Following In the Footsteps of Cimarrons

On Foot

Discover all the walking stages of the Camino del Cimarrón. The trail takes a walker through varied terrain, hilly at times, but does not include large mountains or steep hills. You will be exposed to a wide array of flora and fauna, however, as song birds, jutias (large rodents native to the island) and scurrying rabbits will keep you entertained. The trail is walkable from 12-14 as it exists today, depending on your time and training. Establish your own pace as you connect the small towns along the trail. Here are the stages that Grenier covered on the first Camino. We encourage you to establish your own stages taking into consideration your condition and where you find lodging or place to plant your tent.

on bicycle

The Camino del Cimarrón is a fascinating trail that can be covered in 5 or 6 days by mountain bike, if you follow the trail, or road bike, if you stick to the nearest road.

CONTACTS TO RENT
RutaBikes +53 5 2476633
Havana Bikes +53 7 8676782

First Section

Sagua to Remedios

In this section of the Camino del Cimarrón, the traveler will explore small towns which formed the core of the sugar industry of Cuba in the 19th and 20th Century. Esteban’s birthplace (Sitiecito), the mill from where he ran away (Mariana Grajales), the mill where he worked first as a free man (El Purio), the town where he remembers bandits running wild (Vueltas), and the town where he enjoyed endless the fiestas and night life (Remedios) are all in this first section of the trail.

TOWNS & PLACES	KILOMETRES
Sagua-Mariana Grajales	14
Mariana Grajales-Guayabo Cuartel	10.5
Guayabo Cuartel-El Purio	15
El Purio-Vueltas	32
Vueltas-Remedios	20

WHERE TO STAY/CONTACTS
Sagua la Grande Hotel Sagua: ##
Hostal Luly Lurdes/ 53940503 cell, 42665093 home
Historian Sagua, Director Muse Sagua, Yadiel Subid/ 53502864 cell
Hostal El Castillo (In front of the river)/ Luis Guangue 58335969 cell
Hostal Mi Angelina/ Yoel Roque 53426382 Next to the Hotel
Mariana Grajales Lourdes Ortega Molinero, Teacher/ 50831913 cell
Marie Ortega, Teacher/ 52021867 cell
Guayabo Cuartel-Tienda Henri/ 52578564 cell
Guayabo Cuartel-Cima Fernando Yanez 53562370 cell/ Fernando hijo/ 55165660 cell
Remedios Hotel Barcelona ##

place 2

Second Section

Remedios to Placetas

In this section of the Camino del Cimarrón the traveler will find the cave where Esteban, and probably other cimarones before and after him, lived for almost two years. The immensity and beauty of the House of the Cimarrón (Casa del Cimarrón) and the nearby Cave of the Archbishop are hard to communicate in words. The walk in this section introduces the traveler to historic railroad tracks and memorials to martyrs of Cuban independence struggles. The mill where Esteban worked and lived with a “witch” (the Ariosta aka Chiquitico) is on this section of the trail as is the various sugar mills belonging to the notorious slaver Julian Zulueta.

TOWNS & PLACES	KILOMETRES
Remedios-Cuevas (Caves)	11.5
Caves-Viñas	15
Viñas-Zulueta	10
Zulueta-Placetas	22

WHERE TO STAY/CONTACTS
Viñas Peasant House Maribel/ 58252656 cell

sagua river

Third Section

Placetas to Cruces

In this long section, the traveler will stand next to the huge ceiba tree marking the geographic center of Cuba in the village of Guaracabulla. This is the region through which Esteban rode as a member of the mambí army of Cuban freedom fighters led by Antonio Maceo and Maximo Gomez. The battlefield of Mal Tiempo, a critical victory of the rebel army, is found in this section of the trail. The towns of Matagua and Cruces are also on the way, as are smaller villages of Jorobada and Potrerillo. The latter is the birthplace of one of the most controversial figures of post-Revolutionary Cuba, the terrorist Orlando Bosch.

TOWNS & PLACES	KILOMETRES
Placetas-Guaracabulla	15
Guaracabulla-Matagua	35
Matagua-Potrerillo	21
Potrerillo-Cruces	26

WHERE TO STAY/CONTACTS
Cruces Hostal Carmelo/ 55781633 cell

place 3

Fourth Section

Cruces to Cienfuegos

In this last section the traveler will visit where Esteban settled for a while after Independence and where he took up arms against the racial injustice of the neo-colonial government. Santa Isabel de las Lajas is also the birthplace of El Barbaro del Ritmo (the Madman of Rhythm), Benny Moré, one of the most celebrated Cuban musicians. His grave site draws thousands of visitors each year. The cabildo founded by Benny’s family, and where he spent much of his youth, is still active. Ciego Montero, the town where Cuba’s most popular soft drinks are produced is also on the trail as is one of the most revered Afro-Cuban worship sites on the island: the town of Palmira, home to four cabildos and two temples of worship of Afro-Cuban religions. The splendor of Cienfuegos, still shining hundreds of years after its French founding, is a fitting place to finish our tour through Esteban’s life as a Cimarrón and freedom fighter.

TOWNS & PLACES	KILOMETRES
Cruces-Lajas	14
Lajas-Ciego Montero	16
Ciego Montero-Palmira	18
Palmira-Cienfuegos	17

WHERE TO STAY/CONTACTS
Cruces Hostal Carmelo/ 55781633 cell
Lajas, Francisco (Pancho) Cruz Veloz, Director del Museo Benny Moré/ +53 56481719 cell