La Tigra National Park
La Tigra National Park is Honduras’ first natural reserve, created in 1980 to preserve the masses of tropical rainforest that provide the hydrological balance of the region. La Tigra encompasses 238.21 km² of mist forests growing at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,185 meters and preserving the soil from leaching. Thanks to them, the capital city of Tegucigalpa receives more than 30% of the water it needs.
Video: La Tigra National Park
General Information
La Tigra’s scenic landscapes are characterized by great biodiversity. Despite its proximity to densely populated areas, the national park retains many untouched wilderness areas. The reserve is home to 31 species of mammals, 13 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians and over 200 species of birds. Many of the animals and birds living under the forest canopy are endemic to Honduras. The mountain slopes are home to oaks, pines, avocados, and the sacred Mayan trees, the erythrina and seiba.
.Tourists
The tourist center is located in the village of El Rosario, which is 1,650 meters above sea level. Here you can get information about the routes and book guided tours of the park. The tourist center has a museum that tells the history of La Tigra National Park and the rich nature of Honduras.
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The territory of the reserve is open to tourists every day from 8.00 to 17.00. It costs $10 to enter.
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What to see in the reserve
In the central part of La Tigra National Park there are eight excursion trails with a total length of 23 km. They vary in difficulty. Some of the trails are designed for family travel, while others are only suitable for physically fit hikers.
>While walking through the park you can see relict ferns, rare species of mosses, tall trees, lianas, bromeliads and orchids. More wary animals such as cougars, ocelots, wild boars, opossums, white-tailed deer and armadillos try to keep out of people’s sight. And the monkeys aren’t too afraid of visitors, so they let people get pretty close.
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In the forest of La Tigra there is an unusual bird – Quetzal, which feeds almost exclusively on the fruit of the ocotea tree. The Aztecs and Mayans revered the brightly colored quetzal as a sacred bird. According to their beliefs, he was the god of air, so these peoples used the green tail feathers of the quetzal during religious ceremonies. Remarkably, the tropical birds were not killed to obtain the feathers. They were caught, plucked out their long feathers, and released into the wild.
.How to get there
The territory of La Tigra National Park is located in central Honduras, in the department of Francisco Morazán. The reserve is 22 kilometers away from the city of Tegucigalpa. It can be reached by tour bus, rental car or cab.
.La Tigra Park has four entrances, but tourists use two of them. One entrance to the park is accessed via the highway that leads to El Atillo, and the other is accessed via the road that runs to Valle de Angeles, San Juanchito and Cantarnana.
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