The Cuban archipelago is not only wonderful beaches with turquoise waters. Cuba is full of incredible natural landscapes in which its endemic flora and fauna stand out; impressive cave and mountain systems; rivers, cenotes, beaches, lagoons and crystal clear and refreshing waterfalls. If you are a lover of adventure and nature, and you want experiences to get to know the authentic Cuba, from our Agency of customized trips, CubaUnique we offer you the best options to prepare your travel route to Cuba, as in this case: nature activities in Cuba.
Whether if your planning to travel to Cuba with your group of friends, or if you want to travel with your classmates, with your family, or in a romantic trip with your partner, or even honeymoon in Cuba We will design your tours around Cuba according to your needs and expectations, so that you have the most unforgettable experiences!!Already in our blog we had proposed five Unique spots to enjoy nature in Cuba., but this time we share you 5 unique adventure excursions so that you can explore and feel the incredible nature of western Cuba to the fullest:
1 Finca Tungasuk: agriculture, nature and haute cuisine
Just 37km from Havana, in the province of Artemisa, we love this farm. It is a family project that allows you to learn about the most innovative trends in agroecology on the island. These link agriculture and sustainable consumption to tourism. The host couple? Alfredo and Annabelle, he is Peruvian and she is a Nicaraguan chef, trained at the prestigious French gastronomy school Ferrandi Paris? They have designed experiences that allow visitors to get involved with the work of the land and take advantage of its fruits.
There are 2 options to spend a unique day in Tungasuk and both are great, as they are completed with the personal experiences of these two ?yumas? (foreigners) ?applause? (Cubanized) and who love Cuba and talk about such interesting concepts as ecofeminism and sorecimiento (sisterhood + flourishing). Experience ?from the garden to the table?: visit to the farm and Creole lunch with appetizer, starter, main course, dessert and coffee. On the other side, if you are interested in collaborating as a volunteer with the planting and maintenance of crops, you will get the"Experience of volunteering visit? you will be received with a delicious natural breakfast. After work on the farm under the hot Caribbean sun, you will enjoy a hearty peasant-style lunch.
2 Las Terrazas: nature, history, and community
Since 1862 dozens of French coffee plantations have been established in this area of the Sierra del Rosario. It is the area that Las Terrazas occupies today, also in the Artemisa province. Just 52km from the capital, today this complex is much more than a rural experiment in sustainable forestry development. We propose this destination because we like the perfect symbiosis that is achieved between nature-history-community. For you to experience the nature of the Sierra del Rosario in a special way, you will be guided by a local.
bird watching
This one will give you first hand information and will take you through the less explored routes of this area. You have to get up early to live this experience, because it begins with the bird watching Cuban endemics along a wonderful trail. The guide will provide the binoculars! After the walk, the next stop will be at a natural pool who also has a small waterfall. Well secluded and almost inaccessible to those who do not know the area, with this refreshing bath you will recharge your batteries to continue enjoying the rest of the tour.The most adventurous can challenge their own limits by doing canopy. They will have a route through aerial steel cables of 1.6 km in length, from where you can enjoy the beautiful landscape.
You can get on foot to the Peasant's House, a ranchón-style restaurant where you will taste excellent Creole food prepared ?a la campesina?; the specialty is roast pork and congrí (Moorish rice). Then it is worth approaching the community. There, you will be surprised by the creativity and talent for art (painting, crafts) that these inhabitants have developed living between rivers and mountains.
3 Viñales: hiking, climbing, caving and rappelling in a mogote!
Every year, lovers of caving and hiking choose Viñales as a destination. The color of this small town in the Pinar del Río province, the friendliness of its people and its exceptional valleys make it the place par excellence for lovers of nature tourism. In Viñales there are very interesting excursions such as tour the tobacco fields on foot, by bicycle or on horseback in contact with local farmers, but if you are adventurous we suggest you a very exclusive activity in the relief of Viñales, so that you add adrenaline to your stay in this paradise of tobacco fields and mogotes.
A group of local experts will guide you on this adventure. They are young people with a lot of experience when it comes to adventure tourism and they all hold the category of instructors; they will provide you with both the instruction and the necessary material for this activity.
A unique ecosystem
The experience is all about mixing hiking, climbing, caving and rappelling, delving into the unique ecosystem of an imposing mogote. As it will take place in a practically virgin site, you will feel like a true discoverer. Right in the middle of a vertical rock wall of a mogote is the cavern that you are going to visit. To get to it, you will first do a fairly steep and intense hike (with a medium level of difficulty) of approximately 12m. Then you will do a very easy climb of another 12m to reach the cavern.After visiting the cavern and discovering the wonders of the underground environment of this area, you will rappel down 70m to the bed of the mogote. Before you can appreciate the curious formations in its stones. This experience lasts up to 4h, with breaks at intervals.
* A good physical preparation is needed. You should take precautions if you suffer from any type of allergy to insect bites. Harness, shoes, ropes, flashlights are included. Safety is guaranteed!
4 María La Gorda: Snorkeling, diving and relaxation
The fans of snorkeling, contemplative diving or underwater photography is this experience in María la Gorda. This place is considered a paradise in western Cuba due to its beautiful beaches, its colorful coral reefs and its reefs. This destination is located to the west of the Pinar del Río province, on the Guanahacabibes peninsula. Once you have arrived here we recommend you to stay for 2 or 3 nights in one of the hotels that CubaUnique can reserve for you. we also organize day trips passing through Cabo de San Antonio and sleeping one night in María la Gorda.
The plan that we propose is very simple: relax on the beach, practice snorkeling. In case you have certification, you can Diving in one of the 10 best diving areas in all of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to being able to appreciate the Coral Negro Valley, the largest black coral reef in Cuba, you will taste a delicious Cuban seafood meal and witness enchanting sunsets. As this enclave is part of a Biosphere Reserve, we encourage you to discover the exuberant wild and endemic fauna that inhabits its intricate settings.
Also, if you travel between May and September, it is worth witnessing the sea turtle spawning (green, hawksbill and loggerhead) in the sand dunes. Accompanied by a local guide, they visit 9 beaches at night to observe how these species are protected in Cuba during the nesting and birth of their young.
5 Bacunayagua, test your limits in the face of the unexplored
To the east of Havana is the small town of Bacunayagua, just 85 kilometers from the capital. Located in the province of Mayabeque and surrounded by exuberant, almost virgin nature, here you will find landscapes that will take your breath away. And since we love that you live new adventures, we offer you this exclusive and personalized experience in this charming little fishing village.
With a specialized guide, a local friend of CubaUnique, you will be able to discover the charms of this area of the Cuban north coast, which include crystal clear waters, rivers, caves, wild animals and much more!
You will be received by your guide at the Bacunayagua Viewpoint, a place of exceptional beauty for its view of the Yumurí Valley. About 100 meters from the viewpoint, the horses are waiting for you to walk a 1.5km path in which your guide will tell you all the secrets that this little-explored area hides. You will arrive at Playa del Muerto (they say that a body washed ashore many years ago), the place where the guide keeps all the equipment and where you can refresh yourself with a natural juice on its small terrace overlooking the sea before continuing with the rest of the adventures.
Heading to the cenote
From here you will make a walking route of approximately 2km of impressive vegetation, birds and wild animals until you reach the Cueva de la Morena, a fairly deep cenote with crystalline waters ideal for doing snorkeling. To eat you will enjoy a relaxed lunch at the guide's house where there will be no shortage of fresh fish! The next adventure will be a 2km ride (1km one way and 1km back) by kayak on the Bacunayagua river, in which you will feel teleported to the Amazon jungle; You will be able to observe or photograph the national bird of Cuba: the tocororo, and some species of woodpeckers. And to close with a flourish, an incomparable sunset of snorkeling or chill at Playa del Muerto.*This experience is not complicated and, although it can be adapted to your needs, it requires a minimum of physical preparation/ Includes mask and snorkel, kayak, paddles and life jacket. In addition to a natural juice, lunch and a bottle of water.
So, if you are thinking of organizing a trip to Cuba , whether it is on your own or with one of our tailor made trips we will craft with pleasure and care in our specialized travel agency, don't miss any of our recommendations to travel to Cuba without complications and to know about evolution of the Covid-19 situation in Cuba. We suggest some of our most popular preset routes most popular, and, if possible, that you spend at least 10 days in Cuba soyou don't miss the essentials, and above all, enjoy Cuban nature 24/7. We are waiting for you very soon!
Article written by Gabriela Rodríguez, an independent guide to Cuba.
Video produced and edited by Javier Ernesto Hernández-López.
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