Reserves and national parks of Cuba. National parks of Cuba. La guira national park
And it is the center of tobacco plantations - it is here that the most fragrant tobacco grows. But above all, the Viñales Valley is simply very beautiful place. It is famous for its mogotes - domed limestone "columns", some of which are 800 meters wide and 300 meters high. fields, often surrounded by mogotes, like walls. Inside the limestone hills there are often entire labyrinths of caves. For a small fee, you can hire a guide who will show you the path to the top of the mogotes and escort you to the caves. The valley is fantastically beautiful at sunset, when red herons roam the tobacco fields. The western part of the valley has been declared a national monument, and there are several hotels in the south.
GUANAACABIBES NATIONAL PARK
The length of this peninsula is almost a hundred kilometers. Also included in the list of biosphere reserves of UNESCO. Magnificent landscapes, beaches, rivers, lakes, unique plants, animals, birds, including four species of sea turtles and the smallest birds on the planet. Under water - Coral reefs, sunken ships, dolphins, so the peninsula is also one of the most popular diving spots.
CAYO LARGO
The island, 25 kilometers long and 3 kilometers wide, is famous for the fact that its entire coastline is a beach with pure white sand and turquoise water. Once it served as a base for pirates, and now there are many hotels here. Flamingos, iguanas, horse riding and sailing.
On the eastern tip of the island, there is a chance to watch giant sea turtles that lay their eggs here, and there is a turtle farm in the center of the island. The west coast is overgrown with mangroves. From the island you can go on an excursion to the neighboring, uninhabited islands. You can also order spearfishing or fishing.
Caves of Santo Tomas
The largest cave system in Cuba total length 45 kilometers, decorated with stalactites and stalagmites.
CIENAGA DE ZAPATA NATIONAL PARK
This large swampy peninsula is one of the most interesting ecosystems not only in Cuba, but in the entire New World. wildlife This region is teeming with hundreds of interesting species of animals, birds, plants, insects - many of which are endemic. Mangroves, of which there are a lot, are an extremely important part of the ecosystem. These bushes, growing right in the silt, become home to a huge number of species of a wide variety of living creatures - both under and above water. The Zapata peninsula is home to, among others, unique pygmy owls and the smallest bird in the world, the sunsuncito hummingbird, which is only 2.5 centimeters long. In the mangroves you can sometimes see a crocodile; however, Zapata has crocodile farm(the largest in Cuba), next to which there is also a restaurant where you can try reptile meat. On the peninsula ideal conditions for diving: coral systems in some places go down to 300 meters. Inside the peninsula there are caves filled with fresh water.
PUENTE BAKUNYAGUA BRIDGE
A hundred kilometers east of Havana, over the valley of the Bacunayagua River, is a majestic bridge. Its length is more than three hundred meters, and its height is more than a hundred. Actually
the bridge is forbidden to stop, but from the side, with a special observation deck you can take amazing pictures. SAN MIGUEL DE LOS BANOS RESORT This was once a very popular mineral spa. Since then, it has fallen into disrepair and resembles more ruins, but these are majestic and bewitching ruins. The Moorish building of the baths deserves special attention.
SIERRA DEL ROSARIO
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Cedars, mahogany and pines. Orchid park, mineral baths, mountains, waterfalls. 800 plant species, of which 35% are endemic. Unique animals and birds, including - deer, half-meter rodents - hutias.
LA GUIRA NATIONAL PARK
The Hacienda Cortina estate, once owned by a Cuban millionaire. Ancient ruins, a botanical garden and a unique cave with a 30-meter vault, which once served as the headquarters of Che Guevara.
SIERRA DEL CRYSTAL
Sierra del Cristal is located to the east of Holguin, this mountain system is the center of ecotourism. Here are waiting for lovers of horseback riding and forest trips. In addition, caves with pre-Columbian drawings are located in these mountains. The area is also famous for its unique Caribbean pines, some of which reach 30 meters in height.
SIERRA MAESTRA
The highest mountain range stretches along the southern coast of the country. These wild, forested rocks have been the scene of hostilities more than once; Fidel Castro's headquarters were located here, from which he led the activities of the rebels. Now these places are a paradise for 5 climbers. In the village of Santo Domingo, you can get permission to visit the Pico Turquino Park, where the highest mountain on the island is located - almost two kilometers of Turquino Peak. Climbing the mountain must be planned very carefully, choosing warm waterproof clothes. You can spend the night in the camp at an altitude of 1600 meters.
SIERRA DEL ESCAMBRAY
Cuba's second highest mountain range is located east of Cienfuegos. The partisans of Che Guevara hid here, and after the victory of the revolution, those who were against it. From the slopes of the mountains there are views of the valleys where coffee and tobacco are grown, and the mountains themselves are cut by caves, of which Martina Inferno is the most famous - the stalagmites in it are more than 60 meters high.
CORDILLERO DE GUANIGUANICO
This mountain range stretches across the entire western tip of the island, limiting the famous Viñales Valley from the north. It is home to the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve and La Guira National Park. Botanical gardens, sulfur springs, unique species of birds, animals and insects, rivers and waterfalls, the ruins of plantations and the amazing beauty of the cave, inside one of which you can ride a motor boat along the underground river.
EL YUNQUE
A unique five-hundred-meter mountain, which has a flat shape and is nicknamed "The Anvil" for it. Not a professional climber can climb to the top, but only with a guide. The efforts spent on climbing will be more than rewarded with breathtaking views and observations of rare animals and birds. Columbus made an entry about the unusual shape of this mountain in his diary.
Cuba (Spanish Cuba), the official name is the Republic of Cuba (Spanish República de Cuba), unofficial since 1959 - Liberty Island - an island nation in the northern Caribbean Sea. The country occupies the territory of the island of Cuba as part of the Greater Antilles, the Isle of Youth and many smaller islands. Cuba is separated from North America by the Strait of Florida to the north and the Yucatan Strait to the west.
In the very west of the island lies the unique Viñales Valley (listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage) in the Sierra de los Organos, with bizarre rock formations "mogotes", many traces of prehistoric human settlements, plantations of the best black tobacco in the world, an extensive cave system and sources mineral waters, and also, not surprisingly, with numerous tourist complexes. Also of particular interest to tourists are the Sierra del Rosario and Guanaacabibes biosphere reserves (also included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List), excellent dive sites near Maria la Gorda.
The Vinales Valley (Spanish: Valle de Viñales) is a karst lowland in western Cuba, the valley covers 132 km² and is surrounded by the Sierra de los Organos mountains. Located 30 km north of the provincial capital of Pinar del Río. In 1999, the cultural landscape of the valley was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
national park Sierra Maestra is located on the mountain range of the same name, stretching for 240 km along the southern coast of the Caribbean Sea. The Sierra Maestra mountains are really impressive in their size; 3 more national Cuban parks are located on their slopes.
Baconao National Park is an ideal place for those who would like to enjoy natural resources and how to have fun during one excursion. The park covers an area of more than 85 thousand hectares between the Caribbean Sea and the majestic mountains of the Sierra Maestra,
The Sierra del Rosario National Park is located on the Guaniguanico Peninsula in western Cuba, on the Rosario mountain range. The territory of the reserve, stretching for more than 250 km, is an untouched forest area with areas of tropical forests and evergreen vegetation.
Topes de Collantes National Park is located at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, in the middle of the Sierra del Escambray mountain range. Visit this amazing natural area is the most popular excursion in Trinidad. The most convenient way to see the park is on a one-day jeep tour.
There are fewer and fewer places left on the planet untouched by civilization. Cuba, one third of whose territory is today occupied by protected reserves, is one of them, a real El Dorado for those who are going on a journey in search of pristine natural beauties. Where else can you find such a variety of ecosystems concentrated on such a small piece of land, the length of which is only 1200 kilometers? And although forests today on the island occupy only ten percent of the territory, thanks to the mild climate and fertile soils, about four percent of the entire flora of the planet is concentrated here: more than 6,000 species of plants and flowers. On the moist soils of the plains and low slopes are tropical forests - deciduous and evergreen. And on the dry and rocky land in the west and east of the island, you will find pine forests, on the low coasts giving way to mangroves. In the arid southeast of Cuba, thorny, small-leaved shrubs grow, different types cacti and agaves.
Only here you can see the relic cork palm Microcycas calocoma and the endemic seibon tree, resembling a prehistoric monster with its outlines.Cuba is one of the record-breaking countries for endemic species plants, they are here more than half of the total number of species. On the southeast coast you can see a cactus Escobaria cubensis- a miniature plant, with a diameter of about three centimeters. Another local endemic is the haguey fig tree with a bizarre interlacing of above-ground roots. But for the rarest specimens, you need to go to the Viñales Valley National Park, declared by UNESCO as a heritage of mankind. It is unlikely that anywhere else you can find such picturesque landscapes with unique karst hills. Only here you can see the relic cork palm Microcycas calocoma, whose age is lost in the Cretaceous period, and the endemic seibon tree, resembling a prehistoric monster with its outlines. Well, if your goal is tropical forests with lush thickets of tree ferns, bizarrely flowering trees and lianas, you need to go to the northeast of the country, to the Alejandro de Humbold National Park, where the most extensive tropical forests in the entire Caribbean. There are truly unique places on the island, such as the Desembarco del Granma National Park in the southeast of Cuba. Only here you can see picturesque waterfalls and naturally formed reservoirs, bizarre cliffs and stepped terraces, as if born from coastal waters. They are still in the process of formation, and scientists who come here have a rare opportunity to observe how karst topography is formed on Earth. But tourists are not attracted to this reserve by science. Here is a botanical paradise with 612 species of plants, watching which you can come across something completely outlandish, for example, a miniature orchid Tetramicra malpighiarum less than two centimeters in diameter. Cuba - the best place for hunting for rare animals, of course, we are talking about hunting with a camera. Animal world the islands, like the vegetable one, are unlike anything else. There are few vertebrates here, but apparently non-poisonous reptiles, among which half are also endemic. Like, for example, a giant boa constrictor epicrates angulife, reaching four meters in length. It feeds on bats, of which there are more than 23 species, and among them one of the smallest in the world - natalus lepidus. Only the local dwarf frog can compete with its microscopic size. Eleutherodactylus limbatus and Cuban bird - hummingbird . Another Cuban endemic is the tenacious hutia rodent. Carromyidae pilorides- also a record holder in its own way. The carcass of this largest mammal on the island can reach 60 centimeters. Do you want to see it? You will certainly meet him in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve. And the most famous of the reptiles of Cuba, the rhombifer crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer Cuvier), endemic, you can see in the Zapata Peninsula Reserve, where relict creatures swim in the coastal waters - the herbivorous manatee (Trichechus manatus) and the semi-reptile manhuari fish. The Zapata Peninsula is also the realm of birds. Of the 300 bird species of Cuba, over 170 species live and nest in the vast territory of the reserve, most of which are also endemic. Well, leaving Cuba without seeing the Caribbean flamingos is simply unforgivable. At their nesting site in the wetlands along the Rio Maximo and Caguey rivers, thousands of these beautiful birds can be observed. An unforgettable sight! No wonder this territory was included in the list of wetlands of international importance by the Ramsar Convention of 1971. It is impossible to tell about everything that awaits you in the natural reserves of Cuba. You just need to pack up and go - if there are heavenly corners, those in Cuba are among them.
In the province of Granma, in the southwest of Cuba, there is an interesting national park Desembarco del Granma, which translates into Russian as Landing from Granma. This name is due to the fact that it was in 1956 that Che Guevara and the Castro brothers illegally arrived in Cuba, who subsequently carried out the revolution. The boat on which they arrived was called Granma, hence the name of the national park. In principle, everything in Cuba is to some extent connected with the revolution and its leaders, so there is nothing surprising in such a name.
The park was founded in 1986 and is considered the most underrated national park in Cuba. The fact is that over the years of its existence, it has not gained great tourist popularity, about 1,000 tourists visit it every year, and most of them are Cubans.
The nature of the park is not only beautiful, but also very diverse; here you can see rare species of flora and fauna. About 900 people live in the park, who are mainly engaged in fishing. The lands of this park have survived to this day in their original form, and therefore have a colossal archaeological value. At one time, the Tainu Indians lived in this territory, whose remains are found from time to time during archaeological research. The old lighthouse, which was built in the 19th century, has been well preserved to this day. Since 1999, this park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The park has a beautiful relief, with a large number of karst rocks, picturesque cliffs and sea terraces. In the coastal zone there is a terraced system - Escalera de los Xihantes, whose name translates as the Giants' Staircase and this system is considered the largest in the world. There is also a huge sinkhole, 52 meters wide and 77 meters long. Also a must-see is the Cueva Fustete Cave. This cave is interesting because the underground routes stretch for five kilometers and about 200 species of plant varieties grow underground. In total, more than 500 plant species can be seen in the park, 200 of which are found nowhere else. The animal world is not so diverse, but in any case there is something to see. For example, it is in this park that the smallest frog in the world lives, the length of which is only 12 millimeters, as well as the smallest sunsunito hummingbird, 63 millimeters long.
The park is great not only for exploring various natural attractions, but also for diving. Visibility under water exceeds 40 meters, which allows you to see the beauty of underwater life. In this case, it is not necessary to dive with cylinders, a mask with fins will be quite enough (and much cheaper).
Nearest Big city, located relatively close to the park, is the city of Santiago de Cuba, about 150 kilometers from it. But from Havana, the distance is much more solid and you can get there by plane (in just 50 minutes) or by train, but in this case you will have to spend about 9 hours on the way. Apparently, such a remote distance affects the fact that the park is not very popular with tourists, but if you have free time, be sure to go there, the place is very beautiful and interesting.
Cuba is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. Its rich history and national traditions, magnificent colonial architecture and other cultural, historical and natural attractions, wonderful climate, warm sea and excellent beaches will make your trip to Cuba unforgettable.
Havana is an administrative, political, cultural, scientific, and also the main tourist center of the country, a cosmopolitan province. Havana is visited annually by more than half of all foreign tourists coming to the country. Its main charm is the city itself with its variety of architecture, wide avenues and famous boulevards, and in particular its historic center, declared in 1982 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The second largest city in the country, Santiago de Cuba, is famous for its magnificent fortress of San Pedro de la Roca (Castillo del Morro), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the territory of the fortress there is an interesting Museum of the history of piracy. Santiago de Cuba is located in a cozy bay surrounded by high picturesque mountains. And in its vicinity are the beautiful Gran Piedra National Park, on the territory of which the tourist center of the same name is located, and the original Baconao National Natural Park (declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve). Bakanao is famous all over the world for the Prehistoric Valley, the Sculpture Meadow and the Lagoon.
The province of Pinar del Rio is located in the west of the island and is famous, firstly, for its beautiful nature, and, secondly, for its tobacco plantations. Sights of the region: the city of Pinar del Rio, the Viñales Valley National Park and Soroa. The provincial capital of the same name is interesting for its Provincial Museum of Natural Sciences, the Gouache Palace, the Milanes Theater and the Francisco Donatien Cigar Factory. The Viñales Valley, located in the Sierra de los Organos, is notable for its mogotes, sheer flat-topped hills, the Cave of the Indian, Santo Tomas Cave, the healing springs of San Vicente, and a prehistoric fresco on the wall of one of the mogotes. ".
Trinidad de Cuba is a city-museum of colonial architecture, declared by UNESCO as a heritage of mankind and a cultural monument of world importance. The city was founded in 1514 by Diego Velasquez. Times have changed, but Trinidad itself is still the same as it was 2 centuries ago with its baroque churches, red-tiled roofs, paving stones and wrought iron railings. It is especially recommended to pay attention to the Romantic Museum, the Museum of Architecture, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Combating Bandits, the Alexander Humboldt Museum of Natural Sciences and the Guamuaya Archaeological Museum.
The "Sights of Cuba" section of our portal contains information about all the main, main and most interesting sights of Cuba, excursions and places that you must visit and see.