Panama: Fall at Canopy Tower

A limited number of larger double rooms are available - if available the upgrade will be offered on the first page of the booking process.  Please call for availability of larger single rooms.  

Straddling the Continental Divide, the foothills of Panama harbor a unique avifauna that includes both lowland and highland species, as well as birds of both the Pacific and Caribbean slopes. Our tour, designed to pick up where traditional Canal Zone tours leave off, offers some of Central America’s most exciting birding, set amidst beautiful middle-elevation forest and in a refreshingly moderate climate.

Our adventure is hosted at the Canopy Tower, a converted radar station rising high above the rainforest canopy. From its observation deck, we’ll watch dawn unfold over Soberanía National Park, greeted by the calls of howler monkeys and the sight of toucans gliding through the treetops. Here, we’ll enjoy close views of species usually hidden from sight—like the glittering Blue Cotinga, Masked Tityra, and Green Shrike-Vireo. Nearby, the world-famous Pipeline Road offers some of the best birding on Earth, with puffbirds, motmots, antbirds, and manakins among a host of tropical treasures.

Experience the incredible bird diversity of Central Panama from one of the world’s most unique ecolodges—the Canopy Tower. Perched above Soberania National Park, this former U.S. radar station offers a bird’s-eye view of lush rainforest canopy alive with color and sound. Each morning begins with the calls of toucans, motmots, and manakins, and the chance to spot dazzling Blue Cotinga and Green Shrike-Vireo right from the observation deck.

Nearby lie some of the most famous birding sites in the Neotropics. On world-renowned Pipeline Road, we’ll explore primary and secondary forests alive with puffbirds, trogons, antbirds, and tanagers. The Panama Rainforest Discovery Center and its canopy tower provide an unparalleled perspective on forest life, while the foothills of Cerro Azul reveal an array of hummingbirds, toucanets, and colorful tanagers. Throughout, hawk migration adds another spectacle—thousands of Broad-winged and Swainson’s hawks and Turkey Vultures streaming southward across the sky.

From the lively wetlands of Gamboa to the drier forests of Metropolitan Natural Park, each day offers new species and unforgettable moments. With excellent accommodations, tropical wildlife encounters, and easy access to an astounding variety of habitats, this classic VENT tour offers the perfect introduction to Neotropical birding.