Parque Nacional El Rosario, a forest park with a lagoon on the road out of Sayaxché, Petén, opens Tuesday to Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00 and charges foreigners Q10 and Guatemalans aged 12 and over Q5, according to the September 2025 bulletin of INAB, the national forestry institute that runs it. The Ministry of Culture’s SIC directory (undated) and a May 2025 Guatemala.com article list a higher foreigner fee of Q25, so carry enough to cover either.
In short: INAB’s figures (September 2025): Tuesday-Sunday 8:00-17:00; nationals 12+ Q5, foreigners Q10; camping Q15 nationals / Q30 foreigners, booked in advance. What is there: 1,079 hectares of tropical forest, the El Rosario lagoon and stream, trails for guided walks, bungalows, sports areas, a children’s play area and toilets. Getting there: about 1 h 30 min on asphalt from San Benito (SIC), about 4 km from the centre of Sayaxché (Guatemala.com). INAB Sayaxché office: 7928-6154.
Fees and hours: three published versions
INAB administers the park and its September 2025 bulletin is the newest dated figure, so it is listed first.
| INAB bulletin, September 2025 | Guatemala.com, 5 May 2025 | SIC directory, undated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days and hours | Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00-17:00 | Monday to Sunday, 8:00-17:00 | Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00-17:00 |
| Local residents | Not separate | Sayaxché residents Q5 | Locals Q5 |
| Guatemalans | Q5 (age 12 and over) | Q10 (other municipalities and departments) | Q10 |
| Children | Not stated (the national rate is for age 12 and over) | Under 10: Q5 | Not listed |
| Foreigners | Q10 | Q25 | Q25 |
| Camping | Q15 nationals, Q30 foreigners; reservation required | Q10 nationals, Q25 foreigners | Not priced |
| Phone | 7928-6154 (INAB Subregión VIII-3) | 5988-0320 (to reserve overnight stays) | None |
| Date read | 9 November 2026 | 9 November 2026 | 9 November 2026 |
INAB’s earlier bulletin (January 2018) gave the opening days as Monday to Sunday, 8:00-17:00; its September 2025 bulletin and the SIC give Tuesday to Sunday. Call INAB’s Sayaxché office on 7928-6154 before a Monday visit.
The INAB rate for nationals reads Nacionales (12 años en adelante). The bulletin does not say what children under 12 pay.
Getting there
- From San Benito and Flores. The SIC says to take the paved road toward La Libertad, then continue on the route toward Subín and the Río La Pasión. The whole trip is on asphalt and takes about an hour and a half, depending on traffic.
- Distance. INAB’s 2018 bulletin puts the park 70 km from the departmental capital of Petén, on the road that leads to Cobán. The SIC describes it as on the route toward the Verapaces.
- From Sayaxché town. Guatemala.com (May 2025) says it is about 4 km from the centre of the municipality.
- Address on the SIC. RD PET-11, El Paraíso, Petén 17010.
Other visitor pages for the Sayaxché area: Ceibal, Aguateca and Dos Pilas.
What is in the park
The lagoon and the water. The SIC calls the lagoon the park’s most representative natural feature. INAB’s 2018 bulletin lists swimming in the lagoon of crystal-clear water among the activities. Guatemala.com describes pools and lagoons fed by underground springs, transparent and turquoise in places, open to the public for swimming. INAB’s 2025 bulletin names the El Rosario lagoon and stream.
Facilities, per INAB (2025): ecological trails for guided walks; recreational spaces with sports areas, a children’s play area, bungalows and toilets; and a camping zone that requires advance reservation. The SIC adds a ranchón for meetings, and Guatemala.com says the trails are signposted.
Forest. INAB describes tropical forest in three strata, low, middle and high. It counts about 56 tree species in the high stratum on the plain, 39 in the disturbed middle stratum, and 10 species of palm, including corozo, xate macho and xate hembra. Its ecosystems include high and middle forest on disturbed plain and low seasonally flooded forest.
Wildlife and plants named by INAB:
| Group | Species (INAB, 2025 unless noted) |
|---|---|
| Mammals | Coche de monte, white-tailed deer (venado cola blanca), tepezcuintle; puma (2018 bulletin) |
| Reptiles | Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii), turtles |
| Fish | Pez blanco (Petenia splendida) |
| Trees and palms of value | Cedar (cedro), mahogany (caoba), pacaya, guano |
History. INAB’s 2018 bulletin says the park area was once the seat of an FAO-FYDEP experimental station, where studies were carried out for several years. It also lists archaeological areas and vernacular architecture, the El Rosario sawmill and the administrative building, among the park’s cultural elements.
Status and size
| Field | INAB | SIC |
|---|---|---|
| Administered by | INAB | INAB; part of SIGAP under CONAP’s coordination |
| Created by | Acuerdo Ministerial, 10 October 1980 (2018 bulletin) | Acuerdo Presidencial, 10 October 1980 |
| Area | 1,079 hectares (2018 and 2025 bulletins) | About 1,105 hectares |
What to bring
The SIC recommends light clothes and comfortable shoes for walking in hot weather, insect repellent, sunscreen and enough water.
Places to stay in Sayaxché:
Where to stay in Sayaxché
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More in the area
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Bosques (INAB), Parque Nacional El Rosario - PANER: Un tesoro natural en Sayaxché, Petén, bulletin dated September 2025, read 9 November 2026. Operator.
- INAB, INAB cuida, resguarda y administra el Parque Nacional El Rosario, bulletin dated January 2018, read 9 November 2026. Operator.
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, SIC listing Parque Nacional El Rosario, undated, read 9 November 2026.
- Guatemala.com, Parque Nacional El Rosario, un destino con senderos y aguas cristalinas en Sayaxché, 5 May 2025, read 9 November 2026. Secondary.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Parque Nacional El Rosario near Sayaxché: what is the entry fee and when is it open?
INAB, the forestry institute that runs the park, lists Tuesday to Sunday 8:00-17:00, with entry at Q5 for Guatemalans aged 12 and over and Q10 for foreigners, and camping at Q15 for nationals and Q30 for foreigners (bulletin dated September 2025, read 9 November 2026). The Ministry of Culture’s SIC directory (undated) and Guatemala.com (5 May 2025) list higher foreigner entry, Q25.
How do you get to El Rosario from Flores?
The SIC says to take the paved road from San Benito toward La Libertad, continuing toward Subín and the Río La Pasión, all on asphalt, about 1 h 30 min depending on traffic. INAB’s 2018 bulletin puts the park 70 km from the departmental capital on the road to Cobán, and Guatemala.com says it is about 4 km from the centre of Sayaxché.
Can you swim at El Rosario?
INAB’s January 2018 bulletin lists swimming in the lagoon of crystal-clear water among the activities, and Guatemala.com (May 2025) says the spring-fed pools are open to the public for swimming.
Do I need to book camping at El Rosario?
Yes. INAB’s September 2025 bulletin says the camping zone requires advance reservation. Guatemala.com (May 2025) says staying overnight needs prior coordination because staff control entry at night, and gives 5988-0320 to reserve. INAB’s Sayaxché office number is 7928-6154.
Who runs Parque Nacional El Rosario?
The Instituto Nacional de Bosques (INAB), which says it administers and monitors the area with internal zoning and sustainable management (September 2025). The SIC lists INAB as the administering institution and says the park is part of the SIGAP protected-area system under CONAP’s coordination.
How big is the park?
INAB gives 1,079 hectares in both its 2018 and 2025 bulletins; the SIC gives about 1,105 hectares. INAB’s 2018 bulletin dates its creation to an Acuerdo Ministerial of 10 October 1980; the SIC lists an Acuerdo Presidencial of the same date.
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