Day 1: The tour starts this evening at a hotel near Panama City International Airport (PTY) for dinner.

Day 2: Driving east to Yaviza, we will stop along the way at a roadside restaurant with feeders attended by Sapphire-throated, Scaly-breasted, and Snowy-bellied Hummingbirds. After arriving at the edge of the Darien Wilderness, we take a short boat ride across Rio Chucunaque to the trailhead before starting a 3-hour walk at birding pace into Rancho Frio. Porters will carry all our gear and set up the campsite in the middle of pristine lowland rainforest, which will be our home for the next five nights.

Day 3-4-5-6: We have four full days to explore the area, but we will start with eagle time! Several known Harpy Eagle and Crested Eagle nests are accessible every year in this vast area of rainforest, so we stand very, very good chances to connect with both of these monster predators! Around Rancho Frio, there are also several lowland Choco endemics and other targets to keep us busy: Black-tipped Cotinga, Plumbeous and Semiplumbeous Hawks, Grey-cheeked Nunlet, “Choco” Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Saffron-headed Parrot, White-ringed Flycatcher, Speckled Mourner, Choco Sirystes, Rufous Piha, Stripe-headed Wren, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher, and Scarlet-browed Tanager. With luck, we will find an ant swarm, which may be attended by Ocellated Antbird, the amazing Black-crowned Antpitta (Pittasoma), or Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo. If not here, we will have several more chances for these desirable army-ant obligates during the trip! At night, we have a reasonable chance of finding Choco Screech Owl, Crested Owl, and Spectacled Owl around our rooms. Other more widespread species might include Spectacled Parrotlet, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Dull-mantled and Zeledon's Antbirds, Streak-chested Antpitta, Slaty-winged Foliage-gleaner, and Lemon-spectacled Tanager. Some rarer inhabitants could turn up too, such as Great Curassow, Marbled Wood Quail, Olive-backed Quail Dove, Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, Saffron-headed Parrot, or Green Manakin.

On one day, we will explore a trail deeper into the Darien. The first stretch is a gradual incline with some excellent birding, which will keep us occupied the whole morning. The endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker can be found here, along with many excellent species like Central American Pygmy Owl, Slaty-winged Foliage-gleaner, Scaly-throated Leaftosser, White-headed Wren, Pale-vented Thrush, and Emerald Tanager. If we are lucky, we might even encounter the rare Choco Tinamou. At the halfway point, most of the group will return to camp, while anybody who wishes can continue for another 3 hours steeply uphill to spend a night at Rancho Plastico. Porters will be carrying the camping gear, but the walk is certainly strenuous. Going all the way up gives the only real chance for Tawny-faced Quail, Wing-banded Antbird, the mega near-endemic Viridian Dacnis, Choco Tapaculo, Yellow-browed Shrikevireo, and the shy Violaceous Quail Dove. There is a chance for the retiring Russet-crowned Quail Dove, while Tooth-billed and Pierre Hummingbirds and Pierre Warbler are possible around the camp (but these usually require several more days of hiking). Nights camping in Rancho Frio.

Day 7: We will walk out from Rancho Frio this morning and drive to Meteti for an overnight stay. This afternoon, we will do some roadside birding in search of Blue Cotinga, White-eared Conebill, and the range-restricted Black Antshrike (if we did not already see it in the Darien). Night in Meteti.

Day 8: Boat trip along Rio Tuquesa searching primarily for the near-endemic Dusky-backed Jacamar, among some other more widespread species like Agami Heron, Black Oropendola, Double-banded Greytail, Great Green and Chestnut-fronted Macaws, and several species of hummingbird. After lunch, we’ll head back west to Nusagandi, hopefully arriving in time for the nectar feeders; Violet-capped and Violet-bellied Hummingbirds are usually in attendance, along with Long-billed and Stripe-throated Hermits and Crowned Woodnymph. Night near Nusagandi.

Day 9: Nusagandi is an excellent and easily accessible forest reserve where the monotypic Sapayoa is the biggest target, along with Speckled Antshrike and Sulphur-rumped Tanager (two tricky near-endemics). We will also have more chances for the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker and Choco Manakin, plus a vast array of mid-elevation hummingbirds and tanagers. Night near Nusagandi.

Day 10: Following a final morning of birding at Nusagandi, we will head back to Panama City for overnight.

Day 11-12: Two full days in Soberanía National Park on the outskirts of Panama City, birding along the legendary Pipeline Road, plus visiting the Rainforest Discovery Center and canopy tower. Key species in this area are numerous, but we will be focusing on Pheasant Cuckoo, Tiny and Semiplumbeous Hawks, Streak-chested Antpitta, Black-breasted Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Brownish Twistwing, Spot-crowned Antvireo, Grey Elaenia, and the unassuming endemic Panama Tyrannulet. This is another excellent area to search for ant swarms for more chances at Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, Ocellated Antbird, Black-headed Antthrush, or maybe Slaty-backed Forest Falcon. In recent years, the amazing Black-crowned Antpitta (or Pittasoma) has been easier to see at regular stakeouts southwest of the city, so if one is active and we still need it, one of our mornings will be spent over there. Nights in Panama City.

Day 13: After a last morning on the Pipeline Road, we will return to the airport where the tour ends after lunch.

Note: We can help arrange an extension to David, in the far west of Panama, to search for a handful of endemic species and potential splits: White-throated Mountaingem, Yellow-green Brushfinch, Coiba Spinetail, Azuero Dove, “Azuero” Painted Parakeet, “Drab-breasted” Yellow-throated Bush Tanager, “Chiriquí” Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, and the near-endemic Veraguan Mango. These are all attainable with a highly targeted four-day itinerary. Glow-throated Hummingbird is also possible with extra days, but requires a strenuous hike and is not guaranteed.