BASIC INFORMATION
Places I'll Cover in this Entry: El Carbon, Catacamas, Caves of Talgua, Sierra de Agalta National Park, Juticalpa
Time Spent in this Area: 5 Days
The Olancho Department: a part of Honduras that very few travelers visit (like 75% of the rest of Honduras, but even less visited). It’s not the easiest part of the country to explore, nor does it have a spotless reputation (it’s often called Honduras’s equivalent of the Wild West), but after exploring parts of it, I realized that this area is full of potential: both in its natural and cultural aspects.
El Carbon
I went to Trujillo’s central park very early in the morning (4:00 am) so that I could have my first glimpse of the Olancho Department. The bus arrived as scheduled: 4:30 am (actually, it was 4:32, but that’s good enough), and off I was from the road that connects Trujillo to different parts of Olancho. The bus is not luxurious – it’s like a chicken bus (except I didn’t see chickens this time, and I was one of five passengers), just so you know. I asked the bus driver about the town “El Carbon” and he was willing to drop me off there.
El Carbon is one of the easiest Pech villages to access – it’s the only one that has a road linking to it (the rest in La Moskitia or more remote parts of Olancho), but it’s still very isolated. The Pech is one of Honduras’s main indigenous groups, and although they’ve been somewhat influenced by other groups, they have still retained a remarkable wealth of their own traditions.
Before I got to see the village, I had to look for it: there was a faint dirt trail, so I followed it, and there it was: a nice little Pech village surrounded by both forest and a little bit of savannah. The Pech, of course, were surprised to see me: they don’t get many foreign visitors (not even many Honduran visitors), but were surprisingly friendly. At first, one of them greeted me in Spanish, and he even knew an English word just in case (sadly I don’t remember if it was “Hello” or “Welcome”). This man later turned out to be the shaman of the village. The other men started being curious, trying to help me the best I can, and the moment they realized I spoke Spanish, the entire village came to greet me. There were some women and children as well. At first the children were shy, but it wasn’t long before they opened up as well. It was already an incredible experience.
The men quickly led me to a hut that was made just in case visitors came, and helped me load my stuff. I had brought lunch just in case, but I quickly learn that the women were already preparing me food: some rice, beans, and clean water that could be found at one of the small stores nearby (the other water, I was told, was not safe to drink). Rice and beans may not be the most splendid breakfast to most travelers, but this by far was a lot better than being in a luxurious B&B (of course, IMO). The people were extremely hospitable, had gotten right away with helping me, and were extremely eager to chat. That being said, the rice and beans felt like a hefty meal instead of just a light one. So what did we chat about? Well, some of the people (which is actually all of the people – the entire village, from what I could see, was interested in getting to know me) introduced themselves and each other, and they asked me many questions: where was I from? How did I know about their village? What did I think about their village? After this was done, the people taught me some Pech words and phrases: Pech is in risk of becoming extinct, so it was great that these people were making the effort to make their language survive. Some Pech words I remember/wrote down (in pronunciation):
---Peeree wa (Star[s] – literally means “eyes of the sky”)
---Era Gwa (Hello)
---Gua haa (forest)
---Korta (woman)
---Aarwa (man)
---Tam pooka (drum)
Some of the men (including the shaman) then showed me around the village: the huts, the few stores, and other little features. What amazed me was that the Pech had no cattle – usually what I would see among people in rural Central America, is cattle, but no, these Pech didn’t seem to rely on them. The men then started something very cool: they had been trained to lead tours of the surrounding area, one of these lessons being how to survive on the natural environment (not by logging it, in this case). Such tours are possible in La Moskitia, but I never had a chance to try them (I was more about seeing wildlife and experiencing the cultures than learning how to survive). The shaman led through the forest (for a $5 hike), telling me about the myriad of plants that were used to cure or alleviate things such as snake bites – I could tell some of it was more religious-based (great for the cultural view), but some of these plants do indeed help alleviate certain things. I was then told about some of the small insects: some of them used once in a while as a filler meal (only occasionally). Since it was still the early morning, the forest was alive with birds: I spotted over 30 species in 35 minutes (warblers, tanagers, orioles, curassow, and hummingbirds) and I certainly heard many more that we couldn’t quite see. Although healthy mammal populations exist in other parts of Olancho and Honduras, this area was not as yielding for such creatures: not disappointing since occasionally the Pech would hunt AND because it’s not typically where mammals pop up anyways. Plus, I was having a lot of fun with the cultural experience.
In another part of the forest, the men led me to an archaeological site. There are literally dozens of similar sites in La Moskitia, but this one was just as compelling. Pech legends tell of curses that would strike anyone trying to excavate the site, so not much of it has been revealed. However, it was still easy to notice the smooth rock and some of them were also cut. At one point, there was something that resembled a stairway, which led up to what remained of the altar piece – very interesting for a part of the world that gets very little attention. The site also overlooks part of the valley.
We returned to the village, where for an hour I had time to interact with the rest of the village. The children would ask about my camera, which allowed me to show them what else there was in their country, Central America, and beyond. They even showed me how to play one of their traditional games. The women were willing to talk as well and told me a little more about their village. Afterwards, it was time for a one-hour hike to a nearby waterfall.
The hike took us through beautiful pine savannah and eventually through beautiful forest. Once again, I noticed a healthy bird population: dozens of species were spotted and even more were just heard. The trail to the waterfalls isn’t well-marked, but the Pech men knew their way and were great in orientating through the forest. Ants, some colorful spiders on their webs, and butterflies were spotted, as well as a few lizards and frogs. At one point, I actually had to use a rope to swing across to another part of the forest – indigenous people and a jungle trek? I sure felt like Indiana Jones. Finally, we made it to the waterfall. Here, there was a field that met with the forest, making the bird life especially lively (my first parrots and even a toucan in Olancho), and the waterfall itself was very beautiful. Thirty good minutes were spent here: the Pech men told me stories about the waterfall, some legend, some were experiences from the past, and many also included stories about the surrounding forest. I loved my first experience in Olancho.
The rest of the time was spent in El Carbon itself. Here, I was told even more stories and the women and children would sometimes join in. At lunch, I got to experience some Pech music. The local music group had drums, maracas, as well as an interesting type of flute and it was an especially impressive form of art to witness. Some of the music revolved around stories of the natural area, the rest being of other legends. Although the Pech in his area are said to have lost their traditional dances, the women and children would sometimes swing their hips – maybe not as vibrantly as the Garifuna, but they did it! Afterwards, I was shown a shop that held some Pech handicrafts: maracas, drums, woven bags, mats, and even a flute (which are made less often than the others) were for sale. Unfortunately, I didn’t buy a drum or flute, but I will certainly return to El Carbon and get one or the other. I then bid farewell to the remarkable people of El Carbon.
Back at the road near the village, I waited to see if the bus from Tocoa was coming or not. At about 2:05, the bus arrived, and it went along farther down the road into the areas of the rest of Olancho.
Catacamas
Getting to Catacamas was not as hard as I thought it would be. The bus continued down the road to Juticalpa, and I asked the bus driver if he’d stop at Catacamas – and he said yes. I arrived at Catacamas in early evening, and immediately went searching for a place to stay. Unlike other parts of Honduras, information on accommodations in Catacamas is scarce, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. There were actually several small to mid-size hotels in town, and I chose the first one I saw: Hotel Juan Carlos. For about $12 a night, I’d have large and clean rooms, a private bath, fan, and even a cable TV. It’s also worth mentioning that the hotel’s small restaurant offers nice filler snacks and meals (be sure to ask for bottled water: I’m not sure if this water is contaminated, but it’s worth taking the caution just in case). That was the end of my first day in Olancho.
The next morning I woke up at around 7:00 to start exploring the town. Some people were already up and moving, while some streets were quiet. For a town located in an area that doesn’t get many visitors, Catacamas was actually rather charming. Maybe not the same type of charming as Copan Ruinas or the Lenca villages, but still warm. The Central Park is cozy and has a Catholic Church near it as well, and it was the most active part of Catacamas at the time. My favorite sight of the town was a large cross that is up a hill, called Mirador de la Cruz. I had to go up a stone path to view the cross up close, and it offered views of the rest of Catacamas.
When I went back to the Central Park, I asked a random local about Rio Guayape, and I got a quick response – he’d be willing to take me to the river if I wanted to. I was unsure at first, but why not take the offer? The river is known to locals because of how it used to be a popular place to sift gold, and that some little bits of gold still remained. For some, it’s a local tradition to hunt for gold at the river. The river was not far by truck, and there were about four men there looking for gold. At first, they gave me strange looks (curious looks), but later opened up when they found out I was a visitor. They showed me how to find the gold and talked to me (in Spanish, of course) about the rest of the process of panning or sifting. Of course, I wasn’t expecting any gold – but they found something. The nuggets were very small and at first I wondered: is this really gold? After leaving Honduras and asking in the U.S to a professional, I found out that it was real gold. What a surprise! The trip to the river lasted about one hour, and I was pretty much done with Catacamas for the moment.
Caves of Talgua
Also known as “The Cave of the Glowing Skulls”, the Caves of Talgua are no more than 6 miles from Catacamas, and hold the oldest human remains in Central America. Unfortunately, the burial rooms aren’t open to the public yet – disappointing, but it’s still worth mentioning the eco-archaeological park.
The local who drove me to the Rio Guayape also drove me as close as he could to the caves, and from there, I oriented myself to the entrance of the park. I was quite surprised that facilities were reasonably developed and the entrance fee was about $5, including a guided tour.
The guide seemed to know a lot about the caves and surrounding area (he was Spanish-speaking only, from what I could tell, but there might be a bilingual one), and the walk towards the caves was relaxing. The Talgua River runs through and is surrounded by a well preserved rainforest (I was technically in Sierra de Agalta N.P at the moment), and I could hear birds and insects. Then we reached the cave opening: the river ran through it, and since it combined with the surrounding jungle (and few people), I thoroughly enjoyed the ambience. The cave itself is nice – great stalagmite and stalactite formations, as well as acoustics. The guide spoke of how the fossils had been found, of the cave itself, as well as the history of this part of Olancho and of what archaeologists think the site stands for. We reached the area where the burial rooms are located, but it was unfortunately blocked off. There were, however, ladders and a platform from where I could see the beginning of the burial chambers. The tour lasted about 50 minutes.
Back at the outer part of the park, I visited the on-site museum, which offered some pretty nice pictures of the glowing skulls, and other information (in Spanish). The caves may not be the best archaeological site in the country, but hopefully the burial rooms will be open in a few years.
Sierra de Agalta National Park
I spent the rest of the day trying to find a way to reach Gualaco, a village in Olancho that is a good starting point to explore Sierra de Agalta National Park – and indeed it took the rest of the day. I had to wait for the bus to Juticalpa – which took some three hours to get to, and then had to head on the road to San Esteban, which took some more time. Needless to say, I arrived at Gualaco in mid-evening, and asked around about Sierra de Agalta. There was a visitor’s center that was just about to close, and it was there I was able to meet one of the most well-known local guides. I asked if he would be willing to take me at least half way up to La Picucha ( a trek that typically takes 4-5 days) and he agreed. A 1.5-day exploration of Sierra de Agalta would start the next morning.
Gualaco is a pleasant community – not full of attractions, but one that is good enough to stay at for a while (the accommodations were cheap and average, but I didn’t write down the name of where I stayed). The guide was prepared with some camping materials and showed me the visitors’ center information of the national park. It was then when we embarked (starting at 6:30 in the morning) on the first day of our trip.
The trail at first was better marked than the guide books say, but it was after that I could see why a guide was recommended – the rest of the trail is a little more cloaked, and the jungle is quite dense. Thirty minutes into the hike was when I had heard sounds of a variety of tropical birds – I recognized the calls of toucans, tanagers, and the weird calls of a bird identified as an “antpitta” (or was it antshrike? – can’t remember). I had only noticed many leafcutter ants, termite nests, colorful butterflies, and a few other odd insects. An hour up the trail, I could hear the roars of a distant howler monkey troop, and my guide spotted a few tree snakes and vine snakes. Anoles and swifts were also sighted. After this, the trail got a little steeper – if you’re not in good physical shape, then perhaps Sierra de Agalta is not for you.
My first troop of howler monkeys in Sierra de Agalta was spotted about 1.5 hours into the day, and it was sized at about 7-9 of them. We were able to get close to them, despite the thickness of the jungle and it was neat to have some of them roaring and looking at us at the same time. It’s worth mentioning that bug spray is something you should have with you when travelling through rainforests – Sierra de Agalta is no exception. Further on, I spotted a few more howler monkeys – one troop even had their young with them, something that I didn’t expect seeing. Agoutis were also seen scampering at the deeper parts of the trail.
The more we got into the forest, the more amazing the setting was. About 2.5 hours into the hike, there was an enormous myriad of bird, insect, and amphibian sounds. Since it was morning, the animals were also a little easier to see: I spotted a few toucans (in flight), parrots, warblers, tanagers, an odd-looking curassow, woodcreepers, and several types of hummingbirds. On wet plants, there were often tree frog eggs, tree frogs themselves, tiny salamanders, and lizards were often moving among the trunks of trees. The flora was starting to get especially captivating: I’m not a botanist, but the blue, red, green, and yellow colors of some of the plants and flowers were breathtaking. Howler monkeys and white-faced capuchins could also be heard (the latter were also seen). Next, we reached a small creek of water where there were several colorful butterflies and even two sun bitterns. We spent an additional hour exploring the spot around the creek, and that was when we decided to continue to one of the more basic camp sites. The camp site was a small but nice clearing, and was a nice place to wait for the heated noon to pass.
Evening came for us to continue with the hike. We started at about 7:30 and continued up the trail. We saw a different myriad of birds this time, and the insect and amphibian sounds of night were starting to come out. The guide even recognized some owl and potoo sounds. At one point, there was a beautiful waterfall where a colony of swifts (the birds, not lizards) was flying in and out of to roost. It was here where we decided to set up our official camp, since there was enough space for it. At 8:15, we started the night hike. The trail from here was not as muddy, but of course we needed a flashlight to be able to see it. This is when I heard a creepy sound that the guide led me to. Eventually, with a little luck, we found a crested owl – an odd curious creature indeed. At around 8:45, we heard a rustle coming from the trees. Immediately, I thought it would be a kinkajou, but it wasn’t. The guide aimed the flashlight at the creature, and it turned out to be one that I had never seen before and I couldn’t identify it. It was not very large, had a long, ringed tail, and had the face similar to that of a kinkajou (but of course was different). The creature appeared frightened, but then kept scampering around the trees casually. I later found out that this was a cacomistle: easily my favorite mammal sighting in the park since I had never seen (or even heard about) one before.
At an hour and a half, the guide found something exciting: fresh jaguar tracks. Not as fresh as the ones I had seen at Pico Bonito, but still fresh. I got pumped. Perhaps I’d be lucky enough to actually see the jaguar? Previously, I had only seen three wild jaguars in my travels: one at the Pantanal, one during a trip to the Amazon basin, one in the deeper extent of Rio Patuca (Honduras). I’d happily add another one, especially since this would possibly be my first night jaguar sighting (the others were crepuscular). Unfortunately, I didn’t see a jaguar, but about two hours into the hike, we still found a wild cat: a young margay, which still requires luck to find. To my great joy, the margay was actually crossing the thick trail. We aimed our flashlights at it, it froze and stared at us, and then it scurried to the other side of the trail, eventually walking casually when it realized we weren’t a serious threat. After that, we were about done with the night hike and returned to the camp, wanting to get rest before making it into the main cloud forest of the park.
Bird life, as usual, was very active at the morning, and I was happy to have witnessed two emerald toucanets, trogons, and several other colorful birds. The calls of howler monkeys were also constantly reverberating through the forest. Soon, (after two hours), we reached the part of cloud forest we were hoping to get to, and it was simply breathtaking. Every single cloud forest I’ve visited has been beautiful, but the ones I’ve seen in parts of Honduras have often been my favorite. Not because of the sheer awesomeness, but because almost every natural area I had visited had few travelers – every bloom of flower, and every flying bird felt like part of a private experience. The flora of the forest was fantastic, and the moss made the ethereal atmosphere magnify. However, my favorite sightings of the park were the quetzals. One male was sighted quickly, and five more (two males, three females) were sighted later on. They were all between 5-15 minutes apart on the walk, but that was excellent nonetheless, especially since it wasn’t even their breeding season. The greatness of the quetzal was joined by the inquisitiveness of two toucanets. These toucanets were different, though – I later learned these to be the yellow-eared toucanets, and that they’re not typically found in cloud forests, but are nonetheless elusive. We spent two more hours exploring the cloud forest, and it never got boring – whether it was a bird or the odd glass frogs and their eggs. After that, it was time to head back down to Gualaco. I simply wanted to do the entire 4-5 day trek to La Picucha. Who knows what more marvels I would’ve witnessed?
Juticalpa
That noon, I had waited at Gualaco for the bus to Juticalpa to come. It eventually arrived, and ride down to Juticalpa lasted about 3.5-5 hours (I was bad at recording time at that moment). While there, I had what is renowned as “tapado olanchano” which was indeed quite delicious, as well as some carne azada. There were several eateries in this town. Juticalpa is a mixture of both a busy and tranquil atmosphere – it’s the largest city in Olancho, and is its main economic center, but nonetheless is still small.
Sadly, I didn’t give more time to Juticalpa, so I can’t say there is anything worth seeing for the traveler. I had to take the bus to Tegucigalpa, since I departed from the country the next day.
CONCLUSION
Will I Return?: Yes. Places like El Carbon and Sierra de Agalta had me captivated.
_Do I Recommend Olancho to Other Travelers?: Depends. The region is worth visiting for its deep swaths of wilderness and for its Pech culture, but it would be better if you visited other parts of Honduras first, to get familiar with the country.
CONCLUSION FOR HONDURAS
Will I Return?: Definitely. Honduras has secured its place as my favorite Central American country. Whether it’s the raw nature or the little-visited cultures, I found that it’s a country full of more riches than what I (and most other travelers) could’ve ever imagined.
Do I Recommend it to Others? Yes.
