Orchid Sanctuary in the Heart of Guatemala

Near the city of Cobán (population: 255,000) in central GUATEMALA sits an orchid sanctuary named Vivero Verapaz (Verapaz Nursery). Vivero Verapaz protects hundreds of rare and common orchid species. There are well over 10,000 individual orchid plants housed here, including the Monja Blanca. Known as the White Nun Orchid in English, Monja Blanca orchids are aptly named due to their three petals resembling a nun's habit headwear. The usually elusive-in-the-wild White Nun Orchid is Guatemala's national flower. Many orchids at Vivero Verapaz boast a vibrant, large display of color, but some orchids are so small that each visitor is given a magnifying glass to see them! The orchid nursery is typically opened throughout the year, but preferred visitations occur between October and February when most orchids are blooming. Vivero Verapaz has a 4.5 out of 5 (★★★★½) rating on TripAdvisor.