Visiting the National Parks of Honduras
Moskitia
- Nuevo Mundo -

As yet virtually undiscovered by the world's eco-trekkers, it seems certain that the steamy lowland jungles and mountainous cloud forests will soon make Honduras one of the world's great ecotourism destinations. Sparsely populated, much of Honduras is wilderness, home to fantastic biodiversity.

Honduras has more than 700 species of birds including the Harpy eagle, and populations of rare mammals such as jaguars, pumas, ocelots, giant anteaters, tapir and mantled howler monkeys. Honduras has the region's most extensive tracts of cloud forest and the largest remaining area of primary forest. Infact the Miskitia region is one of the world's few remaining undisturbed true wildernesses, and visiting it is an unforgettable experience for even seasoned ecotourists. The government is laying the groundwork for what will certainly become one of Central America's great national park systems. Parks and reserves already protect all eight major life zones in the country, yet comprise only about half of the total 25,000 square kilometers earmarked for eventual protection. Although the ecotourism business in Honduras has yet to adopt the sophisticated marketing techniques of other countries in the region, notably Costa Rica, many of the countries major tour operators are now offering packages to attract the "green" traveler -- a development that augurs well for the future of Honduras' ambitious environmental protection program.

This is a list of some of the more accessible national parks and reserves in Honduras and added, where available, details of organizations and tour agencies that can take you there. First, some good advice from the Capiro-Guaimoreto Conservation Foundation with regard to national park hiking:
Do not buy wild animals or birds.
Do not remove or even touch endangered plants and animals
Do not swim or bathe above any dams
Do not drop litter
Wear long trousers to avoid ticks
Stay on the trails
Avoid mid-day sun and bring plenty of drinking water
Be alert for poisonous snakes

The National Parks

La Tigra was the first area declared as a national park (in 1980) but has been protected since the early 1950s. It lies just outside Tegucigalpa, is easily accessible and boasts dormitories, a visitors' center, guides and good trails.

Celaque National Park has the highest cloud forest in the country, four mountain peaks, pine forest and a big complex of hot springs. There are dormitories, campsites and guides. Easiest access is by dirt road (8kms) from Gracias.

Cusuco National Park is noted for a sizeable population of resplendent quetzals, best viewed during nesting season in April and May. It is located just two hours from San Pedro Sula and is easily accessible all year round with a four wheel drive. Cusuco is managed by the Fundacion Hector Rodrigo Pastor Fasquelle which has an office in San Pedro Sula.

Cerro Azul is a not easily accessible cloud forest, but the park also protects an area of thermal springs and exciting caves which can be visited without any difficulty. It's located along the north border with Guatemala, 10km north of Florida, Copan.

Capiro-Calentura National Park and Guaimoreto Lagoon Wildlife Refuge Capiro-Calentura is a large area of tropical forest above Trujillo on the north coast. It features an old semi-paved trail first used by the Spanish that leads to a cave. Access is from a path that leads up from the fabulous Villa Brinkley. The park is administered by the FUCAGUA group which has its office above the cafe in the round building in the center of the town's main plaza.

Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge is a large mangrove estuary and one of the most important protection zones for the manatee along the Caribbean coast of Central America. There are several miles of navigable canals and healthy populations of crocodiles and monkeys. An incredible place. Basic accommodation and guided boat tours are available. There is also a beach for swimming. Located just 20km west of La Ceiba, and three hours from San Pedro Sula. An old United Fruit tram takes you from the road to the reserve. The park is administered by FUCSA who have an office in La Ceiba.

Punta Sal: tropical forest and mangroves, famous for its population of waterbirds and continental coral reefs - there is good diving. It is located just outside Tela.

Bay Islands Marine Reserves: Roatan's growing popularity if putting pressure on its natural forested areas and splendid coral reef. BICA, the Bay Islands Conservation Association established the Sandy Bay-West End Marine Reserve in 1989 to protect the reef and its teeming fish populations and the Turtle Harbour Wildlife Refuge and Marine Resrve on Utila in 1992, to protect the island's wetlands. Both islands are easily accessible by air from San Pedro or La Ceiba.

La Muralla is a cloud forest famous for its population of quetzals. It has a visitors' center, clearly marked paths and is easily accessible. It is located at la Union, in the heart of the country, 200km north of Tegucigalpa.

Pico Bonito is dense montane forest, partly impenetrable because of its steep mountain slopes and home to a large number of endangered species. One farmer living on the park's fringes recently found a large cat sitting in his living room, but sightings are generally remote. Pico Bonito is easy to see - looming above La Ceiba, but strictly speaking, hard to access.

Sierra de Agalta: 400 square kms and one of the largest cloud forests in Honduras with spectacular caves and waterfalls. New species have been identified here and it is an important center for ongoing research. There are dormitories and camping facilities, trails and guides. Good news - it can be easily reached by paved road and lies just 2 and a half hours' drive from Tegucigalpa. There are points of access in Juticalpa, San Estaban, Catacamas and Gualaco.

Moskitia

The northern coast of Honduras contains one of the last great tracts of intact primary forest in Central America. This wilderness is one of the few large remnants of the forest that once covered most of the isthmus, forming a biological bridge between the great continents to the north and south.

This is the mysterious region called Moskitia (if you've heard of it at all, you probably know it as the Mosquito Coast), a land where the rivers are roads and you travel around in dugout canoes called pipantes.

Endangered species like the Baird's tapir, Harpys eagle and all give species of jungle cats thrive in the area's three principal biological zones - tropical rainforest, mangrove swamps and pine savannahs.

The area is also dotted with little known archaeological sites and the fabled lost White City of the Maya is said to be hidden somewhere in its dense jungle.

Several Honduran companies do tours to the region, focusing on the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and including contacts with the three main ethnic groups, the Pech, Miskito and Garifuna.

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