The Chagres Challenge - a full day jungle expedition from sunrise to sunset
- 14–16 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
Leave behind the exhausting noise of cities and escape to the stunning natural beauty of the Chagres National Park. This unforgettable adventure includes hiking, rafting, camping and transportation on indigenous Embera motorboat. The Chagres River is virtually unseen in the trek trough the Chagres National Park due to the lack of access roads and protection against settlers. This part of the river, characterized by currents alternating with backwaters, is considered as class II, although several rapids are considered Class III by the International Classification of River Navigation. Although it's the natural habitat of big mammals such as tapir and jaguar, it is much easier to spot several others samples of the fauna, such as monkeys of the rainforest, sloth, river otter, iguana, tucan, and plenty of fish.
Inclusions
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bottled water
- Rafts and gear
- Professional guide trained in white-water navigation skills, first-aid and CPR
- Lunch
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Breakfast
What's not
- Gratuities
Itinerary
Start at 5am after your picked and taken in an all-terrain vehicle from your hotel to the remote village of San Cristobal. After enjoying a typical Panamanian breakfast, visit a campesino survival agricultural farm in the Chagres National Park. Next, hike for about 2-hours up to Rio Piedras. This area is a Chagres River tributary, where you will get into your rafts and begin to float downstream, (Class II-III rapids) floating into the untouched jungles of the Chagres National Park. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as monkeys, sloth, river otter, iguana, toucan and fish. From late February through early June you might have to hike all the way to the Chagres River (which takes 3-hours) because Piedras River might be to low to raft on. After lunch, continue rafting further downstream passing an impressive granite canyon with some white water rapid action, and ending just before encountering Madden Lake where you met by a "piragua" (native wooden canoe equipped with outboard motor). Ride in the piragua further downstream to the nearest road where a driver will be expecting you and ready to bring you back to civilization, and to your hotel in Panama City around 7pm.
we will paddle by it at the end of the day
We will navigate along it at the end of the day
We will navigate along it at the end of the day
we will drive next to it at dawn
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 521
- 42
- 30
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 23 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Adventures Panama
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- A minimum of 4 people per booking is required
How it compares in Panama City
- Its from-price is 213% above the median of the 166 day trips we list in Panama City.
- It is longer than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 37 of 166.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Panama City
Panama City is the capital at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, with a colonial old quarter, a glittering skyline and rainforest at its edge.
Panama City sits on the Pacific coast beside the entrance to the Panama Canal, and ships queue in the bay for the passage. The Miraflores Locks, a short drive from the centre, let visitors watch vessels being raised and lowered. Casco Viejo, the old quarter founded in 1673, has restored colonial plazas, churches and balconied houses, and the Amador Causeway runs out into the bay with views back to the skyline.
Top-ranked sights in Panama City: Casco Viejo, Panama Canal, Amador Causeway (Calzada de Amador).
Special offers in Panama City
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
Likely to sell out11% off
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