The Santa Cruz Canyon is located in the Sierra del Rosario in western Cuba.
After some time without making massive excursions with students of the University, we set it as a destination. The place is a well known area for those who hike in Cuba, especially in the west, it is easy to access and a very good option to get started in this world.
Finally we left with 88 hikers, from the highway west of Havana. The adventure would take us about two and a half days. We were starting the trip on a Friday afternoon. We would then leave for the town of Cinco Pesos, already somewhat intricate in the hills of the area, by truck.
Upon arrival the real adventure would begin, for many this was their first time. The beginning was simple, backpack over the shoulder and start walking, even on asphalt and with sunlight. About 2 km later the road turns into a path with rocks and elevations, for greater complexity, it begins to get dark.
Some novices begin to falter and swear that this was not what they had been promised. The night and fatigue can be intimidating when you don't have any experience. With the help of the more experienced, we managed to push the whole group emotionally and continue advancing between the ups and downs of the mountains when we could barely see the road.
To finish off, we had to cross a small river, which forced us to take off our shoes so as not to get them wet (we needed them dry for the other days), and the cold water at that time of night always intimidates someone. It was around 8 or 9 o'clock at night and that small river was all that separated us from rest, from that oasis that would be the "Casa de Tomás".
A local farmer who has received hundreds of people in his domain, the patio of his farm has always been open to our tents as well as his arms to receive us in a way that only the simple people of the countryside know how to do. This time Tomas would not be waiting for us but his son was there, in a matter of minutes we had set up camp.
Our houses grew like mushrooms on the grass, ready for the necessary rest for the next day.