The cloud forest
Moss, mist and tall trees.
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Celaque National Park is a rugged cloud forest in western Honduras, holding the country's highest peak, Cerro Las Minas, at about 2,870 metres. Established on 5 August 1987 and covering 266.31 square km, it is a quiet destination for anyone wanting forest and mountain walking away from the crowds. The name is said to mean box of water in the extinct Lenca language. Its nine rivers supply 120 villages, including Gracias. Its slopes saw heavy logging between 1970 and 1980, before the park was set up in 1987. Pumas, ocelots and the endangered Celaque salamander live here, the last found only in these mountains. Walks begin at a colourful sign under the trees, then steep green slopes take over, with two-thirds of the area on sharp gradients. You walk through misty forest with tall moss-covered trees, past small waterfalls among rocks. From the heights you see Lenca village fields and houses in the valley, and it grows colder and wetter as you climb. The entrance is 7.1 km in a straight line south-west of Gracias. Climbing the peak is long and hard, so take a local guide, start early and bring warm waterproof clothes. The ground is slippery and steep, so wear mountain shoes. Keep to the trails to protect the forest, and ask in Gracias about conditions before setting out.
Moss, mist and tall trees.
Water among rocks.
The highest point in Honduras.
Lempira, Ocotepeque and Copán departments, western Honduras
Yes for the summit, as the route is long, hard and steep.
Yes, the lower parts suit a short walk, so ask in town.