Greetings Everyone!
I'm writing from Grand Lake, Colorado, where I am spending the winter guiding snowshoeing and cross country ski tours in Rock Mountain National Park. It is going to be a snowy day today and so I am staying home by the fire, working on my tours for 2023, and thinking about future travels....
Has it been a long time since you left the country? And maybe you just need to get your feet wet again to feel comfortable with international travel?
If so, then the Panama would be a great first choice. Panama is very safe and during the pandemic had strict mask wearing protocols, which everyone followed. The vaccination rate is nearly the same as the United States. I've spent a total of 3 months traveling in Panama this past year during December/January, March/April, and October/November, and it has been awesome.
Fall Raptor Migration: On this last trip in November 2022, we saw 269 different species of birds in 8-days. This tour was also during peak fall migration for raptors. We spent a couple of days at the Hawkwatch station atop Ancon Hill in Panama City. It was amazing to watch thousands of raptors fly by on their way to South America. This year at Ancon Hill, 1.4 million raptors were counted, seriously, so don't miss fall 2023 migration! Raptors for fall 2022 that were seen and counted include: Turkey Vultures, Swainson's Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Osprey, Mississippi Kites, and Peregrine Falcons, (1.4 million of just those species), and these numbers are low compared to previous years. Many years they have counted 2 million raptors. Resident raptors are not counted for the Hawkwatch, but on the tour we saw a total of 28 different species of raptors. Wow!
Covid Testing: As of last June, you no longer need a Covid test to enter Panama or re-enter the United States. Yeah!! You only need to be fully vaccinated.
Due to the pandemic, Panama has become a great place to visit and I have added several trips for this winter, spring, and next fall.
Recommended Reading: The complete history of the Panama Canal, written by David McCullough and titled "The Paths Between the Sea". It is excellent, and everything you ever wanted to know about the 400 hundred year history of people who dreamed, attempted, and built the Panama Canal. The book was published in 1977 and so ends just before the time that President Jimmy Carter negotiated the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, which was ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1978 and gave the Panamanian government control of the canal. The book weighs about 3 pounds, seriously, it doesn't travel well, so read it before you travel to Panama.
Click here to view the webpages: Panama and click on the individual trips for itineraries
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Dates: January 26 - February 6, 2023
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Group Size: 7 travelers, plus guides (3 spots left)
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Trip Length: 12 days
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Rates: $5,150 per person, (no extra for single occupancy)
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Rates include: Domestic transfers, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, scheduled group tours, park entrance fees and basic travel insurance.
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Not included: International airfare, customs & immigration fees and visas, alcohol, trip cancellation insurance, Covid testing.
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Adventure level: Easy for the Gamboa part, and moderate for the Darien part of the trip, please check the “Welcome” page for definition
Special offer: Included with your trip (one per room) is a copy of the field guide “The Birds of Panama” by George Angehr and Robert Dean. You will receive this when you reserve your trip so you will have time to study and know the beautiful birds of Panama.
