As mentioned in the previous article, the Sierra Maestra, alongside the Viñales Valley, was the most beautiful landscape on our road trip across Cuba — a region, wild and overwhelming, surrounding Cuba’s highest mountain, Pico Turquino, densely covered in jungle and dotted with small villages, a contrast between nature and life. We stayed in a lovely casa in Santo Domingo and set out early by jeep to the hiking starting point, raw and determined.

A historic trail

In a small group, we hiked about three hours through dense jungle to the former hideout of Fidel Castro and his men, including Che Guevara — a path, impressive and hard to access; no wonder the government army searched and bombed unsuccessfully back then. Buildings on the site remain in good condition today, a source of pride for Cubans, well cared for — in Fidel’s hut (see cover photo) there was a double bed, a living room, and allegedly a working refrigerator, a spectacle of history and preservation.

Sunset over the jungle

Afterwards, two small jungle villages led us back to Santo Domingo, where we enjoyed another beautiful sunset over the Sierra Maestra forests — a moment of light and calm that rounded off the day.

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