Panama: Fall at the Canopy Tower

The Canopy tower is perched atop a hill in Soberania National Park…
The Canopy tower is perched atop a hill in Soberania National Park…
…and offers great views of the expansive forests…
…and offers great views of the expansive forests…
Formerly a U.S. military radar site, the Tower has been refurnished, with an expansive and excellent dining room…
Formerly a U.S. military radar site, the Tower has been refurnished, with an expansive and excellent dining room…
The top deck provides views of treetop animals such as this wildly colored Collared Aracari…
The top deck provides views of treetop animals such as this wildly colored Collared Aracari…
…the stately Black-breasted Puffbird…
…the stately Black-breasted Puffbird…
Cinnamon Woodpecker
Cinnamon Woodpecker
 Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth…
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth…
…inquisitive Geoffrey’s Tamarins…
…inquisitive Geoffrey’s Tamarins…
and perhaps a bright insect or two like this Imperial Arcas
and perhaps a bright insect or two like this Imperial Arcas
           Using open-air vehicles we’ll explore the many birding locations within a few miles of the tower...
Using open-air vehicles we’ll explore the many birding locations within a few miles of the tower...
...where over 400 species of birds have been recorded, from Slaty-tailed Trogon...
...where over 400 species of birds have been recorded, from Slaty-tailed Trogon...
…and Rusty-margined Flycatcher...
…and Rusty-margined Flycatcher...
A trip to the famous Pipeline Road…
A trip to the famous Pipeline Road…
…perhaps an active antswarm with its attendant Ocellated Antbirds.
…perhaps an active antswarm with its attendant Ocellated Antbirds.
Over 400 bird species have been seen within 20 miles of the Canopy Tower ranging from Broad-billed Motmot...
Over 400 bird species have been seen within 20 miles of the Canopy Tower ranging from Broad-billed Motmot...
...the vocal but shy Streak-chested Antpitta...
...the vocal but shy Streak-chested Antpitta...
...and always it seems a surprise or two, like this Collared Forest Falcon.
...and always it seems a surprise or two, like this Collared Forest Falcon.
Mantled Howler Monkeys may follow us along the trail…
Mantled Howler Monkeys may follow us along the trail…
…where we’ll pause to admire the occasional bubbling waterfall…
…where we’ll pause to admire the occasional bubbling waterfall…
…or perhaps some of the harder to spot denizens of the forest like this Common Basilisk…
…or perhaps some of the harder to spot denizens of the forest like this Common Basilisk…
…or these young Spectacled Owls…
…or these young Spectacled Owls…
...as well as more widespread ones like Gartered Trogon...
...as well as more widespread ones like Gartered Trogon...
…or the glittering Crowned Woodnymph.
…or the glittering Crowned Woodnymph.
If we’re really lucky we might catch sight of some roosting Panama Night Monkeys.
If we’re really lucky we might catch sight of some roosting Panama Night Monkeys.
A trip to the nearby Cerro Azul will be a change of pace from the humid lowlands, with an array of dazzling hummingbirds including the cute Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
A trip to the nearby Cerro Azul will be a change of pace from the humid lowlands, with an array of dazzling hummingbirds including the cute Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
the endemic Violet-capped Hummingbird or
the endemic Violet-capped Hummingbird or
other nectivores like the simply stunning Shining Honeycreeeper
other nectivores like the simply stunning Shining Honeycreeeper
or other gems like this Speckled Tanager
or other gems like this Speckled Tanager
or the lovely Bay-headed Tanager
or the lovely Bay-headed Tanager
We'll look particularly hard for the local and endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker,
We'll look particularly hard for the local and endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker,
Photo credit: Gavin Bieber
2025 Tour Price
$3,090
2025
Single Room Supplement** (see note in Tour Notes below)
2026
Tour Price to be Determined
Maximum group size 10 with one leader and a local guide.
Tour balances paid by check/bank transfer may carry a 4% discount

Panama is one of those fortunate places where two great avifaunas meet. As one moves from the Costa Rican border east toward the Colombian border, Central American birds drop out and the truly Neotropical groups such as antbirds, woodcreepers, tyrant flycatchers, hummingbirds and tanagers begin to dominate. It all makes for an exceedingly rich birding experience. Our trip is timed to take advantage of the end of fall migration, when resident breeding birds are joined by wintering migrants and transients from North America. This influx of Nearctic migrants makes for a very diverse avian assemblage. The acclaimed Canopy Tower serves as a delightful home base as we explore several remarkable birding areas including Pipeline Road, which offers arguably the best lowland birding in Central America, with over 400 species recorded from this single locale! After our stay at the Tower, you have the option of continuing on with our Western Highlands and Bocas del Toro tour. Here we’ll find extensive and lush cloud forest, Caribbean lowlands and a substantially new suite of birds. 

Tour Team
Itinerary (Click to see more)
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Tour Notes

**Single Room Supplement (SRS): At the Canopy Tower, single rooms are small but now have en suite bathrooms and showers. There is no SRS for these rooms. If space permits, single travelers may request to stay in a larger double-occupancy room. Single occupancy of those double rooms would be an additional $1450.

Maximum group size 10 with one leader and a local guide.

More Tours with these Leaders

Waitlisted
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Mar 24-30, 2025Gavin Bieber

Canopy Lodge Extension to Apr 4