Coban

 Tourist destination in Guatemala

• The area of Coban is incredibly rich in flora, fauna and lakes that can be found everywhere. Large, thick cloud forests of exceptional beauty, pristine waterfalls and several amazing cave systems, makes ideal Coban true eco- tourists.

• A charming town of 70,000 inhabitants is the capital of Coban Alta Verapaz and a convenient location for exploring the area. Coban was founded in 1543 by Dominican monks and today is an important center for coffee and cardamom products. In the nursery grown Verapaz are more than 650 species of orchids (including the White Nun, national flower of Guatemala).

• The reserve Mario Dary was created to protect the quetzal, the national bird and symbol of Guatemala. The reserve has two nature trails through the rain forest with mountains reaching 2300 meters. Above the sea, the vegetation is characterized by its large leaves and pine trees with orchids, moss, ferns and bromeliads galore. The quetzals can be seen in the early hours of the morning.

• In addition there are mystical places as " Chicoy cave " and other natural beauties like the Candelaria Caves , the caves of King Mark, Semuc Champey world renowned formed by a succession of " pools " natural in the woods and near there are also the mysterious caves of Lanquin.

Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, the territory of Tezulutlán was populated by the Kekchi group’s pocomchís, Achi and others. The conquest of the territories gave peacefully by Dominican friars, led by Fray Bartolome de las Casas. During the early years of the colony 's Verapaces was in charge of Don Juan Matabalpaz Cacique , who managed to governor ; besides the departments today Baja Verapaz Alta Verapaz and also included the present departments of Petén , Belize and parts of Izabal.

Since the late nineteenth century British and Germans came to colonize to plant coffee. Agricultural production grew considerably and cultivated cardamom incentive to ship the coffee produced in the region, the Germans built the railroad Verapaz, reaching to the shores of Lake Izabal. This apartment has a very varied landscape is cold and covered in a dense fog that leads to continuous chipi chipi or persistent light rain.

This department formerly known as Tezulutlán typography has a pretty creek, mountains and fertile hills. Most of the funnels forming ridges, hills and ravines, have no natural outlets and end in ravines and siguanes, serving sink rainwater. Because of its varied architecture and its different heights, presents a range of climates, from the hot to the cold Panza Tactic.

At least the people are Ladinos and the rest are pocomchí Kekchi origin. Its main economic screed is agriculture, adapted to different latitudes and for which abundant crops of coffee, corn, beans , rice, tea , cocoa , pepper and cardamom are obtained , including its agricultural wealth plus the commercial sectors develop industrial and mining , especially lead and zinc, which are obtained in cquipec mines . Additionally there are several oil companies doing exploration work.

The department has a very diverse cave fauna and landmark for cavers, by existing caves in the region. One of the highlights of the wildlife that lives in the soil is the White Nun, declared national flower and forests are the habitat of the Quetzal.

Coban was founded by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, exactly the August 4, 1543, is located in the Basin of Cahabón River, on a hilly landscape which provides some dispersion urban fabric, in an alternation of hills and plains. It has an area of 2,132 kilometers and is located at 1320 meters above sea level. It has a pleasant, temperate climate averaging 19 degrees Celsius.

The city of colonial architecture mixed with some elements of German influence. Its main craft is silverware. The town has neighborhoods places of interest to visit. Among them:

Alta Verapaz

A land with water sculpted...

A four-hour trip filled with a colorful landscape will lead people to this market by endless stories. The road to Coban offers a beautiful panorama of lush greenery. For tourists, the department provides a huge amount of options, which can be enjoyed in the great outdoors, tours of gaps, camatas and coexistence with nature.

Departmental Header: Coban.

Population: 776.246 (INE 2,002).

Towns:

#	Municipalities	Populations (INE 2,002)	Event Holders	Distances Header
1	San Pedro Carchá	148,344	June 29 - St. Peter the Apostle	7 km
2	Cobán	144,461	August 4 - Santo Domingo de Guzman Last Saturday in July - Folk Festival	-
3	Chisec	69,325	June 29 - San Pedro et San Pablo	74 km
4	Senahú	54,471	June 13 - San Antonio de Padua	138 km
5	Panzós	44,770	August 30 - Santa Rosa de Lima	127 km
6	Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas	44,538	May 3 - La Santa Cruz	120 km
7	San Cristóbal Verapaz	43,336	July 25 - St. James	23 km
8	Cahabón	42,949	September 8 - Virgin of the Nativity	97 km
9	San Juan Chamelco	38,973	June 24 - San Juan Bautista	7 km
10	Tucurú	28,421	September 30 - Saint Michael the Archangel	63 km
11	Santa Catalina La Tinta	27,027	25 to 28 November - Saint Catherine of Alexandria	100 km
12	Tactic	24,535	August 15 - Our Lady of the Assumption	29 km
13	Santa Cruz Verapaz	19,012	May 3 - The Santa Cruz	16 km
14	Chahal	16,853	August 28 - St. Augustine	154 km
15	Lanquin	16,546	August 28 – St. Agustin	63 km
16	Tamahú	12,685	January 25 - St. Paul the Apostle	48 km

How to get there?

Guatemala City to Coban, there are 215 km of paved road completely. Driving is on the Atlantic Highway (CA -9), arriving at KM 85 is an important branch of El Rancho. This way to your left or CA -14 highways takes you to the Verapaz. If going by car, takes around 3h30.

Information on buses to Coban:

Monja Blanca

8th Avenida 15-16, Zona 1, Guatemala City.

Tel: 2238-1409, 2251-1878

Hours of Service: 4:00 and 17:00.

Exit delay between each bus: 30 minutes.

Approx. Trip 4 hours 30 minutes.

Weather: Cold.

Languages: Spanish, Q'eqchi ' and poqomchi ‘.

Altitude: 1,316 meters above sea level.

Land boundaries: Alta Verapaz is located in Region II (North) in Guatemala; Coban is located 214 km from Guatemala City.

• NORTH: Department of Petén.

• THIS: Department of Izabal.

• SOUTH: Departments of Zacapa, Baja Verapaz and El Progreso.

• WEST: Department of Quiché.

Land area: 8,686 km ².

Foundation: 1,543.

Temperature: Maximum 24 ° C and minimum 13 ° C.