Imagine gliding down the river in a dug-out canoe through a vast land that has defied the passage of time, where people practice lifestyles that extend thousands of years into the past. As you enter the Moskitia, you will find yourself immersed in a world of awe-inspiring pine forest savannas, dense tropical habitats, meandering, free-flowing rivers, and exotic wildlife. In northeastern Honduras, covering an area of nearly 8,500 square miles (22,500 square km), this region is the largest unspoiled tract of rainforest left in Central America, a must-see for the adventure traveler seeking a truly unique destination. Imagine gliding down the river in a dug-out canoe through a vast land that has defied the passage of time, where people practice lifestyles that extend thousands of years into the past. As you enter the Moskitia, you will find yourself immersed in a world of awe-inspiring pine forest savannas, dense tropical habitats, meandering, free-flowing rivers, and exotic wildlife. In northeastern Honduras, covering an area of nearly 8,500 square miles (22,500 square km), this region is the largest unspoiled tract of rainforest left in Central America, a must-see for the adventure traveler seeking a truly unique destination. Diversity best describes the flavor of the region: open coasts, estuaries, river valleys, flood plains, fresh-water swamps, lagoons and mangroves. This is one of the most scarcely populated areas of Central America. Four indigenous groups share the area with ladino settlers. Indigenous Garifuna, Pech, Miskito and Tawahka live in approximately 200 communities and villages. Each group speaks its own language and has adapted to the local environment in its own distinctive way, giving additional flavor to this exotic setting. Olancho is in eastern Honduras and is the largest department in the country. Vast wilderness areas ranging from mountaintop cloud forests, old-growth pine forests, to lowland tropical rainforests and several free-flowing rivers make for a nature traveler's paradise and provide a multitude of trekking opportunities. Protected areas in Olancho include the Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve (part of the reserve is in Olancho), the Patuca National Park, the Sierra de Agalta National Park, and La Muralla National Park. The famed Talgua Caves Archaeological Park, where the remains of human settlements from 1000 BC were found, is also here. This guide tells you all the details about how to get around, what to see and do, how to explore, where to stay, where to eat and much more. Filled with maps and color photos.
