Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wildlife Refuges
Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge
encompasses a remote peninsula on Guatemala's
Caribbean Coast and is unique for its combination of aquatic, coastal, and terrestrial hab-
itats. The coastline is sparsely populated and includes some very attractive white-sand
beaches. Logging, wildlife poaching, and the activities of drug traffickers pose the greatest
threats to the park. A small biological station at the peninsula's northwestern tip houses
visitors and scientists.
Petexbatún Wildlife Refuge
is a wetland and tropical forest park in southern Petén en-
compassing a variety of lakes abounding in flora, fauna, and Mayan sites. It is one of the
few areas in southern Petén where dense forests are still found. The archaeological sites of
Ceibal, Aguateca, Dos Pilas, and Tamarindito are also in this area.
The Río Polochic delta, protected as
Bocas del Polochic Wildlife Refuge,
harbors im-
portant Lake Izabal wetlands and offers some of Guatemala's finest bird-watching. The
park's wetlands and freshwater rivers and lagoons are crucial to the lake's ecological
balance and water quality. The ecosystem is also vital to many migratory bird species
and provides refuge to a variety of animals, including crocodiles, howler monkeys, and
manatees. Together with the adjacent Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, it accounts
for about 80 percent of Guatemala's biodiversity.
Guatemala's terrain, featuring mountains, volcanoes, and vast forested flatlands, is a
hiker's dream. Adding to the allure of hiking in Guatemala is the opportunity to interact
with locals along the way. Many hiking circuits in Guatemala, particularly in the Verapaz
cloudforestsandtheplateaus oftheWesternHighlandsregion,areoperatedvialocalcom-
munity tourism initiatives. In addition to providing the opportunity to see the environment
and culture through the eyes of local inhabitants, hiring the services of community guides
also provides locals with a much-needed source of income and instills a sense of pride in
theirhome.Italsospeaksloudlytothevalue(botheconomicandmoral)ofconservingpre-
cious ecosystems when tourists come from faraway lands to enjoy them.
Among the most popular hikes are the summits of several of Guatemala's 33 volcanoes
(some active), including Agua, Acatenango, Pacaya, San Pedro, Santa María, and Taju-
mulco.
Many tourism circuits operated by local community tourism initiatives include adequate
visitorscentersandthereareoftencampsites.Thesameistrueforthegovernment-runsys-
tem of parks and protected areas.
