Honduras
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Boats near the shore of Lake Yojoa and mountains reflected in the water.

Honduras · Cortés, Comayagua and Santa Bárbara

Lake
Yojoa.

The lake, its mountains and its falls

See what to do (4)Destination map

Photo: OSMAN ESPINOZA FRANCO

Before you go,
understand the place.

Lake Yojoa, Honduras's only volcanic lake and a Ramsar wetland, is surrounded by mountains with national parks, such as Cerro Azul Meámbar to the south, according to Visit Honduras.

Best time to go
According to Canada, the rainy season runs from May to November and can cause flooding and landslides, and the hurricane season from early June to the end of November in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is an approximate national pattern, not a climate record for each region or a guarantee for the islands. Follow COPECO's alerts.
Getting there
This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. According to PANACAM Lodge, the lodge is 7 km from the La Guama turn-off; Pulhapanzak Falls are at San Buenaventura, north of the lake, according to Visit Honduras. Its management points to the Peña Blanca turn-off, 17 km from the complex, coming from San Pedro Sula on the CA-5 towards Tegucigalpa, and estimates about 1.5 hours from San Pedro Sula and about 3 hours from Tegucigalpa.

One way to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

  • 4 places

    The lake and around

    The lake, the Los Naranjos archaeological site, Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park and Pulhapanzak Falls; the lake and Pulhapanzak have their status backed by dated 2026 sources.

    Open the full guide

The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

Showing 4 of 4 · 2 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

  • NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park (PANACAM)

    According to the lodge, PANACAM Lodge is 7 km from the La Guama turn-off. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.13.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    foreign visitor, PANACAM Lodge access L180
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A national park south of Lake Yojoa. PANACAM Lodge gives access to more than 7 km of trails: Los Vencejos (0.7 km, about half an hour), El Venado (1.5 km, about an hour and a half) and El Sinaí (6.8 km, high difficulty: a walk of about four hours that allows you to climb to the summit), according to the lodge.

    Status not confirmed: the lodge's page publishes its offer and fees, but shows no date, and the sources consulted give no dated news of visits. Check before you go.

    Source: PANACAM Lodge – Actividades y tarifas · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Entry published by PANACAM Lodge for its access to the trail network (not a fee for every sector of the park): Hondurans L80, students and senior citizens L60, foreign visitors L180; kayaking on the Yure reservoir, L180 per person with guide and equipment, according to PANACAM Lodge (undated page).

    Nearby: Lake Yojoa (11.9 km)

    Sources: PANACAM Lodge – Actividades y tarifas · PANACAM Lodge – Contacto (ubicación) · Visit Honduras – Naturaleza

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 2

Living culture · 1

  • CultureStatus unconfirmed

    Los Naranjos Eco-Archaeological Park

    Beside Lake Yojoa. The pin is the archaeological site in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.8.3 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    An IHAH archaeological site occupied from around 800 BC, almost a thousand years before Copán, declared an Archaeological Zone (Decree 138-97), in an area very rich in birds, according to the IHAH. Visit Honduras highlights its trails, one of them raised.

    Status not confirmed: the latest dated source showing it open is from April 2023 (Canal 8); La Prensa's September 2026 piece mentions an ecological park in Los Naranjos without naming it. Check before you go.

    Source: IHAH – Parque Los Naranjos · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    La Prensa (September 2026) publishes, for an «ecological park» in the community of Los Naranjos without naming it or citing the IHAH, L60 for Hondurans, US$10 for foreign visitors, L35 for senior citizens and free for children under 6. It is not confirmed that this is the same park.
    Hours
    Canal 8 (April 2023) reported that all IHAH parks and museums opened every day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the sources consulted give no more recent confirmation.

    Nearby: Lake Yojoa (9.3 km) · Pulhapanzak Falls (10.3 km)

    Sources: IHAH – Parque Los Naranjos · Canal 8 – Los Naranjos ofrece sus atractivos (7 abr. 2023) · Visit Honduras – Aviturismo · La Prensa – Lago de Yojoa en la Semana Morazánica (23 sep. 2026)

Lake Yojoa · Practical guide

The essentials

  1. The lake, with kayaking, trails and lakeside restaurants
  2. The 43 m drop of Pulhapanzak Falls

Lake Yojoa · Practical guide

Practical tips

  1. PANACAM Lodge publishes the entry fees for its access (foreign visitors L180) and kayaking on the Yure reservoir (L180 with guide and equipment).
  2. According to PANACAM Lodge, the Sendero El Sinaí (6.8 km, high difficulty) is a walk of about four hours that allows you to climb to the summit; if you plan it, check the trail and access with the lodge first.
  3. At Pulhapanzak, the zip line, river tubing and the tour behind the falls are paid on top of entry, according to Visit Honduras and the press.

Safety and precautions

  • Spain (update of 12 May 2026) rates insecurity in Honduras as very high, advises against travelling by road at night and rates Copán Ruinas, Lake Yojoa and the Bay Islands as medium risk. It reports robberies of cars and buses on the road sections linking the El Florido and Agua Caliente crossings with Guatemala City, advises not to drive them after dusk and advises against stopping in La Entrada, Santa Rita and El Paraíso (Copán).
  • The US Department of State advises reconsidering travel to Honduras because of crime and terrorism (level 3, advisory of 25 August 2026) and advises against travel to the department of Gracias a Dios (level 4).
  • According to state television TNH (20 September 2026), the National Defence and Security Council decided on 18 September not to apply a new state of exception; Honduran media date the end of the regime begun in December 2022 to 26 January 2026. The United States advisory of 25 August 2026 still described it as in force in 226 of the 298 municipalities. This guide does not confirm the current situation. Canada notes that the authorities periodically declare states of exception: always carry ID and follow the authorities' instructions at checkpoints.

Frequently asked questions

How much is PANACAM?

Entry published by PANACAM Lodge for its access to the trail network (not a fee for every sector of the park): Hondurans L80, students and senior citizens L60, foreign visitors L180; kayaking on the Yure reservoir, L180 per person with guide and equipment, according to PANACAM Lodge (undated page).

How much is Pulhapanzak?

According to tunota (October 2024): adults L120, children over 5 L80 and under 5, free; La Mañana (March 2026) mentions «around 120 lempiras» for adults. The management does not publish them on the page consulted.

Is Los Naranjos open?

Status not confirmed: the latest dated source showing it open is from April 2023 (Canal 8); La Prensa's September 2026 piece mentions an ecological park in Los Naranjos without naming it. Check before you go. Canal 8 (April 2023) reported that all IHAH parks and museums opened every day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the sources consulted give no more recent confirmation.

Lake Yojoa · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in . Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

  1. Visit Honduras – Aventura2026
  2. Visit Honduras – Aviturismo2026
  3. PANACAM Lodge – Actividades y tarifas2026
  4. IHAH – Parque Los Naranjos2026
  5. tunota – Cataratas de Pulhapanzak (1 oct. 2024)2024
  6. La Mañana – Cataratas de Pulhapanzak (26 mar. 2026)2026
  7. La Prensa – Lago de Yojoa en la Semana Morazánica (23 sep. 2026)2026
  8. España, Exteriores – Recomendaciones de viaje: Honduras (12 may. 2026)2026
  9. Cataratas Pulhapanzak – Cómo llegar (© 2026; consultada oct. 2026)2026

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