A UNESCO World Heritage site west of Baracoa, named for the Prussian polymath who explored these mountains in 1801. The park protects one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the insular Caribbean — pine forests, rainforest, mangroves, and karst peaks all packed into a small area, with an extraordinary density of endemic species.
Most visits start from the Bahía de Taco visitor centre, two hours' drive from Baracoa. Guided walks include the El Recreo trail through pine and rainforest, and the Balcón de Iberia for views over the park. Birders come for the Cuban solenodon, the Cuban kite, the ivory-billed woodpecker (officially extinct but rumoured), and dozens of other endemics. A boat trip on the bay completes the standard tour.