The Topes de Collantes Natural Park is located in the Sierra del Escambray, at the gates of Trinidad.
Perched at an altitude of 700 meters, the park served in the 1950s as a refuge for the revolutionary forces led by Che Guevara.
A few years later, it was the turn of counter-revolutionary groups opposing the Castro regime to take refuge there.
A paradise for nature lovers, the park has an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and is home to many endemic species.
How to Get to Topes de Collantes Natural Park
Please note that the entrance is obligatory. There are checkpoints even on the way of the hike!
Tours
From Trinidad, the home base of the vast majority of tourists in the area, it is very easy to get to Topes de Collantes Natural Park.
Cubanacan and Havanatur agencies in Trinidad organize daily excursions to Topes de Collantes Natural Park.
Private Taxi
If you prefer to visit the park on your own, you can also take a private cab.
It will take you to the park from Trinidad and wait until you have finished your visit to drive you back to town.
Beware:
The taxis have understood the business and impose really restrictive conditions. They ask you an average of 30CUC round trip and leave you only 4 hours maximum on the spot, which is a bit short if you want to take the time to enjoy quietly.
Things To do in the Natural Park of Topes de Collantes
Numerous hiking trails crisscross the Park of Topes de Collantes and invite you to discover its caves, rivers, waterfalls and natural pools.
The main sites are :
- The waterfalls of Cabo del Caburni
- Vegas Grandes
- Guanayara Park
- El Nicho (also accessible from Cienfuegos)
The most famous and easy to access are the Salto de Caburní (5 km round trip) and the Vegas Grandes (4 km round trip).
Count 9 CUC for the entrance to each trail.
Whether it is on the trail of Salto de Caburní or Vegas Grandes, you will walk a few kilometers through the lush landscapes of the park before reaching a waterfall flowing into a natural pool.
It is the ideal place to make a refreshing splash!
Beware, think of putting on good shoes: during our hike, the ground was wet and very slippery!
The Natural Park of El Nicho
Located in the Natural Park of Topes de Collantes, the magnificent Natural Park of El Nicho is located halfway between Trinidad and Cienfuegos.
This is one of our favorites in Cuba.
An excursion proposed by Cubanacan makes it possible to make the way between Cienfuegos and Trinidad by stopping a few hours in the park (44 CUC per person, lunch included).
El Nicho is a little paradise! Imagine a whole network of natural pools and waterfalls in a splendid setting! The happiness!
Waters with medicinal properties The Codina Farm offers visitors the opportunity to take mud bath.
The Topes de Collantes Park also owes its therapeutics to its water, which is said to have medicinal properties!
