Listed as a UNESCO cultural World Heritage site, the Viñales Valley stands out for its conservation of terrestrial ecosystems, traditional peasant farming practices, and the valley's characteristic music. Local residents carry out a number of ecotourism initiatives and sustainable development practices. Trails running through tobacco fields and past mogotes (the distinctive mountain formations of the valley) offer an intimate look at the life and organisation behind preserving this heritage. A visit to the despalillo (tobacco leaf sorting centre) reveals a key stage in cigar-making.
Meet your guide at your accommodation. Walk through the “Corazon del valle” valley with an introduction to local farming. Along the way, during a visit to a farmer's casa de seca (drying house), take part in a hands-on cigar-rolling exercise.
Visit to the Despalillo, the tobacco leaf sorting centre.
Visit to Wilfredo's property, focused on sustainable development and organic farming. Tasting of an original cocktail.
Lunch at a village farmer's home.
Bike ride through Los Mogotes.
Return to your accommodation or the village centre.
Alternatively, opt for a horseback tour: meet one of the guides at the Don Tomas house. A roughly 500 m walk to the equestrian farm. A horseback ride of about 2h30 through Viñales amid the mogotes. These geological formations are rounded limestone hills. 100 million years ago, the region stood at a higher elevation. Beneath the surface, a vast network of underground rivers carved through the bedrock. Erosion created large caverns that eventually collapsed, leaving only these hills behind! This is the origin of these unusual landscapes. You arrive on horseback at a farmer's home, where you'll have lunch.
