Chagres National Park
In a dugout canoe you go upriver to visit an indigenous Embera village in the extensive Chagres National Park. You will learn about their culture, their traditional way of life and their well-organized life with day tourism. The national park protects the upper Chagres River watershed and provides a big part of the water for the Canal and the drinking water for Panama City. An indigenous botanist will show you rainforest plants and their use for healing. Enjoy a swim in the pools of the river or at a waterfall in midst of the emerald rainforest. (1 hour drive from P. City)
Option:
Stay overnight on the platform of a traditional house sleeping on comfortable mattresses in a tent. Explore the rainforest and streams with pools for swimming on the second day. This an easy version of our Darien expedition.
Bayano Lake
Combine a visit to an indigenous Embera village with a boat tour on Bayano Lake, created as a hydroelectric reservoir in 1975. Learn about their daily life of subsistence agriculture and hike along a river looking for a nice pool for swimming. Explore a cave canyon with refreshing cool water. Option: Stay overnight and a make an excursion to the rainforest. (3 hour drive from Panama City)