Reviews and Testimonials

  Education, Music, Connection, Comfort - When we stepped out of the Havana airport we easily found our tour guide, Ismelys. She and our driver, Alberto, took care of us throughout the week. Our... read more hotel was a beautiful place. very comfortable with daily breakfast included. Our schedule was a great balance of historical city tours and music and art and dancing; even some down time for us to catch out breath. Our guide was familiar with many of the hosts at the restaurants and music venues. She introduced us to her contacts there. The service and food was top notch from friendly staff. even some meals made at the homes of some of the musicians. We are thankful that all of our venues were privately owned. This is a fairly new feature of tourism in Cuba. I would highly recommend this tour.

  Best music and dance tour of Havana, Cuba  - My adult daughter and I just completed an absolutely wonderful 9 days in Havana, Cuba with Havana Music Tours. I highly recommend them!

Our local guide, Ismelys, was... read more exceptional. She was very knowledgeable about the music, dance and food scene in Havana. She arranged lodging for us a really good casa particular within easy walking distance of delicious restaurants and the Malecón waterfront. She took us to a number of nightly music venues including a fabulous live jazz rooftop performance by Ernán López-Nussa with his combo and another live performance by Los Van Van, a super dance band. Ismelys arranged multiple walking tours for us in Havana plus a day in Matanzas (rumba capital of Cuba) and Varandero (beautiful white sand beaches). Ismelys also arranged multiple private dance lessons covering timba, casino, Afro Cuban, and rumba styles.

Our driver for the week was Alberto who was excellent. Alberto was always attentive and flexible with respect to our schedule as well as being very resourceful, which was super important during the fuel shortage.

I look forward to my next trip with them.

  Love Thy Neighbor, go to Cuba!  - My best friend and I recently had a truly mind-blowing adventure in Cuba. We had a splendid week and felt very well taken care of throughout the entire experience.... read more />
The team of Isme and our driver, Alberto, was top-notch. Together, they provided a meaningful, multi-textured tour filled with incredible music, culture, and human connections. While we returned home with some minor intestinal woes, our hearts are full. We wish for a positive future for Cuba and hope to remain friends.

  The Trip of a Lifetime  - Last year, I saw something on social media that said you could take tours conducted by a local expert, of the Havana music scene. I've always loved Salsa and after... read more doing a little digging, found Havana Music Tours. I requested information and got a quick response from Chaz Chambers, the director. We exchanged a few emails and I decided to go ahead and book the 2026 Havana Salsa Fest tour.

Sending the nonrefundable deposit felt like a leap of faith, but everything I'd read about the company was encouraging, so six months prior to the tour, I wired the funds. I got regular updates from Chaz, and as the date drew nearer, the updates became more detailed with certain tasks that needed to be completed and the timeframe for each. None of these tasks was particularly difficult (eVisa, OFAC, etc), but knowing what had to be done and where onlne to do it was invaluable.

When the date finally arrived, I knew I had all my ducks were in a row and departed for sunny Havana from ice-gray Maine USA. (There's nothing like stepping onto a plane in freezing rain and stepping of it in 75 degree warmth 🙂 The Havana airport was small and well organized and, as soon as I got through customs, the lovely Isemlys (@ismeq.74 insta) was there to greet me. She ushered me to the waiting car, described the itinerary and set me completely at-ease. All in perfect English, which was important for me since I was, in this case, the typical ugly American who travels someplace without knowing the language.

Throughout the visit, Ismelys was absolutely invaluable. She handled everything from arranging our lodging, rides, meals, reservations, tickets and the million details required to carry off a smooth trip in a rather complicated environment. (Cuba is a country of contrasts and subtleties on many levels. Navigating those waters requires a knowledgeable, tactful and diligent person, all of which Ismelys did with grace and poise.)

One particular area where she shined was in getting us into and around the Salsa Festival. She seemed to know every official, impressario and musician amongst the thousands there. As a result we were made to feel very welcome, had great seats, terrific service and we felt like we were part of the inner circle rather than some group of tourists to be tolerated.

I also want to give a shout out to our driver, Alberto. He was there for us LITERALLY 24 hours a day. For example, after the last night of the festival, he dropped me off at my casa particular at 4:08 AM. Then he returned at 6AM to take me to the airport for my plane home. He was very accommodating, friendly and punctual. All especially impressive in this time of gas shortage all over Cuba.

I'm writing this review the morning after I returned home from the trip. I feel like I've left some very good friends behind - friends I didn't have a week ago. And when I go back, which I am already beginning to plan for, it will be with this group of people. I could not have wanted anything more.

  Havana Music Tours - The Best!  - I love international travel, music, and dance, and engage in all of these activities frequently, but my trip with Havana Music Tours, to see the Havana Salsa (music) Festival in... read more Havana. Cuba has to rate at the very top of my experiences. And I say this having gone on this trip at a time when media in the United States had painted Cuba as a country in chaos, with no fuel, and in the context of very recent US military operations elsewhere in the Caribbean region.

From the get-go, Chaz, who owns and manages this tour company, kept everyone very well, informed about what to expect in Cuba, and kept us in full compliance with the special US regulations concerning travel there. From the moment I landed in Cuba, it was also obvious that he had done an excellent job in selecting staff there to ensure that our trip went off with no problems and was an outstanding experience. Isme, who coordinated efforts on the ground, was super enthusiastic, bilingual, highly efficient, friendly, and through her incredible range of contacts there, overcame any problem, large or small, which arose, and insured an awesome experience for all. Ene, a part of the tour team there, provided a very in-depth walking tour of Havana, with special emphasis on its history, architecture, and art. Cari, the owner of the large house that we stayed at, with private rooms and bath, for everyone, was most accommodating, and (successfully) aimed to please, in all of her interactions with us. Her guest house was perfectly situated to provide easy access to Havana’s many points of interest, was highly secure, and we never suffered any loss of electric power or water, contrary to fears, we might have had from media reports in the US. Alberto, our taxi driver on the team, was a huge asset as well, not only through his punctual transport services, but his ability to resolve any telephonic communications needs as as well as quickly resolve other logistical issues (e,g., currency exchange) that popped up.

In response to my request for private lessons in Cuban style casino rueda salsa dance, Isme coordinated a lesson with Jose and arranged for dance partners Tamara and Gabi to assist, ensuring that I learned a lot and had a great time in the process, to include hanging out and dancing with them at the salsa festival itself. The salsa festival included three nights of irresistible Cuban timba and other dance music, performed by an All-Star cast of Cuba‘s best bands and dancers, and kept everyone on their feet and dancing into the wee hours of the morning.

Adding to the experience were our visits to other dance venues, the Callejon de Hamel, for authentic Cuban santeria and rumba moves, and another club, which presented a variety of more historical Cuban dance and music.

In short, if you have an interest in Cuban music and/or dance, or just want to experience then, these are the folks you need, to give you an unforgettable experience of the real thing in Cuba itself!

  Not enough superlatives for Havana Music Tours  - It’s easy to write a review of a tour company when everything goes perfectly. But it’s even more important to write a review when things are challenging. We... read more just got back from our tour in Havana and got to experience all the joy and beauty of the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival as well as the embrace of the Cuban people.

From the initial zoom call before the trip, to the moment we got dropped off at the airport for the return trip, we felt completely supported by Havana Music Tours. Given the complexities of travel to Cuba, Chaz and co. provided easy to follow step by step instructions for everything.

Unfortunately, due to winter storms in the US , Chaz was unable to make this tour which we were extremely sad about (as I’m sure Chaz was too!). But this gives the opportunity to brag on the support staff if Cuba. Ismelys, took over seamlessly and led us on one of our greatest travel experiences ever.

All of the curated experiences and meals on the tour were absolutely wonderful, transportation to and from the venues were always smooth and on time. Accommodations were very comfortable. And on the final morning, when we awoke to a rare breach of water at the seawall which flooded a several block area, we were quickly relocated to a different place. I cannot stress enough how much care this company took to make sure we were safe and having a great time. Cuba is not for everyone. The effect of bad government policies continue to worsen the needless sufferings of the people, and blackouts fuel and supply shortages are felt even more deeply. But the people are resilient and a joy. Don’t travel to Cuba as if it were just a vacation. Travel to Cuba should be viewed as a privilege and an opportunity to learn and share what you’ve learned with others. We would definitely travel with Havana Musoc Tours again.

  I recently arrived home from the Havana Jazz Plaza Festival Tour with Havana Musical Tours. It was an uplifting, music and art-filled, educational, delicious, and deeply insightful immersion into... read more the musical culture of Cuba and its' historical roots. The experiential quality of the tour.... being led by wonderful local musicians and brought into their creative environments and processes, as well as the plentiful, authentic, high quality and diverse musical offerings, made this experience especially unique and valuable. Leveraging their own rich musical backgrounds, Chaz and Yami brought us inside the world of Cuban musicians, including young people crafting their individual paths.

We added on their extension to Trinidad and a day trip to the tobacco farms of Vinales, both worthwhile and enjoyable.

We had an interesting international group of travelers, which added to the richness of the experience. Chaz and Yami paid attention to our individual needs and preferences at the same time as organizing the many group activities. The non-compulsory nature of all activities allowed each person to pace the tour in an optimal way for them.

The one caveat I would share with prospective participants relates to choosing the accommodations. I would suggest future participants inquire of Chaz about the particular casas before finalizing their accommodation choice between a casa and a hotel.

Cuba is going through some very difficult economic times now. It is not over-run by tourists and has the feel of an undiscovered gem, full of unique surprises. The people are warm and hospitable, and it is a safe country in which to walk around. There is lots of beautiful art to take home, as well as a deep and wide well of fabulous music to enjoy. This tour is a great way to get to know Cuba, and we added on a few days on both ends so we could pursue additional individual interests.

I highly recommend tours with Havana Music Tours and I will be exploring their Musical Getaway Experiences to other countries in the future.

  Havana Jazz Festival! - 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... read more 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!

  We signed up for a VIP tour in Havana that involved a visit to the amazing Fabrica del Arte Cubano with the wonderful guide Miguel. The venue was amazing, the... read more main concert fabulous and Miguel was a wonderful host committed to sharing his knowledge of and passion for Cuban music. The tour was a highlight of our visit to Cuba and we’d highly recommend making Havana Music Tours part of your visit to Cuba.

  If you want a 5 star music and life changing experience, you’ll get it, including the unexpected as happens in Cuba plus the 5 star improvisations. I have done lots... read more of music travels round the world, and this is right up there. Go for it!

  Best Tour Ever! - My wife and I recently spent 7 days in Havana Cuba with the Havana Music Tours. This tour has more than exceeded any and all of my expectations. From the... read more moment we first arrived, and each day following, we were treated to great food at some of Havana’s top restaurants. We toured some of of Cuba’s historical sites, and we were treated to some of the best live concerts from some of Cuba’s top Afro Cuban Jazz musicians. But, what made this trip very special for us was being immersed in the lives of the local people of Cuba. We arrived as strangers to this amazing island and left with new friends from the tour group and from the local people of Cuba. Thank you Havana Music Tours for an amazing experience. I look forward to other awesome adventures with this team.

  Best Tour Team - 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... read more 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.