Cerro Chucanti Private Reserve
Panama's Darien province is one of Latin America's
last remaining real wilderness areas, and within this region is the Private
Reserve of Cerro Chucantí. As the highest point in the Maje Mountain
Range, at over 4,600 ft., not only does the site contain examples of primary
tropical rainforest, it is also of extreme interest to naturalists because
of the unique and endemic species of planets and animals that live here.
Chucanti is a great destination for bird-watchers,
nature lovers and hikers seeking to visit the Darién.
The
biological field station located at the base provides access to the lower
primary forests and cloud forests of the region.
Day 1
Transfer Panama City to Chucanti Field Station
Today we drive toward Chucanti
Biological Field Station in Western Darien,
about
135km (85 miles) east from Panama City via the Pan-American Highway. At the
turnoff near the Cerro Chucanti hill, guides load gear onto horses and
guests travel to the station by horseback for approximately four hours. The
station is a simple wood-and-zinc-roof structure surrounded by leafy green
forest. There
are four guest rooms with private bathrooms, and though they are
comfortable, this is a research station with simple amenities.
Meals included: L,D
Day2
Station Trails and Waterfall
Today we
will explore the trails around the field station looking for wildlife such
as howler and spider monkeys and poison dart frogs, and explore the region
of lowland forest.
In the afternoon we’ll cool off with a swim
beneath a waterfall that runs close to the station.
Meals included: B,L,D
Summit Ridge Trail and Chucanti Cloud Forest
Today
we’ll follow the path up to the summit ridge of Cerro Chucanti, passing
through the different stages of forest as we climb in altitude.
Once we reach the cloud forest, ferns,
bromeliads, orchids, moss, and lichens cover every available branch and limb
creating a magical emerald wonderland sparkling in the fleeting bits of
sunlight that occasionally penetrate the rolling clouds.
Lunch will be enjoyed at the summit before we
make our way back down this loop trail.
On the descent back to the station we’ll pass
by two mysterious US helicopters that crashed in the forest in the 1960’s.
Despite much investigation, the story behind
these helicopters has not been determined.
Meals included: B,L,D
Return to panama City
After
breakfast we’ll mount up again and take our horses back down the mountain.
This time it is only a two hour decent.
As we make our way back to Panama City we will stop at Lago Bayano to
observe the beautiful surroundings and look for water fowl such as the Cocoi
Heron, Pied Water Tyrant, Striated Heron, Black Antshrike, and Rufous-winged
Antwren.
Meals included: B,L
Below is a list of some of the most unique species of
birds found on Cerro Chucanti:
Russet-crowned Quail-Dove,
Violet-capped Hummingbird, Beautiful Treerunner, Chucanti Solitaire,
Tacarcuna Bush-Tanager, Crested Guan, Great Curassow, Black and White Hawk
Eagle, Violet-throated Toucanet, Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Ruddy
Foliage-gleaner and Black-crowned Antpitta.
