
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is a part of local culture in some parts of the world but is not acceptable for our travellers.
Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure.
You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that quite often we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel.
