The vast Laguna del Tigre National Park on the northwestern corner of Petén encompasses important wetlands, the largest in Central America. It also contains the only remaining populations of scarlet macaws in Guatemala, which are being protected via ongoing conservation efforts at a biological research station.

Oil drilling, present before the park’s creation, continues in the western part of the reserve, despite protests from environmental groups and their having been declared a violation of the park’s intended use. In 2006, the Guatemalan government granted further oil exploration concessions in the park’s multiple-use zone.

Visitors to this park should limit their activities to those centered around Las Guacamayas Biological Research Station and the site of Waka’-Perú, as the security conditions and the loss of much of the local habitat prevent me from recommending more in-depth explorations of this wild frontier.

Within the larger national park is the Biotopo Laguna del Tigre Río-Escondido, which has two biological stations open to researchers. It has been badly fragmented by seasonal forest fires and the encroachment of communities illegally settled inside park boundaries.

Recreation

Many travelers visit Waka’-Perú as part of a tour known as the Scarlet Macaw Trail, which can be booked from a number of guide companies in Flores and costs anywhere between $200 and $300 per person. The duration of the trip, as well as the places to visit, can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

Most visitors combine the site of Waka’-Perú with hikes into the surrounding pristine forests to see the nesting sites of scarlet macaws, which local scientists here are working to protect. A nearby biological station offers comfortable accommodations on a nice stretch of jungle river. Some travelers extend their stay to include a hike to the impressive cliffs of Buena Vista, which stand out from the surrounding jungle and afford wonderful views from the top.

Getting to Laguna del Tigre National Park

Access to Laguna del Tigre National Park and, more specifically, Waka’-Perú, is via a dirt road heading northwest from Flores to the village of Paso Caballos (two hours). From there, it’s a 20-minute motorboat ride up the Río Sacluc to the biological station and another five minutes to the entrance to Waka’-Perú.