Coastal Darien Explorer

Panama City - Gulf of San Miguel - Panama City

Panama

The province of Darien, located to the southeast extreme of the Panamanian territory bordering Colombia, is the ultimate alternative for extreme ecotourism. This region has an extension of 16 thousand kilometers of tropical rainforest, beautiful beaches, variety of vegetation and different Indian groups. The afro-Cimarron descendents were brought by the Spanish during the colony that settled in La Palma, El Real and Jaque. The other two main groups are the Wounaan and Embera of Choco, Colombia.

The Itinerary

Day 1: PANAMA CITY - PUNTA PATINO - GULF OF SAN MIGUEL - PIEDRA CANDELA TRAIL
This morning we are picked up at our hotel and transferred to Panama City's domestic airport to board the scheduled flight (approximately 45 minutes) to La Palma capital of the Darien province, located by the mouth of the mighty Tuira River. At La Palma we board our expedition boat which take us to the Ancon Expeditions lodge at the private 65,000-acre Punta Patino Nature Reserve, overlooking the Gulf of San Miguel where we settled into our private cabins. Be on the lookout for bottle-nosed dolphin and different species of birds that find refuge among the mangrove-dotted coast. After a light and refreshing lunch we will head out on our first excursion of the trip. This afternoon we hike the Piedra Candela trail where our guide will describe the importance of this tropical dry forest. This type of forest is quickly vanishing due to deforestation. We can return to the lodge or stay at the beach to see the spectacular sunset. This evening we will take a short walk to the wetlands in search of Capybaras, the world's largest rodent with its northernmost range being Panama. We will also look for caiman, owls and other nocturnal species. Night at PUNTA PATINO LODGE (LD)

Day 2: THE EMBERA PEOPLE OF THE MOGUE RIVER
This morning we embark on our motorized dugout canoe and head for the Mogue River. We will look for Roseate Spoonbill, Ibis, Osprey and Raccoons fishing along the river. The trip up river takes us through millenary mangroves making the boat ride extraordinary. We arrive at the village of Mogue where its inhabitants greet us. After the formalities and presentations we will be able to learn about their culture and traditions. Also we will have the opportunity of buying their beautiful handicrafts that are made from natural materials. The men are expert carvers of Cocobolo wood and the women weave extraordinary baskets from palm fibres with dyes from different plants. On our return trip to the lodge we will do a coastal tour of the reserve and the sea bird's nesting areas of El Morro. This afternoon is free to continue exploring the area surrounding the lodge on your own, enjoy the view from the second floor veranda or enjoy a siesta on one of the hammocks or at your cabin. Night at PUNTA PATINO LODGE (BLD)

Day 3: PUNTA PATINO, GULF OF SAN MIGUEL - PANAMA CITY.
After breakfast this morning we head back to La Palma where we will board our plane and return to Panama City. Upon arrival to the airport we are transferred to our hotel. (B)

General Information

Rated: Easy

Private departures per person
Number of passengers	2/3	4/5	6/7	8+
USD	$ 595	$ 495	$ 450	$ 425
EUR	€ 493	€ 410	€ 373	€ 352
GBP	£ 333	£ 277	£ 252	£ 238

(*) Price last updated on 02 November 2003. Current price may vary due to elements out of our control, so please always check by sending us a
quotation request .

Included:
Lodging, all land, air and water transportation within Panama, meals as specified in the itinerary (B - breakfast, L- lunch, D - dinner), entrance fees, guides' services and expenses, and services of an in-bound land operator for tour operations. A US$25.00 contribution to Panama's National Association for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON) has been included in the price.

Not included:
International airfare, airport departure taxes ($20 per person), tourist card ($5 per person), Panama City hotel, meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels, gratuities.

Note:
The itinerary is subject to change due to tidal or weather conditions. In this event the itinerary may be inverted. Weight restrictions apply to luggage in both commercial and chartered flights within Panama. A maximum of 25 lbs. of checked luggage per person is allowed. Arrangements can be made at the hotel to store luggage that will not be needed. Excess baggage charges assessed by commercial carriers are the responsibility of the passenger.

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