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For a short birding holiday, wrapped in an extremely pleasant clime, you can't do better than a visit to Panama's Canopy Lodge. Familiar with the Canopy Tower? Expect the same level of service, cuisine, and hospitality, finer accommodations, cooler days, and rich birding right on the grounds. Unacquainted? Expect some really cool birding!
Situated at about 2100 feet along a lovely stream at the edge of picturesque El Valle in the province of Coclé, Canopy Lodge was conceived and designed by Raul Arias, famous for his other successful lodges at the Canopy Tower and Canopy Camp. Field Guides conducted our first tour here only a few months after it opened, as an extension to our Wild Panama tour in the spring of 2006. It was such an impressive area for relaxed birding that we decided this foothill destination would be ideal site for a short, stand-alone tour, and we have enjoyed many tours here since.
At the Canopy Lodge, each day is pleasantly cool early and late, and pleasantly warm mid-day. The habitats are varied, the birds diverse and numerous, the accommodations splendid and tastefully appointed, the food tasty and creative, and the pace--well, holiday. The stream draws numerous species within a few feet of the dining area, including Sunbittern, Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Green Kingfisher, Buff-rumped Warbler, and occasionally Neotropical River Otter. Hummingbird feeders and banana feeders, positioned in places where one can relax in hammocks or chairs while enjoying the birds and obtaining excellent photographs, make for another carefully planned feature of the grounds. On all but two days at the Lodge, we'll have lunch in the open dining room, thereby dividing the birding into morning and afternoon outings. That makes it possible to take an afternoon off if one wishes. The other two days will be spent in beautiful areas, one known as Altos del Maria, the other, Rio Indio. Since these two areas are a fair distance from the Lodge, we'll picnic for lunch on these days.
This location is such a splendid base for our birding that Panama's Canopy Lodge makes a perfect tour for spouses who might be "lite" birders. And it will certainly make a superb introductory tour to Neotropical birds, and an exciting tour for birders who have birded some in Middle America but are still looking for their first Tody Motmot or Rosy Thrush-Tanager, or for those who have birded widely but who are still looking for their first Black-crowned Antpitta or Rufous-browed Tyrannulet while at the same time looking to relax a bit on a birder's holiday.
Special Note: We have opted to limit our Field Guides Panama tours to just 8 participants. In addition to the Field Guides staff leader, we will have a local Panamanian guide. We feel this provides the best overall experience, as some trails are narrow and a larger group will make it difficult for everyone to get good, satisfying looks at the birds. This has an impact on the tour fee, but we believe this intimacy and expertise are well worth a slight premium.
Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.
Client comment
"I chose Field Guides, in part, because the company had great reviews. My tour experience was great. The guides were very knowledgable and committed. The group gelled well and we had a lot of fun. Chris Benesh was a fantastic guide -- he brought a supreme birding knowledge and wealth of guiding experience along with patience and a sense of humor. He made the trip fun as well as informative. This was my first birding trip and it was fantastic! I would definitely go on another Field Guides Tour." R.H., PANAMA'S CANOPY LODGE