Canadian World Traveller Winter 2019-20 Issue

27
In Cuba, Naturally!
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
Many visitors to Cuba are unaware
that aside from wonderful beach
holidays, nature tourism places
Cuba as one of the top destinations in the
Caribbean. On a recent trip we travelled 2 ½
hours south of Varadero to Playa Giron on
the Zapata Peninsula to get a taste of Cuba’s
amazing natural diversity by exploring stunning
scenery, discovering the flora and
fauna, hiking through national parks, reveling
in the beauty of one waterfall after another,
as well as kayaking, swimming and photography.
Many visitors come to the mangrove swamps
in Zapata National Park to kayak, fish, and
even spot crocodiles, but the main activity,
especially during the November to March
migration season is birding. The pink flamingoes
are a popular attraction but there are
over 70 different types of birds on the peninsula.
During our short stay we saw White Ibis,
Kingfishers, Black-necked Stilts, Sandpipers,
Prairie Warblers, Yellow Warblers (a.k.a.
Mangrove Warblers), White and Reddish
Egrets, and even the Cuban Trogon, the
National Bird whose feathers display the
blue, red and white colors of the Cuban flag!
In nearby Playa Larga, we visited La casa del
Zunzuncito, a wonderfully onomatopoeic
word for the Bee Hummingbird, the smallest
bird in the world. We took photos of a tiny
blue female, as well as a bright green
Emerald Hummingbird who dropped by.
Heading further east, with spectacular views
at every turn, we ascended Topes de
Collantes, located at 800 meters (2600 feet)
above sea level in the Escambray Mountains.
On arrival, we boarded trucks, as the roads
in the area can be steep and pretty rough.
In Guanayara Park, single-tree bridges (hold
on to that rope!) help traverse rushing
streams as the easy-to-moderate hiking trails
through pristine forest lead to intriguing cave
passageways, sometimes full of slippery
rocks, that in turn lead to spectacular hidden
waterfalls.
Our morning refreshments were a product of
our surroundings. Delicious full-bodied coffee,
made from fresh picked and roasted
Robusta coffee beans was served along with
a taste of ultra-sweet, creamy, chocolate that
had just been made from Cacao beans.
And with refreshment in mind, we followed a
trail, named Centinelas del Rio Melodioso
(Guardians of the Melodious River) to find
swimming holes and discover a succession of
waterfalls, each one more breathtaking than
the last.
After the hiking, birding and swimming (we
also met rock climbers), it was time for zipping!
Next to our hotel, Los Hellechos (The
Ferns), we Zip-Lined through the Canopy with
the fifth and last Zip spectacularly ending
inside a cave passageway.
A fitting end to our nature adventures was a
visit to the Theatre of Elements Community
Project which showcases the talents of local
farmers: Singing, acting, and presenting their
art and stories. The focus was nature - water,
sunshine, fresh air - and its ability to generate
positive energy. What could be a more
inspirational take-away from a vacation? It’s
in Cuba, naturally!
www.gocuba.ca
Canadian World Traveller Winter 2019-20