Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mention of the Darién conjures up a host of images, some alluring, others less so; some
true, others vastly exaggerated. What is not in dispute is the region's status as one of
the last true tropical wildernesses - though even this is under threat - encompassing
swathes of mountainous forest containing an astounding array of wildlife, most notably
in the Parque Nacional Darién, which provides unparalleled opportunities for serious
hiking and birdwatching.
The largest of Panama's nine provinces, the
Darién
abuts Colombia and covers a sparsely
populated rugged expanse that sprawls across almost twelve thousand square kilometres,
reaching its highest point at Cerro Tacarcuna (1875m) by the border, but including numerous
peaks over a thousand metres. The province also boasts Panama's longest river, the
Río
Tuira
, which empties into the Golfo de San Miguel, a vast mangrove-lined body of water that
opens out into the Pacific Ocean. Yet travellers are increasingly drawn to the Darién as much
by its people as by its compelling scenery. The main indigenous groups, the closely related
Emberá
and
Wounaan
, are gradually opening up their communities to tourists; in the
Co-
marca Emberá-Wounaan
or in communities outside such as
La Marea
and
Mogué
, you
can stay overnight in a village and learn the intricacies of basketry or woodcarving, for which
they are world-renowned, or hike through steaming rainforest to spot harpy eagles - the area
boasts the greatest concentration of these raptors in the world.
Guna
communities are also
present, mainly in eastern Panama province, historically considered part of the Darién. Their
two small
comarcas
stretch along the shores of
Lago Bayano
, a vast reservoir 100km east of
Panama City, which enjoys a picturesque setting in an increasingly deforested landscape, and
has an impressive network of caves.