With its 35 000 sq m Soroa in Cuba is a unique natural reserve where you can see a huge diversity of orchids and other flowers, including the famous Mariposa /butterfly/ – the symbolic flower of Cuba.
The local climate with a temperature of 23,9 degrees, humidity of 75,5 %, and around 1500 mm of rainfalls makes Soroa ideal for breeding these gentle creatures.
And now the sad story of this scenic place… Doctor Tomas Felipe Camacho – the creator of the reserve embarks on his journey of transforming the place in 1943 and turns it from a tropical jungle into a paradise. However, after the unexpected death of his daughter /at the age of 21/ he names the reserve “Rancho Pilila”. After losing his wife as well sometime later, he devotes himself completely to his cause of breeding his wife’s favourite flowers – orchids. When doctor Camacho dies himself in 1961 the reserve becomes a cultural heritage of national importance.
In 1978 the Department of Agriculture of the University of Pinar del Río starts transforming the reserve into a botanical garden, which is now accessible for tourists. Here you can see a wide variety of orchids, other flowers, tropical plants from all over the world, and most importantly the Mariposa – the symbolic flower of Cuba. Soroa is located in close proximity to Las Terrazas – the eco glory of the Revolution. 80 km from Soroa, you can visit Vinales where you can find accommodation in a guest house or simply make a one-day trip from Havana. The park itself takes 2 hours to take a tour and the entrance fee for tourists is 2 CUC. Find out more about the currencies in Cuba here.
