Cuba at a Crossroads

Join the women-led peace organization CODEPINK, Solidarity Committee of the Americas (SCOTA-MN) and ProximityCubas trip to Cuba. Cuba has proven its hospitality to foreign visitors for decades. If you have never visited Cuba, this is a very unique opportunity to do so. If you have traveled to Cuba before, this is the right moment to continue your support the Cuban people.

With options starting at just $1,900 travel to Cuba in a program legally designed for U.S. citizens to support the Cuban people and promotes people-to-people exchange.

Experience first-hand the daily life of Cubans, participate in community projects with grassroots and non-governmental organizations.  Take a day trip outside of Havana to visit an agricultural cooperative to learn about food production and organic farming in Cuba. Enjoy Cuban food in privately and cooperatively owned paladares while engaging alongside Cubans in specially selected cultural activities. 

This trip is designed for peace activists and travelers who are interested in learning about the political, social and cultural current situation of Cuba - and much more!

 Deadline to register: September 15, 2022 

If you can’t join our delegations but want to help, consider signing our petition to President Biden, calling on him to take Cuba off the State Sponsor of Terror list.


You won’t want to miss this amazing travel opportunity!

A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT of $500 must be made on September 15, 2022 in order to secure your place in the program. The REMAINING BALANCE must be paid on October 3, 2020.

Reserve your spot here

Still have questions? Check out our FAQ below or email [email protected]

Program Cost Includes: 

  • Accommodations at hotel in Havana, Cuba for seven (7) nights; 
  • Breakfast every day and seven (7) additional meals (5 lunches and 2 dinners) and a cocktail party with Cuban guests; 
  • One (1) large bottle, or two (2) small bottles of water per participant upon arrival at the airport; 
  • Ground transportation to and from the airport; 
  • Ground transportation for all scheduled activities in Havana, Cuba; 
  • Program coordination as it is indicated in the tentative itinerary;
  • Entrance and program fees and expenses associated with scheduled activities; 
  • Guided visits and cultural activities included in the program; 
  • Fees/honoraria for professors, lecturers, and institutions including a donation to two community projects; 
  • Expenses for activities in Cuba including providers (coordinator, guides, drivers and others); 
  • Translations and expert guides

  Program Cost does not include: 

  • Domestic and/or International flights airfare and travel expenses to and from US to Havana; 
  • Health Insurance (now it is included in the airfare); 
  • Cuban Visa; 
  • Meals and drinks not included in the program as indicated in the itinerary;
  • Gratuities or Honoraria in addition to those included in the program cost;
  • Personal items/expenses; or 
  • Optional and/or unscheduled activities 

Friday, November 4 

Optional early arrival for those travelers who would like extra rest before the program, or due to flight itinerary or better airfare. Airport transfer and hotel accommodations arrangements. Extra fee applies, please email us to request more information.

Saturday, November 5

Arrival in Havana • Airport Transfer to the hotel • Orientation Meeting • Welcome dinner at a paladar (privately owned restaurant)

Sunday, November 6

Breakfast at the hotel • City tour – Drive tour in Vedado and Miramar districts • Visit to the street cultural project Callejón de Hamel and meet with cultural activist Elias Asset • Lunch at La Bodeguita del Medio in Old Havana • Walking tour in Old Havana

Monday, November 7

Breakfast at the hotel • Visit the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) to learn about non-governmental organizations in Cuba and the people-to-people programs, meet with specialists on U.S.-Cuba relations • Visit to the Museum of the Revolution • Lunch at Casa de la Amistad • Overview of the current political and economic situation in Cuba with an university professor • Participate in the cannon firing Ceremony at 9 pm in La Cabaña Fortress 

Tuesday, November 8

Breakfast at the hotel • Visit the Literacy Campaign Museum and meet with professor and director Luisa Campos • Visit to the home and art studio of ceramist and painter José Fuster and learn about his art community project • Lunch at the art studio • Walk around the community and enjoy the art spread in Jaimanita community • Meeting with representatives of the Federation of Cuban Women • Guided visit to the Fidel Castro Ruz Center

Wednesday, November 9

Travel outside of Havana to the province of Artemisa and visit to an agricultural cooperative • Meeting with representatives of the National Association of Small Farmers to discuss about organic farming and food production and distribution • Enjoy a country lunch at the International Campsite in Caimito • Vist the Museum Memorial de la Denuncia, former museum of the Ministry of Interior that was remodeled in 2017 to form this far more interesting look at U.S. actions against Cuba in the last 60 years • Meeting with members of the neighborhood and social organization.

Thursday, November 10

Visit an organic urban garden cooperative in the Eastern district of Alamar • Visit the fishing town of Cojimar where Ernest Hemingway was inspired to write the Old Man and the Sea and enjoy a walking time around the village • Lunch at the paladar Café Ajiaco, considered one of the most authentic paladares in Havana and known as the best creole food in town, socially responsible business committed to their workers and the community • Visit the Alba community theater and meet with two grassroots and independent projects: Espiral and Okan-Tomi • The community project Espiral is dedicated to environmental education and community empowerment, following the methodology of popular education • Okan-Tomi is a cultural grassroots project that explores and reworks Afro-Cuban dances and music, the offers workshops for children in their community • At the end of the activity enjoy a dance and music performance.

Friday, November 11

Visit a health clinic and meet with medical professionals to learn about public health and primary care • Lunch in a private restaurant in Old Havana • Visit to the Arts and Crafts market • Meeting with filmmaker Gloria Rolando • Farewell dinner and cocktail party with Cuban guests

Saturday, November 12

Hotel check-out • Transfer to the airport • Return to the United States

 

* * This itinerary is subject to change

  • Is travel to Cuba legal? Effective June 9, 2022 the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has reinstated the "people-to-people" category of legal travel to Cuba. This amendment authorizes group educational travel conducted under the auspices of an organization that is subject to U.S. jurisdiction and that sponsors such exchanges to promote people-to-people contact, provided such travelers are accompanied by agent of the sponsoring organization. The Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued "General Licenses" in 12 categories of authorized travel, subject to appropriate conditions:
  1. Family visits.
  2. Official governmental business.
  3. Journalistic activities.
  4. Professional research or meetings.
  5. Educational activities.
  6. Religious activities.
  7. Public Performances, clinics, workshops, other athletic or non- athletic competitions, and exhibitions.
  8. Support for the Cuban people.
  9. Activities of Private foundations or research or educational institutes.
  10. For purposes related to export, import or transmission of information or informative material.
  11. Authorized export activities.
  12. Humanitarian Projects.

    US airlines will require you to sign their travel affidavit where you must indicate the OFAC license you will be traveling under. The information provided to the airline must be in correspondence with the ProximityCuba travel affidavit.
  • Do I need a Passport and Visa to travel to Cuba? Yes. All participants must have a valid passport to obtain a visa to enter Cuba. Your passport should be valid for a minimum of four months beyond your stay in Cuba. Also, be sure the passport, especially the photo, is in good physical condition. If you are a citizen of another country, you must have a valid passport of that country along with U.S. residency permit or visa with multiple entry permitted, also valid at least 4 months beyond the date of the trip’s return. If Cuban born, you must hold either a valid and stamped Cuban passport or if you left Cuba prior to January 1, 1971, a U.S. passport and a PE-11 entry permit. The Cuban government requires all U.S. Citizens traveling to Cuba to obtain a Cuban visa or Tourist Card prior to their arrival into Cuba. This Tourist Card can be used once within 180 days after the date of issue and it is valid for a single-entry for a period of up to 30 days. It can be purchased directly with the airline for a cost of approximately $50-$100. Please, always check with your airline prior departure (American AirlineDeltaJetBlueSouthwest, among others). Customers who were born in Cuba, regardless of current residency, travel under separate requirements. If Cuban born, please contact us at [email protected], you may need additional documentation.
  • Does ProximityCuba provide airport transfers? ProximityCuba provides transportation to/from the airport for suggested flights in the programs. If taking alternative airlines or flights contact your trip coordinator. Taxis are available at the airport for between $20 to $40 USD per vehicle.
  • Is travel to Cuba safe? Yes, travel to Cuba is extremely safe. The crime rate is very low, and generally you should not have any problems walking around. That said, it is always wise to be responsible with your belongings and aware of your surroundings.
  • Do I need to know Spanish? No. While it is always nice to be able to communicate in the local language, you do not need to speak Spanish in order to participate in our programs. You will be accompanied by English-speaking guides and staff for all scheduled activities. In addition, many Cubans –especially in Havana – are able to communicate in English.
  • What is the climate in Cuba? Cuba has a tropical climate with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. Temperatures vary little across the island, ranging from around 61 degrees in January to 90 degrees in August. It is hot and humid and the heat increases in June.
  • What do I need to know about Cuban currency? The official currency of Cuba is the Cuban Peso (CUP) (Peso Cubano or Moneda Nacional). The official exchange rate is 25 CUP : 1 USD; nevertheles, the informal market exchange rate is much higher, between $75 CUP to $100 CUP for 1 USD. This is expected to change since the Cuban government just announced that the official exchange rate will vary. We will provide updated information was the new regulations are implemented. The Cuban Convertible Peso or CUC is not longer circulating in Cuba. You will need money for not included meals, entertainment, trips you do on your own, gifts to take home, and other purchases.

We recommend that you spend some time researching the economic and political situation of Cuba, as well as Cuba-US relations. We will be meeting with politicians, local activists, doctors, journalists, professors, and other experts on our trip. It is important to have a base level understanding of the history and current political context of Cuba to get the most out of our meetings.

Some articles:

The hidden hand of the US blockade sparks Cuba protests, by Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores

The United States Tries to Take Advantage of the Price Cubans Are Paying for the Blockade and the Pandemic, by Vijay Prashad and Manolo De Los Santos

Carlos Lazo: The Cuban American Leading the Charge to Transform U.S.-Cuba Policy, by Medea Benjamin

We Should Applaud the Cuban Health System — and Learn From It, by Medea Benjamin

Distortions and Attempts to Undermine the Cuban Medical Brigades Will Not Succeed, byBill Hackwell

Cuba: A Brief History of 60 Years of Internationalism in Health.by Marinella Correggia.

CODEPINK Statement on Cuba Demonstrations

Videos:

Webinars:

Books

  • Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana by Peter Kornbluh
  • The Lonely Planet Guide to Cuba (2013)
  • The Cuba Reader edited by Aviva Chomsky, Barry Carr and Pamela Maria Smorkaloff
  • Eyewitness Guide to Cuba
  • Wonderful Havana by Julie Napier
  • Cuban Revelations: Behind the Scenes in Havana by Marc Frank (2013)
  • Cuba: Between Reform & Revolution by Lou Perez

Be patient and flexible: Traveling in any group presents challenges, and this is especially true in such a large group. Number one requirement to make this a great experience is PATIENCE. Number two requirement is FLEXIBILITY. Plans change at the last minute. Speakers don’t show up. Buses break down. Make the best of these snafus by making new friends in the group, leading us in song, telling jokes. Have fun and bring up the spirits of the others, especially the grumpy ones!

Be courteous: Please be courteous to your fellow participants, our country hosts, guides, translators, waiters and hotel staff and those Cubans who choose to make presentations to our group. If a difficult situation should arise, try to think in terms of how you, as a member of the group, can contribute to a solution.

Respect and help the trip leaders: All of the trip leaders, both in the US and Cuba, have been working very hard to put this trip together, and will be working REALLY hard during the trip. Many of the US trip leaders are not only volunteers, but have actually paid their own way!!! Please give all the trip leaders thanks, encouragement and assistance. For reasons of safety or for the interest of the group, there may also be times when the group leaders will advise against a particular action. Please respect their request.

Be punctual: Please try to be at our meeting places on time. Being mindful about punctuality will ensure that the group isn’t late and/or you won’t be inadvertently left behind. If you miss an event you signed up for because you were late, take it as an opportunity to do something else, like join another group or take a stroll along the Malecon (the famous boulevard along the ocean)

Respect different political views: Please remember that we are guests in Cuba, a country with a different culture from that of the US, with a different (although intertwined) history. It is best to approach each new situation with an open mind. You are not there to convince either the other participants or the Cubans that Cuba (or the US) are really great or really terrible. You’re there to learn, exchange ideas and have a good time. And remember: there are very different political viewpoints among Cubans, and among the trip participants. During this trip, you'll be hearing the pro-government side at many of our official visits. Some of your best information about everyday life in Cuba can come from interactions with your guides, the informal evening sessions, and conversations you might strike up with people on the street.

"Everything was over the top great. The itinerary was unbelievably full, fascinating and generous and I loved it!" --Lynn Delaney from Oakland CA

"I honestly cannot think of a thing that could be better. The leadership was amazing and creative... We were always engaged and involved through the whole trip." --Natalie Shiras of Lee MA

"I loved the CODEPINK trip to Cuba that you planned and organized which exceeded any and all of my expectations... The trip was an eye-opener and so stimulating in every way. I so much enjoyed the guides, who were all so patient, knowledgeable, well spoken, and generous, the Cuban people we met, and all of your support team involved." --Anthony Rago of Climax NY

"When I look back I'm amazed by how much we did in a short time.  The presentations and meetings were excellent." --Molly Murdey of Porland OR

2019 delegation