Hiking in Cuba

Come and meet the most spectacular landscapes to hike in Cuba.

Hiking in Cuba
© Guillaume Baviere

The main attractive things in Cuba are its climate, beaches, history and rich culture, but the majority of tourists do not know its spectacular beauty and the wealth of its landscapes. Supported by the beauty of its natural landscape, Cuba develops touristic programs to promote the ecotourism which have a great reception in the last years, particularly hiking. The instructed kind Cuban tour guides will offer you unforgettable experiences in touch with nature when you climb to the highest peak of Cuba the Turquino Pike, or wal by the Varahicacos Ecological Reservation, close to Varadero.

The country has 24 national parks, 25 ecological reservations and 6 biosphera reservations by the UNESCO. Its fauna counts with around 16,500 described species and some zoos show an endemism higher the the 90 per cent, with some endangered species.

The main part of the routes go through the ecologically vulnerable areas, since the 10% of the national territory is under environmental protection.

Main Hiking Areas in Cuba:

Sierra Maestra Mountain Range
Pinar del Río
Topes de Collantes
El Yunque
El Balcón de Iberia
Sierra de Escambray Mountain Range
Salto de Caburní
Viñales National Park
Ingenios Valley
Sierra del Rosario Mountain Range
La Ciénaga de Zapata Swamp
Hanabanilla Lake

Sierra Maestra Mountain Range

The main mountain range in Cuba, with numerous peaks above the 1,000 metres height, which extend along 170 km. from West to East in the South Oriental region of the island, between the provinces of Granma and Santiago de Cuba

This is, doubtlessly, the perfect destination in Cuba because it hides an exuberant well preserved nature, closely linked to the recent history of Cuba, since it was the base of operations of Fidel Castro’s guerrilla on its fight against the army of Fulgencio Batista.

You can climb the highest peaks of the country, the Turquino Peak, with 1,972 metres height, Cuba Peak, with 1,872 metres height, and Suecia, with 1,734 metres height; to visit the base of operations of the guerrilla in the Comandancia de La Playa Headquarters; get to know the Gran Piedra, the biggest rock in the world with 70,000 tonnes; visit the famous coffee plantations; or walk through the National Parks of Pico Turquino, Desembarco del Granma, Santo Domingo-La Sierrita and Marea del Portillo.

Pinar del Río

The most occidental region of the island, has a relief predominantly plain with the exception of the Cordillera de Guaniguanico Mountain Range, made of the Sierra del Rosario Range and the Sierra de Los Órganos Range. Its major elevation is Pan de Guajaibón, with 699 metres height.

This is one of the best areas in Cuba to practi hiking and one of the most visited in the whole island due to its closeness to the capital. Through its road you can discover the traditional Cuban flora and fauna while admiring the beautiful orchids garde of the Soroa Botanic Garden, enjoy the incredible views of its overlook, go all over the Manantiales Rivers and its famous waterfall, have a bath on its medicinal waters and complement it with a visit to the ruins of former French coffee plantations.

You can visit the Viñales Valley National Park, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1999 because of its caves, its endemic flora and its imposing “mogotes”, limestone rock elevations typical of tropical regions. Or try to go inside the cave system of Palmarito, El Indio and Santo Tomás, the biggest of Las Antillas, with around 45 kilometres long.

Main hiking trails

Cordillera Guaniguanico Mountain Range
Pan de Guajaibón
Guanahacabibes Peninsula
San Diego de los Baños y Soroa
Sierra del Rosario Range
Viñales

Topes de Collantes

Located in the province of Sancti Spíritus, the Topes de Collantes Great Natural Park seems the charming islands reigned by the tale nymphs, by the wealth of its flora and fauna, with a high endemic level. It has always been an inspiration place for painters, musicians and writers.

Nature gave to the region big pines, monumental carob trees, cedars, mahogany trees, magnolias, eucalyptus plantations, more than 100 ornamental plants, ferns varieties and wild orchids. This varied vegetal mosaic is so great that it has been named “ecological edge”. The butterflies fly around in this orchard accompanied by parrots, sparrow hawks, woodpecker, Cuban bullfinches and Cuban trogon, national bird of Cuba.

The routes between mountains will leave you speechless by the spectacular waterfalls with falls of even 60 metres, and puddles of crystalline waters fed by nearby springs.

Main hiking trails

Codina Park
Guanayara
Los Almendros
Huellas de la Historia
Centinelas del Río Melodioso
Sendero Caburní
Sendero Vegas Grande

What to do:

Why "Trip Cuba"?

Trip Cuba is an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:

✓ To make Cuba, its culture and its heritage known.
✓ To promote sustainable tourism.
✓ To support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.

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