Santa Barbara National Park

Cerro Santa Bárbara rises to around 2,744 metres on the western side of Lake Yojoa, which makes it the second highest point in the country, and the massif is limestone rather than volcanic. That gives it sinkholes, caves and a fractured karst surface under the cloud forest, and it makes walking here slow and awkward. The forest holds a set of endemics, and because the terrain is difficult and unmarked, the park receives a tiny number of visitors compared with its neighbours.

What you actually see

• The summit ridge - around 2,744 metres, the second highest ground in Honduras.
• The karst - sinkholes, fissures and cave openings under the forest floor.
• The cloud forest - wet montane forest with a high endemic count.
• The lake view - Yojoa below to the east on a clear morning.

When to go

December to April is the drier season and the only realistic window. Cloud sits on the massif most afternoons in any month. Nights near the top are cold.

Honest expectations

There are no marked trails and the karst makes the ground genuinely dangerous underfoot, with fissures hidden by leaf litter. A local guide is not optional. This is a two-day walk with camping and no facilities of any kind.

Nearby

Lake Yojoa is at the eastern foot, and Santa Barbara town is west.