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"SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE"
PHOTO PROGRAMS
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SANTIAGO DE CUBA
"HEROISM AND ROMANCE"
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's second-largest city located on the eastern edge of the island, is known as the "Heroic City" for having birthed the Cuban Revolution. It offers a rich cutlure and history for photography, infused with memories of independence heroes and the rebellious spirit that continues today. Baracoa, much more intimate, is everything romantic. It is a destination for Cubans seeking a romantic destination and escape from the concerns of modern-day life. It also holds a fond place in the familial memory of our founder, whose parents honeymooned in Baracoa prior to the Cuban Revolution of 1959.
Similar to our Havana-based programs that have brought back repeat visitors, our program will put you face-to-face with the Cuban people and all their resilience, warmth and humor. From athletes to dancers, from mechanics to farmers, we will provide up-close moments, curated experiences and candid serendipity while supporting the Cubans we meet. It's the heart of what we do, as well as partnering with a community organization on each trip to offer gifts to support their ongoing efforts for the Cuban people.
For photographers, it's a dreamy place. With its colonial charm and vibrant, restless culture, the city offers colorful streets, historic centers and cathedrals for unparalleled street and architectural photography. Nature photographers can explore the Sierra Maestra mountain area and dramatic coastline with its unique microclimate that creates ever-changing light conditions and spectacular sunsets. There is also the potential for night-time astrophotography in the outlying areas on a clear stunning night sky, especially as we get far away from urban centers.
​We will be joined by professional Cuban tour guides who know the area well and provide experiences you would be unable to provide on your own. Per our high standards, our housing will be a lovely, privately-run and air-conditioned bed and breakfast (casa particular).
With our combined decades of knowledge, we will pull deep within our networks of contacts and on-the-ground experience to make sure your trip is an absolutely rewarding, unique and unparalleled experience.
HAVANA
"KEY TO THE NEW WORLD"
Get an up-close and immersive view of Havana, a fascinating and bustling metropolis, as we stay with different host families in the capital and meet everyday Cubans in daily life. The Cuban people, known worldwide for their warmth and openness, make it all but impossible not to form bonds even with any language barrier. Only 90 miles from the shores of the United States but with a completely distinct and vibrant culture that overwhelms the senses of new visitors, Havana is entrancing, beguiling and unforgettable. Old Havana, a UNESCO heritage site, offers a firehose of sights and sounds. Our trip will start and end in Havana, a city called the "Key to the New World".
TRINIDAD
"COLONIAL GEM"
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We'll meet Cubans from different walks of life on the cobblestone roads of Trinidad, a colonial town with rich history on the southern coast of Cuba. UNESCO World Heritage site, Trinidad is an incredibly well-preserved time capsule of the early 19th century, when fortunes were amassed in the nearby Valley of the Sugar Mills. Its colonial mansions and cobblestone streets around the neo-baroque main square have tremendous old-school charm. Trinidad is surrounded by natural beauty, from beautiful coastlines towards the south to the Parque Natural Topes de Collantes in the northwest. With an aura of a community lost in time, Trinidad is a sparkling gem in Cuba.
DEEP EXPERIENCE, PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE
Our trips are highly curated experiences, enabling you to see Cuba in ways that typical travelers do not. With decades of experience in Cuba producing projects, we navigate the logistical challenges of access and opportunity to arrange up close personal contact with everyday Cubans in highly visual situations. Consistent with the nature of a "Support of the Cuban People" program, our participants are in touch with everyday people in Cuba with the goal to support them and their endeavors with our imagery and resources.
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You'll be led by Alex Garcia, a Pulitzer-prize winning photographer of Cuban descent who has achieved international recognition for his imagery in Cuba with a World Press Photo award. He will be hands-on, engaged with the group every step of the way, offering advice and insight to help you realize your goals of the trip.
On past trips we have met and photographed entrepreneurs ("cuentapropistas") artists, surfers, skateboarders, musicians, boxers, ballet dancers, baseball players, farmers, fishermen, bakers, horsemen and more. We have been in the city and in the countryside, in fishing villages and building roofs, at waterfalls and and fashion shows. This is all in addition to interacting with your hosts and your own friendships you make along the way.
The trip provides an intimate opportunity to meet and support everyday Cubans and their passionate pursuits, understand and appreciate the country and connect meaningfully with the Cuban people. We always try to keep the trips different, adding more experiences and finding different groups of people to support and to photograph.
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It's never the same trip twice! Just ask some of our repeat clients:-) We are happy to provide those references.
GENERAL PRICING
$5250
Our groups are limited to 9 participants.
CW welcomes both amateurs, professionals and their spouses or companions, although all must follow the full schedule of activities to remain part of our legal program.
Depending on the number of participants, we stay with different host families.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
• 9 days of scheduled activities and travel outlined in your welcome packet.
• 8 nights of accommodations hosted by Cuban families.
• Professionally hosted, comfortable air-conditioned rooms with warm water showers.
• All breakfasts
• All lunches
• Professional bilingual tour guides for daily assistance.
• Daily photo guidance on the art of making pictures and techniques of street photography in Cuba.
• Optional two image review sessions and final slideshow.
• Welcoming and closing dinners at two top-tier paladars.
• Admission to any locations during group activities.
• Air-conditioned round-trip transportation to other cities.
• Ground transportation for listed activities and other optional activities that may emerge.
• From/to airport transportation in Cuba.
• Incidental drinks and snacks during some listed activities.
• A welcome packet with helpful information for a safe and fun trip.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED :
• Round-Trip Airfare from the United States to Cuba
• Overnight hotel stay for next morning departures for Santiago de Cuba itineraries.
• Cuban Tourist Visa (your visa is purchased online or at the last airport before leaving the U.S.)
• Cuban Health Insurance (included in your airfare)
• Airline baggage fees
• Meals and activities not listed on the final itinerary.
• Individual expenses beyond lodging and meals offered by hosts.
• Tips to support the Cuban people with whom you interact.
• Internet or communication costs.
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