Baracoa is rich in natural attractions, with crystal-clear rivers, the Sagua- Baracoa Mountain Range and paths on which to explore it all: rivers, mountaíns, marine terraces and pristine beaches.
The sea, rivers, mountains and forests in this area at the northeastern tip of Cuba pro vide excellent conditions for ecotourism. The mountains are covered with ram forest, pine, holm oak and gallery forests.
This trail runs through the Quibiján-Duaba Ecological Preserve, part of the Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Preserve, to reach the Yunque—a flat-topped tableland 1886 feet (575 meters) above sea level which has been declared an outstanding natural element and is the symbol of Baracoa, the first Spanish settlement in Cuba.
You can get to the trailhead at the El Yunque Camp by bicycle, car, motor scooter or bus.
Along the way, you’ll see some beautiful scenery, the Duaba River and two farm communities—Rivera and Santa Rosa—where you can leam about the people’s traditions and customs and about agriculture in the region (which is based on cacao and coconuts, that are closely linked to Baracoa’s history and culture).
While climbing the Yunque, you’ll see typical hillock vegetation, including royal palm (Roystonea regia), cocotrinax, mahogany (Swietenia spp.), hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.), cedar (Cedrela mexicana), Santa Maria tree (Callophylum calaba), mango, (Mangifera indica) orange (Citrus sinensis) and mammee (Mammea americana) trees; many lilies; and a great variety of fems.
This is a very good area for bird-watching, with several endemic species: Woodpeckers, Cuban Todys (Todus multicolor), Cuban Trogons (Priotelus temnurus), Parrots (Amazona leucocephala), Cuban Parakeets (Aratinga euops) and Emerald Hummingbirds (Chiorostilbon recordii). In addition, there are several kinds of reptiles, lizards, singularly beautiful butterflies, Polymita venusta land snails and brilliantly colored centipedes (Spirobulus grandis).
The top of the mountain is a natural lookout point which gives you a fantastic view of the city of Baracoa, the mouths of the Duaba and Toa Rivers, and the great mountain scenery in Alexander von Humboldt National Park.
Wear comfortable shoes (hiking boots or sandais) and a swimsuit.
Specialized guide and farm lunch.
This hiking trail is ideal for seeing the scenery in Alexander von Humboldt National Park, which is considered to be the largest and best-preserved mountain and tropical rainforest ecosystem in Cuba and in all of the Caribbean islands. Along the way, you’ll probably be able to see species of flora and fauna that are endemic to the Antilles.
The trail begins at the first narrow section of the Santa María River and then goes through a flat area a little less than a mile (1.5 kilometers) long that is surrounded by fruit—orange, tangerine, mango, and coconut—and other trees and medicinal plants.
Along the way, you can see some of the smallest vertebrates in the world: Butterfiy Bats (Natalus lepidus), Alto de Iberia frogs, Bee Hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae) and Polymita venustas.
In the next section of the trail, you’ll climb one of the highest points in the municipality. Its peak is covered with typical submountain rainforest, with species of precious wood, such as hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.), mahogany (Swietenia spp.), cedar (Cedrela mexicana) and najesi (Carapa guianensis); hardwoods, such as ocuje colorado, jiquí (Pera humelifolia), maboa and incienso; and medicinal plants, such as copal, vervain and yerba alcanforada. At various points along the way, you’ll be able to see Cuban Trogons (Priotelus temnurus), Emerald Hummingbirds (Chlorostilbon recordii), Cuban Todys (Todus multicolor), Nightingales (Myadestes elisabeth) and some Parrots (Amazona leucocephala) and Cuba Parakeets (Aratinga euops).
Your hike will take you to the source of the Santa María River—El Majá Waterfall, more tban 82 feet (25 meters) high—where you can rest in the shade before treating yourself to a refreshing dip.
Wear comfortable shoes (hiking boots or sandals) and a swimsuit.
Specialized guide and entrance to Alexander von Humboldt National Park.
This tour is a harmonious combination of hiking and a boat ride on the Jiguaní River, showing you the valley scenery and the river where it runs between high cliffs. The plant formations include mangrove thickets and shrub, evergreen and pine woods.
Many kinds of fauna have been identified here. They include Cuban Trogons (Prioletus temnurus), Emerald Hummingbirds (Chiorostilbon recordii), Cuban Todys (Todus multicolor) and some Parrots (Amazona leucocephala); nonpoisonous snakes, such as jubos (Coluber cantherigerus) and Cuban boas (Epicrates angulifer); and lizards, such as the Marrón and chameleon (Anolis equestris).
On this hike, you will see some great scenery in Alexander von Humboldt National Park, the most important protected area in Cuba in terms of biodiversity and the high percentage of endemic species. You’ll also see several different ecosystems and endemic species of flora and fauna, including Pino de Cuba (Pinus cubensis), Bonita del Pinar and Draecena de Moa (Dracaena cubensis) pine trees.
The trail will take you across the clear Taco River—a powerful force that formed the valleys—and through a beautiful mountain valley and evergreen forests where you can see quiebra hachas ((Copaifera hymenaefolia), bully trees (Manikara albescens), a hundred-year-old ocuje (Calophyllum drasilience var. antillanum) and several species of birds, including Bee Hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae); Cuban Trogons (Priotelus temnurus), Cuba's national bird; Parrots (Amazona leucocephala); Cuban crows Corvus nasicus) Nightingales (Myadestes elisabeth); and Cuban Todys (Todus multicolor). The tour winds up with a dip in a natural pool in the Taco River.
Most of this tour is made by rowboat or by boat with an electric motor. The departure is from a dock in the middle of the Bay of Taco—a narrow-entrance bay on the Atlantic Ocean.
At the beginning of the tour, you see a mangrove (Rhizophora spp.) thicket that covers a cay formed of volcanic-sedimentary tuff which has withstood the passing of the years and serves as the base for soil of vegetable origin, with plants that have hard yet fragile leaves.
Your boat will then go around the shores of the bay, showing you Cuba’s inner coast, with inlets, so you can see karst formations and important species of sea birds that live here. You’ll also be able to see the ruins of a settlement that was established in this area in the late 1950s and the remains of the old road around the bay.
This stretch of the trip passes several species of mangrove: red (Rhizophora mangle), black, (Patabán and Llana, together with various species of palm tree: coconut; Cocotrinax, which is endemic to Baracoa; and royal palm (Roystonea regia), Cuba’s national tree.
Fauna of Special Interest: The bay is the home of the only herbivorous marine mammal in Cuba: the Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus). Moreover, there are many colonies of oysters, associated with the trunks of the mangroves. During your trip, you’ll hear the chatter of Parrots (Amazona leucocephala) and the songs of other birds, such as Woodpeckers and Cuban Bullfinches (Melopyrrha nigra nigra), that nest here at certain times of the year.
boat, life vest, specialized guide and entrance to Alexander von Humboldt National Park.
Wear comfortahle shoes and a swimsuit.