I came to Panamá for the sense of adventure that I just couldn’t find anymore back home in Atlanta. Panamá offers endless opportunities to explore: from beautiful beaches to some of the most stunning trails I’ve ever hiked. For the past 17 months, I’ve criss-crossed this tiny country and checked off some pretty spectacular treks on my ever growing list. From fails to fun and most surprising to most adventurous, here is my list of 10 memorable hikes in Panamá.
- EPIC FAIL – LOS PICACHOS DE OLÁ, OLÁ
- BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK – THE LOST WATERFALLS, BOQUETE
- MOST FUN – ALTOS DE CAMPANA NATIONAL PARK
- BEST WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS – CERRO ANCÓN, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ
- BEST OVERALL HIKE – CERRO LA SILLA, EL VALLE DE ANTON
- WORST OVERALL HIKE – CAMINO DE CRUCES, GAMBOA
- MUST DO – LA INDIA DORMIDA, EL VALLE DE ANTON
- BEST ADVENTURE – CUEVAS DE BAYANO, CHEPO
- MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE – BUHO DE ANTEOJOS
- EASIEST ACCESS – PARQUE NATURAL METROPOLITANO, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ
EPIC FAIL – LOS PICACHOS DE OLÁ, OLÁ
This was the trail of my dreams. The mind-blowing views from the summit are like something out of Hawaii with its sharp emerald ridges and 360 degree panoramic views . I finally convinced my favorite hiking friends to make the trip. We spent the night in an AirBnb in Penonomé and woke up early to hit the Ruta 2 trail. We made the long crawl up the narrow, rocky ridge that cuts across the mountain top. Honestly, I had not expected the trail to be this difficult or dangerous. About ten minutes from the summit, my friend, Stephane, and I reached a point where I just couldn’t go anywhere. With a drop off of hundreds of feet on either side and nowhere to put my right foot, I was done. I’ll be back and I’ll take the alternative route-Las Cuernas.
Even though we didn’t make it to the top, the views and countryside we did see were among the most majestic I have encountered here in Panamá. There are many tour companies offering guided sunrise hikes to this incomparable spot.
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK – THE LOST WATERFALLS, BOQUETE
The trail is magnificent from beginning to end with misty moss covered trees, tropical flowers and three rushing waterfalls that are to die for. A short fifteen minute ride outside of Boquete, this hike is amazing. The Lost Waterfalls are located on private property and requires a $10 entrance fee, but they well worth it. Just come with shoes with excellent grip, a bathing suit for a dip and plenty of patience for the section between falls 2 and 3.
To read more about the Lost Waterfalls trail and how to get there, check out my blogpost, How to Spend Three Days in Boquete.
MOST FUN – ALTOS DE CAMPANA NATIONAL PARK
The Altos de Campana trail is, in a word: adventure. Altos de Campana National Park is Panama’s first national park. It lies about an hour and fifteen minutes outside of Panama City. Here, the mountains are studded with rocky peaks offering gorgeous views of the Pacific and the volcanic, rolling hills of Chame. The trail is a technical hike through rainforest in a mild climate. I made the trip with small group of hiking buddies, including a six year old little boy. This is the hike he loved the most because it provided the most entertainment value. He enjoyed leading the way through a maze of pipes and ropes placed over slippery ditches and ravines. We swung ourselves over and under until we reached the summit where we made one last climb up a rockface. The panoramic view is breathtaking!
BEST WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS – CERRO ANCÓN, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ
I am a nature lover. From animals and plants, to mountains and beaches, I love it all. Nature brings me peace and who doesn’t need that? I usually set out around 8am to escape the intense heat of the day as well as to increase my chances of observing animals that tend to be more active early in the morning. I almost always see something: both two and three-toed sloths, Geoffroy’s tamarins, keel-billed toucans and poison dart frogs make their home here. Keep your eyes and ears open: you never know what you might spot.
To read more about hiking Cerro Ancón and how to get there, check out my post, Reasons Why You Should Visit Ancón Hill.
BEST OVERALL HIKE – CERRO LA SILLA, EL VALLE DE ANTON
I rate Cerro La Silla in El Valle de Anton, the best overall hike for so many reasons. It is one of the easiest hikes I’ve done with a great payoff in stunning 360 degree views. The trailhead is surprisingly easy to find. We took a quick 5 minute taxi drive heading back toward Panamá City, locating the trail right across from a bus stop. While it was a brutally hot, sunny day, the climb itself wasn’t difficult, but rather a steady incline through beautiful scenery. In fact it would be great for beginners and that’s one reason why I rate it so high. The trail is wide with no real scrambling involved. It’s just a nice walk as far as you’d like to go out over the rolling ridges.
WORST OVERALL HIKE – CAMINO DE CRUCES, GAMBOA
Camino de Cruces, located just outside of Panama City, ranks the worst of all the wonderful hikes I’ve done here in Panamá. The ride out to the trailhead was amazing. We took a panga across Lago Gatun with our guides that we hired at $25 per person. The excitement ended very quickly after hopping off the boat. The walk was pure jungle with zero views for approximately five hours. The trail follows a centuries old trade route carved out by the Spanish to move goods from one coast to another. Because the this area doesn’t see much traffic, the trail is overgrown, littered with inches of slippery, fallen leaves, and wobbly, invisible cobblestones beneath. It was certainly an adventure, but I wouldn’t repeat it–ever.
MUST DO – LA INDIA DORMIDA, EL VALLE DE ANTON
This trail is located in the town of El Valle de Antón which actually sits at the bottom of an ancient, extinct volcano. The dramatic ridges that surround the town are what remains of that crater. La India Dormida, named for its silhouette that is said to resemble a sleeping Indian girl, is the most popular hike in El Valle de Antón. The trailhead, called La Piedra Pintada, is located a short distance outside of town. This two hour hike packs a lot of punch with cascading waterfalls, ancient petroglyphs and some of the most beautiful views in Panamá. As you approach the summit, it’s necessary to scale some rocky areas, but then it opens up to rolling peaks and a panorama that’s unbeatable.
BEST ADVENTURE – CUEVAS DE BAYANO, CHEPO
This was an unforgettable day. I have never done anything like this caving excursion and probably never will again. I went on this epic adventure with Trip.PTY, one of many tour companies that leaves Albrook Mall very early in the morning on weekends.
We arrived at a tiny, tropical outpost called Chepo at about 8 a.m. and rode out across expansive Lake Bayano where we found the entrance to the cave. We put on our headlamps and headed into the waist high water. As we worked our way into the actual cave, we began to see bats, stalactites and stalagmites. We trudged through water at varying depths taking care not to fall over boulders under the water. The sense of adventure was next level and the scenery was incredible. The images of bats, spiders and animal skeletons are forever burned onto my brain. At the end of the hike, there is a magical, crystalline pool for swimming: a welcome reward after a somewhat taxing trip though the cave.
Finally, after the caving adventure, we had some time to eat a typical lunch of fish, rice and slaw before kayaking on the beautiful lake. Of all of the things that I have done here in Panamá, this was among the most memorable. I would recommend this one over and over again.
MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE – BUHO DE ANTEOJOS
I rank the Búho de Anteojos, or Spectacled Owl trail the best surprise, because I really didn’t know what to expect. It turned out to be a really lovely little walk. The majority of this hike was very easy winding its way through dense jungle. We stopped along the way to watch a family of howler monkeys and their sweet, little babies playing in the treetops. We marveled at native cacao trees growing along the path. Finally, at the summit, we were pleasantly surprised by the distant views of the canal. Búho de Anteojos is a great trail for beginners and nature lovers who are looking for a manageable trek through unspoiled, tropical forest.
EASIEST ACCESS – PARQUE NATURAL METROPOLITANO, CIUDAD DE PANAMÁ
Parque Natural Metropolitano is a tropical oasis here in Ciudad de Panamá. This park boasts a rainforest habitat with 633 species of flora and 418 species of fauna and unequaled urban vistas. There is one main loop that works its way around the park meandering past beautiful, tropical plants alive with butterflies and a jam-packed turtle pond. Keep your eyes and ears open for animals all around: coatis, white-faced capuchins, howler monkeys, sloths, pileated woodpeckers, toucans, and iguanas all make their home here.
I have only just begun checking off the slew of hiking trails here in my new home. These trips are more than just paths through nature – they’re gateways to unforgettable experiences, cultural connections, and personal discoveries. Whether you’re seeking challenging mountain treks, lush rainforest explorations, or a foray into the crazy world of spelunking, Panama offers something unique for every type of hiker.