Parque Nacional Sierra del Lacandón

Natural treasure of the Mayan jungle

Since its creation in 1990, Parque Nacional Sierra del Lacandón is the second largest national park in Guatemala and one of the protected areas that make up the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Located within the Usumacinta River basin and with a territorial extension of 202,865 ha, the Parque Nacional Sierra del Lacandón tropical forest harbors an immense biological diversity within its life zones. With seven types of ecosystems and virgin rainforests, this national park has the greatest biodiversity in all of Petén.

512
Fauna
species

35
communities

+30
archaeological
sites

Many endangered animals such as the jaguar, white-lipped peccary, puma, and scarlet macaw seek refuge in the Sierra del Lacandón. The abundance of wildlife in the park allows researchers to use this area as the main reference for the study of diverse species.

Biological diversity is not the only attraction of Sierra del Lacandón. The area has more than 30 registered archeological sites that contain important vestiges of the Mayan culture. One of the most predominant sites is Piedras Negras, a Mayan city known for its elegant architecture and sculptures that narrate the lives and works of its rulers.

This national park has been jointly administered since 1999 by Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza and the Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas. Approximately 20,000 people live in the communities settled within the protected area and, because they were living in the park priopr to its declaration, they have signed permanence agreements in which they commit to protect and conserve the natural resources.

Learn
about the area

  • Petén, Guatemala.
  • 202,865 hectares