Walking in the Topes de Collantes

High in the Escambray mountains, the Topes de Collantes is a protected area of beautiful sylvan landscapes, framed by a mountain backdrop and flecked with cascading woodland waterfalls. Add abundant flora and fauna to the mix, and it's no wonder that this idyllic natural environment is a popular place to hike.

Our two favourite walks here are to Calburní waterfall and to the trickling cascades and jade pools of Centinelas del Río Melodioso. The former leads through coffee plantations and traditional farmsteads to reach a 62m flume crashing down into a series of ponds. Trekking along the Río Melodioso on the other hand takes in wilder terrain to reach a wonderland of blue-green natural pools where you can swim surrounded by rock walls draped in verdant foliage.