Cuevas de los Portales

This dramatic cave (entrance CUC1, cameras CUC1) on the northwestern edge of the park, about seven kilometers from the main entrance, has a stunning setting beside the Río Caiguanabo flowing beneath a fantastically sculpted natural arch that the river has carved through a great mogote. The cave, reaching 30 meters high, lies inside one wall of the arch. The massive chamber’s curved walls and vaulted ceilings are stippled with giant stalagmites and stalactites.

The caves’ remoteness and superb natural position made them a perfect spot for Che Guevara to establish his staff headquarters during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when he commanded the Western Army. The cave opens out to the rear, where stands Che’s breeze-block office and dormitory, still containing the original table and chairs. Inside, a portal leads to another tiny cave with a floor of rough-hewn boards still supporting Che’s narrow, iron bed.

The road to the caves is very eroded; four-wheel drive is preferred.