Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cerro Jefe
The main draw is the park's highest point,
Cerro Jefe
, an important location for endemic
mosses, orchids, ferns and bromeliads, with an impressive mirador and two short, rather over-
grown birdwatching trails near the summit. To get there from the park office the route is
less interesting, between open fields for about 3km before plunging into elfin forest, where
the road forks. From there it's another 1.5km through cloud forest up to the antenna-covered
Cerro Jefe, beyond which the
mirador
offers a splendid panorama along the Pacific coast
and across the unending canopy of Chagres, even as far as the Caribbean on a clear day.
The trails
Beyond the mirador on Cerro Jefe, two paths head off down the steep hill, eventually petering
out: the narrow and frequently boggy
Sendero Vistamares
and the
Sendero Xenoris
, 1.5km
further along on the left. Both offer the chance to see speckled antshrikes, crested guans,
yellow-eared toucanets and crimson-bellied woodpeckers. If you really want to explore,
Sen-
dero Guayaral
is a tough but rewarding tramp from the park office at Cerro Azul to a refuge
at Cerro Brewster (9km each way), which can be made easier by hiring horses to take your
gear; arrange a guide in advance with the office in charge of the park at the ANAM Headquar-
ters in Albrook in Panama City.
ARRIVAL AND GETTING AROUND: PARQUE NACIONAL CHAGRES
Despite its proximity to Panama City, the reserve's vastness and the lack of tourist devel-
opment make
access
difficult, especially if you're reliant on public transport. So most tour-
ists visit with a
tour operator
, generally bound for the western end, round
Lago Alajuela
,
around 35km north of the capital by road. There, several jetties serve as departure points for
kayaking, fishing or rafting excursions, or for visiting an Emberá village or hiking along the
Camino Real. Other than die-hard birdwatchers, few tourists head for the
Cerro Azul
en-
trance.
LAGO ALAJUELA
By bus
Take a Colón bus from Albrook bus terminal, getting off at Mini Super Mario along
the Transístmica, and walk the remaining 3km.
By boat
The jetties at Madden Dam, Nuevo Vigia and Victoriano Lorenzo, further round the
lake from the Park HQ, are the embarkation points for visits upriver to
Emberá communities
.
By car
The headquarters at Campo Chagres are about a 40min drive from Panama City, pos-
sible in an ordinary car.
CERRO AZUL
By bus
Take any transport bound for 24 de Diciembre or Chepo from Albrook terminal, get-
ting off at La Doña Super 99 (just before Xtra); cross the road to the bus terminal at the back
of the shopping centre, where minibuses wind up to Cerro Azul (every 30-45min, 6am-6pm).
