|
South America
 |
|
Central America
|
|
Europe
|
|
Eco-Lodges &
Special Small Hotels |
|
Armchair Travel:
Destination Guides |
|
Guidebooks
|
|
Ambles & Rambles Articles
|
|
Travel Smart
|
|
Travel and Conservation
|
|
About Sacred Earth Travel
|
|
SEARCH THIS SITE |
 Promote Your Page Too |
 |
Home to over 945 recorded bird species; Panama offers exceptional opportunities in birdwatching. The
Panama Audubon Society, who does an annual bird count, constantly counts more species of birds in
Panama than anywhere else in Central America and more than in all of North America. Panama sights are
sure to captivate and surprise even the most experienced birdwatcher.
Upon your arrival to the international airport you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Panama City. Hotel Marbella or similar. (No are included meals)
The fifteen-mile-long Pipeline Road is a birder's dream. Gated at the entrance, the road's only obstructions will be birds and mammals. More than 400 species of birds have been identified here. Virtually all of central Panama's humid-forest birds reside here, and we should be able to observe one or more mixed-species flocks moving through the forest. We will bird only a portion of the road, a section with scrub, mature second-growth, and patches of old-growth forest. Even with the small amount of time here, we hope to find an Army Ant swarm or two with their professional Army Ant followers: Bicolored, Spotted, and Ocellated Antbirds, plus Cocoa Woodcreeper, to name a few. A quick visit to the Ammo Ponds will give us a chance for the secretive White-throated Crake, the common Wattled Jacana, and possibly Rufescent tiger-Heron and other wading birds. On the Pacific Slope, adjacent to Panama City, Metropolitan Nature Park is the only urban park in Latin America that has accessible tropical semi-deciduous forest. The park harbors such stunning birds as the incredibly pink Rosy thrush-Tanager, Lance-tailed Manakin, Slaty Ant Wren, Pheasant Cuckoo, and a Panama endemic, the Yellow-green Tyrannulet. Birding here is easy and over 200 species have been recorded along the forest trails. (Box breakfast and snacks)
After breakfast, transfer to the local airport for your domestic flight to David. Travel over 6,300 feet above sea level to the Volcan highlands located in the Pila Hill Formation in the Amistad International Park. Upon your arrival have lunch in Los Quetzales Lodge. The Quetzales lodge is known for its close proximity to a resident group of Resplendent Quetzales. These magnificent birds, with their emerald green tails flowing two feet behind them, are exceedingly rare in Central America. Here at Volcan, your chances of seeing them are excellent. They are often accompanied by Emerald Toucanets. Our first day will allow us to seek out Quetzals before dinner. Spend the night at Los Quetzales. (B)
Early in the morning after breakfast at Los Quetzales, search the surrounding areas for birds such as the Large-footed Finches, Peg-billed Finches, Black-cheeked Warblers, Long-tailed Silky Flycatchers, Zeledonias and Silvery-fronted Tapaculo. After lunch, continue bird watching in Volcan Lakes for the Masked Duck, Northern Jacana, and other aquatic birds. The Pale-billed Woodpecker, Antbirds, Flycatchers and Tanagers may also be spotted. Spend the night at Los Quetzales Lodge. (B)
After breakfast, transfer to David airport for your flight to Panama City. Your afternoon will be free to enjoy at your leisure. OPTIONAL: Farewell dinner and folkloric show at Tinajas Restaurant. Spend the night at a hotel in the city. (B)
Transfer to the International Airport, approximately two hours before your scheduled departure time.
ATTENTION: Ask us about customizing a trip to your specific wishes and interests or about 'fly & drive packages, which provide you with an itinerary, hotel and self-drive rental car, but no guide or fixed schedule to give you maximum independence and flexibility at each location.
