Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Collectively known as “Las Verapaces,” the departments of Alta and Baja Verapaz are
mostly mountainous, remote, and clothed largely in verdant forests. Guatemala's national
bird, the resplendent quetzal, and its national flower—a rare orchid known as the
monja
blanca
—inhabit the cool cloud forests of this region. This is probably Guatemala's most
overlookedareaintermsoftourismpotential,asitseessurprisinglyfewvisitors.Therecre-
ational opportunities and natural attractions are boundless and include spectacular water-
falls, cool mountain forests, mysterious caves, Mayan ruins, turquoise lagoons, and white-
water rivers. Perhaps because Guatemala has always had more fame as a cultural destina-
tion, its equally splendid natural attractions have been overlooked. This tendency seems to
be changing.
Although it might seem the Verapaz Highlands are a continuation of the rugged Western
Highlands,theyareuniqueinanumberofways,includingtheirsettlementpatterns,history,
climate, geology, and population. You won't find much traditional attire being worn in
these parts, particularly among the men. The women tend to wear traditional skirts with
white blouses notnearly ascolorful orintriguing asthose wornelsewhere inthehighlands.
Still, Mayan culture is very much alive and well in the mountain towns and villages of the
VerapazHighlands.ThestunningmountainsceneryisonparwiththatfoundintheWestern
Highlands.
Perhaps most exciting for the visitor is the palpable sense of the Verapaces's being a
well-kept secret just waiting to be told. It's easy to fall in love with all that this wonderful
area has to offer. New and increasingly comfortable accommodations with greater sophist-
ication in services make this Guatemala's ecotourism frontier.
