Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN PANAMA CITY

Welcome to Panama! Our Panama Birds and Butterflies tour begins by a short transfer from Tocumen International Airport to your hotel. This afternoon we will spend some time exploring the grounds of the hotel in search of some of Panama’s common birds. Collared Aracari, Keel-billed Toucan, Blue-gray and Palm tanagers, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Wattled Jacana, Southern Lapwing and Bat Falcon are some species we may see. We will be introduced to some of the local butterflies as they forage around bushes and grassy areas. Banded Peacock, White Peacock, Tropical Buckeye, Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Mimosa Skipper and Variable Cracker are common here. Our first day will conclude with a delicious dinner.

DAY 2: SOBERANIA NATIONAL PARK

Today we head out early for an exciting day exploring the world-famous Pipeline Road located in Soberania National Park. As we walk the gravel road through lowland rainforest, we will watch for some of the 400+ species of birds that have been recorded here. Some key species are Slaty-tailed Trogon, Black-crowned Antshrike, Black-bellied Wren, Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Golden-collared Manakin, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Semiplumbeous Hawk and White-whiskered Puffbird.

Butterfly possibilities will seem endless here. Common and Menelaus morphos are a common sight along the road. Thoas Swallowtail, Mexican Sailor, Starry Cracker, Great White Longtail, Two-eyed Eighty-Eight, Hecale Longwing and Many-banded Daggerwing are also common here. At the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, nectar feeders attract Crowned Woodnymph, White-necked Jacobin, Violet-bellied Hummingbird and Long-billed Hermit. An observation tower brings us up above the treetops where we will scan for Blue Cotinga, Yellow-throated Toucan and King Vulture.

DAY 3: METROPOLITAN NATURAL PARK & SUMMIT PONDS

Metropolitan Park on the western side of Panama City is a natural paradise. Our morning walk here will take us through Pacific dry forest in search of flycatchers, motmots, trogons, wrens, tanagers and some very beautiful and unique butterflies. Black-throated Trogon, Whooping Motmot, Dusky Antbird, Rufous-and-white Wren, Lance-tailed Manakin, Crimson-crested Woodpecker and Yellow-green Tyrannulet(endemic) are just a few of the common birds we see here. Notable butterflies include Stigma Skipper, Widespread Peacock-Skipper, Carousing Anteros (Jewelmark), Red Cracker, Ziba Scrub-Hairstreakand Yellow Metalmark.

After lunch, we will head over to the nearby Summit Ponds and Old Gamboa Road. At the ponds, Boat-billed Herons nest along the vegetated edges and Lesser Kiskadees skim the pond. Up to 5 species of kingfishers, including American Pygmy Kingfisher, can be found. Further down the road, we will look and listen for Rosy Thrush-Tanager, Jet Antbird, White-bellied Antbird, Laughing Falcon and Yellow-billed Cacique. Tiger Beauty, Lucianus Metalmark and Giant Owl-Butterflies may also catch our eyes!

DAY 4: CERRO AZUL & CERRO JEFE

Our early departure this morning will have us arriving in Cerro Azul just after dawn. This foothills region east of Panama City is home to some special birds including the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Rufous-winged and Speckled tanagers, Black-eared Wood-Quail. It is particularly great for hummingbirds such as Violet-capped Hummingbird, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer and if lucky, Rufous-crested Coquette! We continue through the day visiting trails and quiet roadsides in search of birds and butterflies. Butterflies are abundant here. Some of the more notable ones are Spying Eyed-Metalmark, Scarce Morpho, Rusted Clearwing-Satyr, and Six-spotted Eighty-Eight. Cerro Azul also offers us some beautiful scenery, sweeping vistas and tropical forests of Chagres National Park.

DAY 5: FLIGHT TO CHIRIQUI & DRIVE TO MOUNT TOTUMAS

This morning our Panama Birds & Butterflies tour continues as we hop a short flight to Chiriqui. Upon arrival, we will depart for Mount Totumas Cloud Forest, a stunning reserve near the border of Costa Rica, in the buffer zone of La Amistad International Park. Arriving at Mount Totumas by late morning, we will have some time to explore the grounds of the lodge before lunch. This picturesque reserve is a nature lover’s paradise – birds and butterflies are everywhere! Rufous-collared Sparrow, Silver-throated Tanager, Flame-colored Tanager, and White-naped Brushfinch greet us at these higher elevations, while a suite of flashy hummingbirds and colorful butterflies flutter around the gardens.

After lunch, we will slowly stroll along the access road, where some avian specialties of the region can be found, including Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Flame-throated Warbler and the spectacular Talamanca Hummingbird! These forests are a good place to find several species of clearwing butterflies, as well as Cloud-forest Mimic-White, Chestnut Crescent and Cream-spotted Tigerwing. 

DAYS 6-8: MOUNT TOTUMAS CLOUD FOREST

We have three full days to explore this extensive reserve, its trails, roads, forests, and open areas. Some of the local avifauna we will watch for include Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Black-faced Solitaire, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Slate-throated Redstart, and Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, to name a few. Depending on the time of year, Three-wattled Bellbirds and Resplendent Quetzals can be seen with relative ease on the property. Notable butterflies we will watch for here include White-spotted Clearwing, Rusty-tipped Page, Orange-banded Crescent, Montane Longwing, Orange-striped Eighty-Eight, Yellow Kite-Swallowtail, White-lined Daggerwing, Mountain White, Black-tipped Stripestreak, and Banded Owl-Butterfly can be found resting low on tree trunks. 

When not on the trails or exploring the vast reserve, the flowering shrubs and feeders at the lodge attract a dazzling array of hummingbirds – Violet Sabrewing, Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, Green-crowned Brilliant, Lesser Violetear, and the tiny Scintillant Hummingbird, as well as Slaty Flowerpiercer, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, and Mountain Elaenia. Magnificent Swallowtails and Darkened Whites frequent the abundant lantanas. 

After dark, hundreds of moths are attracted to the mercury-vapor light at the lodge. Giant silk moths, sphinx moths, wasp and tiger moths, as well as curious beetles, katydids, and other insects, will continue to entertain us into the night. 

DAY 9: MOUNT TOTUMAS & FLIGHT TO PANAMA CITY

A final morning at Mount Totumas will allow us to seek out any species we have yet to see, walk a final trail or two, and soak up the glorious climate and landscapes of the highlands. After lunch, we will depart and return to David, where we will take a short flight back to Panama City. 

DAY 10: DEPARTURE

This morning, you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast and birding around the hotel grounds on your own, if time permits. Take the complimentary hotel shuttle to the airport for your departure flight home. Our Panama Birds and Butterflies tour concludes in Panama City.