Cycle Cuba
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Trip Details
Full details & information about what you can expect in the lead up & during the challenge.
Costs & Fundraising
The balance for your trip cost will be due to us 10 weeks before your departure. You will be sent a reminder & an invoice 12 weeks before, giving you 2 weeks to make the payment.
80% of your fundraising target is due to be with your charity 12 weeks before the challenge, meaning that it either needs to be banked with them or sat against a Just Giving page. We will then invoice your charity for the remaining cost of your place on the challenge, it is important you make that 80% target otherwise your charity will not pay for your place, and your trip could be cancelled.
The remaining 20% of your balance will be due to be with your charity 4 weeks after your trip ends.
Our base cost is on a twin share-room basis, if you are signing up as a couple of two friends – you can tell us when you register for the challenge, so we ensure that you will be sharing a room.
If you are signing up to the challenge as an individual, we will match you with someone of the same gender and roughly the same age.
You can choose to pay an additional supplement to have your own room (and/or tent) on the challenge.
All our groups are an average size of approximately 20 participants. We welcome individuals, couples, and groups of friends on to our challenges, and many who join us literally have a mountain to climb in terms of the scale of the challenge they are taking on. We advocate camaraderie and team bonding and believe that this enhances your experience.
Yes, if we know in advance of the trip, we can cater for all dietary requirements & requests.
Signing Up to the Challenge
Once you pay your deposit & have signed up for the challenge, you will receive a confirmation email welcoming you into the challenge.
You will also receive instructions on how to download our challenge app which has in it all the information you need to start preparing for your challenge – from kit lists to training guides.
We will keep you updated with regular emails & newsletters in the lead-up to the challenge, as well as information on training days & weekends.
If you need to cancel your challenge, your deposit is non-refundable – therefore we recommend you speak to our team to see what alternative options you may have.
Yes, if for whatever reason you need to push your departure back to a later one or change your trip altogether you can do so for a date change fee of £175, subject to availability.
Currently, we do not have the accounting facility to take instalments, we can only take your payment in full at least 12 weeks before your departure.
Preparation
Yes – in our challenge app, which you can download once you are fully registered for the challenge we have a host of training materials, guides & advice for you to use. We also have training weekends and days which you can sign up to meet others & test out not just your fitness, but your mental readiness for the challenge and your all-important kit!
Closer to the challenge we will set up a Facebook group so that you can meet others online who are going to be on your trip. We also have a lively & dynamic Facebook group you can join at any time to meet other fellow challengers – past & present to share and swap training tips, advice & stories.
You will need specific travel insurance, which covers the duration of your trip, along with full cover for any activities you will be doing (i.e. trekking, cycling) and to cover you up to any altitude you may be trekking to. Once you are signed up for the challenge, we will send you full details of our recommended providers of appropriate cover.
Life on the Challenge
Action Challenge UK leader
Action Challenge Medic (for 15+ participants)
Pre-trip briefing by Action Challenge staff
Online registration system
24-27 geared Mountain bikes
Action Challenge App with all documentation
International flights including fuel surcharges
English-speaking local head guide
Local Cuban specialised guides
All participant and luggage transfers
All accommodation in 2-3* quality Hotels*
All meals, except in free time
All National Park fees
3 litres of water provided daily
FREE 50 km place on a UK Ultra Challenge
Insurance
Vaccinations – up to date on boosters
Tips for local staff
Airline fuel surcharge
Alcoholic drinks
Personal kit/equipment
On cycling days, we will wake up between 06:30-07:00, starting with breakfast before preparing for the day ahead. There will be regular short breaks to rest and refuel on snacks and water, with a longer stop for lunch. In the evening, we enjoy a meal at the hotel or campsite, before retiring to bed to prepare for the next day of cycling. Every evening, the Action Challenge Leader will give a briefing about the following day, with information such as appropriate clothing, the topography and any ‘hot spots’ to look out for.
The routes are mainly on tarred roads although there may be some sections of mixed terrain tracks in more rural parts and some tough steep inclines, especially in the Escambray National Park.
We will have an unlimited supply of fully purified and treated water and three varied and nutritious meals a day. Breakfast will be at the accommodation and will typically consist of bread, eggs, and some local dishes. Lunch will be en-route and dinner will be at a prearranged restaurant/accommodation and will be a variety of rice, noodles, vegetables and a selection of meat and fish. We recommend that you bring some of your favourite snacks with you for that extra energy boost! Please ensure all products are dry and packaged. For example: cereal bars, sweets, nuts, or biscuits. Special dietary requirements will be catered for, provided sufficient advance notice is given.
Your main luggage is transported via a support vehicle, leaving you with only the absolute essentials during your days cycling.
Autumn and Spring are the best times of the year to visit Cuba as temperatures are cooler than in the summer season. Humidity is also lower and it’s generally dry. Please do be aware that weather can be unpredictable though and so we recommend that you always come prepared for all weather conditions.
Our Brochure
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, and more – download for a full run down of the challenge details.