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Day Tours - Half Day
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Day Tours - Full Day
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Birding Central Panama
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Central Panama & Chiriqui Highlands
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Hawk Migration Over Panama
CENTRAL PANAMA & CHIRIQUI HIGHLANDS
Day 1: Evening meet and greet orientation. Overnight at La Estancia Hotel or a similar hotel.
Day 2: Full day birding on the Pipeline Road. International birders flock to the Pipeline Road, a 17 km forested trail inside Soberania National Park. This ecological tour takes in some of the most important areas of the Pacific rainforest to observe birds, butterflies and wildlife and lush tropical vegetation. BLD, Overnight.
Day 3: Half day birding on the Plantation Road, named for the long-overgrown cacao plantation that is no longer there, extending 7 km to its junction with Camino de Cruces, some species typical of the Atlantic slope begin to appear here, such as the Royal Flycatcher, Blue-crowned Manakin and others. In the afternoon birding Summit Nature Park, a small botanical garden and zoo located near the southern end of Soberania National Park. The park is especially good for hummingbirds, and during the early rainy season may have colonies of oropendolas or caciques. After lunch transfer to Miraflores Locks. Little prepares visitors for the scale of the Canal locks and the colossal tankers and ships that transit it. Miraflores Locks has the most accessible viewing point and is also the nearest to Panamá City. An observation platform allows great views up-close with bilingual guides that provide a running commentary when ships are in transit. BLD, Overnight.
Day 4: Early in the morning transfer to the Metropolitan Nature Park, the park is an excellent place to find birds of dry and second-growth forest, as well as the more widespread forest species of the Canal Area. Afternoon transfer to Nattur Ecolodge at Sabanitas, Colón. Nattur Eco-Lodge has been strategically built there as a touristic facility that connects us with the historic places of Portobelo, San Lorenzo, the operations of the Panama Canal, the Cruisers ports and the Duty Free Zone in Colón. BLD, Overnight.
Day 5: This day we visit Achiote Road, at 11 km beyond the end of Gatun Dam, just as the Escobal Road leaves the forest, Achiote Road branches off to the right. It runs through forest for its first 5.4 km, at which point it leaves the National Park. The entire road is good, so it is best to drive it slowly while watching for activity, then pulling off the road where possible and birding on foot. Among the many species that can be seen here are the Hook-billed Kite, Spot-crowned Barbet, and Bare-Crowned Antbird. BLD, Overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to San Lorenzo National Park, established in 2004, and occupies much of the former U.S. Army Base of Ft. Sherman, which reverted to Panama at the end of 1999. Most of the area, which stretches along either side of the lower Rio Chagres, is hilly and consists of wet lowland tropical forest, but there are also areas of grass, scrub, mangroves, swamps, marshes and coastline. About 1 km beyond Skunk Hollow the road enters mangroves where the Black-tailed Trogon and Straight-billed Woodcreeper can be found. BLD, Overnight.
Day 7: Birding around Nattur Ecolodge. In the afternoon transfer to Panama City to take your flight to Chiriquí. Transfer to Los Quetzal’s Hotel and Cabins. BLD, Overnight.
Day 8: After the Canal Area, the western highlands of Chiriquí are Panama’s most popular birding destination and little wonder. More than 50 regional endemics can be found here, as well as many other species that occur in Panama only in this region. Birding around at the cabin, hummingbird feeders attract a wealth of species, including the large and aggressive Violet Sabrewing and Magnificent Hummingbird and swarms of White-throated Mountain Gems. Afternoon Volcan Town area.
Day 9: Transfer to El Respingo ranger station at over 7,900 ft elevation which has a bunkhouse where you can stay. The trail extends about 6 km, birding around this place. After lunch transfer to Volcan Lakes these are three small shallow lakes near Volcan at about 4,300 ft and surrounded by remnant woodland. Since most other forest in this zone has been cleared, it is the best place to find some species not found higher on the slopes, as well as the resident and migrant wetland species. Species found here include the Northern Jacana, Southern Lapwing, Laughing Falcon and others. BLD, Overnight.
Day 10: All day birding at La Amistad International Park that has several excellent birding trails. This enormous park, shared with Costa Rica, has one of the highest concentrations of endemic species of any protected area in the world. It is good for species such as the Black Guan, Silvery Fronted Tapaculo and Prong-billed Barbet. BLD, Overnight.
Day 11: Birding around the cabins, transfer to Rio Macho de Monte, a canyon lined with remnant forest at about 2,500 ft where a number of endemic species of the western Pacific lowlands can be found, including the Riverside Wren. Transfer to the local airport back to Panama City. BLD, Overnight. Farewell dinner.
Day 12: Transfer to International Airport for your return flight.
Length of tour: 12 Days
Rate: US$2250.00 per person
Single Supplement: US$525.00
Tour Dates:
• December 01-12, 2010
• March 18-30, 2010
TOUR SIZE: 4-8 people.
INCLUDED: Professional Bird guide, accommodations, meals as indicated, fees to parks, and transportation by mini Bus.
NOT INCLUDED: International Airfares, alcoholic beverages, others not mentioned in included, etc.
