All trips into the park begin at the end of the near-vertical, corrugated-concrete access road at Alto del Naranjo (after Villa Santo Domingo the road gains 750 vertical meters in less than 5km). To get there, it's an arduous two-hour walk or zippy ride in a 4WD. There's a wondrous view of the plains of Granma from this 950m-high lookout; otherwise, it's a launching pad for La Plata (3km) and Pico Turquino (13km).
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.86 MILES
Topping a crenelated mountain ridge amid thick cloud forest, this pioneering camp was established by Fidel Castro in 1958 after a year on the run in the…
29.33 MILES
One of Cuba's leafiest squares, Bayamo's central meeting point is surrounded by pedestrian-only streets, making it a rare and peaceful spot. In addition…
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25.74 MILES
Ten kilometers south of Manzanillo is the moving sight of the sugar estate of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, whose outcry, known as Grito de Yara, and the…
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1.77 MILES
This tiny village nestles in a deep green valley beside the deliciously clean Río Yara. Communally it provides a wonderful slice of peaceful Cuban…
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Casa Natal de Carlos Manuel de Céspedes
29.35 MILES
Birthplace of the 'father of the motherland,' this museum is where Céspedes was born (on April 18, 1819) and spent his first 12 years. Inside, Céspedes…
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26.8 MILES
Manzanillo's central square is notable for its priceless glorieta (gazebo), an imitation of the Patio de los Leones in Spain's Alhambra, where Moorish…
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Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra
2.97 MILES
Comprising a sublime mountainscape of verdant peaks and humid cloud forest, and home to honest, hardworking campesinos (country folk), Gran Parque…
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27.85 MILES
For a floral appreciation of Bayamo's evergreen hinterland, head to this botanic garden about 16km outside the city off the Guisa road. It's on very few…
Nearby attractions
0.86 MILES
Topping a crenelated mountain ridge amid thick cloud forest, this pioneering camp was established by Fidel Castro in 1958 after a year on the run in the…
1.77 MILES
This tiny village nestles in a deep green valley beside the deliciously clean Río Yara. Communally it provides a wonderful slice of peaceful Cuban…
3. Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra
2.97 MILES
Comprising a sublime mountainscape of verdant peaks and humid cloud forest, and home to honest, hardworking campesinos (country folk), Gran Parque…
6.78 MILES
Five kilometers west of Las Cuevas (which is 40km west of El Uvero) is this small museum at La Plata, just below the highway. The first successful…
17.93 MILES
A small town amid vast fields of sugarcane, Yara is barely mentioned in most travel literature, but several important chapters of Cuban history took place…
23.01 MILES
The nearby Cauto River delta is home to a growing number of wild crocodiles, so it's no surprise to encounter one of Cuba's half dozen or so crocodile…
7. Museo Histórico La Demajagua
25.74 MILES
Ten kilometers south of Manzanillo is the moving sight of the sugar estate of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, whose outcry, known as Grito de Yara, and the…
26.72 MILES
Seven blocks southwest of the park lies Manzanillo's most evocative sight. Built in 1990, this terracotta-tiled staircase embellished with colorful…