JOIN us IN CUBA - 2025 DATES TBA

Encounter new lands and peoples in a way that values them, deepens your spirituality, broadens your worldview, and begins to heal the world.

Old Havana

Old Havana

Overview: Rainbow World Fund has been visiting Cuba since 2012. Our journey is educational, focusing on Cuba's history, politics, and spirituality. We will learn from the Cubans about the realities of their country. We'll visit projects that serve the Cuban people and meet with members of the LGBTQ+ community, church leadership, artists, and leaders in many fields. We will learn about Cuban history, from its colonial past to its revolutionary present, plus how the complex historical relationship between the U.S and Cuba remains ever-changing. During our visit you will gain insight into the struggles and hopes of the Cuban people. We will visit places such as medical clinics, programs that serve the elderly, art institutions, schools, and other historical and cultural sights. The many highlights include participating in the LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations in Havana.

Music is ubiquitous

Music is ubiquitous

Humanitarian Aid: Since 2012, RWF has funded humanitarian projects that help the people of Cuba. RWF’s projects include funding summer camps for children living with HIV, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses. The camps teach valuable life skills aimed at fostering a healthy self-esteem, independence, and self-care. RWF has funded the distribution of emergency relief supplies and food aid to communities impacted by hurricanes. RWF also funds a variety of human rights efforts that help the LGBTQ+ community.

Travel With A Purpose

  • Learn about the cultural, historical, spiritual, and political realities of the developing world.

  • Explore human rights issues with a people whose traditions span centuries of development.

  • Experience ancient, colonial, and modern influences that have molded cultures of unique strength

  • Meet with members of the LGBTQ+ community, artists, and leaders in many fields

  • Learn about Cuban colonial, revolutionary history, and the complex U.S.-Cuba relationship

  • Visit medical clinics, art institutions

  • Meet with human rights activist Mariela Castro Espin and other leaders

  • Participate in LGBTQ Pride celebrations in Havana

  • Help deliver medical and educational supplies ... be forever changed.

The Rainbow World Fund Cuba Journey is an educational experience. We will learn from Cubans about the realities in their country by visiting projects that serve the Cuban people and by engaging in social and cultural education in the context of the LGBTQ+ community. The trip includes visits to diverse communities, meeting with leaders from a variety of fields, experiencing time on one of the top ten beaches in the world, great Cuban hospitality, and opportunities to practice your Spanish. The program strives to connect participants with the realities, struggles and hopes that Cubans experience each day. We also hope to bridge connections with Americans and Cubans to build understanding and partnerships. This is RWF's eighth trip to Cuba.

Cuban flag at the "Conga" - the LGBT Pride parade in Havana (2015)

Cuban flag at the "Conga" - the LGBT Pride parade in Havana (2015)

Havana

Havana

Havana Cathedral

Havana Cathedral

LGBTQ flag at the Conga - Havana’s Pride Parade (2014)

LGBTQ flag at the Conga - Havana’s Pride Parade (2014)

RWF volunteers visiting a school in Matanzas (2013)

RWF volunteers visiting a school in Matanzas (2013)

RWF volunteers at CENESEX with Mariela Castro in Havana (2012)

RWF volunteers at CENESEX with Mariela Castro in Havana (2012)

Meeting with LGBT activists in Cardenas (2014)

Meeting with LGBT activists in Cardenas (2014)

Fidel Castro, Father of the Cuba Revolution

Fidel Castro, Father of the Cuba Revolution

Classic American cars are seemingly everywhere

Classic American cars are seemingly everywhere

Visit non-touristed areas areas and communities.

Visit non-touristed areas areas and communities.

RWF volunteers relaxing with pina coladas in Matanzas,

RWF volunteers relaxing with pina coladas in Matanzas,

The dates for at next Cuba trip are TBA in 2025. Travel to Cuba is opening up but still remains restricted. We will be traveling as a humanitarian aid group and our itinerary reflects this. We are still creating the itinerary for the trip. We will spend the first 5 nights of the trip in Havana. We will be staying in beautiful Old Havana at Plaza Vieja. The location is ideal, and our guest house is comfortable, clean and air conditioned. While in Havana we will visit historic and cultural sites, medical clinics, museums, human rights, and humanitarian projects, and will participate in the Conga - the LGBTQ+ Pride celebration.

After we leave Havana, we will travel 2.5 hours to beautiful Varadero where we will spend 5 nights. We will use this location as a base to visit many humanitarian projects and sites of cultural interest. Varadero Beach, one of the top ten beaches in the world…white sand and clear blue water…. is pretty much a dream. This will be a time to relax and enjoy the slower pace. Weather permitting there will be an opportunity snorkel off a reef among school of tropical fish.

Political art representations such as this mural of the late President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela are found in many places.

Political art representations such as this mural of the late President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela are found in many places.

Every trip is unique.

Here are a few of the many highlights from past trips: 

  • March in the LGBTQ+ Pride Parades in Havana and Matanzas

  • Meet with Mariela Castro and human rights activists

  • Meet with members of Parliament and leaders in many fields

  • Visit schools, medical clinics, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine

  • Spend time at the Martin Luther King Center

  • Experience an amazing LGBTQ+ extravaganza at the Karl Marx Theater

  • Learn about communism, socialism, and Cuba's unique capitalism

  • Meet with political dissidents - critics of state policy

  • Meet members of the Cuba 5 - formerly imprisoned in the US

  • Learn how the Christian, Jewish and Yoruba religions survived

  • Visit ecological areas and learn about the Cuban organic movement

  • Learn how Cuba has survived post USSR and under the US embargo

  • Visit non touristed communities in Cardenas and San Nicholas

  • Learn about socialized health care at a children's neurological center

  • Spending time with members of the Cuban LGBTQ+ community

  • Cruise Havana in a 1950s American Car

  • Explore historic Old Havana

  • Attend a concert by Bueno Vista Social Club

  • Visit the Bay of Pigs

  • Snorkel the reefs of Varadero

  • Visit the Revolutionary Museum in Havana

  • See the amazing modern art at the National Museum of Fine Arts

  • Stroll the Malecón, Havana's evocative 8km-long sea drive

  • Explore La Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón Cemetery

  • Experience Fusterlandia - the home and neighborhood of artist Jose Fuster

  • See Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña colloquially aka "La Cabaña"

  • Have Cuba Libres with friends at the elegant former DuPont home

  • Attend ballet, modern dance, and other musical/artistic performances

Posing in front of artist Jose Fuster's "Granma" the yacht that launched Fidel and Raul Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and 79 fighters at the start of the Revolution (2015)

Posing in front of artist Jose Fuster's "Granma" the yacht that launched Fidel and Raul Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and 79 fighters at the start of the Revolution (2015)

Trip Cost, Trip Handbook, and how to register:

The trip cost is $2,800 and includes a Cuba travel visa (required), all hotels and accommodations, in-country transportation by private van, all meals (except one), all tips/gratuities, translation and guide services, speaker’s fees, entrance fees to special events. It does not include round trip air transportation from the USA. Flights are available from several US airports to Havana. To learn more click here to read the 2023 trip handbook PDF (2025 verion TBA).

** If you are interested in joining us on this trip please click here to send us a message and to set up an interview.

Our front yard - where we stay in Varadero

Our front yard - where we stay in Varadero

RWF Founder Jeff Cotter in Havana

RWF Founder Jeff Cotter in Havana

Viva La Revolucion - Long live the Revolution poster.

Viva La Revolucion - Long live the Revolution poster.

Music is everywhere is Cuba

Music is everywhere in Cuba