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Mindful Explorer
Travel
DISCOVER
Featured sustainable travel opportunities and destinations, travel updates, helpful travel tools, and travel tips!
CUBA: Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, & Las Terrazas
DATES: January 3 - 10, 2026
PRICE: $2,790
Join us for a unique experience of Cuban art, music, and dance as well as Cuba's sustainable lifestyle, beautiful nature, and wonderful people! We'll not only explore Havana, but also Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and Las Terrazas UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The itinerary includes daily cultural activities that include guided walking tours of Havana and Cienfuegos, a classic car ride, musical performances, a paint and sip session with a famous Cuban artist, a hike to a waterfall or time at the beach, visiting a local pottery studio, salsa dancing, and more. We'll also have time to explore on our own!
You'll stay in a beautiful, locally-owned boutique B&B that's located in a lovely residential neighborhood close to Havana. Daily breakfast is included as well as seven lunches and a welcome dinner. Recommendations for dinners also provided as well as suggestions for activities in your free time. The trip cost also includes all local ground transportation and all museum entrance fees.
In addition, your Cuba visa and paperwork are provided as well as all pre-departure assistance and compliance with U.S. regulations.
This trip is open to everyone, so bring your significant other/partner/spouse if you wish!
For additional details, including the trip itinerary, please contact me at julie@mindful-explorer.com!
U.A.E.: Joy of Pickleball Group Trip
DATES: November 2 - 9, 2025
PRICE: $2,800
Join Dr. Joy Macci for her Joy of Pickleball group trip to the UAE this fall!
This is the perfect trip for any pickleball player seeking an extraordinary experience. This wonderful travel opportunity includes local Emirati experiences as well as daily pickleball clinics and play!
You'll stay at the beautiful Hotel Indigo, Downtown, a 5-star hotel within walking distance of the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa.
In addition, you'll have daily pickleball clinics, drills, and play, and an opportunity to play a match with local Emiratis!
Trip experiences include a traditional Emirati dinner, a city tour of Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi, a desert safari, a yacht cruise and free time to explore on your own.
The trip price includes hotel (double occupancy) with daily breakfast, local transportation, cultural activities, tours, entrance fees, 5 group meals as well as coaching by Dr. Joy.
Please enter your contact info below for updates, or email me at julie@mindful-explorer.com with questions or to express interest!
Sustainable Travel is Easier Than You Think:
GREEN
Destinations, Transportation, Lodging…
Think Green, Local, and Conscious!
Opt for sustainable destinations and eco-friendly transport and lodging.
LOCAL
Experiences, Guides, Restaurants, Shopping…
Show support for the local community by choosing local businesses.
CONSCIOUS
Respect, Rethink, Reduce, Recycle, Reuse…
Be a conscious traveller, showing respect for the local culture and natural environment by reducing, recycling, and reusing.
Responsible Travel Reminders:
Before you go, do some research on your destination(s). Check out the local public transportation, farmer's markets, and locally-owned shops and restaurants.
Be sure to pack responsibly and lightly, including sustainable toiletries, a reusable or filtered water bottle, sustainable essentials like reef-safe sunscreen, multipurpose items such as reusable tote/shopping bags and a sarong or microfiber towel, reusable utensils to cut down on single-use plastics, and healthy snacks.
Be sensitive to and respectful of the local customs, dress, etc. Learn key phrases in the local language, buy local products and food, pay a fair price, and be mindful of where you shop, focusing on supporting the local community.
Use local public transport and travel overland by train and bus as much as possible instead of flying.
Be mindful of energy and water use at your lodging, keeping it to a minimum, recycle and compost when you can, and dispose of trash properly.
When exploring, stay on designated trails, respecting natural habitats and sensitive ecosystems, keep a respectful distance from wildlife, and be sure to pick up and carry trash out.
