About
Travel shots, frequent flyer miles, and two trips to REI in Chicago is all it took for two out-of-shape, middle-aged gringos to set off on a challenging hike through the remote Darién National Park in Panama—beyond the end of the road. This site shares the sights, sounds, and a bit of narrative on what we encountered. My brother Greg and I had never tried anything like this, but look forward to doing it again! Many thanks to our hosts at the Emberá Indian village of Pijibasal and our guide, Isaac Pizarro, for making this a trip of a lifetime.
Why Panama?
A trip months in the planning—but years in the dreaming—I had long wondered about visiting the only break in the Pan-American Highway between Alaska and Argentina, a dense jungle along the Panama-Colombia border known as the Darién Gap. Until recently, I didn’t know what that meant, but through social media and other online resources, I began to develop a feel for the land, terrain, people, and culture. More importantly, I located Isaac, a local guide who is one of the few people authorized to take tourists into this remote region. Once my brother Greg signed on, the long-awaited trip took shape.
Getting There
A quick flight to Panama City, two nights in a hostel with international kids half our age, and a 7-hour bus ride with Reggaeton music on continuous loop was all we needed to make our way to Yaviza in Panama’s easternmost province, the Darién. The end of the highway marked the start of our adventure.
Yaviza….End of the Road
Yaviza is the end of the road…literally. The Pan-American ends and does not begin again until the other side of the jungle in Turbo, Colombia. When the bus drops you off, you feel the transition. One foot in civilization, one in a vast tropical land. For the sparse inhabitants of the Darién, a network of rivers and narrow boats called piraguas (peer-ah-guas) are the main transportation. Ours took us 45 minutes downstream to one of the few towns you’ll find in the Darién, El Real de Santa Maria. It quickly became obvious that everything must be brought into the Darién by boat. Piraguas arrive to Yaviza loaded with plantains and return with people, food, clothes, furniture, even building materials. Amazon does not deliver here!
El Real – Our First Night in the Darién
We spent our first night in the Darién in the small town of El Real, home of our guide, Isaac Pizarro. Isaac is a Kuna Indian and an approved guide for visitors to the Darién National Park, location of our destination, the green-covered mountain Cerro Pirre. Here we got our first glimpse of Pirre, which looked much larger in person. The thought crossed my mind, “Oh, my…”. Later, we purchased bulk foods for our trek. We even came across Isaac’s mom out for a walk on the handful of streets that make up El Real.
Pijibasal – Tropical Indigenous Life
Thirty minutes down a dirt road from El Real is the Emberá Indian village of Pijibasal. It is one of several indigenous villages throughout the Darién, where life has remained relatively unchanged for generations. When we first arrived, the men were working in the fields and women were cleaning fish and doing laundry in the nearby river. We toured the community and its trademark houses built on stilts for protection against animals and flooding. The women wore brightly colored skirts, long pieces of cloth, wrapped three times and tucked at the waist.
We met several children playing in the river who kept us entertained by leaping from great heights into the water, commandeering a balsa wood raft, rummaging through a trash pile for party favors, and climbing the school’s flagpole (they were on summer break). Electronic devices draw a crowd and the village has a solar panel that provides limited electricity in the evening.
In the evening the young men played their nightly soccer game, while the villagers cooked us fried fish and plantains. After dinner the women displayed their amazing handmade crafts, which are made completely from local trees, plants, and fruits. I still can’t believe how intricate and painstaking they are. We spent the night in an open-air sleeping area with mosquito nets and packed for the big day ahead—our hike into the forest. It would be the last we would see anyone for three days.
The Hike to Cerro Pirre
The next morning we were joined by a German couple and three porters (two of Isaac’s sons and one young man from the village). Believe me when I say, we could not have made it without their help! The porters carried the heavy packs full of camp gear, food, and water, leaving the rest of us to our lighter day packs. The first half of the day was spent hiking and sightseeing to the only man-made structure in the park, the Rancho Frío ranger station. This was an easy hike with only a slight grade and a well-defined, wide trail. Isaac paused periodically to point out specific trees, birds, insects, and especially the nesting area of the Panamanian national bird, the elusive Harpy Eagle. We arrived to Rancho Frío, where we rested, filled water bottles, and chatted with the ranger who lives at the station. When I asked how often people pass through, he noted that a month or more can pass between visitors. We left for the second half of the hike, the climb to Rancho Plástico and our campsite, and the trail immediately became more difficult. We spent the next couple of hours straining in the humid forest heat and chugging water at every break. Most of the time the view of the surrounding mountains and valley were blocked by the dense vegetation, but about halfway to Rancho Plástico we came to our first mirador, or lookout point, providing a nice view.
An hour or so later we arrived at the second mirador, just downhill from Rancho Plástico. The second mirador offers a beautiful view of the Pirre mountain range and two of us eventually pitched hammocks here, while the rest of the group setup camp at the Rancho Plástico site, a small clearing up the hill. We all hiked down a steep slope 20 minutes to a small creek where we filled our water bottles, bathed, and washed clothes. Meanwhile, Isaac and the porters prepared a welcome dinner of rice and lentils. The cool night air at this elevation caught us by surprise and we wrapped ourselves in clothes and sheets to stay warm. The first light of day brought welcome warmth, as well as a beautiful view of the mountain range we were about to climb. In the words of our guide, “Now the hard part begins”.
The next morning we set out from Rancho Plástico for the trip to the summit, just over 1150 m (3770 ft) elevation. The trail immediately became steep and narrow, and the footing was poor. There was almost no even ground to take a break and during the worst stretch the group would pause every dozen steps to lean against trees and catch our breath. There was one downward climb to a water hole and one mirador with a nice view of the valley, but other than that, we spent the time crawling our way up the muddy mountain face. Mostly, we used tree roots, rocks, and branches to pull ourselves up the trail, which was steep enough that it was more like walking on all fours than standing. The final climb was essentially a vertical mud wall covered with roots, leaves, and rocks. I actually found this part easier, as you were able to stand upright and use your arms and legs evenly to lift your weight uphill. I remember telling myself, “Never again”, but after 3 hours of climbing we reached the peak and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and forest…and I forgot that promise. We spent the next few hours enjoying the views from the top and taking pictures to celebrate the accomplishment of something I had dreamed about for a long time, never certain that it would come true.
Trip Down the Hill
After savoring our moment at the top, we reversed course, rejoining our porters and gear at Rancho Plástico and enjoying a nice meal. Working our way downhill was not as easy as you think, with tired legs and poor footing, but it was definitely a refreshing break from the other direction. We spent our last night at Rancho Plástico with a beautiful view of the moon behind the mountain range, another noisy night of jungle sounds, and the calls of nearby Howler monkeys in the morning. We spent the next day working our way down the mountain, stopping periodically to enjoy the wildlife hiding out of view. Thanks to Isaac’s trained eye only, we were able to see tropical birds, snakes, spiders, small monkeys, and one iguana in a tree. At one point he took Greg’s camera into the brush and came back with video of a black Howler monkey high in the canopy. When I asked how he knew it was there he replied that he heard it, and smelled it, too. The return trip included a side trip to a cascade where we swam, bathed, and slid down the rock face into a pool. A short hike later, we were again at Rancho Frío and heading down the long trail to Pijibasal.
Pijibasal – Return Visit
We returned to Pijibasal for some much needed rest and relaxation, and a few cold drinks. While we were away, the villagers had put on a traditional ceremony for a group of visitors from the Netherlands. This involved painting their bodies with intricate designs using the dark color of the jagua fruit, which stays on their bodies for several days. I would have loved to have seen the time and patience that went into it, but just seeing the final results was a treat. The next morning we wandered lazily around the village, chatting with the locals, before eventually saying good-bye and taking a truck back to El Real. In the morning we were up before dawn to catch a piragua back to Yaviza and the bus back to Panama City. I have to say, for me, other than sleeping on the side of the mountain, our time spent in Pijibasal was the most memorable experience of the trip.
Panama City Sightseeing
We spent the last two nights in Panama City, giving us time to rest and visit the city before heading home. The city is full of life and there are many places to go, including the Amador Causeway, Cerro Ancon, and of course, the Panama Canal. The last morning we were up early and on our way home. It was a great trip, the memory of which we’ll enjoy for years. Many thanks to all the people along the way that made our adventure special, none more so than our guide Isaac. Can’t wait to visit again!
