Top Panama Hiking Tours - page 2

Our partial transit from Miraflores to Pedro Miguel was a spectacular; entering from the Pacific side, we watched the historic Miraflores Locks lift the massive ship in front of our boat into the canal system. Navigating the narrow channels with mere inches to spare was an absolute engineering marvel. Cruising through the canal offered beautiful views complemented by good onboard breakfast & lunch. The onboard narration about the operation of the lock system and the canal’s history was excellent while we watched the massive gates and the electric mules operate at the same time. It was the perfect blend of history & engineering. (Even though we only did the partial crossing, we hired a car to drive to Colón to the Agua Clara locks and Gatun locks, the drive through the National forest was beautiful and seeing the ships enter the Caribbean Sea on the other end made the trip worthwhile)

Starting the day early to experience this nature walk was 100% worth it. I was picked up at my hotel around 6:30 am. Ancon Point was about a 20-25 minute drive. The park is plastic-less so I purchased a cute sloth aluminum bottle from Raphael the day before. Side note: Make sure you try to eat a decent sized breakfast beforehand because you will burn energy. Also, water is an absolute must. I actually ran out of water before I reached the top of the mountain. Luckily the tour starts before 7am because even at that time the heat and humidity are rising. On the walk up you will notice a mixture of flat and steep terrain. However, there’s plenty of opportunities to take a breather when one of the animals, reptiles or birds are spotted. I for one believe it’s beautiful to see creatures in their natural habitat unbothered and at peace. Rafael has an eagle eye for sloths, frogs, iguanas and toucans. It’s almost like he and the reserve are connected. While walking the steep trails he still was able to intensely listen out for the sounds of different birds. At times he was able to pinpoint their location but they were too fast to be photographed. But, I was satisfied with seeing the beautiful colors of a toucan fly within my eyesight. Free, and not in a zoo. So my day was still made. Rafael loves what he does and it’s contagious. He may be a sloth whisperer in my eyes but he still can’t predict what creatures will be visible. So, keep that in mind. Personally, I left with a full heart and entire day ahead of me. He sent me plenty of pics and video from our adventure the next day and I was elated. If you want a unique experience full of anticipation and welcomed surprises I recommend booking this tour.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an amazing day trip to El Valle de Antón, Panama with Misseal and our incredible tour guide, Abel. This tour was the perfect mix of adventure, sightseeing, wildlife, and relaxation. Part of our group — my son, his girlfriend, and my wife — hiked the Sleeping Indian Girl trail and absolutely loved it. Meanwhile, my daughter, her boyfriend, and I visited the zoo and butterfly garden, which were both fantastic. Afterward, we all met back up to visit the beautiful waterfall and then relaxed in the hot springs, with a great lunch in between. One of the highlights of the day was seeing sloths and toucans in the wild — such an unforgettable experience! Abel made the entire trip special. He was knowledgeable, friendly, fun, and made sure everyone had a great experience no matter which activities they chose. You can tell he truly cares about his guests having the best possible day. If you book this tour, definitely ask for Abel. Highly recommend this trip to anyone visiting Panama!