Testimonials

“This trip fulfilled all expectations of my introduction to the unique and beautiful natural world of Cuba. I believe paddling is the best way to explore areas like Lake Hanabanilla, the mangroves and view the amazing bird life in Cienaga de Zapata National Park. Blessed with sun and perfect weather, hikes for a cooling dip to waterfalls were highlights of the tour. Not to mention the Salsa lessons, poolside massage, the humour and patience of Peter (our fearless leader and weather god), THE CAKE and wonderful birthday celebration/serenade by our tireless and cheerful Cuban guides. APULULU!!”

“Both David and I really want to thank you for creating and making such an incredible trip possible for us Americans. Altho’ David and I have long dreamed of coming to Cuba, never in our wildest dreams did we imagine we would be kayaking, horseback riding, snorkeling, and eating gourmet meals all in a single action-packed unforgettable day-! Amazing. and you have such a lovely singing voice. It is much easier to paddle with tired muscles while listening to you sing ‘my paddle’s clean and bright’!”

“You are extremely well organized, very imaginative with all the different activities you so capably organized, as well as sensitive and considerate. We three older females had a GREAT TRIP...Wow! We are still smiling!”

“The guides were helpful, friendly, and very knowledgeable. It is a great trip! I enjoyed the integration of the kayaking and the Cuban culture.”

“Amazing scenery at every location.Very friendly guides. Good people, all of them. Great way to get a small glimpse of the beauty of Cuba. Unfortunately just a small glimpse as the days are short and the possibilities are endless.”

“Thank you Jay and the crew for being the first people to open the doors for adventure kayaking in Cuba. An amazing way to see the real Cuba.”

“Went on the Cuba trip with Jay in 2014. Watching the sunset while floating in the ocean is an experience i will never forget. Made new friends that I am still in touch with. Can’t wait to do it again!! Amazing trip.”

“What a fantastic trip we had with Jay (“bandana man” who was our Canadian host) and Meylin (“Cuban firecracker” who was our local guide)! First of all, everything was so easy, from the pre-trip planning to all our activities in Cuba. I gave Jay an idea of what we wanted to do and he planned it all. My family and I just showed up and enjoyed. The trip itself was the perfect combination of adventure, culture, history, and relaxation and included things like paddle boarding, rock climbing, hiking, swimming in caves and the ocean, a visit to the Bay of Pigs, and a few days in Havana. And because the group was small (just our family of 6), it really was a private tour made just for us. Meylin did a great job of giving us the Cuban perspective of the country and Jay’s stories of his adventures starting the business in Cuba were pretty remarkable. I felt like we really got to know both Jay and Meylin and can honestly say that their incredible chemistry is part of what made the trip so fun!”

“Chantale and I had a outstanding and hilarious week with Cuba Kayak Adventures on the Best of South Cuba Tour. The trip allowed us to see many different parts of Cuba in the south which we had never been to. It boasts some amazing scenic gems throughout and best of all, we did not experience the hordes of tourists that the northern resorts receive. The group was small which allowed for an instant camaraderie to take place. It allowed us to experience the rural and urban nature of Cuban life which we never saw in the northern resorts.The scenery was spectacular and in hindsight, the trip was perfectly planned. The kayaking started light in the beginning allowing us to adopt to the non-snow conditions and built up throughout the week. The mid week rest at Villa Guajimico was perfectly timed and a relaxing day at the pool. It was a good stop before the El Nicho Lake which over two days we had over 8 hours of paddling and 2 hours of hiking. Expect major bus travel for this trip. This is not a bad thing as it allowed us to travel to these gems within Cuba within a week and still get decent paddling time in. Oh one other thing, the food was spectacular throughout the trip. (and the beer)Peter as the Kayak Commander made the trip wonderful, hilarious and warm. Jorge our Cuban kayak guide was great, funny and very knowledgeable of local flora, fauna and culture as well as Raul our Cuban Tourist Guide. The three of them made everything very relaxed and with no stress throughout the trip. The three of them set a great tone for the trip which we all really appreciated. And I think our Cuban friends appreciated our Canadian humour! We are seriously considering coming back next year!”

“Our experience with Jay and Cuba Kayak Adventures was off the charts. He was always professional...upbeat, positive and prompt. The food he arranged for my wife and I (nothing with a mother or a face, no milk, cheese, meat) was creative, fresh, consistent and DELICIOUS!! The Cuban guide that he was required to have onboard the bus (Beautrix) was super and knew all things history about Cuba. Good pick!! Jorge was solid help with loading and unloading the kayaks and gave us Spanish lessons as we paddled. We always felt safe and well cared for by our Cuban bus driver, Domisu...very wise judgement behind the wheel!! Bus was spacious and deluxe. We are not back home in Walla Walla until Tuesday, but I plan to post cudos and photos ASAP. If anyone you speak with has any doubts or hesitations about your trips and the high level of quality you deliver...please tell them to contact me. I have been on guided trips in Africa, Turkey, Australia, NZ, Andorra, Greece and Europe.....you guys are tops!! I’d go to Mars with Jay!! You have great market position with the USA coming on line in the near future. I am presently talking with my brothers and sisters about booking a kayak trip in early 2017 in the Cienfuegos/Trinidad/Santa Clara with your company. Jay was all things fun and professional!! Loved it!! Kayaks were high quality and well maintained, too. Congratulations!!”

“We were able to kayak in four very beautiful, out of way locales on the south coast of Cuba; on a salt marsh beside the Bay of Pigs accompanied by a Cuban naturalist, an inland wetland where the bird watching was outrageous, along the ocean shoreline darting in and out of small inlets, and finally a fresh water lake in the mountains above Cienfuegoes. Each environment was beautiful and unique, it felt that we were paddling in a different country each day. I know that the Cuba Kayak Adventures cannot guarantee good weather but we were blessed with blue skies every day. Meals were excellent. I especially enjoyed our lunches. We were often in privately owned restaurants attached to Cuban homes. The food we were served was authentic Cuban fare and it was great to know that the money I had paid for the trip was going into the local economy. Jay and the Cuban guides were superb - professional, well organized, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. All of the equipment that I used was in excellent condition; the kayaks were in good shape and gear was similar to what I have purchased for my own kayak here in Canada. I would give this trip 5 stars - I have vacationed extensively in the Caribbean and this experience was by far the best.”

“Traveling to Cuba with Cuba Kayak Adventures is a wonderful way to get a taste of Cuba BEFORE – before investment turns the country into “just another tourist destination”. The resort accommodation is comfortable – but not posh. Transportation between paddling venues is a modern bus sufficiently large that most people have a double seat all to themselves while kayaking gear is drying in the back. The paddling is gentle. The water is warm. The sea life plentiful and the snorkeling excellent. The scenery is lovely with unexpectedly waterfalls and we climbed to a cave that is reported to extend some 40 km under the mountains. Above all what we saw was interesting. The revolutionary exhortations on fading posters featuring Che Guevera, the decaying evidence of the Soviet period, the complete peacefulness of the Bay of Pigs around a decayed bunker contrast vividly with the friendliness and liveleness of everyone we met, the eagerness to work to build the future, the wonderful small restaurant enterprises in a green, garden setting…. Jay Mothersill has excellent relations with his Cuban counterparts and logistics work smoothly. For me, it was a week that I just plain ENJOYED. I am returning again this winter.”