Gamboa Rainforest Resort
The Concept
Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a luxury destination resort located on the Panama Canal, in the heart of the lush Panamanian rainforest. The resort has been carefully designed to provide a variety of educational and adventure experiences.
The resort has created several exhibits to showcase the vast diversity of the rainforest. A perfect Family Vacation choice.
Strolling along the pathways and trails located throughout the resort, you'll discover a variety of educational exhibits, each one designed to explain a different element of the rainforest. You can visit a freshwater fish aquarium, orchid and botanical gardens, butterfly nursery, turtle and iguana nesting areas, a reptile exhibit, historical and cultural displays, or sign up for various nature and observation tours.
For a bird's eye view of the Soberania National Park and Panama Canal, climb aboard the specially designed aerial tram and glide quietly through the rainforest canopy where you'll encounter plants and animals rarely seen by visitors on the ground.
Your appreciation of this tropical environment doesn't have to stop at the forest floor. The first class marina provides tours of the Chagres River and Lake Gatun, sport fishing trips for peacock bass and other exotic freshwater species (catch and release only), kayaking trips, and tours to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado Island.
Concept Accommodations Dining Activities Rates Environmental Statement
The Accommodations top
The accommodations at the resort consist a luxury hotel housing Standard and Deluxe River View rooms, and Junior Suites, and close by a community of one and two bedroom air-conditioned, renovated historic villas.
All of the rooms and suites come with minibar, electronic safe deposit box, satellite TV, crystal showers, hair dryers, makeup mirror, iron/ iron board, coffee/ coffee makers, monogrammed robes, fire protection system and balconies overlooking the Chagres River and the Rainforest.
Adjacent to the main resort building, 48 tropical wooden construction apartments built in the 1930´s for the Panama Canal Administration officers, have been carefully renovated and decorated with charming tropical furniture. All Historic one and two bedroom Villa Apartments come with separate living room areas, kitchenette with wet bar, sink and fridge, coffee/ coffee makers ,bathtubs in each of the bathrooms, satellite TV, Voice Mail data ports and Ceiling Fans as well as Air Conditioning units, which are individually controlled. All Apartments have lovely wooden floors and spectacular views of the Rainforest. top
Dining
There are ample choices for dining and imbibing among 3 restaurants, a cafe , lobby bar, swim up pool bar and discoteque.
Conventions, weddings and group meeting functions are easily accommodated indoors within a variety of meeting rooms and ball rooms, as well as within outdoor spaces. top
The Activities
Aerial Tram
Discover the secrets of the upper rainforest canopy with a ride on the Resort aerial tram. The tram takes you from the shodowy rainforest floor through the under story, and into the sundrenched canopy. There you can enjoy a bird eye view of a thousand hues of green interspersed with the fluorescent exclamation points of flowering trees.
Educational Exhibits
The resort has built 5 educational exhibits that showcase local flora and fauna as well as a replica of an Embera Indian village. Each exhibit is manned by a knowledgeable staff member.
Bird Watching
Many species are very common throughout the grounds of the Resort, and a few hours of birding just in the gardens can produce a long list of birds. Tropical Kingbirds, Social Flycatchers, Clay-colored Thrushes and Blue-gray, Palm and Crimson-backed Tanagers are hard to miss, as is the ubiquitous Great-tailed Grackle. On a morning walk you may find Lance-tailed Manakin, Slaty-tailed Trogon or a Pheasant Cuckoo. The Rosy Thrush-Tanager is very common here, and you'll certainly hear, if not see, one or two.
Interpretive Park
Within the boundaries of the Gamboa Rainforest Resort lies the Interpretative Park, 250 acres of lowland tropical forest. A network of trails runs through a broad range of habitats - marsh, riverbank, hillside, ridge top, streambed, and fallen trees - all hosting tropical flora and fauna. top
2010 Rates
HIGH SEASON
January 4 - April 15th
Historic One Bedroom Villa $139
Historic Two Bedroom Villa $173
Standard Rooms $206
Deluxe River View Rooms with private balconies and hammocks $218
Junior Suites $324
GREEN SEASON
April 16th - December 19th,
Historic One Bedroom Villa $120
Historic Two Bedroom Villa $154
Standard Rooms $173
Deluxe River View Rooms with private balconies and hammocks $185
Junior Suites $286
All rates are in US $, include 10% government tax and based on double occupancy, per room per night. top
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A Socially and Environmentally Responsible Lodge
The Gamboa Rainforest Resort is owned by Tropical Resorts International, Inc. a public company with over 400 shareholders, most of whom are Panamanian. The resort has been developed by and is affiliated to Bern Hotels & Resorts Panama, a Panamanian company that is fully committed to the U.N. Social Pact through Educational Programs.
The Gamboa Rainforest Resort at the Panama Canal was honored by the American Society of Travel Agent’s 73rd World Travel Congress on October 22nd, 2003, by being presented with ASTA’s Environmental Award, an award that recognizes the individual company, company or country that has made a significant impact in preserving and protecting the environment. “The Gamboa Rainforest Resort is an excellent example of sustainable tourism,” said Richard M. Copland, CTC, ASTA president and CEO. “The resort’s mission is to develop Panama as a tourist destination but not at the expense of its people or the environment.
Because of founder Herman Bern’s, commitment to education and giving back to the community, the resort boasts premier learning facilities and directly supports the Embera Indians through job opportunities and the chance to sell their handicrafts to tourists.” The Gamboa Rainforest Resort, which sits on the banks of the Chagres River in the midst of the Soberania National Park, works to ensure that the rainforest’s fragile biodiversity is protected. To that end, this luxury property has its own water treatment plant and works closely with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) on a variety of projects. top
