Page 193 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

The Chiriquí highlands Chiriquí and Veraguas 191
Also known as the Lost Waterfalls, the Sendero de las Tres Cascadas is a delightfully 5
scenic cloud-forest trail that takes in three waterfalls, each of which tumbles into a
(cold) natural swimming pool. The first two are the most accessible, though still
involve some moderately strenuous patches, especially when muddy. The last cascade
involves more boulder clambering. Inevitably the trail is at its wettest when the falls are
at their most impressive, but even in the dry season, be prepared for some mud. Give
yourself two or three hours to vist all three waterfalls at a leisurely pace.
Sendero Pipa de Agua
8km northwest of Boquete • Daily 8am–3pm • $3 • Take a Bajo Mono bus from Boquete and ask to be dropped off at the trailhead at the
T-junction with the road that leads to the start of the Sendero de los Quetzales
An easy 4km trail, Sendero Pipa de Agua – also known as the Cascada Escondida
(Hidden Waterfall) – is a birdwatchers’ favourite, following a water pipeline up a
relatively gentle incline in a dead-end valley to an impressive waterfall. Beware of a
scam by the occasional unscrupulous taxi driver who, in order to save petrol, leaves
hikers here claiming it’s the start of the Sendero de los Quetzales (see below). That said,
quetzals can occasionally be spotted on this trail too, which will take a couple of hours
to the end and back.
Sendero de los Quetzales
A far more beautiful, rugged hike than the slog up the brooding volcano it skirts, the
8km Sendero de los Quetzales offers the additional thrill of a possible glimpse of a male
quetzal in full regalia (Dec–April). Though formerly easily doable on your own, severe
floods and landslides have made the route difficult to navigate in places, and hiring a
guide (see p.187) will substantially enhance your chances of spotting a quetzal as well
as allowing you to learn more about other fauna and flora. If you go on an organized
tour, which is strongly advised, transport to/from Boquete will be provided; if you
decide to walk the trail on your own towards Cerro Punta, you can get your luggage
transferred for you.
The trail can be hiked in both directions, though conventional wisdom has it that it’s
easier to start from the Cerro Punta side (over 2400m) because of the drop in altitude
between there and the eastern trailhead at Alto Chiquero (over 1800m). A moderately
fit person soaking up the scenery and making occasional stops to spot the odd shy bird
in the undergrowth should count on five to six hours to complete the trail, including
the extra few kilometres to get to/from the official trailhead on the Cerro Punta side.
Climbing Volcán Barú
The unremarkable haul up Volcán Barú (3474m), Panama’s highest point, is rewarded
at the summit, which on a good day boasts a truly breathtaking panorama of the
Pacific and Caribbean, both dotted with a myriad of islands. The dry season (roughly
mid-Dec to April) is the best time to attempt the ascent but even then clouds and rain
can close in quickly. To maximize your chance of a clear view, you should attempt
some, or all, of the climb at night – for which you’ll need a guide (see p.187), and a
torch – in order to arrive at dawn. If you set off from the small park office, which
marks the trailhead, at 11pm or midnight, the 13.5km ascent takes four to six hours,
getting you to the peak in time to enjoy a sunrise picnic – you’ll need to turn a blind
eye to the radio masts and graffiti-covered rocks on one side – before descending. No
rock-climbing skills are necessary, just the grit to plod up a boulder-strewn track and
endure a little rock-scrambling. You’ll need warm, waterproof clothing, as it’s cold on
the summit, plenty of water and the usual hiking essentials.
Climbing Volcán Barú from the western side (see box, p.193) is more physically
demanding, and takes longer, but is more rewarding as you are taken up a path, albeit
very indistinct in places, rather than a road, and across more varied terrain. This trail
should definitely not be undertaken without a guide.

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