Practicing Ecotourism in Honduras, you are visiting national parks and reserves in a way that leaves as little impact as possible on the area while admiring the flora and fauna. You won't find yourself, or a guide, wielding a machete and making your way through dense and tangled jungle. Well-marked trails, observatory platforms and even, resting benches, make it an extremely pleasant experience. With a knowledgeable local guide on hand, you won't miss the smallest insect or the rarest bird! Ecotourism can be practiced by any traveler, of any age.

There are several lures, such as the thrill of reaching a lofty summit, or the rush of churning white water. Knowledgeable local guides aid in keeping the impact down by using the appropriate trails and camp grounds in the parks and reserves.

Both visitors are passing through prime tropical forest environments that hold an abundance of animals and plants that are rarely seen outside of their natural environment. From towering balsa trees to paths of leaf-cutter ants, the sights to be seen in Honduras are plentiful.

Protected land takes up 28, 860 square kilometers of Honduran territory and gives visitors a chance to see pine and cloud forests in the mountainous highlands and mangroves and broadleaf in the coastal regions. Honduras began its first conservation project with Lancetilla Botanical Gardens found near the town of Tela on the Caribbean coast in 1925. The number of national parks and protected biological areas has continued to increase alongside environmental awareness.

A cloud forest system thrives within 150 kilometers of park land, just three and a half hours from Tegucigalpa. La Muralla National Park has been under protection since 1987 yet is still seldom visited. It boasts a great visitor's center complete with an excellent insect exhibit. Rangers are also on hand to answer any question you may have regarding camping policies and trails. A few of the exotic animals that live in the park are three-toed sloths, howler monkeys and coatimundis.