Backroads is licensed by the United States Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to engage, organize and conduct authorized Support for the Cuban People group travel to Cuba. These trips engage participants in meaningful interactions with individuals in Cuba. In order to adhere to the US government requirements for travel to Cuba, this trip does not allow for the degree of flexibility we build into all of our other itineraries; as a guest, you will have a full schedule of enriching Support for the Cuban People activities.

Backroads trips fall under the Support for the Cuban People general license category, meaning our trips are legally licensed, enabling us to deliver high-quality experiences in Cuba. When purchasing your commercial flights to Cuba, select that you will be traveling under the OFAC category of Support for the Cuban People general license. ​Also, if you are subject to US jurisdiction you may extend your stay in Cuba and book your flights according to your added days. If you are not extending your stay before or after our Backroads trip, your flight to Cuba must arrive no earlier than the evening before the Backroads trip start and must depart no later than the morning after the trip end.

Note that US policy prohibits direct financial transactions to entities related to the Cuban military, including various hotels. Please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns about your travel arrangements for the days before or after your Backroads trip. And for more information on the latest guidelines, please refer to OFAC's FAQs. For a complete and up-to-date list of restricted hotels and other entities, please refer to the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. 

The cultural exchanges on this trip allow for as much activity as possible. However, the overall level of physical exertion is less than you may have experienced on other Backroads trips.

When traveling abroad, things don't always go according to plan and, particularly in Cuba, itinerary changes or shifts mid-trip are quite common. In the event of a last-minute change to scheduled activities, your leaders will find alternate activities. Expect the unexpected in this region—it's all part of the adventure!

As "luxury" accommodations in Cuba can generally be very hard to find in smaller towns or be characterized as large all-inclusive, resort-style hotels, our accommodations in the towns we visit outside of Havana are not typical of the Backroads experience. While the hotels are the best available in the towns we visit, even the nicest properties in Cuba do not come close to equaling the accommodations on other Backroads trips.

Please note that although meals are fresh and tasty, the variety will be limited, with many of the same ingredients featured (such as poultry, pork, beans and rice).

Our busy yet compelling schedule involves substantial time in the shuttle, enabling us to add variety of scenery and regional depth.

Please note that we use locally rented mountain bikes on this trip which are just right for the non-technical paved and dirt road riding we encounter.