Topes de Collantes 2015-2019
The work included below was done during the Digital Photo Nature 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 contests, with the Los Helechos hotel as venue, and private visits in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Topes de Collantes, literally Collantes’ Highs, almost 800 metres (2,600 ft) above sea level, along with Potrerillo peak, 931 metres (3,054 ft) and tallest San Juan peak, 1,140 metres (3,740 ft) are located in the Escambray range. These mountains are shared by the three central provinces of the island; Villa Clara Province to the north, Cienfuegos Province and Sancti Spiritus Province to the west and east respectively.
Nature is the big attraction here. Caves, rivers, falls, grottos, canyons, natural pools with crystal clear water, mountain hills surrounded by mariposa (butterfly lily, Hedychium coronarium) Cuba’s national flower announcing their presence with a soft unique flagrance from June to early September. More than 40 indigenous species of orchids and 100 species of ferns, of which 7 are 6 metres (20 ft) tall palm-like tree ferns, wild plantain and banana trees, jasmine, begonias, several representatives of the ginger family and around 40 species of coffee are growing under the shade of giant 40 meter tall pines, eucalyptus, West Indian mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) and magnolias making the wonder of this tropical rainforest.
Important animal species live here as well. They include the Cartacuba (Todus multicolor), Cuban ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis bairdii), unique hummingbirds, and the tocororo (Priotelus temnurus), which is Cuba's national bird.
Though not strictly a national park, Topes is, nonetheless, a heavily protected area. The umbrella park, comprising 200 sq km, overlays four smaller parks – Parque Altiplano, Parque Codina, Parque Guanayara and Parque el Cubano and a fifth enclave, El Nicho, in Cienfuegos province.
Read MoreTopes de Collantes, literally Collantes’ Highs, almost 800 metres (2,600 ft) above sea level, along with Potrerillo peak, 931 metres (3,054 ft) and tallest San Juan peak, 1,140 metres (3,740 ft) are located in the Escambray range. These mountains are shared by the three central provinces of the island; Villa Clara Province to the north, Cienfuegos Province and Sancti Spiritus Province to the west and east respectively.
Nature is the big attraction here. Caves, rivers, falls, grottos, canyons, natural pools with crystal clear water, mountain hills surrounded by mariposa (butterfly lily, Hedychium coronarium) Cuba’s national flower announcing their presence with a soft unique flagrance from June to early September. More than 40 indigenous species of orchids and 100 species of ferns, of which 7 are 6 metres (20 ft) tall palm-like tree ferns, wild plantain and banana trees, jasmine, begonias, several representatives of the ginger family and around 40 species of coffee are growing under the shade of giant 40 meter tall pines, eucalyptus, West Indian mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) and magnolias making the wonder of this tropical rainforest.
Important animal species live here as well. They include the Cartacuba (Todus multicolor), Cuban ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis bairdii), unique hummingbirds, and the tocororo (Priotelus temnurus), which is Cuba's national bird.
Though not strictly a national park, Topes is, nonetheless, a heavily protected area. The umbrella park, comprising 200 sq km, overlays four smaller parks – Parque Altiplano, Parque Codina, Parque Guanayara and Parque el Cubano and a fifth enclave, El Nicho, in Cienfuegos province.
