Small-Group Jazz & Rumba Experience Led by Musicians & Musicologists
April 28–May 3, 2027 • Maximum 10 guests per tour group
April 28–May 3, 2027
6 Days / 5 Nights • Maximum 10 guests • $3,485 per person + $550 single supplement
For six days, we want to show you the music of Havana as we experience it ourselves. We are working musicians here, and our plan is to take you where we go to listen, learn, and play.
You’ll spend evenings in the city’s best clubs for contemporary Cuban jazz. The specific venues change nightly based on who is playing. We follow the scene closely to find the most interesting performances, whether it’s a tight quartet experimenting with new harmonies or a big band testing out material.
This tour also coincides with International Jazz Day on April 30 — a UNESCO-recognized global celebration of jazz and cultural exchange. Evening options depend on the confirmed local program. Ask us which April 30 activities are included and which are optional, including any additional cost, before booking. No particular concert is guaranteed.
To properly understand rumba, we will travel outside Havana to the city of Matanzas. It is a place deeply connected to the history of music. A private session with members of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas is planned, subject to the artists’ schedule. They are a legendary, multi-generational group and Grammy award winners. Engaging with them directly in their home city provides a rare look into the traditions of the form.
We also set aside an afternoon for a private listening session in a recording studio. The acoustics are precise. You can sit with the band and hear the articulation of every instrument without amplification. It’s a unique way to study arrangements and the interplay between musicians.
Guided by Peers: Your guides are professional musicians active in the local scene. We can help you analyze the music you’re hearing, introduce you to other players, and give you a practical context for everything you see and hear.
A Handpicked Itinerary: We build the schedule each day around the city’s live music calendar, with special attention to International Jazz Day, when Havana becomes part of the worldwide celebration of jazz. We go where the most compelling music is happening, from our preferred spots in Havana to a dedicated exchange in Matanzas.
Practical Learning: The format is interactive. You can ask a bandleader about their writing process or have a percussionist from Los Muñequitos de Matanzas break down a specific tumbao pattern for you. The goal is for you to leave with a much deeper musical understanding.
People-Centered Travel: Most of this program is built around direct time with Cuban musicians, guides, artists, privately owned restaurants and other independent local partners. For U.S. travelers, that same structure is designed around Support for the Cuban People, and we provide the itinerary and pre-departure documentation for the trip.
Small Group Tours — Maximum 10 Guests
6 Days / 5 Nights
Havana & Matanzas City
For U.S. travelers, this itinerary is designed around Support for the Cuban People (31 CFR § 515.574). Each traveler must participate in a full-time schedule of qualifying activities with meaningful interaction and support for independent Cuban activity. We provide the detailed itinerary and pre-departure guidance; concert attendance alone is not a travel authorization, and breaks must remain consistent with the full-time program.
Day 1: Welcome to Havana
Arrival in Havana: After you clear customs, meet your musician‑guides.
Transfer to accommodations: Private group transport to your selected Casa Particular or private villa, with a short orientation on the way.
Malecón Ritual: Get your bearings and catch the sunset by the sea during our special Havana Music Tours welcoming ritual.
Welcome dinner: Group dinner at a favorite paladar, El del Frente, in Old Havana.
Evening live music: Kick things off with a curated jazz show chosen by our team.
MEALS: Dinner
Day 2: Havana City Tour and Jazz Night
Breakfast: Enjoy a fresh, Cuban‑style breakfast at your stay.
Guided walking tour: Explore Old Havana’s plazas and side streets with a musician’s eye for history and stories.
Afternoon break: Rest, shop, or relax at the casa.
Driving Tour of Havana: Visit Fusterlandia, El Bosque, Revolutionary Square, and more.
Live jazz in Havana: Attend a selected jazz performance or jam session from the confirmed local program with your musician-guides.
Group Dinner at a Havana Paladar.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Live Studio Experience, Afro‑Cuban Culture, and Rumba
Breakfast: Start the day at your accommodations.
Studio session: Private live music studio experience with top-notch Cuban musicians and time for Q&A with the band.
Light lunch provided in the studio.
Cayo Hueso & Folkloric Performance at Callejón de Hamel: Afternoon walk with a local specialist to learn about Afro‑Cuban religion and culture, with art and rhythm stops along the way.
Dinner on your own: Choose your spot and taste what calls to you. Your Tour Leader will assist you in arranging any necessary reservations and transportation.
April 30 — International Jazz Day: An optional evening performance may be available from the confirmed local program. Ask us about availability and any additional cost before booking.
MEALS: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 4: Matanzas, cradle of rumba
Breakfast: Enjoy a fresh breakfast at your accommodations.
Private coastal drive to Matanzas: Depart in the morning for a scenic ride along the Vía Blanca, about two hours each way, with wide sea views. If timing allows, we can pause briefly at a coastal lookout for photos.
Music of Matanzas with Luis: Meet Luis, our local music specialist, for an engaging session on how Matanzas shaped rumba and other Cuban music genres.
Rumba workshop‑performance: A workshop‑performance with Los Muñequitos de Matanzas is planned for this departure, subject to the artists’ schedule.
Lunch included in Matanzas: Enjoy a casual group meal with classic Cuban dishes.
Return to Havana: Early evening arrival.
Dinner on your own.
MEALS: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5: Sunday Rumba, Your Havana, and Farewell Night
Breakfast: Begin the morning with breakfast at your accommodations.
Morning flex time: Use our curated list to choose a short activity that fits your interests, such as a photo walk, gallery visit, or record shopping if open. Your guide will host brief “office hours” to point you to curated independent options nearby.
Callejón de Hamel Sunday Rumba: Midday, meet your guide for the neighborhood rumba party. Learn how the songs, calls, and steps connect to Afro‑Cuban traditions, then enjoy the live drums and dance from a comfortable group vantage.
Lunch on your own: Break for lunch near Hamel or back in Centro Habana, with recommendations from the team.
Late‑afternoon flex time: Pack, rest, or follow another short guided suggestion from our list.
Farewell dinner with live music: Gather for a reserved group dinner, then celebrate the week with a final live set chosen by our musician‑guides.
End of day: Return to the accommodations.
MEALS: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 6: Farewell and Departure
Breakfast: Final breakfast at your stay.
Airport transfers: Private transfer to the airport for departing flights.
Goodbyes: Say hasta pronto to your guides and new friends.
MEALS: Breakfast
Important info about this itinerary
Flights arriving on Day 1 of the itinerary must arrive between 11am-1pm EST to have included transportation. You can contact us and arrive early with some add-on packages we can create for your group. It is better to arrive earlier than later, as our tour starts around 4 pm on the first tour day. We can arrange private airport transport at any time. All flights arriving must come into Havana and depart from Havana. If you book a departing flight from another city and/or stay extra days, the transportation will not be included.
All breakfasts are included. Other meals are on a per-day basis. All music entries and reservations reflected in the itinerary are also included.
This is just a sample itinerary; you will receive a detailed itinerary with confirmed events closer to your trip departure. We try to have a preliminary itinerary a few weeks before, but the final music schedule will not be until a few days before your trip. We use all of our musical knowledge as professional musicians and musicologists to curate the best music during the tour.
Reservations and Payments
$3,485 per person based on double occupancy. Single-room travelers add a $550 single supplement. This scheduled small-group tour uses carefully selected accommodations with private bathrooms and dependable backup-power capability such as solar power and/or generator systems.
Community commitment: Havana Music Tours contributes 5% of tour revenue to The CreatiVrole Project to support community and cultural initiatives in Cuba. This contribution is made by Havana Music Tours and does not require a separate traveler donation.
A $500 deposit is required to reserve your place. The remaining balance is due 90 days before departure. Bookings made within 90 days of departure require full payment when confirmed.
Prices are in U.S. dollars. ACH payments have no added fee. Credit card payments add a 3.5% fee. Wire transfers are also accepted; cash and checks are not accepted.
We have plenty of individuals, couples, groups, and families who travel with us, and everyone has a blast. If you have any special requests, please let us know. We will work with you to ensure you have the perfect space and feel comfortable during your stay.
If our dates do not work for you, remember that we also offer personalized tours with custom dates and group sizes. More info here.
About these accommodation photos: These images are representative examples of privately owned Casas Particulares and private villas that Havana Music Tours has used or vetted in the past. Your confirmed property may differ based on group size and availability, but we select accommodations of comparable quality in well-located areas, with private bathrooms and reliable guest support. Because power interruptions can occur in Cuba, we prioritize properties with backup-power capability—such as solar systems, battery storage and/or generators—whenever available, to reduce disruption. Final accommodation details are confirmed before departure.
International flights, Cuban visa, travel insurance, tips, personal purchases, and additional meals or activities during free time.
Cuban eVisa: Cuba now uses an electronic visa linked to your passport. It should be obtained online in advance before departure. Visa procedures and fees can change, and Cuban-born travelers may have additional passport or entry requirements. We provide current instructions before travel; contact us if you were born in Cuba or have questions.
Jazz nights in Havana, chosen by our musician‑guides, venues vary by schedule.
Afro‑Cuban culture & rumba context in Cayo Hueso with an art stop at Callejón de Hamel.
Live Music Studio Experience, top-notch Cuban musicians’ performance, and artist Q&A.
Day trip to Matanzas, often called the cradle of rumba, with a folkloric workshop or performance, subject to availability. (Past HMT programs have featured Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.)
Great meals included where it counts: welcome dinner, a second hosted dinner, and a farewell dinner with music.
Historic City Driving/Walking Tour of Havana (Visit Fusterlandia, Revolution Square, El Morro Castle, etc.)
How much live music will we see?
Every night includes curated shows chosen that week by our musician‑guides, except the night of the Matanzas Day Tour. The exact venues vary by schedule and availability.
Is this legal for U.S. travelers?
Yes. For U.S. travelers, this tour is designed around Support for the Cuban People (31 CFR § 515.574). Most of the program is spent directly with musicians, artists, guides and privately owned Cuban businesses, and we provide the itinerary and current pre-departure documentation for the trip.
Where do we go for the Afro‑Cuban culture piece?
We explore Afro-Cuban culture in different places, but specifically at Cayo Hueso and Callejón de Hamel, guided by a local specialist with our team.
What is the studio experience like?
A private session in Old Havana where you listen on headphones in a controlled setting, meet the musicians, and later receive a digital mix depending on availability.
Who might we meet in Matanzas?
Programs commonly feature top folkloric rumba ensembles. Past HMT tours have worked with Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, subject to availability.
What is the group size?
Small group, maximum 10 guests.
What meals are included on this tour?
Breakfast is included daily. We host a welcome dinner on Day 1, group lunch and dinner on Day 2, and a farewell dinner with live music on Day 5. A light lunch is provided during the studio session on Day 3, and lunch is included on the Matanzas day (Day 4). Final inclusions are confirmed in your pre‑departure packet.
I am not a musician. Is this tour still a good fit?
Yes. The tour is designed for music lovers of any background. You will learn context in plain language, meet artists, and enjoy curated shows without needing prior musical training.
Can I bring instruments or gear to donate?
Yes, with planning. We can connect you with appropriate partners and suggest items that are helpful and practical to transport. Please coordinate with us in advance so we can advise on current guidelines and logistics.
What is International Jazz Day, and how will we participate?
International Jazz Day is a UNESCO-designated day (April 30) celebrated globally to highlight jazz and its cultural role. During our Cuba tour, we’ll coordinate visits to concerts, jam sessions, workshops, or local tributes happening in Havana on that date. You’ll get a deeper view of how jazz lives in Cuban culture, connected to a wider international musical dialogue.
Is any part of the tour restricted or changed because of Jazz Day events?
We may adjust evening venues or start times to align with festival-type concerts or local programming. But we will always communicate changes in advance and make sure your experience is smooth.
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