El Nicho waterfall in the heart of Cuba. El Nicho Park and Waterfalls El Nicho Waterfall Cuba how to get there
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Journey to the waterfalls.
We decided to see the waterfalls on our own, without a tour from a tour operator. If you have the means and are not an adventurous person, then, of course, take a helicopter tour to Trinidad, and from there on ZILs equipped with seats to and further a walking route through the jungle, or a little further to El Nicho waterfall. This is at the discretion of the tour operator.
El Nicho Falls
These are the miracle machines that deliver tourists to Guanayara National Park
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Reliable, but inconvenient. Firstly, it shakes very strongly, secondly, the benches are wooden and you beat your butt off during the first kilometers of the route, and thirdly, if you didn’t have time to take a seat and ended up on the sunny side, then you’re unlikely to get good pictures.
In principle, our route differed only in the method of transportation. We rented a car and went to Trinidad. Generally get from Varadero you can get there by at least two roads: from Trinidad to Topes de Coyantes, and then follow the signs to the Park " Guanayara". Be careful with the signs and remember the road, there is a possibility of taking a wrong turn and then wandering among the mountains for a long time Sierra Escambray)) - this path is the easiest.
The second is the road not from the south, but from the north, if you are driving on the motorway to Santa Clara, and from there across the entire mountain range to Trinidad. It's a long drive along serpentine roads, so the speed is minimal. BUT The beauty of this route is in the amazing landscapes. Having traveled most of the way to Hibacoa you can turn aside El Nicho or continue towards Trinidad and Topes de Coyantes and visit the National Park "Guanayara".
View from the observation deck
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Yes, another warning for those traveling independently. The road from the main asphalt road to the park is very difficult: a large slope and different road surfaces (asphalt, then dirt road, concrete, and in some places just clay).
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It’s no wonder they drive there in ZILs. It is believed (among the locals) that a passenger car will not get through there. Excursions are carried out either in ZILs or individually in SUVs. We drove a Hyundai Accent. It’s no wonder why all the cars in rentacar in Cuba are in such a ruined state. The car is 2008 with 96,000 km mileage. And this despite the fact that the maximum length of the island from west to east is 1200 km!!! On such a car, you risk breaking the suspension when you drive off concrete slabs onto a dirt road, or, like us, getting stuck in clay.
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It had rained the night before, the clay was sticky, and there were also huge ruts rolled out by ZILs, but this did not stop us, especially since the reserve was not so close that we could abandon the car and continue on foot. We pleased the tourists passing by, then a group of jeeps helped us move forward and we continued our journey. On the way back we managed on our own)) The only losses were the flip flops buried in the clay.
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Now about the park itself. The 5 km long walking route takes 3 hours. It runs along a mountain river, very tiny, almost a stream. On one side the paths are simpler, but longer, bypassing, so to speak, on the other there are steeper climbs, but faster.
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We walked at a leisurely pace, chatting and taking pictures of everything. The richness of the greenery makes you dizzy. Remembered the movie "Romancing the Stone", the moment where the main characters were caught in a tropical downpour and a landslide, everyone was flying in the mud among the mountains. Back then, not yet imagining how close it is to reality)) But more on that a little later.
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The monotony began to tire us and we rushed to the waterfall. Having reached the site, we sat admiring the beauty of the falling water, I climbed higher along the edge of the waterfall, Sashka climbed under the flow of falling water and with a sense of accomplishment we went to a smaller waterfall, where there is a swimming pool and you can swim.
In the foothills of the Sierra del Escambray massif, somewhere on the approaches to the Topes de Collantes natural reserve, almost in the heart of Cuba, El Nicho waterfall is hidden in the tropical forest. It is unlikely to impress an experienced traveler all that much - at least one who has seen the waterfalls of the Plitvice Lakes or the Krka River - however, it is not recommended to miss it among the inland natural beauties of Cuba, far from the coast. We drove there from Cienfuegos, the road to the waterfall was quite good, since quite a lot of tourists get there; further, through the wilds of Topes de Collantes and almost all the way to Trinidad, the road became more suitable for SUVs and huge ZIL-131s, converted for transporting tourists.
El Nicho waterfall
There is a small parking lot at the entrance to the hiking trail to the waterfall. If it weren’t for the palm tree in the background, it could have been mistaken for Russia))) 
We climb up the path through the tropical forest. It’s hot, and I’m tempted to dive into this azure pond... but we foolishly left our swimwear in the car! 
Crystal clear and, of course, cold water of a mountain river 
However, in some places there are a lot of people, and swimmers (especially children!) stir up the water near the shore, so we postponed swimming until better times and we were right 
The path to the waterfall is not that far 
Taking a few shots without tourists in the frame is another task... 
The Sierra del Escambray mountain range is rich in mineral resources, but their extraction is not carried out due to the threat to the environment. These yellow, moss-covered rocks near the waterfall resemble the sulfur deposits in the crater of the Solfatara volcano. 
We go back to the parking lot to take swimming trunks and swimsuits and go down the river, where other tourists almost never reach 
The waterfalls and lakes here are less spectacular than at the top, but this is where you can relax, swim and sunbathe to your heart’s content, and you don’t even have to pay for entry 
View from above 
Tropics! 
The water is no longer so beautiful, but still very clean 
A Little Blue Heron makes a promenade in the distance 
We plunged into this shallow and cool backwater. By the time the photo was taken before leaving, another couple of vacationers had chosen this secluded corner 
Holidays in Cuba 2011 (part 2) – Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Salto del Caburni
We started planning a trip to Cuba for the 2011 New Year holidays back in February. Why to Cuba? And why a year before the start of the trip?
Firstly, a sufficient number of bonuses have accumulated under the Aeroflot bonus program to book flights Moscow - Havana - Moscow, 100 thousand bonuses for two. This is a significant saving on air travel, because... The cost of air tickets to Cuba is on average 45 thousand rubles per person. For example, for a bonus ticket to Los Angeles you also need to collect 100 thousand for two, but the cost of air travel is significantly lower than 20-23 thousand per person, which means that it is more profitable to fly to Cuba with bonuses, and besides, we have already been to the states twice . As a result, for air travel for two weeks we only paid fees of 10 thousand rubles for two.
Secondly, the availability of bonus air tickets during the New Year holidays is very rare; there are no more than two bonus tickets for one flight. Therefore, the most important thing is to book air tickets as early as possible, and then start working out the route. We were the first, it was so nice to choose seats on a completely empty plane.
Thirdly, where else to get married if not in Cuba? namely, in one of the best hotels in Varadero, Sandals Royal Hicacos 5* (more on this in the first part of the story).
It turned out to be more profitable to book hotels in Varadero and Havana through the Russian tour operator TEZ tour. In Cienfuegos and Trinidad through Cubatravelnetwork.com.
So, on January 2, we rented a small Hyundai Atos car from Cubacar, which cost us 450 pesos for four days, the price includes full insurance. I recommend asking to fill the car tank with gasoline, because... Problems often arise with this; not every gas station has normal 90 or 94 gasoline.
Also ask for a detailed road map of Cuba or buy one at a store. For example, there are cards in the largest shopping center in Varadero, Plaza America. It’s even better to have a GPS navigator with you; a map of Cuba can be downloaded for free on openstreetmap.org, but keep in mind that using GPS is prohibited by law in Cuba.
Now our car journey around Cuba begins, we plan to visit the cities: Cienfuegos, El Nicho Park, Trinidad, Santa Clara and Havana.
Before heading from Varadero to Cienfuegos, we drove to the border between the cities of Matanzas and Havana, where the highest bridge, Puente Bacunayagua, and an observation deck (mirador) offer breathtaking views.
Five kilometers southeast of Matanzas is the gigantic Bellamar cave system, where more than 3 km of passages and halls with numerous rocky formations open to the eye. The ceilings and walls are strewn with a huge number of crystals of different colors. The entire cave is very long, the hike deep takes about an hour. Here you can also find interesting stalagmites and stalactites.
Near the Bellamar Museum there is a park, there are several bars, incendiary salsa music is played, local residents and young people gather here.
After lunch, we head to the ancient city CienFuegos(Hundreds of Lights). A city on the southern coast of Cuba, one of the most beautiful and lively cities in the country. Its second name is “La perla del sur” - the Southern Pearl. Local authorities have restored the colonial city center, which is filled with architectural gems.
IN Cienfuegose we stayed at the La Union 4* hotel, the room cost 79 Euros with breakfast. This is one of the best hotels in this category, located in the very center of the city. We checked in in the evening; we were too tired to wander the streets; we decided to walk around the city with fresh energy in the morning. The room has two single beds and good audibility from the street. These are minor drawbacks compared to the bugs and cockroaches that, judging by the reviews, are the norm in other hotels.
The wide boulevard Paseo del Prado (La Caye 37) runs through the entire city center. The pedestrian area is very crowded, especially at night and on weekends.
Before lunch there was enough time to explore the main attractions of the city of Cienfuegos. Parque Martí, the main square of the city, was named after the famous Cuban poet José Martí. The square is surrounded by majestic buildings with a rich history. The Catedral de la Purisima Concepción, the Thomas Terry Theater, the building of the College of San Lorenzo with its elegant façade, the House of Culture and the Ferrer Palace. The only Arc de Triomphe in Cuba rises here.
You can have lunch right in the Palacio de Valle, which is designed in Moorish style. It was built by Asisclo del Valle at the beginning of the last century; he brought workers here to decorate the building in the Spanish Mudejar architectural style. Nowadays the palace has been converted into a luxurious restaurant.
Next we went to El Nicho Park with a beautiful waterfall and a stunning view from the observation deck of mountains, palm trees, a river, and a small lake. The road to the El Nicho reserve lies through the mountains, there are terrible pits, and takes 1.5 hours from Cienfuegos. Having parked the car in a specially designated place, we walked to the waterfall along a path that stretches through the jungle through bridges and steps leading up, which takes 30-40 minutes. When we walked part of the way, we saw a natural bath of extraordinary beauty, where a waterfall flows and forms a natural pool where you can swim. I could have climbed there even without a swimsuit, there were no people at all, but the water is cool in winter, tall trees well cover the emerging mountain river and the sun does not warm the water enough, it would be hot there in the summer.
Then we climbed a little higher and were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful picture. The waterfall is most beautiful between January and April, before the wet season begins.
After the stunning beauty of El Nicho, we go to one of the most ancient cities - Trinidad, along the road there are no less beautiful mountain landscapes, fields and meadows where animals graze.
From Trinidad to Cienfuegos, about 100 km, given the not very good road surface in some places, you can get there in about 2 hours. In the evening we checked into Hotel Las Cuevas 3*, which was booked in advance through Cubatravelnetwork.com, the night cost us 87 Euros with breakfast. The hotel is very interesting, located on a hill with a magnificent view of the city, the distance to the historical city center is about half a kilometer.
The hotel is called Las Cuevas (The Caves) not simply because there are many of them in Cuba, but the hotel itself also has a cave, which, unfortunately, we did not get to.
Despite the low star rating, the rooms turned out to be surprisingly decent. We lived in a bungalow on the 1st floor, we didn’t see any bugs or cockroaches there, although we read about it in the reviews. Once, when we left the balcony open for a while, a lizard crawled towards us, which we barely drove out.
The hotel hosts show programs every evening, with dancers in colorful outfits performing. The level is average, quite consistent with the level of the hotel. For dinner, we walked to the city center, where in the evening restaurants with colorful old interiors open and the spirit of the century before last is in the air. We went into one of these restaurants; there used to be a church here, which was converted into a restaurant, the interior was left practically untouched.
In Trinidad, the narrow streets are intertwined in a chaotic labyrinth, this arrangement was designed to make it difficult for pirates to invade the city. Street traffic is mostly one-way; you need to pay attention to the arrows on the buildings. Sometimes the arrows are missing or erased, then we can find out that we are in the oncoming lane only by the reaction of local residents who are in a hurry to tell us where to turn in the right direction.
Trinidad- a treasure trove of colonial architecture, the clatter of hooves can still be heard along the cobblestone streets. In the 50s Trinidad was declared a national Cuban monument, reconstruction began, and a ban was placed on new construction.
Main square of the old town Plaza Mayor surrounded by ancient buildings: churches, former luxurious mansions, museums. The square is a green square with luxurious royal palm trees and flowers, surrounded by a cast-iron fence, and in the center is a statue of the goddess Terpsichore.
There is a cathedral in front of the square Iglesia de la Santisama Trinidad, which was built in 1892 on the site of an earlier church. The marble altar, which is one of the many sacred objects here, deserves special attention.
A few steps from the cathedral is the most beautiful city mansion, Palacio Brunet, which, after recent restoration, has become Museum Romantico, where a collection of antique luxury furniture is now displayed. Next to the museum, on the other side of the square, there is a building in pastel blue tones - Museum of Colonial Architecture.
Look into TemplodeYemaya, a religious building of adherents of Santeria (Afro-Cuban religious movement). Religious ceremonies are held here every year, which you can ask the ticket attendant about.
The most memorable thing for me was the mesmerizing view from the bell tower of the Church of San Francisco (the symbol of Trinidad) over the entire surrounding city.
An unpleasant aftertaste from exploring the city of Trinidad was left by local barkers and beggars. Also striking is the large number of loafers who do nothing all day except smoke cigars, sitting on the street right outside the door of their own house.
The first half of the day was enough to explore the city of Trinidad; also don’t forget to go up to the observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the city of Trinidad, surrounded by mountains on one side and the sea on the other.
Another waterfall planned today Salto del Caburni, it is located closer to Cienfuegos in the town Topes de Collantes, so we drive north along a winding mountain path. After I paid the ticket attendant for entry into the park Salto del Caburni 13 pesos for two, we drove another 100 meters by car, the descent was very steep, 30-40 degrees. Then they left the car in the parking lot. Next is a descent to the waterfall, but before that it’s better to refresh yourself and buy water, because... then this opportunity will no longer exist. There is a very nice cafe here where they make delicious sandwiches; this turned out to be the only dish available from the entire menu. There is alcohol in the cafe, but it is better to drink after a walk for a successful return.
Then we walked for about an hour along a very difficult but picturesque path and went down to the waterfall. I regretted not wearing sneakers; it was not very comfortable to walk through the jungle and over broken rocks in light ballet shoes. But when we went down, a reward awaited us - a very unusual and beautiful waterfall among the rocks, although not big, there is a natural pool where the waterfall falls, you can swim.
On the way back, you may be offered to climb on horseback. At first I was afraid of the smell of horses, but it turned out to be even more difficult to climb and I no longer had the strength, so for 10 pesos for two, we took a horse each and climbed up quite quickly and cheerfully. I didn’t feel any smell after riding a horse, and the activity turned out to be not difficult and very interesting.
By the end of the day there was little time left and we decided to pass through the city of Santa Clara and move towards Havana. Santa Clara is a cultural and historical center, home to a very large and beautiful Revolution Square, as well as the Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara Memorial, one of the most popular Cuban monuments.
Tips for tourists: count your change, Cubans are famous for petty fraud and deceiving tourists, because... Few people speak Spanish. Their official salaries are meager, so they get by. But in any case, it’s up to you to decide who to tip and who not to give anything, be careful. Pickpockets are also common, do not carry documents and all the money with you or keep an eye on things. If you have time and opportunity, learn Spanish before your trip, or at least numbers and basic phrases, it will be very useful to you. They tried to give us the wrong change at gas stations several times.
There are mosquitoes in Cuba, we came across them in the jungle and they bite worse than our bloodsuckers, although you should not be afraid of them, there is no infection like malaria. And the bumps from bites last quite a long time, up to a month.
Transport. Cubans mostly travel by bicycle; in small towns and villages you can often see horse-drawn carts. Many locals hitchhike due to the catastrophic shortage of vehicles. Municipal buses run extremely rarely, and they are packed. There are even trucks where people in the cargo compartment ride while standing.
The roads in Cuba are free, but the road layout is very similar to ours, maybe a little better. For long distances it is better to travel along the highway (Autopista), the speed limit is higher and the road surface is better. On country roads you need to be especially careful, because... There are huge potholes, and local residents or pets try to get under the wheels.
License plates on cars in Cuba have different colors, by which you can understand who owns the vehicle. Tourist cars have a characteristic red-brown color. Cars with yellow license plates belong to private individuals, blue ones belong to the state. Cars with red license plates enjoy preferential treatment and are rarely stopped, except for serious traffic violations or speeding.
There are practically no signs at all, road signs sometimes come across. Revolutionary slogans and photos of Che Guevara are much more common along the roads. This adds a special flavor, but not ease of movement around the country.
To ask for directions, buy something in a store, or solve a problem, knowing Spanish often came in handy. Which I gladly practiced in Cuba. Everything we learned in Spanish classes was useful. Losing luggage, shopping in stores, refueling gas, ordering in restaurants, communicating with local residents, and I was also “lucky” to contact a doctor when the temperature rose to 38.2.
Medicine in Cuba good. In case of illness, you must call the phone number specified in the insurance policy to register the insured event. As a rule, insurance company employees check the hotel phone number and call you back to your room. It is necessary to clarify how to solve the problem, go to the hospital or a doctor can come to your room. A doctor came to my room, asked a few questions and prescribed antibiotics. She also said that you can call a special service that can bring the necessary medications to your room with a prescription. I did not use this service because... My husband bought me the pills. I didn’t pay the doctor any money, I just signed the card. Those. The insurance company paid the bill directly.
The pioneers still wear red ties, which are a symbol of the revolution and the struggle for freedom in Cuba.
Other parts of the story:
The city's central park was renamed José Martí Park in 1906, in honor of the famous poet, publicist and revolutionary. Cubans call him "Apostol" - "Apostle of Cuban Freedom", "Apostle of Independence". The park is not only the center of the city, but also the focal point of the urban architecture of Cienfuegos. Here is the Arc de Triomphe, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Government House, and in the center of the park is the statue of Marty, one of the best sculptural images of the poet. In the center, in a large open space, there is a marker that says “kilometer zero.”
El Nicho National Park
The name of El Nicho National Park translates as "The Niche". This is also the name of the waterfall around which the park was formed. El Nicho is located at an altitude of 500 m above sea level. This is both a popular tourist destination and a corner of untouched nature where you can relax alone. Here you can swim in the large lake or find some secluded place by the water.
Picturesque nature, jungle, rich world of fauna - all this allows you to believe that you are actually somewhere on the Edge of the World in a paradise. The only difficulty tourists face when traveling is the heat, but this can also be overcome with the help of the cold waters of the waterfall. Swimming areas are equipped with changing rooms. Afterwards, you can visit a local cafe that serves Cuban cuisine and where local musicians often perform.
Sightseeing tour of Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos was founded by the French in the 19th century and stands in stark contrast to other colonial cities in Cuba. This is a city of incomparable architecture, purity and legends. We will walk around the central square, Marti Square, where the most important attractions are located, and the Malecon promenade. You will see the longest - the main street and the famous palace “Palacio de Vaye” from 1917, an outstanding building of particular architectural value in the province.
El Nicho Falls and homemade Cuban cuisine
40 km from Cienfuegos there is an amazingly beautiful place that many tourists vacationing in Cuba dream of visiting. This is a magnificent green area with a variety of swimming pools at different heights of a multi-stage waterfall and an observation deck at an altitude of 700 m with panoramic views of the mountains overgrown with rich tropical vegetation. The road to the waterfall is a fairly steep serpentine road; the climb to the waterfall itself is usually not very difficult for a person with an average degree of physical fitness. Near the falls there are excellent private paladar ranches where you can enjoy typical Cuban country cuisine in the open air and interact with the locals. The food here is very simple, but tasty and satisfying!
Transport
Transport Excluded included in the cost of the excursion. The type of transport is negotiated separately when booking an excursion.
- convertible – up to 50€ per hour
- retro car per day, up to 4 people – 200/250€, per hour – 20/25€
- modern car per day, up to 3 people – 250/350€, per hour – 25/30€
- minibus per day, from 5-10 people – 380/500€, per hour – 30/35€
Organizational details
- Pick up/drop off at your hotel/private accommodation at 8:30am in Varadero and 7:00am in Havana.
- Take with you: towels, hats, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, disposable raincoats, water, coral slippers.
- Not included: entrance fees to nature reserves, food and drinks. Lunch/dinner from 10 CUC per person.
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Book a tour on any of the available days on the calendar
- This is a private tour in Russian, the guide will conduct it for you and your company.
- Start of the excursion From your hotel. We will send you the exact meeting point and contact details of the guide immediately after booking.
- On the site you pay 20% of the cost, and the rest of the money goes to the guide on the spot. You can