Maya Biosphere Reserve

Mayan pyramid covered by virgin jungle

Maya Biosphere Reserve is a protected natural area in the Peten jungle of the northern lowlands of Guatemala. The reserve is the largest tropical jungle outside of the Amazon. The Maya Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is also a Ramsar wetland.

Understand

The reserve is huge: it covers an area of more than 21,602 square kilometers (over 8,000 square miles). The biosphere reserve is so large that it includes 20% of the total national territory of Guatemala. The reserve is managed by Guatemala's natural resources agency, CONAP. The reserve includes several national parks, monuments, and wildlife preserves (biotopes in Guatemala). It also includes several Mayan archaeological sites, including Tikal (the most famous site in Guatemala) and El Mirador (the largest Mayan site yet discovered).

National parks that are completely within the protected areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve include:

• Laguna del Tigre National Park
• Sierra del Lacandón National Park
• Mirador-Río Azul National Park
• Tikal National Park

Landscape

Lake Peten Itza

Aerial view of the jungle near Flores

The park is big, so of course the landscape varies considerably, including wetlands, to low mountain ranges. The park has several bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, streams and even some underground rivers and springs (cenotes). The largest human settlement within the preserve is the city of Flores, which is on an island.

Flora and fauna

Spider monkey near Tikal

The park is home to a large number of animal species including more than 50 kinds of mammals, from small coatis and monkeys to several kinds of cat, like pumas and jaguars. Tapirs and sloths are found in this area. A large number of reptiles like boa constrictors live in the jungle trees while crocodiles, frogs, and salamanders prefer the many wetland areas. More than 300 species of birds live in the reserves including a wide range of marine birds such as herons, raptors like falcons and vultures, and some wildly colorful birds like toucans and ocellated turkeys.

The reserve is rich in flora including rubber, chicle, breadnut, and mahogany.

Climate

The climate is classified as tropical monsoon, which basically means hot and wet. The average temperature is 27 Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) and it rains an average of 165 days per year.

Get in

The easiest gateway to the jungles of northern Guatemala is the city of Flores. Once in Flores, guides or organized tours can be arranged to get you into more remote areas or to visit parks, monuments, and wildlife preserves that are not easily reached by road (especially by foreign visitors).

By plane

Flores has an international commercial airport with frequent flights to and from Guatemala City. TAG Airlines also operates direct flights from Mexican resort areas via Cancún International Airport and Tulum International Airport.

See

At least a dozen Mayan archaeological sites are within the reserve, among them:

• Tikal
• Yaxhá
• El Mirador
• El Peru

Sleep

Several hotels are available in Flores. Adventurous souls attempting a land crossing from Mexico may find rooms available in El Ceibo.

Go next

• Tikal
• Flores