Panama’s Wild Darien – Endemics at the Gateway to South America
Darien National Park & Cana Field Station
March 21-28, 2011; can be combined with Panama Nature & Culture, March 13-21, 2011
**Combine these two tours for a savings of $100.00 per person!
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March 21 Panama City / Afternoon to Relax or Explore
Our hosts at the Canopy Tower drop us off at our hotel, situated with a view of the Pan American 
Highway’s Bridge of the America’s. This is a great place to relax, enjoy the pool, and to watch large ships position to transit the Canal. Lunch is at your leisure. In the late afternoon we make a foray to the local handicrafts market. Dinner is at your leisure with some excellent restaurants nearby.
Accommodations in Panama City (B,L)
March 22 Metro Park / Historic Panama City
This morning we walk in Panama City’s Metropolitan Nature Park, the only protected rainforest in the world located within the city limits of a major metropolitan area. Indeed, our guide leads us up to a fabulous viewpoint of the city and its spectacular Oceanside setting. Metropolitan Park covers over 500 acres and has a bird checklist of more than 200 species. Its nature trails make wildlife viewing easy, and we often find a troop of Red-naped Tamarins as well. Some of the birds we may see include roosting Common Potoos, hummingbirds such as White-vented Plumeleteers on blooming trees, secretive species of the shrub habitat such as White-bellied Antbirds and Lance-tailed Manakins, and a sit and wait insect predator, the White-necked Puffbird. Yellow-backed Orioles should serenade us from perches on huge trees that arch over our trail. We are likely to see classic Neotropical species such as spectacular Blue-crowned Motmots sharing habitat with a number of North American migrants which are bright in March as they prepare to migrate and breed.
After a break back at our hotel, we gather mid-afternoon to drive a short ways across the city. We visit the ruins of Panama Viejo, (the original settlement of Panama City, which was burned and sacked by the pirate, Henry Morgan in 1671). Mudflats nearby give us a bit of birding for waders, shorebirds, gulls and terns. We then enjoy dinner at a favorite local restaurant in the historic area of the city near the Cathedral.
Accommodations in Panama City (B,L,D)
March 23 Darien National Park – Santa Cruz de Cana
The pristine valley of Cana in the eastern slope of Pirre mountain range is Darien National Park’s most productive birdwatching destination. Nowhere else in Panama does nature expresses itself so abundantly than in this region of remote wilderness. Explore the trails around Cana Field Station such as the Boca de Cube trail, hike up to Pirre Cloudforest where you spend the night in screened tents and enjoy this unique birding experience in Cana.
This morning we are picked up at the hotel by our Ancon Expeditions of Panama Naturalist Guide for the short transfer to Albrook domestic airport where you board a chartered plane to Santa Cruz de Cana, in the heart of Darien National Park and World Biosphere Reserve, where Ancon Expeditions manages a field station. As you fly in you can admire the vast forest cover of Panama’s largest park (1.3 million acres). Cana is located at the foothills of Pirre Mountain, which stands like an island in the most remote area of Panama. Very few places in the world rival Cana in birding potential. From the plane be on the lookout for King Vultures and Macaws. After getting settled at the Field Station you explore the Boca de Cupe Trail and surrounding area. Specialties here include Blue and Gold, Red and Green, Great Green and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Black tipped Cotinga, Swallow Tanager, Red-throated Caracara, Streaked Antwren, Dusky-backed Jacamar, Ornate Hawk-Eagle and others. (L,D)
March 24 Cana Field Station and Surrounding Trails
Today is a good day to explore the Mine Trail where rusting machinery was left to be overtaken by the jungle after the British Gold Mine ventures collapsed at the beginning of the last century. Specialties of this area include Great Curassow, Crested Guan, Dusky-faced Tanager, Olivaceous Piculet. Also the Seteganti Trail with open scrub areas and mature forests are good for various Woodpeckers such as Crimson-bellied and Red-rumped, Red-billed Scythebill, Brown Violetear.
Night at CANA FIELD STATION (B,L,D)
March 25 Pirre Forest Camp
Today you begin a slow-paced 5-hour hike to the Pirre Cloud Forest. At 1,200 meters above sea level, the Pirre Cloud Forest is a good place to look for specialties such as Beautiful Treerunner, Tooth-billed Hummingbird, Slaty Antwren, Tody Motmot, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Immaculate Antbird, Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, Pirre Warbler, Pirre Hummingbird, Pirre Bush Tanager, Greenish Puffleg, Orange-bellied Euphonia. In the afternoon you hike to the top of Pirre Mountain in search of the Golden-headed Quetzal, Gray and gold Tanager, Sharpbill, Chlorophonia and several Tanagers among other highland species. Those that do not wish to make this hike with an overnight at a Forest Camp may stay behind at the Cana Field Station to bird locally and relax.
Night at PIRRE CAMP (Screened tents with sleeping mats) (B,L,D)
Sat., March 26 Cana Field Station
After breakfast we will start our descent to the field station with more birding along the way. This afternoon is spent looking for birds around the main camp. Possibilities include Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Spotted Barbtail, Barred Puffbird, Yellow-green Tyrannulet, Jet Antibird, Black-crowned, Fulvous-bellied, Ochre-breasted and Scaled Antpittas, White-fronted Nunbird, Cinereous Becard, Golden-headed Manakin.
Night at CANA FIELD STATION (B,L,D)
Sun., March 27 Return to Panama City
This morning, after some last minute birding from the airstrip, we return to the domestic airport in Panama City. From here we are dropped at a hotel near the airport to freshen up and relax ahead of flights out the next day. You may depart this evening on a night flight, but as transfers from Cana are weather dependent we cannot guarantee what time we will return to Panama City. We try for morning, but sometimes it is afternoon. We have no planned activities but enjoy dinner together this final evening.
Accommodations in Panama City (B,L,D)
Mon. March 28 Departures
You may leave today at a time convenient for you.
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Cost of the Journey
The cost of this journey is $2140.00 from Panama City. This cost is based on double occupancy and includes all accommodations; meals as specified in the itinerary, group airport transfers, professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses. The cost is based on a minimum number of 8 participants, with fewer a small group surcharge (typically $100-$300) may apply. The cost does not include transportation to or from your home to Panama, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone charges, porterage, maid gratuities or beverages from the bar. Single supplement (as available) is $370.00.
Transportation
Plan to arrive in Panama City at your convenience on March 21st. If you would like to come in a day early to rest or see a bit more of the city we are happy to help with details. Plan to depart on March March 28th if you have signed on for the Darien.
Guide: Peg Abbott with local guides.
Naturalist Journeys, LLC is an equal opportunity service provider and committed to the goal of ensuring equal opportunity for all in employment and program delivery.
Photo
credits
Neotropical Cormorant and Emerald Toucanet, Tony Beck - to see more of his images, go to: www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony/; all other photos by Peg Abbott.
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