Our most exciting program – volunteer in Cuba during the first two weeks of every month. Can be taken for one or both weeks.
Stay in a Casa Particulare in the heart of Old Havana. Spanish language lessons Monday to Friday in the mornings. While the afternoons activities alternate between volunteering and cultural excursions. Weekend trips feature the beach and helping out at the Paseo del Prado ‘arts & crafts’ project.
Accommodation, breakfast & lunch included throughout in either dorm rooms for solo travellers. Shared double, twin private rooms with en suites if booking more than one person. Single room supplement also available.
This program starts and finishes in Havana with airport transfers available on request. Our main language school/hostel – Casa Corazon Cuba – was purpose renovated in 2015 and features same sex dorm rooms. Separate toilet and shower facilities, dining & classrooms, two spacious roof terraces. Lots of other quality space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and make friends with other program participants and our amazing local team. If you prefer your own space or book with a partner or friends then accommodation is at a nearby Casa Particulare where we have double, twin and triple rooms available with en suite/private bathrooms.
Wherever you stay Spanish lessons, lunch, program meetings and inpromtu social activities take place at Casa Corazon Cuba.
Monday to Friday features a busy daytime schedule of Spanish lessons in the mornings. Also cultural excursions and volunteer in Cuba activities in the afternoons. The weekends are more relaxed with trips to the beach and of course the legendary Habana nightlife!
Monday to Friday’s intensive Spanish lessons take place shortly after breakfast. Tuition is delivered by an accredited and licensed Cuban teachers and on day one you receive a short test to establish your level and objectives. Lessons take the format of 3 x 45 minute lessons each morning, with 15 minute breaks to refresh, making approximately 3 hours of Spanish lessons each day – 15 hours per week. Lessons are held from 09:00 sharp, Monday to Friday.
* The Cultural Immersion content features additional Spanish language tuition, oral comprehension and dialogue (approx. 4 hours per week).
When you start packing we ask you to consider bringing something to donate; such as any sports items, children’s toys… and arts & crafts items. We’re not asking you to go shopping or break your budget, just ask around and see if there are unused or under used things lying around yours or friends houses that might be put to more productive use here. Cuba is still subject to heavy hitting sanctions and a trade embargo imposed by her next door neighbour! For more details about or main volunteer partners, see below;
InSurgentes is our newest volunteer partnership with local communities in and around Habana Vieja. At the moment our volunteers are helping to create a green space at Sol420 – Aula Ecológica (Ecological Classroom). Other InSurgentes projects include recycling organic materials into educational games at Fábrica de Bicicletas y Juguetes. This ambitious collaboration with DVV International includes a commitment to produce bicycles with wooden frames and other initiatives to raise ecological and environmental awareness – Eco Urbanism – in this vibrant neighbourhood.
InSurGentes Ecological Classroom – short video
We work with kids, and support volunteer organisers with maintenance and kids activities in Habana Vieja & Centro. The kids include those from broken and troubled families. In addition to creating a fun filled space, our focus is to give its members better preparation for adulthood and parenthood. A variety of classes are given, but focus always remains on social skills and confidence building. Activities include acting, dancing and singing classes and we often make presentations with our volunteers.
The sports complejo has been the main sports facility for all the schools in Habana Vieja for generations. It is a very established facility but lacks basic facilities. Sports run at this location include; baseball, volleyball, athletics, wrestling, basketball and judo in the near future.
We support sports in Cuba whenever possible and the benefits sports bring to society are well known to Cubans. We follow their lead, improving facilities and donating equipment are where our support is most required.
In its day Havana was one of the most important and wealthy cities on the planet. The source of this wealth is undoubtedly controversial and Cuba’s more recent history is testament to this controversy. The faded patina of Havana’s gorgeous neo classical architecture, rumble of classic American cars and curious soviet era high rise buildings force you to question – what is Cuba?
We would like to help you answer this question through a series of cultural excursions and encounters with Cuban people. The format is varied, for example, a guided tour of a museum, or a weekend excursion down ‘Paseo del Prado’ to see the free open air art classes and discussion groups. Or a sporting event such as baseball or basketball game or other ‘event’ where there is a big social gathering.
These cultural experiences and excursions are with our trained local guides who will show you how to buy (and spend!) local peso’s, take local transport and generally make you feel at home and comfortable with your new surroundings.
During the 4 week program you have three weekends, and we include activities for each of these. For two weekends you are accompanied on a daytrip to a beach directly east of Havana. Journey time is 30 minutes by bus and you can enjoy the exhilarating rollers that break on these pristine sandy beaches.
The second weekend features a two-night trip to Viñales, a three hour drive to the central western region of Cuba.
Viñales is a UNESCO World Heritage destination owing to the outstanding landscape, traditional architecture and agricultural techniques still used.
The trip includes a horseride into the valley to drying houses where we learn about the art of curing tobacco and rolling cigars, and an early morning hike to view a spectacular sunrise.
Weekly price includes accommodation (7 nights per week), breakfast & lunch, 15 hours intensive Spanish lessons, twice weekly dance lessons, three times weekly cultural excursions / activities, escorted trips to the beach and other weekend activities plus a weekend in Viñales Valley (4 week program only though optional if staying less than 4 weeks).
Cost of extra night – accommodation & breakfast $40
Cost of airport transfer – each way $40
Immaculate beaches, lush green hills, dramatic rainforests and waterfalls. Imposing mountain ranges, vibrant cities steeped in history and a defiant Revolutionary chic. The island of Cuba can rightfully claim to be one of the most unique getaways on earth.
The largest and most populous island in the Caribbean, Cuba has been somewhat time warped by its socialist revolution of 1959. That, combined with the decadence and corruption of previous regimes has made it a sunshine isle of stark contrasts. Vintage American cars roar through the streets of Havana. Horses and carts carrying water and food stumble through the countryside. Graphic revolutionary insignia adorn walls just yards from a decadent colonial palace.
Much of the island’s allure lies in its spectacular beaches and thrilling scenery. Christopher Columbus wasn’t joking when he declared in 1492 the coast of Guardalavaca to be “the most beautiful land I have ever seen.” The beaches there are like something out of a dream, so it should come as no surprise that thousands of holidaymakers head there each year to soak up the sun on the improbably white sands, dip into the warm, turquoise waters and indulge in the five star luxury that many of the hotels and resorts there provide.
While the world famous cocktails may surpass the hearty but occasionally limited food and the travelling around might be slightly more difficult than elsewhere in the Caribbean, Cuba more than makes up for this with its stunning climate, captivating history, generous charm and swinging salsa rhythms.
You need a visa (also known as Tourist Card) to enter Cuba. These are easy to buy online – we recommend the following service, see;
The standard Tourist Card is valid for 30 days. However, this can be extended twice when you are in the country on payment of a small fee – our local team can help you. This means you can stay for up to 90 days maximum on a single visit.
A pink coloured ‘Tourist Card’ is required when flying to Cuba directly from the USA and a green coloured ‘Tourist Card’ is required to visit Cuba when flying from any country except the USA.
For US citizens / guests travelling directly from the US to Cuba we recommend the following service, see;
All our programs comply with ongoing US travel restrictions and are 100% legal for US and non US citizens alike. It is no longer necessary to apply to ‘OFAC’ for special permission to visit Cuba. When flying direct from the US to Cuba your airline will require you to sign and retain a one page ‘affidavit’.
This document lists 12 permitted categories of travel to Cuba. Please simply tick the box marked ‘SUPPORT THE CUBAN PEOPLE’. This is a travel category our programs comply with.
Following the abolition of the CUC (convertible peso) in 2021 the only official national currency now in circulation is the Cuban Peso (also known as ‘Moneda Nacional’). However, USD and EURO cash is widely accepted and easily converted into local currency.
Bank cards drawn on US banks are still not accepted in Cuba so US residents should bring sufficient USD cash for all your spending requirements while in Cuba.
For other visitors, to ensure maximum flexibility and to achieve the best rate of exchange, we also recommend cash – ideally USD or EURO. However, bank ATM machines are widely available throughout Cuba. Only government owned business accept card payments.
WiFi is still not widely available in Cuba except on a pay as you go basis in government hotels and internet cafes. However, inexpensive SIM cards can now be purchased on arrival – our local team can help you buy these. It may be advisable to ensure your phone is ‘unlocked’ and/or has a VPN service to ensure continuity of services when in Cuba. The situation is constantly evolving and improving so there is no need to be ‘offline’ for extended periods – unless you would like to be!
Cuban’s are big meat eaters but there is a varied and plentiful supply of excellent locally produced seasonal fruit and vegetables as you would expect from a tropical country.
However, strict vegetarians should please ask as often the ubiquitous black and brown beans served with every meal is started with some pork fat. The good news is that though repetitive Cuban food is very healthy with virtually no processed foods and almost organic given a of shortage of pesticides.
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