Endemics of the West
A slow birding week through the Sierra del Rosario forests of Las Terrazas and Soroa, the karst valley of San Diego de los Baños, and the endemic-rich Zapata edge at Playa Girón.
For: Birdwatchers, naturalists, patient photographers
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 2 travellers · 8 nights · casa tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $1,100 – $2,600 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $60 – $150 |
| Travel insurance | $80 – $300 |
| Accommodation | $200 – $400 |
| Local transportation | $190 – $550 |
| Food | $400 – $800 |
| Guides & activities | $240 – $660 |
| Connectivity | $30 – $110 |
| Tips | $40 – $160 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $24 – $96 |
| Emergency reserve | $126 – $484 |
| Total (2 travellers) | $2,490 – $6,310 |
- Per traveller
- $1,245 – $3,155
- Per day
- $311 – $789
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $1,264 – $3,226
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $550 – $1,300
Basis: casa particular · local mixed food · shared taxi · 6 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Barcelona (BCN) → Havana (HAV) — José Martí International
Cuba's principal international gateway — the only truly diversified one, with links across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example dates 2026-10-24 → 2026-11-01 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Transfer from Havana up into the Sierra del Rosario biosphere at Las Terrazas.Afternoon
First forest walk for Cuban tody, Cuban trogon and Cuban solitaire.Evening
Lakeside dinner in the eco-village, checklist over coffee.Morning
Dawn chorus trail — Olive-capped warbler and Scaly-naped pigeon.Afternoon
The old French coffee ruins and a stream for the Cuban emerald hummingbird.Evening
Home cooking on the terrace, night sounds of the forest.Morning
Short move to Soroa; the orchid garden and a bee-hummingbird search.Afternoon
Waterfall trail for Cuban grassquit and Cuban pygmy owl.Evening
Casa dinner with a valley view.DinnerFonda de MercedesrestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Climb to the Castle in the Clouds viewpoint for raptors on the ridge.Afternoon
River-edge birding for the Cuban green woodpecker and Great lizard cuckoo.Evening
Quiet evening, logging the week's endemics.DinnerFonda de MercedesrestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Drive to San Diego de los Baños; the Hoyo de Guama karst for parrots and parakeets.Afternoon
Cueva de los Portales birding and the still forest around the springs.Evening
Village casa dinner and an early night.Morning
Long transfer south to the Zapata edge at Playa Girón.Afternoon
First scan of the wetland margins — herons, egrets and the Cuban black hawk.Evening
Fresh fish by the bay, dawn plan for the marsh.StayPlaya GirónPlaya GiróN & ZapataMap →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Morning
Dawn at La Turba and Bermejas for Zapata sparrow, Bee hummingbird and Bare-legged owl.Afternoon
Flamingo flats and Fernandina's flicker in the palm woodland.Evening
Final checklist over a slow country dinner.StayPlaya GirónPlaya GiróN & ZapataMap →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Morning
One more dawn hour for anything missed on the marsh trails.Afternoon
Drive back toward Havana with a lagoon stop en route.Evening
Farewell dinner and the trip list tallied before the flight.StayPlaya GirónPlaya GiróN & ZapataMap →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card, a passport valid for the stay, and proof of onward travel and insurance. Nationals of Spain use the ordinary tourist card — no consular visa for a standard holiday. The full entry, arrival and customs detail is in the guides below.
5 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $3,900 (expected) above is the itemised cost with no package margin. Prefer a bundle? Take an agency quote and compare it line-for-line against that breakdown.
Operating Spain agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Air Europa ↗
Scheduled Madrid–Havana.
Sells: flights
- Iberia ↗
Scheduled Madrid–Havana (~10h20 nonstop).
Sells: flights · 901 111 500
- Iberojet ↗
Own flights + Havana–Varadero packages (Ávoris/Barceló group).
Sells: flights, packages · 918 460 001
- Catai ↗
Premium tailor-made Cuba tours.
Sells: packages, tours · +34 914 091 125
- B the travel brand (Viajes Barceló) ↗
450 agencies; Havana–Varadero combined packages.
Sells: packages, flights, hotels · 913 277 760
- Viajes El Corte Inglés ↗
Dedicated “Viajes a Cuba” section across 6 destinations.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels · 91 33 00 732
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Endemics of the West" trip cost?
- An estimated $2,490–$6,310 all-in for 2 traveller(s) over 8 nights ($1,950 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card plus a valid passport, onward travel and medical insurance — no consular visa for a standard holiday stay. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time to do the 8-night Endemics of the West trip?
- The best months for this 8-night leisure plan are December–April (migrants plus resident endemics), and it is a popular route from Spain. Cuba's dry high season runs roughly November to April; the June-to-November hurricane season is quieter and cheaper.
- What does the Endemics of the West itinerary include?
- A day-by-day route over 8 nights with a real hotel and restaurant chosen for each day, a live flight search from Spain, and a full itemised budget of about $1,950 per traveller. It is free and self-booked — CubaAtlas gives you the plan and you arrange each part directly at the source, with no agency margin or commission.