Page 78 - The Rough Guide to Panama (Travel Guide)

76 Panama City ACTIVITIES AND TOURS
1 aCtiVitiES anD tOURS
Several excellent tour operators in Panama City offer bilingual guiding in English and Spanish on day- and multiday
excursions. Specialist tour operators for Guna Yala and Darién have been listed in the relevant chapters (see p.253 & p.276).

Ancon Expeditions T269 9415, Wanconexpeditions – $985 for a four-day hike along the Camino Real
.com. Very professional, expensive outfit, offering top-notch (minimum four people) – and yoga retreats.
bilingual naturalist guiding services for single- and multiday Emberá Tours T250 1165 or T6519 7121,
adventures: birdwatching across Panama, trekking in the Wemberatourspanama.com. Run by Garceth Cunampio,
Darién (see box, p.276) or exploring the cloud forests of Chiriquí an English-speaking Emberá guide who organizes day or
($2825 for a fully inclusive four-day tour for two people). The overnight excursions to Emberá Puru on the Chagres
unique experiences offered in the private reserve of Punta ($150/$200), wildlife-viewing trips round Lago Gatún and
Patiño in the Darién and the birding expertise are likely to be longer expeditions to the Darién, on request.
worth the expense, but the inflated rates for a Panama Canal Panamá Orgánica T6079 6825, Epanamaorganica
transit or Emberá village tour are harder to justify. @gmail.com. Small outfit specializing in bespoke budget
Aventuras Panamá 32 C 63 Oeste T260 0044, tours to hard-to-access areas such as the Darién and Guna
Waventuraspanama.com. Adventure tours, chiefly Yala, working with local communities and independent
kayaking and whitewater rafting along a variety of rivers operators. They can also help arrange transport to Colombia
within a couple of hours of Panama City in Panamá and and day-trips from Panama City. Two weeks’ notice;
Coclé provinces. $165 for a day’s kayaking down the minimum two people.
Chagres to Fuerte San Lorenzo. Sendero Panamá T6429 8163, Wsenderopanama
Barefoot Panama T6780 3010, Wbarefootpanama .com. Run by certified bilingual naturalist guides, at the
.com. Well-regarded US-run organization specializing in upper end of the market, this company offers a range of
customized adventure and ecotours to cater for all tastes, acclaimed day-trips and multiday adventures.
with one-day and multiday itineraries. Try their one-day Whale Watching Panama T6758 7600, Wwhale
Caribbean adventure, which includes zip lining, snorkelling watchingpanama.com. Day-trips from Panama City in
and visiting the forts of Portobelo ($150). small boats around Taboga (from $175) and the Islas Perlas
Ecocircuitos Albrook Plaza, second floor, no. 31 T314 (from $200) – both need a minimum of six people – to spot
0068, Wecocircuitos.com. Actively involved in promoting humpback whales in the migration season (July–Oct).
sustainable tourism and supporting community-based Sightings are almost guaranteed in the Pearl Islands, and
projects, this outfit offers a wide range of day- and you have a 75/80 percent chance of spotting a humpback
multiday excursions including kayaking, jungle trekking on the Taboga trip.
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Many visitors to Panama are expressly here for the wealth of outdoor activities, all of which
can be enjoyed on a day-trip from the capital, either independently or on a tour (see above).
There are also options within the city itself, some of them free. Head for the Cinta Costera
(see box, p.66) or the following:
CIUDAD DE SABER (CITY OF KNOWLEDGE)
The Ciudad de Saber (City of Knowledge), opposite the Miraflores Locks and accessible
by bus (see p.97), contains some fabulous sports facilities run by the Kiwanis (Mon–Fri
8am–9pm, Sat & Sun 8am–6pm; T317 0208, Wciudaddeportivakiwanis.org). Set in a green
recreational park, they provide a great escape from the city congestion and high-rises, and are
open to all – though they can be busy at weekends. The large open-air swimming pool is a
big draw (Tues–Sun 8am–4.45pm; $4) for which you’ll need to wear a cap. There’s also a gym
and tennis courts, and plenty of picnic space.
PARQUE OMAR
Leafy Parque Recreativo Omar Torrijos, on Av Porras, San Francisco, has tennis courts, a
jogging route, an outdoor pool (Tues–Fri 11am–9pm, Sat 6am–9pm, Sun 6am–6pm; $2) and
lots of space to picnic. Though closer to the city centre than the Ciudad de Saber, and cheaper,
the facilities are not quite as pristine and access is trickier: you’ll need to present a current
medical certificate, and two passport photos, which will get you a pass, valid for a couple of
years ($3). Less hassle are the free exercise classes, from yoga to Zumba, given in the park by
qualified instructors (6–8am & 4–7pm). Just roll up and join in.

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