Cuba Photo Tour 2023

Cuba is an incredible country with rich stories and extraordinary people.

You’ll get to photograph one of the best countries in Central America, mingle with locals eager to share their culture and traditions, discover, document life and fantastic landscapes.

While several photography tours are offered to Cuba, none provide a similar experience and value for money. We have traveled and led photo tours to Cuba for several years. This itinerary is a photographer’s dream, and it was perfected to the dot during our several iterations and experiences there.

Cuba is generally a safe country to travel to, it is rare for travelers to experience safety issues in Cuba, although minor crimes like pickpockets and currency scams are not uncommon.

However, despite its relative safety, Cuba shares many of the same safety threats for travelers as other developing countries. By just using common sense and following our guidelines, you shouldn’t experience any issues traveling in Cuba. 

We have rated this tour as Relaxed.

Relaxed; most photo opportunities are within one mile or so from where we leave the vehicle. You may need to be able to stand and walk for long periods of time. There is a chance that you can encounter steep terrain (e.g., cobblestones, city hills, stairs without handrails, an absence of elevators, and climbing aboard trains or coaches with big steps); and some longer walks to get to city centers where vehicles are prohibited.

At the time there is no requirements to enter Cuba. The country has dropped all entry restrictions related to Covid. However, you’ll need to present a health insurance certificate that covers Covid-19 before entering the country.

The best time to visit Cuba is during winter. Between November and April, temperatures are pleasant, and there is no rain.

All travelers arriving in Cuba must present a passport that is valid for at least six months from the time entering the country.

Americans traveling to Cuba need a Cuban Tourist Card (“Tarjeta del Turista”), which is often referred to as a “Cuban Visa”. The Tourist Card is valid for 30 days and can be extended for 30 additional days. These usually cost $50-$100.

It is required that all of our guests have their own travel insurance, which should include evacuation for medical reasons.

Unique properties, boutique casas particulares, run by locals.

Casas particulares are a form of accommodation in Cuba. They are extremely popular as you get to live in a local’s house in the heart of the destination.

Casas are completely legal as owners sign up to have the right to rent out a room in their home or a full house if they have one.

Many offer breakfast making them essentially a B&B.

Over the years we have selected the best casas and locations for our itinerary.

While authentic Cuban food is tasty and healthful, it’s not often described with superlatives.

Typical Cuban meals revolve around staples like pork, fish, and chicken, accompanied by a combination of rice, beans, and root vegetables. There generally isn’t much deviation from these basics, so while in Cuba, it’s likely you’ll have the chance to try traditional dishes such as ropa vieja (stewed shredded beef), ajiaco (rich stew made with meat and viandas) and tostones (plantain fritters) on more than one occasion.

for this trip, we use local paladares and casas, where the food is usually fresh and locally sourced;

Mobile coverage is generally great around Cuba’s cities and metropolitan areas; however, expect limited service in remote, desert, or mountainous areas. 

Buy a SIM Card. To avoid roaming charges, buying a local SIM card in Cuba is possible. Using a VPN, Virtual Private Network, is also a good idea when traveling abroad. 

Cuba uses both a 110 and a 220V supply voltage with a 60Hz frequency. Although most hotels in Cuba use 110V power, some of the newer casas use 220V.  So bring your regular phone or camera charger, and charge them from a hotel or a casa particular wall socket. Because the infrastructure has improved in recent years, there is no need to be concerned about the availability of electricity in Cuba.

Cuba’s power plugs and sockets are of types A/B of North American Design. Type C plugs, which have twin round prongs and are common in Europe, are also common in Cuba, so you’ll most likely need a plug converter in this case.

You can also consider a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter.

1) Booking procedure:

• • All prices for the tours are quoted in US Dollars.
  • To book a place in the selected photo tour, we require a deposit. The deposit is due at the time of booking. The deposit shall be paid online via credit card. 
  • Other than the deposit, you need to fully complete the registration form for you and your guests, if any. 
  • If you are traveling solo and want to share a room, we will try our best to find you a match. However, if, for any reason, we don’t find a suitable match, the single supplement fee will apply.

We will send you an email shortly after confirming your booking. Do not book your flights at this time unless otherwise indicated by us. We will let you know once the minimum number of guests to run the tour has been reached. 

2) Balance of Payments:

The final payment for the trip is 90 days before departure. Such payment shall be made via credit card or wire transfer. Failure to meet the payment schedule will result in cancelation and forfeit of deposit. 

3) Cancelation and Refunds

If, for any reason, DAK Photography Inc. must cancel the trip, 100% of paid deposits will be fully refunded. We reserve the right to cancel any trip/tour/group due to insufficient registration at any time. In the event of such cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as possible, and a full refund of trip payment will be given. 

If a guest needs to cancel, we must receive written notification, email is accepted. 

The following cancelation fees apply:

• • 120 days or more before departure: no charge.
  • 91 days to 119 days before departure: 50% of the deposit.
  • 61 days to 90 days before departure: 50% of tour fee.
  • 60 days or less before departure: 100% of tour fee.

In the event that you have to cancel, we will do our best to fill your spot. If we do so, we will refund 100% of the tour fee less an administrative fee of $ 150.- 

Refunds will be not be made for any other costs you may have incurred as a result of your booking. 

Travel and medical insurance that includes emergency evacuation coverage are mandatory. We recommend that you purchase this as soon as the trip is confirmed to protect your investment.