Barro Colorado
This attraction is part of the itinerary for Panama Ecotours
Your group will want to arrive at Gamboa early, dressed comfortably with cotton clothing, long sleeved shirt, pants, a hat and sturdy walking shoes. Be sure to use sunscreen and bug repellant as this will make your hike more pleasant as you will be hiking in the humid tropical forest. The boat ride across Gatún Lake takes about 45 minutes and affords a wonderful opportunity to see a view of the Canal waterway and its forested shoreline. Your local guide will discuss the natural history of the land. Lake Gatun is a freshwater lake that is also a reservoir that provides water to operate the locks in the Panama Canal. This lake is loaded with fish of all kinds, and it has been a protected nature reserve since 1923. Whether your hike takes you onto one of the peninsulas or on the Barro Colorado Island itself there is so much to see and do. Barro Colorado provides protection to one fourth of the forest in the Panama Canal Watershed. Soberanía National Park and Barro Colorado also provide refuge to nearly 50% of all of the birds and mammal species reported in Panama. Barro Colorado Island alone is home to 115 mammal species, including 72 species of bats, 5 species of monkeys, agoutis, tapirs, coatimundis, sloths and peccaries.
This is the location of Panama's only volcano, the majestic Volcán Barú. Now a national park (the volcano is no longer active), visitors can trek, hike, climb or horseback ride to their hearts’ content along its seven craters. Keep your eyes peeled: the park is home to puma, jaguar, and tapir, as well as hundreds of bird species.
The fauna and flora is as impressive as there are more than 1,200 plant species on the Island. In order to hike on the island, you’ll need to fill out the request form from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Other Panama Attractions: Barro Colorado | Barú Volcano Natural Park | Taboga Island
