El Picacho

Overview

El Picacho is a famous landmark for anyone who's ever visited the city of Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras. This mountain sits north of the city affording fantastic views of the entire valley which includes Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela. The mountain can be seen from most places in the city and is a good way to get your bearings when in the city. The city lies at about 1,000m above sea level with El Picacho another 250m above it.

The mountain is perhaps most well known for its statue of Christ which sits just below the summit of the mountain and looks south over the city's central district. There are many people that will tell you the statue in Teguz is higher than the one in Rio de Janeiro(I have not been able to find any measurements of the one in Honduras to prove this though.). There is a road built from the downtown area that goes all the way up to top of the mountain. At the top, besides the Christ statue, there is a small zoo, a replicated Mayan temple, and the United Nations Park. The hiking here is not vast, but it is a nice place to spend the afternoon walking around. This mountain is known more for it's attractions than it's outdoor drawl, but it is worth a visit.

Getting There

From Toncontin International Airport:
Take the Bulevar Kuwait past Estadio Nacional into the downtown and take a right onto Ave. La Paz. From there take a left at the signs that point you towards Piliguin, which is a town in the mountains towards La Tigra National Park, beyond El Picacho. From here the road will wind its way on switchbacks up the mountain past Catholic University and some other well known sites.

- It is also possible to take a taxi of which there are a couple types. If you're an American they'll probably overcharge you so haggle with them. If you have a Honduran with you, ask them to haggle because they will get you a fair price.

- There are also buses that leave from Suyapa near the church to go to El Picacho, but you'll have to check the schedule or find out from locals.

Red Tape

There is an entrance fee to get into the park and see the Christ Statue. If I'm remembering correctly it was about 60 Lempiras/person which is about 3 US dollars.

External Links

www.hondurasthisweek.com

www.travelhonduras.com

Images

View El Picacho Image Gallery - 7 Images