Panama: Jewel of Central America
Intermediate II Kayak

November 3-11, 2007
$1,575

Discover why Panama is the paddling jewel of Central America and quickly becoming the "must do" destination for intermediate boaters from around the world.

Have you ever heard of the adage "You should have been here 15 years ago?" Panama is that place 15 years ago! Undeveloped, uncrowded and unmatched in beauty and natural wonder, Panama is Central America's hidden gem. Panama was the undiscovered paddling gem of Central America, but not anymore! Over the past few years, NOC has paddled, explored and come to appreciate the warm and unspoiled beauty of the tropical paddlers paradise. One of the best parts is that no other paddlers have discovered it.

Your paddling vacation will start as you fly into Panama City on Saturday. We will meet you at the airport and take you to your downtown hotel. Early the next morning we will take a short flight to the gateway of the Panamanian Highlands, David. After a scenic drive, we reach the highlands town of Boquete, our base for the week. Boquete is a beautiful mountain town (elevation 3,500 feet) nestled at the base of the continental divide. It is the center of the coffee and flower growing in Panama, and is a host of many festivals. Flanked by the highest mountain in Panama, Volcan Baru (elevation 11,400 feet) and La Amistad International Park, it provides a wonderfully relaxing and scenic place to enjoy some of the best paddling you will ever find.

The rivers we will be paddling in Panama are primarily in the Chiriqui province, located on the western end of Panama, bordering Costa Rica and the Pacific Ocean. Chiriqui is known as the breadbasket of Panama, growing most of the fruits, vegetables, and coffee for the nation. All the rivers of western Panama share a few characteristics. They have relatively small watersheds compared to the United States, but often hold high volume runs due to the heavy rains of 120 to 200 inches annually.

The upper sections of these rivers mostly drain the flanks of Volcan Baru and are steep, continuous and technical in the upper reaches. As they move down towards the ocean, they pick up tributaries quickly and what was just a technical creek run becomes a big river with big waves trains and fantastic surfing. The bottom sections of these rivers tend to be high volume class 2 runs in the rainy season. This variety gives our group of adventurers many different and exciting options for beauty and excitement. Imagine an area with so many different and wonderful choices that your hardest decision each day will be choosing which river to paddle. Then at the end of the trip, which was your favorite run of the week.

Adventure Travel Team
Call: 800-232-7238 ext 333 or Click here to send us a message
View Itinerary (PDF)
View River Descriptions (PDF)

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