By Marina Kuperman
Central America Travel Expert, about.com
One of the major aspects that make Central America such a good place to travel to is the almost endless amount of options for adventures that it offers. Among all of those options there is hiking in rain forests, jungles and tropical places.
The area has tons of forests, mountains and volcanoes that can be explored on foot. Each of those have trails with amazing views that will take you to see the best of nature that each country has to offer.
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5 Amazing Hikes in Central America:
1. Cusuco National Park, Honduras
Cusuco National Park was created in 1959 to protect the mountains in the north western part of Honduras. Here you will find several habitats such as pine forest and dwarf forest. It is also a place with a wide variety of wildlife living in it. The main trail will take you along jungle paths, to hidden waterfalls, while meeting along the way a couple of its inhabitants - wildlife.The gorgeous Pulhapanzak Waterfall is something you definitely can’t miss. You will definitely enjoy the sight of its 140 foot drop. There is also the Taulabe Caves; visitors are allowed to explore part of this complex.
[post_ads]2. Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Corcovado National Park is located on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. It was established in 1975 and is the largest park in the country. Due to its biological diversity it is considered by many adventurers the crown jewel of the national parks and reserves of Costa Rica.This is definitely the place to visit for all those nature lovers in search for some wildlife encounters. Aside from tons of different animal species its trails will take you to gorgeous beaches in the Pacific Ocean and through a deep jungle with interesting finds at every turn.
There is also a ranger station where camp lovers are allowed to spend the night to have an even better experience of the park.
3. The Quetzal Trail, Panama
The Quetzal Trail is considered one of the most beautiful trails in the region. It is within Volcan Baru National park, on the western highlands of Panama. It is 9.6 kilometers long and can be done completely between four and seven hours depending on the hiking speed and the amount of times you stop for photos. It takes you mostly downhill and takes you through primary jungle.This jungle path is home to Resplendent Quetzal, a gorgeous yet rare animal that inhabits a few areas of Central America.
4. Maribios Volcanic Range, Nicaragua
This one is a bit more intense than the previous hikes I have mentioned. It consists of a large volcanic chain that will take you through 21 volcanoes in approximately seven days. But it can take only as long as you want because there are many trails within it, all with different difficulty levels and different lengths.Its most challenging hike is up to Momotombo Volcano, a fun challenge for all hikers.
5. Lake Atitlan Volcanoes, Guatemala
Atitlan Lake in Guatemala is a beautiful place surrounded by indigenous villages and volcanoes. The actual lake is what remains of a huge volcano.There are four volcanoes around the Lake. They are: Atitlan, Toliman, San Pedro and Paquisis. They all provide challenging walks and some of the best views you will find in the region.Even though they are next to each other, each offers something unique to hikers and nature lovers.
