HIGHLIGHTS

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. Bird two different habitats:Cana Field Station and Pierre Cloud Forest. On foot, tent camping and in the Field Station - no cars here!

Dates

Jan 8 - 12, 16 - 20, 20 - 24, 24 - 28 / Jan 28 - Feb 1 / Feb 1 - 6 (this is 1 extra night at Pierre for $1645 per person + tax) / Feb 26 - Mar 2 / Mar 9 - 13, 20 - 24, 24 - 28 / Mar 28 - Apr 1

From April 16 through December 16, the Darien Birding Sampler is available on a request basis with minimum 4 persons

2010 Rates

$1495 per person/double occupancy
Single Supplement: $200

Add 7% government tax

Minimum 4 persons

Included

• Lodging,
• All land, air and water transportation within Panamá.
• All airport/hotel transfers on scheduled arrival and departure dates,
• Meals as specified in the itinerary (B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner),
• Park and related entrance fees
• At Pirre Camp, tents, sleeping mats, sheets and blankets are provided. Pillows are not.
• Guides’ services and expenses

Not Included

• International airfare
• Tourist card ($5 per person)
• Panama City hotels
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal equipment
• Extras in hotels (laundry, telephone calls, room service, etc.)          top
• Gratuities

DARIEN BIRDING SAMPLER - FULL ITINERARY

Day 1 DARIEN NATIONAL PARK – SANTA CRUZ DE CANA
This morning you will be picked up at your Panama City hotel by a representative of JB Journeys™, the naturalist guide for the trip. You will transfer to Albrook Field, the domestic airport, to board a chartered plane to Santa Cruz de Cana, in the heart of Darien National Park and World Biosphere Reserve. On the flight 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. Few places in the world rival Cana in birding potential. Even before the plane lands, you can start birding! Be on the lookout for King Vultures and Macaws. After settling in at the Field Station, you will start birding on the ground and 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. Night at CANA FIELD STATION (L, D) 

- Blue and Gold Macaw photo from flickr.com

Day 2 CANA FIELD STATION & SURROUNDING TRAILS
Today is a good day to explore the Mine Trail, where rusting machinery, left by British Gold Miners at the beginning of the last century, has been overtaken by the jungle. Specialties of this area include Great Curassow, Crested Guan, Dusky-faced Tanager, and Olivaceous Piculet. The Seteganti Trail, with open scrub areas and mature forests, is good for various woodpeckers, such as Crimson-bellied and Red-rumped, Red-billed Scythebill, Brown Violetear. Night at CANA FIELD STATION (B, L, D)

Day 3 PIRRE CLOUD FOREST CAMP
The journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step and today you start the 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'll continue the 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. Night at PIRRE CAMP (Screened tents with sleeping mats) (B, L, D)  

- Orange Bellied Euphonia photo from birdzilla.com

Day 4 PIRRE CLOUD FOREST – CANA FIELD STATION
After breakfast you will start the hike back down to the field station with more birding along the way. This afternoon is spent looking for birds around the main camp, with possibilities like Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Spotted Barbtail, Barred Puffbird, Yellow-green Tyrannulet, Jet Antbird, Black-crowned, Fulvous-bellied, Ochre-breasted and Scaled antpittas, White-fronted Nunbird, Cinereous Becard, and Golden-headed Manakin. Night at CANA FIELD STATION (B, L, D)

- Golden Headed Quetzal photo from animalpicturesarchive.com                top

Day 5 DARIEN – PANAMA CITY
This morning, after some last minute birding from the airstrip, the charter flight takes you back to Albrook Field and a transfer to your Panama City hotel (B)

Click here to request reservation

LOGISTICS

A FIELD STATION, DARIEN NATIONAL PARK

Regarded by renowned ornithologists as one of the best birding sites in the world, Cana Field Station is located in the heart of the 1.2 million-acre Darien National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rustic accommodations are made up of 8 comfortable double occupancy bedrooms sharing 2 bathrooms (hot water available), a dining hall with spectacular views of the lush vegetation, an observation deck and a series of trails where birders spend time feeding their passion.
The Cana Field Station is located at 1,600 feet above sea level and is reachable only by chartered plane from Panama City. A birding tour to Cana also includes spending the night at the remote Pirre Tent Camp located at over 4,200 feet above sea level in the cloudforest. Trips to Cana are either 5 or 8 days long accompanied by one of Panama's top naturalist guides.

TRIP CLASSIFICATION: Moderate/long hiking 3-5 hours per day over variable terrain, slippery, muddy. Accommodations vary from field stations to tent camps.

NOTE: Weight restrictions apply to luggage in chartered flights within Panama. A strict maximum of 25 lbs. of checked luggage per person is allowed. A daypack is allowed as carry-on. Arrangements can be made to store luggage that will not be needed on a particular leg of the trip.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST: Binoculars (preferably 7x35 or larger), Birds of Panama book, camera with extra batteries & film, flashlight with extra bulb & batteries, bathing suit, insect repellant, sunscreen, hat, day pack, water bottle, lightweight/quick dry cotton clothes, windbreaker, hiking boots, sandals, sneakers, rain gear, money in small denominations, toiletries & personal medications. The naturalist guide carries a spotting scope.   top