Day 1/ Arrive Panama

• A representative receives you at Tocumen International Airport.

• Welcome cocktail and briefing with a Naturalist Guide.

• Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE.

Day 2/ METROPOLITAN NATURE PARK – OLD PANAMA MUDFLATS – JUAN DIAZ MANGROVES

• Visit to the Metropolitan Nature Park (the only protected rain forest within capital city limits in Latin America). With an impressive list of 260 species the possibilities are great. Specialties include Lance-tailed Manakin, Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Orange-billed Sparrow, Green Honeycreeper, Violaceous Trogon, Rufous and White Wren and many others. Also, you will look for the endemic Red-napped Tamarin in the trail named after them.

• Tide level permitting you will visit the Old Panama Mudflats for a chance to see Collared Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel and others.

• Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

• Continue to bird At Juan Diaz scrub and mangrove area where we will look for Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, Northern-scrub Flycatcher, Mangrove Black Hawk, Mangrove Warbler, Sapphire-throated and Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds, Rufous-browed Peppershrike among others.

• Also stop at Costa del Este in search of Black-necked Stilt, Least Sandpiper, Southern Lapwing, Cocoi Heron, Yellowlegs, and Night-Herons.

• Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE

Day 3/ PIPELINE ROAD – SUMMIT PONDS – MIRAFLORES LOCKS

• In the morning drive to the nearby Pipeline Road within Soberania National Park. Soberania is home to more than 400 species of birds and 1,000 species of plants.

• Before entering the road we bird the scrub habitat near the ponds looking for Crimson-backed Tanagers, Rufescent Tiger Heron, White-throated Crake as well as several Tyrannulets and Greenlets.

• Located within this protected area Pipeline Road is where the Panama Audubon Society established a world record Christmas bird count by identifying 385 species of birds in a 24-hour period. As one of the most accessible rain forests in the world Pipeline Road is a great place to look for birds like Slaty-tailed, Black-throated Trogons, Golden-collared Manakin, White-bellied Antbird, Semiplumbeous Hawk, Black-breasted Puffbird, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Blue Cotinga, Pheasant Cuckoo as well as army antswarm followers.

• Picnic lunch will be served at Summit Ponds. Here you will look for the Boat-billed Heron, Rosy Thrush Tanager and other pacific woodland species.

• Afterwards you will visit Miraflores Locks to learn about its history and marvel at this engineering accomplishment. The canal still operates pretty much as it did when it was inaugurated in 1914,the Ancon steamer was the first ship to transit the Panama Canal.

• Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE

Day 4/ BURBAYAR – CERRO AZUL

• Early this morning travel by 4x4 vehicle to the eastern part of the country to Burbayar Lodge located in the premontane rainforest of the Kuna Yala foothills. This area is the mainland portion of the Kuna reserve, which contains of pristine forests. The avifauna here is very rich and includes foothill and Eastern Panama species such as Speckled Antshrike, Black-headed Antthrush, Black-crowned Antpitta, Stripe-throated wren, Rufous-winged Tanager and many more.

• After lunch at the Burbayar lodge you will travel to Cerro Azul, also located on the highlands of the eastern slope of the country.

• Night at HOTEL CASA DE CAMPO.

Day 5/ CERRO AZUL AND CERRO JEFE (CHAGRES NATIONAL PARK) - CHIRIQUI CLOUDFOREST

• In this morning you will bird at Cerro Azul and Cerro Jefe at Chagres National Park with an elevation between 457 to 945 meters above sea level. This area is worth exploring for foothill specialties that include Black and Yellow, Rufous-winged, Bay-headed, Olive and Hepatic Tanagers and the rare Tacarcuna Bush-Tanager. Also look for the endemic Striped-cheek Woodpecker, Swallow- tailed Kite, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Tawny-faced Gnatwren and White-tipped Sicklebill.

• After lunch you head to Albrook airport in Panama City to board our flight to David, capital of Chiriqui. Chiriqui is known as “Panama’s breadbasket” and contains some of the most breathtaking highland scenery in Central America.

• Transfer by van to the western side of the Baru Volcano to the town of Volcan.

• Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS

Day 6/ LA AMISTAD INTERNATIONAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE

• La Amistad is located at a point on the Central American land bridge where flora and fauna from North and South America reach their maximum species mix, with great ranges in altitude, precipitation, soils and temperature. Spend the morning hiking and exploring La Amistad in the area of El Retoño in search of Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Barred Becard and many other western highland species.

• After lunch at a local restaurant, drive to Baru Volcano National Park located along the Talamanca mountain range and also being the highest point of the country (3475 meters). Here you will search for Buffy Tuftedcheek, Resplendent Quetzal, Ochraceous Pewee, Silvery-throated Jay, Hummingbirds and other highland species.

• Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS.

Day 7/ TAPIR’S CANYON - QUEREVALO ROAD – PANAMÁ CITY

• In this morning you will stop at Tapir’s Canyon in search of Lesser Elaenia, Bay-headed Tanagers, Crested Oropendola, American Dipper, and a myriad other species.

• In route to David you will descend to the lowlands and drive through some rice, corn and sugar cane fields and we’ll keep an eye out for Brown-throated Parakeets, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Dickcissels, and other grassland birds.

• Lunch will be at a local restaurant in route to the airport to board the scheduled late afternoon flight to Panama City. Upon arrival transferred to the hotel.

• Night at HOTEL EXECUTIVE.

Day 8/ DEPART PANAMA OR CONTINUE TO PUNTA PATIÑO PRIVATE RESERVE

• Those leaving today will be transferred to Tocumen International airport 2.5 hours prior to flight time.

• Those continuing to Darien will proceed to Albrook domestic airport where you board a scheduled flight to La Palma, capital of the Darien province, located at the mouth of the mighty Tuira River.

• At La Palma board the expedition boat which takes you to the Ancon Expeditions lodge at the private 65,000 acre Punta Patiño Nature Reserve, overlooking the Gulf of San Miguel where we settle into the private cabins.

• This afternoon hike the Piedra Candela trail where a guide will describe the importance of this tropical dry forest. This type of forest is quickly vanishing due to deforestation.

• You can return to the lodge or stay at the beach to see the spectacular sunset.

• In the evening you will take a short walk to the wetlands in search of the Capybara, the world’s largest rodent with its northernmost range being Panama. You will also look for caiman, owls and other nocturnal species.

• Night at PUNTA PATIÑO

Day 9/ THE MOGUE RIVER AND THE HARPY EAGLE

• This morning embark on the motorized dugout canoe and head for the Mogue River. You will look for the Roseated Spoonbill, Ibis, Osprey and Raccoons fishing along the river. The trip up river takes you through millenary mangroves making the boat ride extraordinary.

• Arrive at the village of Mogue where its inhabitants greet you. After the formalities and presentations, head into the primary rainforest.

• You will be looking for a recently discovered Harpy Eagle active nest. From a safe distance as not to disturb the chick or scare the mother you will have the opportunity to have one of the most rare encounters with nature. The Harpy Eagle, Panama’s National Bird and the most powerful bird of prey in the Americas is endangered. Controlled visits to the area are generating income to the nearby village, which in turns creates an interest for the protection of the birds and their habitat.

• Return to the village in the afternoon where we mingle with the Embera people and learning about their customs and traditions.

• Tonight you will sleep in the guest “Tambo” (thatch roof stilted house). You may opt to sleep in hammocks or screened tents with mats (provided).

• Night at the MOGUE VILLAGE.

Day 10/ RETURN TO PANAMA CITY

• You head back to La Palma where you will board our plane and return to Panama City.

• Upon arrival to the airport you are transferred to our hotel.

• Night at the HOTEL EXECUTIVE.

Day 10/ Depart Panama

• Breakfast

• Transfer to Tocumen International Airport 2.5 hours prior to flight departure.