An experienced team dedicated to helping you make the most of your journey.
We first traveled to Cuba in June of 2013 on a group tour led by Ralph Velasco and organized by PhotoEnrichment Programs, Inc. After that initial experience, we were hooked. We returned to Cuba in June of 2014 following a different itinerary. Our second trip allowed us to go beyond Havana and gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity of the country and Cuban people.
In March of 2015, we led our first group trip to Cuba. We had a wonderful experience, and, more importantly, our group members did as well. Based on their feedback and our experiences and research, we put together a brand new itinerary for a trip in the winter of 2016. That trip was again a great success, with 100% of the participants saying they would recommend Complete Cuba to a friend. We are proud that all of our subsequent trips have had the same great feedback.
We invite you to travel with us to experience the Complete Cuba.
Amy's Cuba focuses on the people, Hemingway, the food, and the history.
Keith's Cuba focuses on the people, art, the photography opportunities, and getting off the beaten path.
Together, we cover the Complete Cuba.
Amy M. Gardner, Tour Leader
An attorney, currently not practicing law, Amy has been fascinated with Cuba since she first read The Old Man and the Sea in ninth grade. She loves seeing favorite places through the eyes of new visitors, and particularly enjoys organizing group trips for family and friends to favorite destinations like Cuba, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Turkey, Prague, and Hawaii.
She prefers researching and planning trips carefully in advance, from watching TV shows and documentaries to listening to audio books written by authors from the country, and studying guidebooks. She especially enjoys that things are always in flux in Cuba, which necessitates going with the flow, as well as having a Plan B (and sometimes even a Plan C!) when holidays pop up unexpectedly, major events close roads, or hours change without notice. When not planning their next trip, Amy is usually reading travel-related books or blogs, collecting (and spending) frequent flier miles and points, cheering for the Chicago Cubs, or exploring Chicago restaurants.
Keith R. Sbiral, Photographer
Keith served as a city manager for a Chicago suburb and is now a full time consultant, career coach, photographer, and part time travel guide. He is especially interested in photography, architecture, and history. While Amy prefers to plan every detail, Keith prefers to explore with his camera in tow and to stake out and return to sites when the light is good. He values finding restaurants and hotels beyond guidebooks and online reviews, and exploring sites such as old railroad stations, abandoned buildings, and fruit and vegetable markets. His love for photography is perfectly matched with a passion for travel; over the last two decades Keith has had the opportunity to travel extensively both domestically and internationally. While he has decades of experience shooting with an SLR, today Keith shoots primarily with a Leica rangefinder and has had the opportunity to participate in Leica Akademie Master Classes with world renowned photographers Craig Semetko, Richard Bram, Arthur Meyerson, Phillip Blair, Jesse Marlowe and others.
Keith's current photography focus is on street photography, low light photography, and travel photography. You can check out more of his work at www.reddotbluedot.com.
“The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson