Cerro Cahui has native Maya rain forest and great view of Lake Peten Itza
Cerro Cahui is a protected nature reserve capably managed by CECON (of USAC). CECON is Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas. Lots of trees, vines, and plants that are native to the Mayan areas for millennia. In the CECON list of plants we noticed that 28 of them were sources of food: wild edible plants, not cultivated plants. 2000 years ago there were hundreds of plants in wetlands and hillside forests that were edible. We have been doing library research and field work to find and identify as many of these wild edible plants as possible. These plants are more healthy than eating junk food.
The Cerro Cahui reserve in Peten is 650 hectares. 650 hectares equals 6.5 square kilometers. In English and North American measurements this is close to 2.51 square miles, which is about 1,606 acres.
Three of other CECON areas that I have visited are: part of the Laguna del Tigre area of northwest Peten, the turtle preservation area around Monterrico (facing the Pacific Ocean) and Chocon Machacas, north side of El Golfete, Municipio de Livingston. We (FLAAR in USA and FLAAR Mesoamerica in Guatemala do field work on flora and fauna in all these areas).
Cerro Cahui is easy to get to
When driving towards Tikal, once you are at north edge of El Remate, turn left (parallel to north side of Lake Peten Itza). Where you turn you will see Hotel de Don David on the left side.
In a kilometer or so you will see the entrance to Cerro Cahui.
Guides are knowledgeable and Helpful
You can either come with your own guide, or hike up the hill to the overlook by yourself. The advantage of a local guide is that they can identify the different plants and birds for you.
Suggested Reading on Cerro Cahui
We are preparing a bibliography on Cerro Cahui, but here is a good report to start with.
- CONAP, ONCA, and CECON
- 2002
- Plan Maestro Biotopo Cerro Cahuí. Guatemala. Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (CONAP), Organización Nacional Para la Conservación y el Ambiente. SC. (ONCA), Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas (CECON), 73 pages).
We are preparing a FLAAR report on Cerro Cahui in PDF format but wish also to offer this introductory page to get started.
First post 27 July, 2021
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