THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Panama - page 206

HIKING AROUND EL VALLE
Though not as lofty as the peaks of Chiriquí, the mountains encircling El Valle still offer a
wealth of hiking opportunities. For most hikes you'll need a guide , since trails are not well
marked and if the mist descends it's easy to lose your way, though on a clear day you can
manage La India Dormida without being accompanied. There are several routes up the
legendary hill, the most direct being to follow the path up past the Piedra Pintada, hugging
the stream until you reach the top. A better circular route heads out past the baseball stadi-
um, bearing left at the next fork. When the road ends, a path off to the right brings you out
on the lower part of what is presumed to be Flor's body (see La India Dormida ) . Walking
north along the deforested ridge, you can enjoy the splendid views across the crater before
taking the path down from the “head” that eventually passes the refreshing waterfalls and
natural swimming pools near La Piedra Pintada, where you can cool off.
A more challenging hike scales the area's highest peak, the forbidding forest-clad Cerro
Gaital (1185m), for which you'll need a permit from ANAM ($5) either from the office
in town, by the orchid nursery, or the one at the northern entrance to the reserve near La
Mesa, which is often unstaffed. The most direct route involves a steep climb from a path
behind Hotel Los Mandarinos , for which you'd need a guide. Alternatively, you can labour
7-8km up the road to La Mesa (or take the bus), bearing right at the fork after the village
and arriving, a few hundred metres later, at the entrance of the Monumento Natural Cerro
Gaital . The orchid-rich reserve is as a haven for birdwatchers as well as hikers, harbour-
ing a rainbow of hummingbirds, honeycreepers, toucanets, tanagers and trogons, as well
as the elusive black guan. A 2.5km loop trail, Sendero El Convento, winds through cloud
forest, circling the summit, with a turn-off to a mirador, which on a clear day affords stellar
views down to the coast.
GUIDES
Note that many of the hotels also have their own local guides whom they regularly call on.
Mario Bernal 231 3811 or 6693 8213, [e-mail] . An internation-
ally renowned naturalist from El Valle, who is in great demand. English and Spanish spoken.
Mario Urriola 6569 2676, [e-mail] . A professional biologist and
enthusiastic ornithologist, who also runs the serpentarium. English and Spanish spoken.
Rodolfo Méndez Contact Hotel Don Pepe or 660 75174. For Spanish speakers seeking
less specialized expertise, Rodolfo, better known as “El Chacal”, has a good general know-
ledge of the area.