Discover More About The Parks And Protected Areas Of Guatemala

Guatemala holds ninety two safeguarded areas comprising over 28% of the country's national territory. Many of these safeguarded areas were created in the year 1990.

All volcanoes are protected areas, including national parks, biosphere reserves, wildlife refuges, private nature reserves, natural monuments, and biotopes. CONAP (The National Protected Areas Council), created in 1990, and is fully in charge of administering all of Guatemala's protected areas along with CONAMA (National Environmental Commission). Unfortunately, with so many issues at hand, the Guatemalan government doesn't put enough emphasis on preserving and protecting these areas the way they should. CONAP is extremely underfunded and understaffed. Logging, sewage run off and trash disposal are still a huge problem. In addition to these issues is the Peten deforestation which is also an issue for other parks.

Currently, most of the protection originates from private organizations and since 2005 the government of Guatemala is taking the initiative by training a particular police force designated for these safeguarded areas, mainly the Maya Biosphere Reserve where most of the wildlife poaching and logging continue to exist.
Because of tourism and environment attention, the park system is in a position to build ranger stations along with exceptional facilities, well-marked trails as well as more comfortable guest accommodations.

Bearing this in mind, you should visit as many of these amazing parks as you can and make a difference by not collecting any of the natural these resources such as animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc... Imagine, if perhaps everyone who visited Guatemala collected a little something, will there still be anything left to admire about nature?

Just in case you plan to visit these areas, it will as well be of great help to make sure that you dispose of your garbage properly.

Biotopes

Cerro Cahui Biotope
Chocon Machacas Biotope
Mario Dary Rivera Biotope (El Quetzal)
Punta de Manabique Biotope
Naachtun - Dos Lagunas Biotope
El Zotz-San Miguel La Palotada Biotope
Monterrico-Hawaii Biotope
San Buenaventura de Atitlan Biotope

Biosphere Reserves

Maya Biosphere Reserve
Sierra de las Minas Biosphere

National Parks

Lachua National Park
Laguna Del Tigre National Park
Mirador-Rio Azul National Park
Rio Dulce National Park
Sierra del Lacandon National Park
Tikal National Park
Lanquin Caves National Park
Candelaria Caves National Park

Private Nature Reserves

Chelemha Cloud Forest Preserve
Finca El Paraiso
Manchon Guamuchal Wetland
Parque Natural Ixpanpajul
Natural Reserve Atitlan

Caves

Naj Tunich
Candelaria Caves
Lanquin Caves
Ak'Tun Kan Caves
Kan' Ba Caves
Rey Marcos Caves
The Mine Caves (La Cueva de las Minas)
Cueva de Las Pinturas
Tres Entradas Caves
Hun Nal Ye
Cueva de las Chinches
B'omb'il Pek
Juliq'
Ixobel Cave
Echoeing Cave
Santo Domingo
Pusila
San Miguel, Jobonche, Jovelte
Petexbatun Area Caves

Volcanoes

Acatenango Volcano
Agua Volcano
Almolonga Volcano
Atitlan Volcano
Chingo Volcano
Chiquimula Volcano
Flores Volcano
Fuego Volcano
Ipala Volcano
Ixtepeque Volcano
Moyuta Volcano
Pacaya Volcano
Quezaltepeque Volcano
Santa Maria Volcano
San Pedro Volcano
Santo Tomas Volcano
Suchitan Volcano
Tacana Volcano
Tahual Volcano
Tajumulco Volcano
Tecuamburro Volcano
Toliman Volcano

Waterfalls

Catarata de Agaus Calientes
Los Siete Altares
El Salto de Chilasco

Wildlife Refuges

Bocas de Polochic Wildlife Refuge
Petexbatun Wildlife Refuge

Other Protected Areas

Cerro San Gil and Rio Las Escobas
Cloud Forest Biological Corridor
Cuchumatanes Area
El Boqueron