Page 199 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

The Chiriquí highlands Chiriquí and Veraguas 197
Parque Internacional La Amistad 5
Just 6km from Cerro Punta or Guadalupe, the hamlet of Las Nubes provides access to
Parque Internacional La Amistad (International Friendship Park), often abbreviated to PILA
or Amistad. Covering 4000 square kilometres of precipitous forested mountains straddling
Panama and Costa Rica, the park forms a crucial link in the “biological corridor” of
protected areas running the length of Central America. Given its varied topography,
Amistad is the most ecologically diverse park in the region, including more than four
hundred different bird species (see p.305), making it the most important protected area in
Panama after the Darién. Although almost all of the Panamanian section lies in Bocas del
Toro, it is far more accessible from the Pacific side of the country. There are three short
trails with miradores offering excellent views of some of the highest mountains in Panama
(at least before the cloud descends) and a 50m waterfall. A longer, steeper and less distinct
trail (8km round trip) leads through virgin cloud forest to the summit of Cerro Picacho
(2986m), but you’ll need to get one of the park wardens to guide you.
arriVaL and inFOrMaTiOn Parque inTernaCiOnaL La aMisTad
On foot or by taxi From Cerro Punta or Guadalupe, walk need to park at the gate and walk from there to the office.
the 6km – or take a taxi ($6–7) – to the entrance. MIA office and fees You can pay the park fee ($5) at the
By car The road is tarred up until the park entrance; permanently staffed MIA office, a 10min walk uphill from
thereafter, you need 4WD. If driving a saloon car, you’ll the entrance.
aCCOMMOdaTiOn and eaTing
Asociación Agroecoturística La Amistad (ASAELA) showers and cable TV. Daily 8am–4pm. $30
Las Nubes, 200m before the park entrance T6703 MIA refuge One of the larger, better-equipped
1941 (Fermina Gómez). Run by a local women’s bunkhouses, with kitchen facilities but cold water only.
cooperative, this place offers a restaurant serving comida Bring your own food – though you could walk down to the
corriente ($3 for breakfast, $5 for lunch) such as arroz de community restaurant (see above) – and a warm sleeping
guandú (rice and beans) with chicken, pork or beef, and a bag, as it gets cold at night. Camping $6, dorm $15
couple of clean, tidy en-suite rooms with electric hot-water

Along the La Fortuna road
The serpentine road that traverses the continental divide to the Caribbean coast is
Panama’s most spectacular drive. On a clear day you get breathtaking views; conversely,
if you find yourself peering through thick fog to see the edge of the asphalt, it can be
one of the scariest journeys you ever make. During the October and November rains,
landslides are frequent, sometimes blocking the route for days. Midway across the
cordillera, before descending into Bocas del Toro province, you cross the dam wall of
Lago Fortuna, Panama’s main source of hydroelectric power.
Los Cangilones de Gualaca
1km north of Gualaca, which lies 17km north along the La Fortuna road from the Interamericana • Dec–April daily • Mon–Fri $3, Sat & Sun
$4 • Buses run from David to Gualaca (every 40min; 35min); get off at the junction by the baseball stadium, from where it is a 1km walk
Just north of the village of Gualaca the sparkling waters of Río Este squeeze through a
narrow, shallow canyon, known as Los Cangilones de Gualaca, creating a refreshing
natural swimming pool – an ideal place to cool off in the summer, though it’s packed at
weekends. The flat slabs of volcanic rock either side of the canyon are thought to have
come from lava slides from Volcán Barú, through which the river has eroded its path
over time. There are no facilities beyond toilets and changing rooms, but it makes a
delightfully tranquil picnic spot provided you avoid the weekend crowds.
aCCOMMOdaTiOn aLOng The La FOrTuna rOad
Lost and Found Ecolodge Km 42 on the La Fortuna lodge-cum-hostel with shared kitchen or food provided is
road T6581 9223, Wlostandfoundlodge.com. This worth visiting for the views alone. Perched at well over

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