Those who decide to join our Darién Extension will have the chance to explore one of Central America’s most remote wildernesses. The Province of Darién is located east of the Panama Canal, on the border of neighbouring Colombia and nowhere else in Panama does nature express itself so abundantly than in this region of isolated wilderness! We will be spending our time in the little-explored northern forested lowlands of the Darién. Very few birders have visited here and already some very exciting species, including Panama’s national bird, the huge and majestic Harpy Eagle, as well as Crested Eagle, Red-throated Caracara, Bare-crowned and Dull-mantled Antbirds, Black Antshrike, Black Oropendola, Double-banded Greytail, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Spectacled Parrotlet, Grey-cheeked Nunlet, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Beautiful Treerunner and Yellow-hooded Blackbird, among dozens of other Darién and Choco avian specialities, have been found in the locations that we will be birding. Further surprises are no doubt to be expected! After departing Panama City, we head off to our comfortable safari style lodgings in the Darién. Day by day, we will explore some of the best birding locations along the end of the Pan-American Highway and expect to see another 70-80 species found nowhere else in Panama! We hope to have you join us on this fantastic beginning to our Panamanian tropical birding adventure!
Client Testimonials
Tour price (Per person): USD2,695 * GBP2,167 * EUR2,515 * AUD4,075
Single Supplement: USD390 * GBP314 * EUR364 * AUD590
Every tour I have had with Rockjumper and every Rockjumper guide (both birding and people skills I have birded with have been outstanding.
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.
Eliecer Rodriguez was a wonderful guide. Of primary concern, he knew the birds--their vocalizations, their habits, their microhabitats--extremely well. He could imitate most of their vocalizations and knew how they would appoach, and could help folks with weaker skills "get on the bird". He showed patience with the participants, the birds, and the weather etc., was consistently cheerful and helped to maintain a positive mood in the group. The more difficult species seemed to be his specialty. For example, we saw 17 species of "antbirds" (thamnophilids), plus an antthrush and two antpittas and, the " mega" of the trip, two different Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoos, miles apart on two different days. Wow! He knew the other vertebrates well too. He didn't miss a beat.
Both guides and trip were great. Especially glad that Adam Walleyn offered to stay at the Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo location and skip lunch if any others wanted to also skip lunch to try to view the bird. Only two of us skipped lunch to stay with Adam and all three of us got to see the bird.
"This was our fourth birding trip with Rockjumper and we continue to be impressed with the quality of our experience with this group. The lodgings were wonderful and our local guide extremely knowledgeable about the birds of Panama, their calls and what niche they occupy. He was also a genuinely wonderful and patient guide who really made our Panama experience the great success it was.