SENDERO PANAMA - Day Tours - Hiking Camino de Cruces

Hiking Camino de Cruces Trail

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Includes:
Bilingual Naturalist Guide
Park Entrance Fees
Transportation
Lunch, Beverages
Snacks

Duration: 6 to 7 Hours
Pick up at Hotel: 8:00am

What to Bring:
Comfortable Clothing
Hiking Shoes
Trekking Poles
Sunscreen
Hat, Light Raincoat
Binoculars, Camera

As you follow the remains of the cobblestone path through the forest, the sound of howler monkeys in the distance, it is hard not to imagine the first people crossing the isthmus. The Camino de Cruces Trail is possibly one of the most important historical trails in Panama. Used in addition to the famous El Camino Real, the Camino de Cruces was integral to supporting the bourgeois population of Spaniards that came to Panama in the 16^th century. With all the gold and silver from the mines of Potosi in Peru crossing the Isthmus of Panama by mule on its way to Spain, a population associated with wealth took up residence in Panama City.

While El Camino Real was dedicated to the transit of the bullion, the Camino de Cruces was used to transport textiles, spices, furnishings, essentially everything a high class member of society required that could not be obtained in the tropics. Famous pirates such as Sir Francis Drake and Sir Henry Morgan used this trail in their attempts to sack the city of Panama. Fast forward to the 19^th century and one imagines The Gold Rush and the 49ers transiting the isthmus on their way to California. Today, an eight mile trail winds through Soberania National Park, connecting Venta de Cruces at the Chagres River with Camino de Cruces National Park. Following the path, one not only experiences a historical journey, but also enjoys the presence of many birds and diverse flora and fauna.