Known for its biodiversity and natural beauty, Cuba is an excellent destination for those looking to escape into nature. With six different UNESCO Biosphere Reserves to explore, the country is a leader in sustainable ecotourism. From protected coral reefs to tropical rainforests, expansive mountain ranges, and preserved marshlands, Cuba’s biosphere reserves offer a wealth of opportunities for natural discovery and exploration.
Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve
Located in the Guaniguanico mountain range, between the provinces of Pinar del Rio and Havana, the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve is a protected area that spans over 26,000 hectares. As a former site of a 19th-century coffee plantation, the reserve underwent a massive reforestation program in the 1980s that has since allowed the area to flourish. Today, the reserve is home to a thriving tropical forest that plays host to a wide variety of flora and fauna — many of them, like the Cuban boa, endemic to the island.
Most visitors to this reserve begin their explorations at Las Terrazas, a self-sustaining community that caters to ecotourists. From the village, you can set out on a guided hike through the reserve, swim in the lakes and rivers of the forest, go for a bike ride, or visit the cascading Salto de Soroa waterfall. And if that doesn’t satiate your desire for nature, there’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Viñales Valley, situated just west of the reserve in the province of Pinar del Rio. Here you can further explore Cuba’s natural landscape on foot or horseback!
Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Reserve
Covering both land and sea, the Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Reserve encompasses over 200,000 hectares of mountains, coral reefs, mangroves, and tropical forests. Located in the Guantanamo province, the reserve plays host to more than 900 endemic animal and plant species, making it one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere.
Here you can find a variety of animals such as the endemic Cuban kite, the endangered West Indian manatee, and even the Cuban solenodon, one of the world’s few venomous mammals. In addition to this, the reserve is home to several important national ecological sites, including the Alexander de Humboldt National Park, the El Yunque Table Mountain, and the Great Cave of Moa.
With so much land and sea to explore, visitors can partake in plenty of activities. From hiking to swimming, kayaking, motorboating, and rowboat tours, you could easily spend days exploring this area’s mountains, forests, valleys, and coastline.
Salto Soroa waterfalls
Guanahacabibes Biosphere Reserve
Spanning over 100,000 hectares, the Guanahacabibes Biosphere Reserve is situated on a peninsula in the Pinar del Rio province, on the southwestern tip of Cuba.
Encompassing both land and sea, the reserve is home to various natural formations, such as tropical forests, lagoons, swamps, caves, coral reefs, beaches, and grasslands. Here you can find a variety of endangered and endemic flora and fauna, including several types of sea turtles and close to two hundred different species of migratory birds. The reserve also contains the Guanahacabibes National Park, renowned for its white-sand beaches and thriving coral reefs.
Visitors to the area can partake in a plethora of activities, including hiking, biking, swimming, snorkelling, and birdwatching. And if you happen to visit the Guanahacabibes National Park, there’s even a dive centre where you can choose from a variety of dives, including coral diving, shipwreck diving, and cave diving.
Guanahacabibes Biosphere Reserve
Baconao Biosphere Reserve
Situated on Cuba’s southeastern coast, the Baconao Biosphere Reserve stretches for more than 80,000 hectares across the Sierra Maestra Mountains to the Caribbean Sea.
Between the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo, the reserve hosts a variety of ecosystems, including tropical and cloud forests, caves, limestone plateaus, and coral reefs. Of special note are the region’s caves, where can be found several of the country’s endemic bat species, including the Cuban fruit-eating bat, the bulldog bat, and the pallid bat.
Many tourists choose to base their visits around Baconao Park in the Biosphere Reserve. This park offers a variety of attractions that are meant to highlight the region’s natural and cultural history. Some of the most popular attractions include the Botanical Garden, the Aquarium, the Lagoon, and the Museum of History of Terrestrial Transport. There’s even a Prehistoric Valley where you can view life-size dinosaur sculptures.
Alexander de Humboldt National Park
Cienaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve
Spanning over an area of more than 600,000 hectares, the Cienaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve is not only the largest biosphere reserve in Cuba, but it’s also one of the most extensive wetlands in the entire Caribbean.
Located on the southern coast in the Matanzas province, the reserve hosts several different types of ecosystems, including grasslands, mangroves, tropical forests, coastal lagoons, coral reefs, and several small islands.
Some of the reserve’s most famous and protected residents are the Cuban crocodile and the American crocodile. The area also hosts several bird species, including the great flamingo and the endemic Zapata wren, Zapata sparrow, and Zapata rail.
The majority of visitors begin their explorations at the Cienaga de Zapata National Park. Here you’ll have the opportunity to go hiking, biking, kayaking, scuba diving, bird watching, and boating. There’s even a crocodile farm that you can visit, where protective breeding programs attempt to preserve the country’s population of Cuban crocodiles.
Cienaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve
Buenavista Biosphere Reserve
Spread out across the provinces of Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, and Ciego de Ávila, the Buenavista Biosphere Reserve extends over more than 300,000 hectares across Cuba’s northern central coast.
Largely dominated by coastal and marine ecosystems, the reserve is composed of several rocky and sandy beaches, coral reefs, swamps, mangrove and coastal forests, as well as the country’s largest sand dune.
The area also contains two separate national parks. The Caguanes National Park is home to several cave systems and archaeological sites that feature wall paintings from indigenous communities. The Cayo Santa Maria National Park is a marine paradise, where you can find several small islands and white-sandy beaches.
Most visitors to the area typically end up visiting one or both of the reserve’s national parks. In these parks, you can partake in a wide variety of activities, including hiking, fishing, birdwatching, swimming, diving, and kayaking. And for those who visit the Caguanes National Park, you’ll have the chance to explore the park’s cave systems and view their ancient artwork up close.
Final Thoughts
With so many opportunities for natural adventures and exploration, Cuba is without a doubt every nature lover’s dream. From its pristine coastlines to its stunning mountain ranges, lush tropical rainforests, and thriving underwater ecosystems, the country truly is one-of-kind! And, with its concerted efforts focused on sustainability and ecotourism, this incredible destination should continue to flourish for years to come!
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