Wild Panama Off The Beaten Track

Arrive Panama City, capital of Panama in the early evening. Met and transfer to your accommodation in the sleepy village of Gamboa on the edge of the Panama Canal and adjacent to Soberania National Park.

Board an expedition boat and explore Gatun Lake, passing by gigantic cargo ships transiting the Panama Canal. Along the way spot green iguana, three-toed sloth, caiman, osprey, snail kite and keel-billed toucan, and look out for white-faced capuchin, mantled howler monkey, Central American spider monkey, and Geoffroy’s tamarin.

Enjoy a 1.5 hour drive east along the Pan-American highway to Carti before heading northwards to the private Burbayar Nature Reserve.

In the afternoon begin exploring the premontane humid tropical rainforest accompanied by your private guide. The Burbayar bird list exceeds 300 species including specialties such as sapayoa, spiny-faced antshrike, and yellow-eared toucanet.

Burbayar’s habitat is also rich in plant and animal life, and home to representative species such as jaguar, tapir and harpy eagle. Troops of Geoffroy’s tamarins are common, as well as families of collared peccaries, tamandua and paca, whilst the rivers and creeks that traverse the reserve are teeming with frogs and other amphibians.

Spend the day exploring the private Burbayar Nature Reserve.

Spend the day exploring the private Burbayar Nature Reserve.

After breakfast return to Panama city, arriving back in the city in the late morning. Rest of the day at leisure to prepare for the next adventure.

After breakfast transfer by road 6 – 7 hours southwestwards to Playa El Blanco on the Pacific coast.

Board a boat and cross to Coiba Island in the UNESCO World Heritage Coiba National Park and Special Zone of Marine Protection. The rich tropical waters are home to 760 species of fish including 33 kinds of sharks, as well as 20 species of whales and dolphins. Snorkel at Granito de Oro in the late afternoon.

As well as the abundant marine life, Coiba’s Pacific moist tropical forest has exceptionally high levels of endemism of mammals, birds and plants, and is also a last refuge for a number of threatened species, including the crested eagle. Spend the day exploring Coiba National Park both on foot, and in the water. Coiba howler monkey and scarlet macaws might be seen in the Boca Grande Estuary, whilst snapper, grouper, jacks, moray eels and white-tipped reef shark might be encountered at the Bahia Damas reef. Visit some natural hot springs, and finally explore the ruins of the penal colony which was finally abandoned in 2005.

In the morning hike Los Monos Trail, hoping to encounter white-faced capuchins, Coiba howler monkeys, spinetails, and lance-tailed manakins amongst others.

Another opportunity to snorkel at Granito de Oro before lunch, and an afternoon of exploring the northernmost Canales Islands from above and below the water.

After breakfast return to Panama City by boat and road, arriving in the late afternoon.

The morning is at leisure to relax, or perhaps explore Casco Viejo, Panama City’s UNESCO World Heritage old town. Established around 1673, sites of interest include the Canal Museum and San Jose Church with its golden altar. In the afternoon transfer to Tocumen International Airport for the flight out.