2012 Panama Photo Tour

TOUR OVERVIEW

Panama is a superb place to see and photograph a wide variety of tropical birds. We'll spend the first 5 days of the tour making photographs of birds and other animals in the Canal Zone. We then fly to western Panama and spend 2 days making photographs in the highlands near Volcan Baru. We stay in comfortable hotels and lodges throughout the tour. Highlights in the Canal Zone will be visits to famed Pipeline Road, Old Gamboa Road, Discovery Center, and Metropolitan National Park on the Pacific side and Achiote Road on the Caribbean side. We'll also visit an indigenous village one afternoon. In western Panama we'll visit several parks and reserves where we can photograph Resplendent Quetzals and other specialty birds of the highlands.

PHOTOS OF SOME LIKELY SPECIES ON TOUR

TOUR ITINERARY

DATE	ACTIVITY	MEALS	ACCOMMODATIONS
1-Sat 02/18	Arrival	D	Balboa Inn
2-Sun 02/19	Morning photograph birds along famed Pipeline Road. Afternoon photograph birds along Old Gamboa Road.	BLD	Balboa Inn
3-Mon 02/20	Morning visit Discovery Center. Mid-day visit Miraflores Locks. Afternoon visit indigenous village near Gamboa.	BLD	Balboa Inn
4-Tue 02/21	Morning photograph birds in Metropolitan National Park. Afternoon transfer to Caribbean side. Photograph hummingbirds there.	BLD	Nattur Ecolodge
5-Wed 02/22	Morning photograph birds along Achiote Road. Afternoon return to Pacific side.	BLD	B & B La Estancia
6-Thu 02/23	Fly to David in western Panama. Transfer to lodge, with photography stops en route.	BLD	Hotel Dos Rios
7-Fri 02/24	Morning photograph birds in Volcan Baru National Park. Afternoon photograph visit nearby finca to photograph quetzals and other birds.	BLD	Hotel Dos Rios
8-Sat 02/25	Morning photograph birds in La Amistad Heritage Park. Afternoon flight to Panama City.	BLD	Balboa Inn
9-Sun 02/26	End of tour. International flights home.	B	None.

TOUR MAP

TOUR DESCRIPTION

DAY 1 - PANAMA CITY

International flights arrive in the evening. Participants gather at the comfortable Balboa Inn, reached by a 30-minute taxi ride from the airport. Everyone is met at the hotel by our tour leader. Those arriving a day early have free time to take a cruise through the canal, explore the city, or relax at the hotel. Night at Balboa Inn.

DAY 2 - PIPELINE ROAD & OLD GAMBOA ROAD

Morning photograph birds along famed Pipeline Road, located in Soberania National Park and one of the best places to see and photograph rainforest birds in Central America. The road is closed to vehicles and offers easy and level walking through primary rainforest near Gamboa. It's a great place to see and photograph antbirds, displaying manakins, and a wide diversity of other species. We could also photograph Black-mantled Howler Monkeys and White-faced Capuchins. Afternoon photograph birds around Summit Ponds and along Old Gamboa Road. Summit Ponds are home to several aquatic birds. Old Gamboa Road goes through drier more deciduous forest than Pipeline Road, so species composition is somewhat different. This road is also closed to vehicular traffic and is easy walking. Night at Balboa Inn.   Show Possible Species

DAY 3 - DISCOVERY CENTER & EMBARRA VILLAGE

Morning photograph birds at the Discovery Center, located near Pipeline Road. The center has about a mile of trails through the forest, hummingbird feeders and a 40-meter observation tower. Many of the birds are similar to those we expect to find earlier along Pipeline Road, but the obervation tower gives us good vantage for photographing birds in the forest canopy and possibly soaring hawks. Mid-day visit Miraflores Locks. Afternoon boat transfer across the lake near Gamboa Rainforest Resort, photographing aquatic birds from the boat. Visit indigenous village where we can photograph native people living in the traditional way and purchase hand-crafted baskets and other native crafts. Night at Balboa Inn.   Show Possible Species

DAY 4 - METROPOLITAN PARK & NATTUR NATURE CENTER

Morning photograph birds in the dry forest of Metropolitan National Park. Walk the main trail leading gradually uphill to an overlook affording nice views of the Panama Canal. Here we hope to photograph the lovely Rosy Thrush-Tanager. Following lunch and checkout, depart for the Caribbean side of the Canal Zone for a one night stay at Nattur Ecolodge. The lodge provides closer access to sites we want to visit on the Caribbean side of the Canal Zone. Staying in Gamboa that night would require getting up by 3:00 AM for us to reach Achiote Road early enough the next morning. After arrival, photograph hummingbirds visiting lodge feeders. Night at Nattur Ecolodge.   Show Possible Species

DAY 5 - ACHIOTE ROAD

Early departure for Achiote Road near San Lorenzo National Park south of Gatun Locks. The road is renowned world-wide for the many birds found there. It's the best place to see and photograph the lovely Blue Cotinga. A nice variety of antbirds, flycatchers, tanagers, and other birds can be found along the road and nearby Trogon Trail. This level trail leading into the southern section of San Lorenzo National Park is a good place to photograph birds of the forest. After early lunch, return to the Pacific slope, arriving at B & B La Estancia by early afternoon. This is the best place to see and photograph Geoffrey's Tamarin, an attractive primate normally difficult to see in Panama. Also, photograph hummingbirds coming to feeders at the lodge. Night at B & B La Estancia.   Show Possible Species

DAY 6 - DAVID & CHIRIQUI HIGHLANDS

After breakfast, fly to David and transfer to Hotel Dos Rios in Volcan, stopping en route to look for birds in rural areas of the highlands. Afternoon photograph hummingbirds at lodge feeders. Night Hotel Dos Rios.   Show Possible Species

DAY 7 - CHIRIQUI HIGHLANDS & VOLCAN BARU

The western highlands of Chiriqui Province feature many birds found only in the mountains of southern Costa Rica and western Panama.

Morning visit the cabins area above the lodge in Volcan Baru National Park. The forest is an excellent place to find highland birds including Resplendent Quetzal. Afternoon visit a nearby finca where Resplendent Quetzals are most reliably found. Also photograph other highland birds we may have missed in the morning. Night Hotel Dos Rios.   Show Possible Species

After early breakfast, visit La Amistad Heritage Park near Cerro Punta. The entrance road is wide and easy walking, though partially uphill. The surrounding forest is home to Resplendent Quetzal and many other highland birds. Spend the morning making photographs there. Following lunch in an area restaurant, return to David to catch late afternoon flight back to Panama City. Night at Balboa Inn.

DAY 8 - LAGUNAS DE VOLCAN

Morning descend to a middle elevation forest and lagoon area west of Volcan. Here we hope to photograph birds such as Silvery-throated and Black-chested Jay as well as other species. Lunch in area restaurant. After lunch return to David for late afternoon flight back to Panama City and a farewell dinner. Night at Balboa Inn.   Show Possible Species

DAY 9 - END OF TOUR

Tour ends with breakfast at the hotel. International flights home.

ACCOMMODATIONS DURING TOUR

BALBOA INN

Balboa Inn is a small, newly remodeled Bed & Breakfast located at the foot of Ancon Hill not far from the Panama Canal Authority administrative complex. It's just 5 minutes from the domestic airport in a quiet, residential neighborhood. The B & B has a small dining area where a hearty, American-style breakfast is served. It features 9 rooms, all with private bath and hot water showers with good water pressure. Rooms have ceiling fans, room safes, and air conditioning. They've all been nicely redecorated.

NATTUR ECOLODGE

Nattur Ecolodge is located near Sabanitas about 20 minutes drive from the city of Colon. We stay there because it's conveniently located to Achiote Road, the best birding site on the Caribbean side of the Canal Zone. Those staying on the Pacific side have to wake up by 3:30 AM to reach Achiote Road at a reasonable time of morning. The lodge is environmentally sensitive, is located in a natural area with trees and gardens, and maintains feeders that lure several species of hummingbirds. It's owned and operated by an expert birder and caters to birdwatching and nature tour groups. It consists of a dining room and three chalet-style buildings, each divided into four private rooms. Each chalet has a common area where guests can relax as well as a small outdoor lounge. Rooms feature 2 double beds, good size private bath with hot-water showers, and floor fans but no air conditioning.

B & B LA ESTANCIA

B & B La Estancia is a small bed-and-breakfast with a total of 10 roms located on Cerro Ancon. The top of the hill is a 20-minute walk from the lodge offers wonderful views of the Bridge of Americas, Panama Canal, Amador Causeway, and Panama City. The gardens and surrounding forest are a pleasant oasis in the city where a variety of birds can be viewed from the balconies. A full breakfast is served on the premises each morning. Complimentary tea, coffee, and fruit are available during the day. Rooms are tastefully decorated and feature ceiling fans, air conditioning, twin or queen beds, and private bath. TOP

HOTEL GRAN NACIONAL

Hotel Gran Nacional is a newly renovated hotel located in the heart of David, the provinical capital of Chiriqui in western Panama. It features 3 restaurants including a pizzeria and barbeque as well as a full bar. Rooms are comfortable with one or two beds and private bath with hot water showers.

HOTEL DOS RIOS

Hotel Dos Rios is located about 45 minutes drive from the provincial capital of David in the highlands of western Chiriqui Province. The hotel is very nice and features a comfortable sitting area in the reception, full-service bar, restaurant with with both indoor and outdoor seating, and internet access. The gardens and a small tract of nearby forest attract a variety of birds to the property. The restaurant offers a la carte menus of Panamanian-style cuisine including beef and chicken, as well as pizza and seafood. Rooms are very clean and feature 2 double beds, private bath with hot water, and TV. Rooms are well ventilated and air-conditioning is unnecessary because of the mild temperatures. Windows in the rooms look out over the gardens.

LAURA FELLOWS

Laura L Fellows is co-founder of Exotic Birding LLC with Jim Wittenberger and conducts most of our tours as leader and tour coordinator. She has worked as a professional photographer since 1983. Laura's vision as a bird photographer is to portray birds and other animals as they live and behave in their natural environments. She published her vision of such "Environmental Portraits" in the December 2007 issue of Nature Photography magazine. Her photos have been used in biology textbooks and on professional websites. Before embarking on her current venture with Exotic Birding, Laura had 16 years professional experience as a commercial photographer and advertising studio manager for an internationally recognized studio in Atlanta. In that capacity she organized, coordinated and executed major photography assignments for numerous national advertising campaigns on location in the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and many states in the US. She founded and directed a photography workshop program in the Tuscany region of Italy, where she lived for 3 years. Through her efforts the workshop attracted many internationally renowned photographers as guest instructors. She speaks fluent Italian and is now gaining familiarity with Spanish. She has lectured as an invited speaker in the art department at the University of Georgia and many photo clubs, has exhibited her photographs in galleries, and has curated 5 photography exhibitions in the USA and Italy. Laura has enjoyed a life-long love and fascination for birds and nature. Some of her many photographs can be seen throughout our website.

ITO SANTAMARIA

Ito Santamaria is a member of a professional family of doctors and landowners that lives in Chiriqui province of western Panama. He speaks excellent English and is an expert birding guide who has led birding tours since 1999. He has guided tours many times with top North American birding tour companies and is very adept at finding and identifying even the most difficult birds to see in Panama. He first guided for us during our 2011 tour to Panama, and we are impressed with both his birding skills and his congenial personality.