Havana Jazz Festival 2024
VIP Havana Jazz Festival Music and Cultural Tour by Musician Tour Leaders
Festival & Tour Dates: January 21st-29th, 2024
Our Havana Jazz Festival Tour is the ultimate VIP small group tour of the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival, curated by professional musicians and musicologists from Cuba and the United States. The best and most unique Cuba Tour for musicians and music lovers.
The Jazz Plaza Festival is the most important Music Event in Cuba and usually features some of the most popular and up n’ coming artists from Cuba and around the world. In the past, there have been performances from artists such as Chucho Valdés, Telmary, Joe Lovano, Snarky Puppy, Alain Pérez, Interactivo, Daymé, Los Van Van, Hector Quintana, Muñequitos de Matanzas, Pedrito Martinez, Cimafunk, Ruy López-Nussa, Dave Weckl, Horacio Hernández (El Negro), Habana de Primera, Rumbatá, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and much more!
This Havana Jazz Festival Tour is definitely for the music lover! If you are looking for an immersive and unique music tour experience of Cuba, our Havana Jazz Festival tour is your way to go. We, as musicians, will offer you a different perspective on Cuban music, culture, and history. Let us show you this beautiful island through music.
You will experience many different styles of music each day and see some of the best artists in all of Cuba in one diverse musical week. With your VIP pass, we will attend some of the most popular music venues in Cuba, like La Zorra y El Cuervo, Fábrica de Arte Cubano, Hotel Nacional, Teatro Nacional, and much more! Together we will discover the new and younger artists rising within the Cuban and Latin American music scenes.
While traveling with us, you will have accommodation options like a Hotel or a Private/Group Villa Casa Particular (private home/apartment Bnb style). In the case of the Group Villa Casa, you will share the place with your small group of no more than 12 people per tour group. Each morning will be an array of different fruits, Cuban coffee, eggs, bread, juices, and more.
Expect to dive deeper into Cuban culture, history, and people’s connection through music and art. The Havana Jazz Plaza Festival Tour will feature art and history museums with local multi-lingual professional tour guides. You can discover and appreciate craft stores and paladares (private restaurants) that the Cuban people have worked so hard to create.
That’s right. Your days and nights in Cuba will be filled with musical events, cultural immersion, performances, dance lessons, music education, and some free time! You will enjoy a VIP music tour with professional musicians who know the music of Cuba better than any other tour agency.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Day 1
- Arrival in Havana and transportation to your Casa/Villa or Hotel (Including transport for flights between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.
- Check-in to Casa/Villa or Hotel
- Lunch (Group meeting/quick orientation)
- Driving tour around Havana in a vintage convertible taxi – visit Plaza de la Revolucion and more
- Welcoming dinner and private party with our own Latin jazz band!
- Evening Jazz Festival events
Day 2
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel. (Eggs, meats, bread, freshly squeezed juices, coffees, teas. We have Vegan and Vegetarian options as well)
- Tour of Habana Vieja (Old Havana) – Walk the 4 historical plazas and learn about Cuban history in the old town.
- Visit local craft shops, and art stores, talk with locals, and learn about Cuban culture
- Lunch is included at La Vitrola – Live traditional Cuban music too!
- Back to the Casa or Hotel to rest before dinner
- Group dinner at another fine Paladar in Havana (Atelier)
- Jazz Plaza Music Events (Concerts mostly at the National Theater or another theater/music clubs)
- Optional Late night music
Day 3
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Visit a local music school conservatory and donate musical gear while hearing a live performance and learning about Cuban education.
- Visit Fusterlandia – a unique ceramic art pueblo designed by artist Jose Fuster
- Transportation back to the Casa or Hotel
- Dinner at a famous Paladar
- Jazz Plaza Music Events
- Optional late-night Latin jazz music at La Casa de Cultura
Day 4
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Unique studio listening experience with excellent Cuban jazz musicians
- Dinner on your own (This is the night to have a romantic dinner for couples or as a family)
- Jazz Plaza Music Events
- Art tour at Fábrica de Arte Cubano, feel free to stay late for more music and entertainment. Fábrica is one of the most dynamic art/music/nightclub facilities in Havana, Cuba
Day 5
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Private Afro-Cuban Religion Tour in Callejon de Hamel and the Cayo Hueso neighborhood in Centro Havana – Learn why religion in Cuba is important for Cuban music history
- Head back to the casa/villa or hotel to relax or explore Old Havana (Optional included transport drop off in Old Havana)
- Jazz Plaza Music Events
- VIP dinner (La Tierra), music, and art tour at Fábrica de Arte Cubano, feel free to stay late for more music and entertainment. Fábrica is one of the most dynamic art/music/nightclub facilities in Havana, Cuba
Day 6
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Cuban Music History Introduction
- Dance or music lessons with local musicians and dancers
- Authentic home-prepared lunch. La Comida Criolla!
- Free time to explore at your leisure or return to casa or hotel
- Dinner on your own
- Jazz Plaza Music Events
Day 7
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Free day (optional day tours to Viñales or Matanzas – As us about it!)
- Optional Jazz Plaza music events
Day 8
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Local farm tour of Finca Tungasuk with organic farm-to-table lunch included.
- Free time to explore Havana
- Final group dinner at a famous Paladar
- Final Jazz Plaza Events for the evening!
Day 9
- Breakfast with the group at the casa/villa or hotel
- Havana Jazz Festival reflection and goodbyes.
- Transportation to the Airport
- (Transportation to Trinidad for those who wish to do the Add-on)
*Flights arriving on Day 1 of the itinerary must arrive between 11:30 am-12:30 pm EST to have included transportation. You are free to contact us and arrive early with some add-on packages we can create for your group. 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 are also included with your VIP festival pass.
*This is just a sample itinerary, you will receive a detailed itinerary with confirmed events closer to your trip departure. Keep in mind that the festival does not provide the final program until about 1 week before the first performance. So we try to have a preliminary itinerary a couple of 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 tour for the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
What to look forward to during this Havana Music Tour?
VIP access/tickets and reservations to music events during Jazz Plaza 2024.
Bilingual musicians tour guide from Cuba and the U.S (a tour from musicians for music lovers).
Real interactions with the Cuban people and professional musicians.
Dance or music lessons.
Authentic music and culturalexperiences almost every day of your tour.
Fresh breakfast and authentic Café Cubano each morning in a luxurious villa with our wonderful traveler friends.
Taste of the best Paladares around Havana, Cuba (Private restaurants).
Transportation from 11 am to 11 pm (which includes most evening music).
Free time to shop and explore.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
The Havana Jazz Festival Tour includes the following:
- Accommodations: Casa Particular (Villa or Private BnB) or Hotel
- Super Small Group of only 12 travelers!
- V.I.P. Music Pass to Jazz Plaza Festival 2024 – Prime Theater Seating
- Private VIP welcoming dinner with private band performance
- Unique and immersive studio listening experience with excellent musicians
- Afro-Cuban Religion and Roots Walking Tour (Learn how religion ties into Rumba music)
- Cuban music history introduction
- Local private farm tour and lunch
- Festival gift pack of souvenirs: (Like Passes, Poster, Shirt, etc)
- A bilingual musician tour leaders
- Support for the Cuban people, local musicians, and small businesses
- Detailed Itinerary that is US Traveler and OFAC compliant
- Breakfast everyday
- 7 Dinners total, dinners almost every night at a top-rated Paladar (except for two nights at your leisure)
- 4 lunches total, one on the first day, two others during day tours, and another for the farm tour
- Entry and reservation into each scheduled itinerary event, workshop, clinic, or museum
- Casino de Salsa Dance lessons or Private Music Lessons
- Airport transport to and from José Martí international airport
- Transportation to all scheduled events
- Flight concierge (flights are not included, but we help you book the best one).
- Concierge service for extras like restaurants, tours, and experiences reservations and recommendations.
- O.F.A.C. General Travel Licensing. (U.S. Travelers)
Cuban Visas are to be purchased at your last airport before departing for Cuba. They are typically around $50-100. If you were born in Cuba, please contact us as you may have different Cuban visa requirements.
TOUR DATES & PRICES
January 21st-29th, 2024 (9 days/8 nights)
- Casa Particular (Group Villa/Hostal) – $3,345 per person
- Private Premium Casa Particular (All Yours!) – $3,950 per person
- Deluxe Hotel Room – $4,850 per person
- Deluxe Ocean View Hotel Room – $5,750 per person
- Club Ocean Hotel Room – $7,465 per person
- Junior Suite Hotel Room (Very Limited Availability) – $9,685 per person
- Aston Suite Hotel Room (Very Limited Availability) – $10,855 per person
Hotel:
Havana: Grand Aston Hotel
Pricing and Payments:
Prices are per person and vary based on your selection of a Group Casa, Private Casa, Hotel, etc. Each tour has its own options for accommodations listed on the webpage. Some tours are only Casas, and some could be only a Hotel. All options have a private room and private bathroom.
To reserve your spot, we require a $500 USD deposit (50% of the total price for private tours.) Final payments are due around 60 days before tour departure. We have some options for multiple payment plans if needed. Just contact us and let us know.
The prices on our website are all in US Dollars and based on an ACH/Wire bank transfer from our 3rd party merchant or directly from your own bank. If you wish to use a credit or debit card, a 3.5% fee will be added. We do not accept cash or checks.
We have plenty of individuals, couples, groups, and families that travel with us, and everyone has a blast. If you have any special requests, please let us know. We will work with you to make sure you have the perfect space and feel comfortable during your stay.
If our dates do not work for you, keep in mind that we also do personalized tours with custom dates and group sizes. More info here.
ACCOMMODATIONS: CASA/VILLA EXAMPLES
ACCOMMODATIONS: HOTEL EXAMPLES
TESTIMONIALS
“My wife and 26 year old son spent 9 days of amazing immersion in the jazz music scene in Havana hosted by Havana Music Tours. We had been to the jazz festival in 2015 with Blue Note and had a great time, but Havana Music Tours blew that experience out of the water! Led by the founders Chaz Chambers and his Cuban wife Yami – he is a professional drummer and she is musicologist – we not only saw an extraordinary array of world class performances – including an incredible performance by Los Van Van in an out door square – but also met a wide variety of musicians, all of whom were friends with Chaz and Yami. The customisation of our tour was also incredible and impressive – including a Cuban drum lesson for our son, a hip hop rooftop party and a private performance in a private residence/restaurant, and watching the students of the performing arts HS rehearse for the performance at the Teatro Nacionale.
I am also really interested in the dance world in Havana and they were able to arrange visits to 4 companies to observe class and talk with the artistic directors.
Havana can also be a little tricky to navigate, both from a language and transportation perspective and nothing was too much (or too late at night) for the Havana Music team.
I would strongly recommend them if you are considering a trip to Cuba and love Cuban music and culture!”
– Chris J. (New York)
“What a full and fulfilling trip! Chaz, his wife, Yami, and their team provided a most excellent Cuba experience! We went to Cuba with Havana Music Tours for the January Jazz Festival. This small-group tour was packed full of music – as much as anyone on the tour could ever want. And, in addition, we dove into the culture, food, and history. Chaz, Yami and all the tour guides are musicians, which made the Jazz Festival experience that much more fun and educational. You can clearly see the entire team is passionate about the music, culture, and Cuba. Besides the music, we toured and learned about the history of Cuba, Havana in particular, farms and farming, music education in Cuba, and Cubans’ daily lives and various religions. Cuba has been on my husband’s and my bucket list for years – we could not have asked for a better trip experience for this bucket-list item! And, I cannot say enough about how attentive the entire team was. From Chaz answering all my pre-trip questions about traveling to Cuba (from a novice traveler) to Chaz’s head-counts every time our group got back on the bus. For all of our experiences, I felt safe and attended to. The casa particular we stayed in was clean and relaxing with very friendly staff. The restaurants and food we were introduced to were delicious. The 1950s car pick-up when we arrived at the airport – everything was perfect! For anyone considering a visit to Cuba, Havana Music Tours offers several tour types, and a person could not ask for a better team to tour with.”
-Kathy O. (Washington)
‘Thanks to Chaz and his terrific team, the Havana Jazz Festival was a wonderful experience. The music happens in theaters and clubs all over the city, and having attended 5 years ago on our own, we know how hard it is to navigate the experience. Havana Music Tours makes it easy. They know the music and the musicians, and we enjoyed great music everyday without any hassle. The accommodations were 1st class and the food was amazing. My wife and I could not have been happier with every aspect of the trip.”
-Allan K. (California)
