As part of a cycle tour we spent a night in the Sierra Maestra at El Salton Hotel. This is a very special place set among the rainforest with many different species of flora and fauna and birds. The El Salton Hotel was chalet type accommodation, big airy rooms with an outdoor balcony, perhaps needing a little TLC but most acceptable. The large restaurant surrounded by lush bush served a very delicious buffet meal - the roast pork and rice pudding were especially delicious. The staff were helpful and friendly and certainly worth a visit.

We tried but were not able to arrange this trek from Canada so just decided to 'wing it'. We booked a cheap resort Marea Del Portillo on the ocean side of the range and got a driver for the long ride around to Santo Domingo. We absolutely wanted to do the 4 hours to Fidel's hideaway so you need to do that from Santo Domingo BEFORE 10am. The ride from Marea cost $140CUC due to much rain and bad roads taking a longer route. Booked the Villa right near the gates to the national park, really lovely setting and great rooms for trekkers and negotiated $45 CUC. The food was really not good or filling which is such a shame since the setting of the restaurant is really great. Take many snacks. Fidel hike was $45 CUC each. It rained for our Fidel hike so mud the whole day, dress properly. It's an easy hike but rocky, muddy terrain and many were not prepared in their fancy shoes. All in the rainforest and a really cool site with much history. We went to a local house restaurant a short distance down the road to avoid the bad restaurant at the villa, they did a pig roast and had great alcoholic beverages. It was $14 CUC for a full dinner and 3 drinks. There is also a restaurant and bar across the river near the gate. Walk across a unique bridge for this experience. We bar hopped to both. Next morning they put us with a group to climb to Pico Turquino ($95 CUC each) with a stay overnight at base camp. This will include lunch 7 hours after you start the climb ... serious! You're going to need snacks, there is nothing along the way. Also, carry too much water. We drank 6 litres the 1st day then you only get 2 small water bottles at camp of the 9 hours the next day. If you're lucky you can buy more water bottles but it's still not enough. Buy extra soda at camp, it was a treat on the way down. You will also need snacks for day 2 as there is nothing until you get down off the mountain. We went up from Santo Domingo then a new guide met us at the summit to take us down the other side. We paid both the up and down guides $10 CUC each. You are mainly hiking through a rain forest so no real view but it is beautiful and totally take advantage of the view points when you get them for pictures. We moved from the front to the back so we could do this without hesitation. It always amazes me how few stop for pictures, I want to remember this when I'm old Lol Heads up! You will be going over 3 mountain tops to get to Pico Turquino, all the way down, not around, nope, up and over. Then coming down the other side was another of Cuba's highest summits. We climbed 5 mountains in one day! Be prepared and train so you can enjoy. Our resort arranged for a driver to meet us in Las Cuevas, this is a MUST and he waited a while for us. There is nothing here and hardly anyone has a car in this area of Cuba so be prepared. The rough and beauty coastal ride back to our resort was only $35 CUC. Highly recommend this drive. This is the real Cuba!