Skip to content

Fat Mary

For this cycling tour our destination is María la Gorda, located at the extreme west of Cuba.

Tour Leader

Cost

Extra USD $350. Should you register looking to share with an another and we are not able to find an acceptable companion, you will need to pay the Single Supplement charge.

Tour Details

On this route you will cycle from Matanzas to Havana and beyond, all the way to the western tip of Cuba at María la Gorda (the tour’s namesake).  In Havana, we will pause for a few days to explore the treasures of the capital city, including the old town and we will witness the traditional “closing of the city” ceremony.  Beyond the north coastal route, we cycle through the western province of Pinar del Río and the Valle Viñales.  The quiet back roads of western Cuba will take you past lush green fields of tobacco, alongside turquoise beaches, through the Viñales Valley surrounded by unique limestone formations and on to islands, beaches and coral reefs.

This amazing tour includes visits to famous caves, interesting pueblos and ancient coffee farms.  From all-inclusive beach resorts to mountain shacks, this ride covers some gentle roads in the Sierra del Rosario biosphere and incredible experiences in Valle Viñales.  The trade winds traditionally blow from the east providing our tour with a gentle tailwind (part of the reason why this ride is so popular).  After we reach María la Gorda, we return to Varadero in our air-conditioned tour bus, where we spend a few days on the pristine white sand beaches before flying home.

As a tour company, we have long supported Cuban youth cyclists.  We will visit a club at the Havana velodrome and the Punta Brava cycling club on the west side of Havana.  This will bring you one of many opportunities during the tour to meet and learn from local Cubans and gain an appreciation for the resilience and warmth of Cuba and its people.

TOUR GALLERY

DAY BY DAY SCHEDULE

Cycle Rental

Bicycle Breeze has bike rentals at great prices. For this bicycle tour in cuba you will need either a hybrid or a gravel bike. All will work. Should you prefer to bring your own that is fine with us, you will get the same mechanical assistance as the renters.
 
Check your travel company for costs of shipping your bike. Depending on your country of embarkation you may be better to rent. Renting has other positive aspects. Your bike will not get lost in transit. It is far easier to travel without a bike box and spare bikes are on the bus for renters. The negative side is that this is not your favourite ride.

Customize This Tour

With a group of 10 or more riders, Bicycle Breeze can offer the ability to customize a tour to suit your needs. Contact us to start planning your next great adventure.

Leave a review of this tour

5 thoughts on “Fat Mary”

  1. Greetings from Nova Scotia!

    I was on the Maria tour last November. I hope you are doing okay with covid et al. The tour was a trip of a lifetime for me and I can’t wait to come back. I am purchasing a house this fall so it won’t be this year but I will be back. I joined a cycling club and will keep up my training so I can truly enjoy my time on the bus 😂. Take care and I hope that Cuba, and your family are fairing well In these bizarro times.

  2. Our whole experience was appreciated… I
    Feel as if I have lived my dream! BB provides this unusual opportunity at reasonable prices allowing people like us to experience your country while doing what we love … bicycling!

    Many thanks to both of you!

  3. Hi Laurie, it was great having you and Johannes with us on the Fat Mary Tour of Jan 2023. Beth and I really appreciated your kind nature and thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I have to say I think we all had a blast.

    Lee & Beth Orphan, Co-tour Leaders

  4. I did the Fat Mary Tour with Lee and Beth in 2023 and had a blast. The scenery was beautiful and the amount of riding was perfect. The bus followed us, so those who got tired or too hot could escape to air conditioned comfort. The bike I rented from Bicycle Breeze was great. Some of the information in advance was a little confusing; especially the part about money. But once I was there, I learned that this is part of being in Cuba. As a solo traveller I was a bit nervous going to Cuba for the first time. Everyone on the tour was friendly, easy going and welcoming. I enjoyed the company of our Cuban guides and the various people I met. The various accomodations were ecletic – ranging from all inclusive resort to Casas (B&Bs) to hotels to one night in a bunk house. One nigt in the bunk house was enoguh, but I still enjoyed it because the location was beautiful and the people were so nice. Some of the resorts had loud music, which I could have skipped. But they did have more food choices. My favorite places were the Casas and hotels.

    Some cautions: In Cuba, there can be limited food choices, so this could be difficult for vegans, vegetarians and pescaterians. Sometimes the food choice was one choice…for several meals in a row! You do need to be able to go with the flow and accept that plans may change. It’s hot in Cuba, so drink lots of water before you get thirsty. I forget to do this one morning and felt wasted by noon. But an expresso, three glasses of mango juice and lunch …. I was good go.

    Would I go back? Yes!!! Next winter I’ll do a different tour with them.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *