Tour Leader: Alexander Alvarado
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD6,200 * GBP4,951 * EUR5,968 * AUD9,956
On Relaxed tour of Panama will spend a week exploring some of the more accessible rainforests and montane cloud forests the country has to offer. The native flora is simply stunning, and more than 10 000 species have already been identified within the country! Around 930 bird species – more than the number found in North America and Europe combined – make their home in this tropical paradise.
We’ll spend our second week in the Western Highlands of this fascinating country, part of a chain of volcanic mountains straddling the Panamanian and Costa Rican border. They host a unique and interesting avifauna that includes many regional highland endemics, and some of the world’s most spectacularly beautiful birds! We will try to locate as many of the 50+ highland endemic species as time permits. One of the obvious targets will be the awe-inspiring Resplendent Quetzal, along with a host of highland hummingbirds, tanagers, trogons, and many others! With roughly 29% of its territory protected within 15 nature reserves, Panama is fast becoming a must-visit destination for birders and nature travellers the world over.
Resplendent Quetzal; Prong-billed Barbet; Snowy-bellied, Rufous-tailed, Violet-headed, Talamanca, Scintillant, Volcano, Blue-chested & Violet-capped Hummingbirds; Rufous-crested Coquette; White-vented & Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer; Green Hermit; Band-tailed Barbthroat; White-tailed Emerald; Green-crowned Brilliant; Purple-throated & White-throated Mountaingems; White-tipped Sicklebill; Veraguan Mango; Violet Sabrewing; Green-fronted Lancebill; Chiriqui Yellowthroat; Bay-headed, Speckled, Rufous-winged & Black-and-yellow Tanagers; Rosy Thrush-Tanager; Golden-browed Chlorophonia; Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker; Yellow-eared Toucanet; Red-capped, Lance-tailed & Blue-crowned Manakins; Broad-billed & Rufous Motmots; Amazon, Green & American Pygmy Kingfishers; Red-lored Amazon; Sclaed Pigeon; Blue-headed Parrot; Keel-billed & Yellow-throated Toucans; Blue Cotinga; Green Shrike-Vireo; Black-chested Jay; Purple-throated Fruitcrow; Slaty-tailed, White-tailed, Collared & Gartered Trogons; Black-crowned & Streak-chested Antpittas; Black Guan; White Hawk; Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
Mantled Howler Monkey; White-faced Capuchin; Ocelot; various sloths
rainforest, cloudforest, marshes, rivers
mostly tropical conditions; warm and humid
10 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.
Our Relaxed series of tours are designed to focus on having an enjoyable holiday with a bird and wildlife focus. Where possible; we have reduced or removed long drives, single night stays and poor/rustic accommodation. We have also sought to reduce or remove difficult hikes, narrow/muddy trails and otherwise oppressive environmental conditions. Early starts and night birding are mostly optional, and we will not spend much time searching for difficult and/or skulking species. These tours are not suitable for hardcore birders and listers, or dedicated photographers.
Comfortable to very comfortable.
Moderate, mostly forest birding.
300+
Panama Canal, pristine rainforest
Average to good. Many species are seen within the forest or in the canopy.
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour with Alex and Edwin leading us. They were both excellent guides and ensured we got the maximum out of the trip. The reduced number of hotel changes made for the 'relaxed ' sense of the tour but the birding was full on . Edwin was also a very good driver. Thank you to all involved. We hope you do some more relaxed trips !
This was my first international birding tour experience, and so while I have no basis for comparison, I was completely satisfied by this tour. The guides were excellent. Their knowledge was near encyclopaedic, and most importantly, never-ending. I would actively seek to go on tour with Tuomas Seimola again.
Kudos to the entire Rockjumper team for making this tour on the cusp of a global pandemic a complete success: Rob for remaining in the present during our week in the highlands, always congenial, informative and entertaining despite facing complete uncertainty about being able to return to the UK; our superb local guide, who immediately found sites outside the closed national parks for our target birds. For five magical days we had good birds, good coffee, and good vibes all around.
Forrest is truly a pleasure. His bird-finding skills, both by sight and ear, are phenomenal, but even more striking is his singular personality and people skills. Always enthusiastic. Not only would I travel with Forrest again, I preferentially would select a tour if he was guiding.
As is the tradition with all of the Rockjumper guides that we've had the pleasure of being in the boonies with, Tuomas Seimola was outstanding. We enjoyed the trip a lot.
Panama - Highlights (Relaxed) 2024 - April 2024
Panama - Best of Birding 2022 - March 2022
Panama - Best of: Darien Extension 2022 - March 2022
Panama - Best of Birding 2019 - March 2019
Panama - Best of Birding 2018 - March 2018
Panama - Best of: Darien Extension III 2017 - April 2017
Panama - Best of Birding I 2017 - March 2017
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