Darien: Panama’s Wild East 2025 - $1000 deposit/person
Welcome to the Darien Province, what is thought by some to be one of the planet’s last frontiers. Sprawling and rugged with vast and untouched beauty, this far eastern province of Panama is sparsely populated and stands-out, bursting with an authentic multicultural signature and a feel of being off the beaten path. The thriving biodiversity ignites wonder and a feeling of expedition and mystery, and has attracted the attention of birders, biologists, and anthropologists from around the world, eager to experience this wild and wondrous region.
March 25 - 30, 2025
With Holly Merker
Welcome to the Darien Province, what is thought by some to be one of the planet’s last frontiers. Sprawling and rugged with vast and untouched beauty, this far eastern province of Panama is sparsely populated and stands-out, bursting with an authentic multicultural signature and a feel of being off the beaten path. The thriving biodiversity ignites wonder and a feeling of expedition and mystery, and has attracted the attention of birders, biologists, and anthropologists from around the world, eager to experience this wild and wondrous region.
March 25 - 30, 2025
With Holly Merker
Welcome to the Darien Province, what is thought by some to be one of the planet’s last frontiers. Sprawling and rugged with vast and untouched beauty, this far eastern province of Panama is sparsely populated and stands-out, bursting with an authentic multicultural signature and a feel of being off the beaten path. The thriving biodiversity ignites wonder and a feeling of expedition and mystery, and has attracted the attention of birders, biologists, and anthropologists from around the world, eager to experience this wild and wondrous region.
March 25 - 30, 2025
With Holly Merker
Tour Price/person*: $2875
Deposit: $1000
Single supplement: $175
Final payments due: 25 November 2024
Deposit is made via WeTravel. Final tour payment is by check or ACH transfer.
Group size: 4 to 10 guest
Pace, Rigor, Climate & Pests
This extension trip dovetails nicely coming out of our earlier trip, rewarding you with the complete Panamanian experience: from western to eastern and highlands to lowlands. Coming off our main tour, our pace will pick up as we head east by van, and we’ll explore the rugged and tropical terrain of the eastern-most Central American jungle in the Darien Province. All birding skill levels are welcomed, but this tour will feature some physically demanding trails and the climate-feel of the tropical jungle.
Overall, this tour will be moderate, but the day we seek the Harpy Eagle will be rigorous in terms of terrain to traverse, with the potential for steep and muddy hills as we climb into Harpy Eagle territory deep within the jungle. There may be a quick stream crossing on foot so knee high boots comfortable for hiking a few miles are a must, and uphill hiking on unpaved trails. To get to the area jungle the Harpy Eagles call home, we’ll travel 45 minutes by “dug-out style” motorized boat to put us in a more remote location. This day will also feature travel by 4WD vehicles to get us that much closer to our destination but can be a bumpy ride. Once there, it may be a two-mile one-way trek into the jungle on foot.
March is the hot season in Panama, and the climate in eastern Panama is hot (temps ranging above 90 degrees F) and muggy. Rain can be expected, and the wetter, hotter climate may mean that biting bugs more abundant, so caution and preparedness is advised.
We’ll spend the first three nights in the town of Meteti in a modest but clean and air-conditioned hotel (1-2 star). Night four will be in Torti with similar accommodations and lovely grounds and restaurant on site, the property is adorned with lush flowers, fruit and hummingbird feeders to enjoy.
Cancellation Policy
If a guest/participant cancels registration:
● 120 days or more prior to the start of the tour, a refund is issued minus a $500/person processing fee.
● Between 119 and 90 days prior to the start of the tour, half of the tour fee will be returned to the registrant.
● 89 days or less prior to departure, no refund of payments or deposits are issued.