THE PARROTS OF PANAMA JULY 2026 TOUR

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PRICE of main Parrot Watching Ecotour.
$ per person sharing a double/twin room
​$ single supplement
DEPOSIT $
Balance to be paid 60 days before the start of the trip.
Includes all road transfers within Panama, accommodation, meals (from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 18),
water,
transport including drivers,
English speaking guide plus local guides,
all entry fees to National Parks and private ranches.
Also includes internal flights
boat trips.
NOT included:-
International flights, insurance, visas, airport taxes,  drinks, souvenirs, tips, any additional activities not mentioned in the itinerary.

Panama - July 2026 - The only time of the year to go to have a chance of the Azuero Parakeet (Conure) but we will also have many other Parrots.

Day 1 - Arrival in Panama
Day 2 - Drive to Meteti, birding along Pan-American Highway
Day 3 - Darien lowlands birding
Day 4 - Darien National Park (overnight Rancho Frio)
Day 5 - Darien National Park & return to Meteti
Day 6 - Darien lowlands birding & return to Panama City
Day 7 - Cerro Azul & Panama City coastal areas
Day 8 – Panama Rainforest Discovery Center & Pipeline Road
Day 9 - Pacific Lowlands & drive to Azuero
Day 10 - Cerro Hoya National Park
Day 11 – Coiba National Park
Day 12 - Azuero to David and Boquete
Day 13 - Boquete
Day 14 - Boquete
Day 15 - Fortuna Forest Reserve & Continental Divide to Almirante
Day 16 – Bocas del Toro
Day 17 – Morning birding and flight to Panama City
Day 18 - Departure

​DETAILED ITINERARY: PARROTS OF PANAMA TOUR
Day 1: Arrival in Panama
Welcome to Panama! After arriving at Tocumen International Airport you will transfer to the hotel.
This afternoon we can enjoy some birding around the hotel grounds – Orange-chinned Parakeets as well as Red-lored and Yellow-crowned parrots can be seen while exploring the grounds, as well as Redcrowned Woodpecker, Roadside Hawk, Clay-colored Thrush, Crimson-backed and Blue-gray tanagers, and Thick-billed Euphonia, among many others, can be seen here.
This evening, we will enjoy dinner and prepare for the upcoming days of birding in eastern Panama.
Overnight at Riande Aeropuerto Hotel.

Day 2: Drive to Darien, birding along Pan-American Highway
Today we will depart early and head east toward Darien. This morning, we will explore the Llano-Carti Road in search of Blue-fronted Parrotlet and other parrots we may find along the way. As we continue eastward, we will make stops along the way in the Bayano Lake and Rio Mono area of eastern Panama Province, where we will look for Blue-headed Parrot, Brown-hooded Parrot, and Mealy Parrot, as well as some eastern Panama specialties including Black Antshrike, Jet Antbird, Orange-crowned Oriole, Onecolored Becard, Rusty-winged Antwren, Green-and-rufous Kingfisher, Barred Puffbird, and Pied Water-Tyrant.
This afternoon we will continue birding along the far reaches the Pan-America Highway, where we hope to see Spectacled Parrotlet, Striped Cuckoo, Pearl Kite, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, and Spot-crowned Barbet, among many others.
Overnight at Bellagio Hotel or similar (Meteti).

Day 3: Darien lowlands birding
We will spend the day birding along the far reaches of the highway. In these productive lowlands, we will seek out Chestnut-fronted, Blue-and-yellow, and Great Green macaws. We will also watch for Spectacled Parrotlets, Blue-headed and Brown-hooded parrots, among others. Blue Cotinga, White necked Puffbird, Red-throated Caracara, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Bare-crowned Antbird, Black Antshrike, Ochre-lored Flatbill and many others are also found here. We will also scan roadside wetlands and forest edge for even more Darien lowland species.
Overnight at Bellagio Hotel or similar (Meteti).

Day 4: Darien National Park
Today we will journey deep into Darien, beyond the end of the Pan-American Highway. We will travel by boat along the Chucunaque and Tuira rivers, and from El Real, drive on a rugged road to the trailhead of Darien National Park. As we walk through mature lowland forest, we will watch for Brown-hooded, Blueheaded, and Mealy parrots, arriving at Rancho Frio Station by mid-day.
​This afternoon we will explore the slopes of Cerro Pirre, in search of our main targets, Saffron-headed Parrot, Red-and-green Macaw, and Great Green Macaw.
These slopes are a mecca for birders, and we will also be on the lookout for Black-crowned Antpitta, Olive-backed Quail-Dove, Lemon-spectacled and Scarlet-browed tanagers, and even Harpy Eagle is found in these forests. After dark, we can seek out owls and nocturnal wildlife around the station.
Overnight at Rancho Frio Station. *
(*Please note that the hike to Rancho Frio is approximately 5 km from the trailhead through lowland forest. It is
primarily flat with some stream crossings. Porters will assist with carrying gear and supplies.
Overnight accommodations are very basic, sleeping in rustic dormitory at the ranger station or if preferred, in jungle
hammocks or tents.)

Day 5: Darien National Park & return to Meteti
This morning we will continue our search for Saffron-headed Parrot, macaws and other regional endemics of Darien in this highly biodiverse park. Red-throated Caracara, Choco Elaenia, Central American Pygmy-Owl, Choco Sirystes, Golden-headed Manakin, and many others are all possible to find here. Then we will retrace our steps back to Meteti. If time permits, we can continue birding in the Darien lowlands prior to dinner.
Overnight at Bellagio Hotel or similar (Meteti).

Day 6: Darien lowlands birding & return to Panama City
We have a final day in Darien to explore the lowlands in search of any parrots we have yet to see, or get better looks and photographs of parrots we have already seen. We will also watch for Pied Water-Tyrant, Striped Cuckoo, Royal Flycatcher, Capped Heron, Savanna Hawk, among others. This afternoon we will return to Panama City, stopping at strategic birding areas along the way.
Overnight at Riande Aeropuerto Hotel.

Day 7: Cerro Azul & Panama City coastal areas
Today we’ll enjoy a day of birding in the cooler foothills of Cerro Azul and Chagres National Park. It is one of the best places to look for Blue-headed Parrotlet, as well as Yellow-eared Toucanet, Sulphur-rumped, Emerald, Speckled and Rufous-winged tanagers, Black-eared Wood-Quail, White-ruffed Manakin and the endemic Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker! We’ll scan the open vistas for King Vulture and Black-andwhite Hawk-Eagle. But most of all, Cerro Azul is a paradise for hummingbirds and hummingbird photography – White-tipped Sicklebill, Violet-capped Hummingbird, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird, Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer, Green Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy and Rufous-crested Coquette can be found here.
We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the field, surrounded by the beautiful nature and climate of Cerro Azul. In the afternoon we’ll explore the coastal savannas and mangroves of Panama City, a good place to see Yellow-crowned Parrot (Panamanian Amazon). We can also scan the mangroves and mudflats for shorebirds and waterbirds.
Overnight at Summit Rainforest Resort.

Day 8: Panama Rainforest Discovery Center & Pipeline Road
Early this morning we head to the top of the observation tower at the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center, in hopes to find Mealy and Red-lored parrots perching in the rainforest canopy. This is also a good place to try for photos of parrots at eye level, both perched and in flight.
We can also explore the world-famous Pipeline Road, a trail through the lowland rainforest of Soberania National Park and is home to hundreds of species. It is a great place to find Brown-hooded Parrots in the midstory. Other birds we may come across include Red-capped Manakin, Black Hawk-Eagle, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Spotted Antbird, Cinnamon Woodpecker and some other less common rainforest species, including Ocellated Antbird, Streak-chested 
Antpitta and Pheasant Cuckoo.
In the afternoon we will stroll around the grounds of the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve. This area has trails, forest, open areas, wetlands and is particularly ‘birdy.’ Here we’ll keep an eye out for Blue-headed Parrot, Gartered Trogon, Golden-hooded Tanager, Yellow-throated Toucan, and Black-striped
Sparrow.
Overnight at Summit Rainforest Resort.

Day 9: Pacific lowlands & drive to Azuero
Today we will check out early and head westward to the Pacific coast to explore in the lowlands. The open fields and dry scrubby areas of Juan Hombron and El Chiru are great places to find Brown-throated Parakeet and Yellow-crowned Parrot. These open fields are also a great place to find raptors including Crested Caracara, Pearl Kite, Aplomado Falcon, and Savanna Hawk, and other Pacific lowland birds such as Veraguan Mango, Crested Bobwhite, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Lance-tailed Manakin, Plainbreasted Spinetail and water birds including Wood Stork, herons, ibises, waders and more. Then we will carry on westward to the Azuero peninsula.
Overnight at Heliconia Inn B&B.

Day 10: Cerro Hoya National Park
Today’s main target is the Azuero Parakeet, a subspecies of the Painted Parakeet endemic to the mountains of Cerro Hoya National Park. We will spend the full day seeking out this unique parakeet, as well as other psittacines, including Brown-throated, Crimson-fronted, and Orange-chinned parakeets and Blue-headed-Parrot, and if very lucky, we may even come across Scarlet Macaw in the lowlands! We will spend the full day in this unique region. Along the way, we may come across other interesting birds, such as Orange-collared and Lance-tailed manakins, Blue-throated Goldentail, Black-chested Jay, Crested Oropendola, among many others.
Overnight at Heliconia Inn B&B.

Day 11: Coiba National Park
Today we will venture to the unique island of Coiba, off Panama’s Pacific coast. Coiba is a hotspot for endemic species and subspecies of birds and mammals, and is highly biodiverse, serving as an important site for biological investigation and marine conservation. Today’s main target is the Scarlet Macaw, and we may also come across the endemic Coiba Spinetail. This afternoon we will return to the mainland and enjoy the birds around the lodge.
Overnight at Heliconia Inn B&B.

Day 12 - Azuero to David & Boquete
After hopefully some luck with the Painted Parakeet and Scarlet Macaw, we can continue westward to Chiriqui.
Today will be mainly a driving day (approximately 5 hours drive), but if desired, we can stop and explore the coastal lowlands around David, another known place to see Scarlet Macaw, Brown-throated Parakeet, Crimson-fronted Parakeet, and other Pacific lowland species.
Then we will head to the beautiful highland region of Boquete.
Overnight at Boquete Tree Trek.

Days 13 & 14 - Boquete
We will spend these two full days exploring the Talamanca mountains in the highland region surrounding the town of Boquete. Here we will be seeking out our main highland parrot targets: Barred Parakeet, Redfronted Parrotlet, Crimson-fronted Parakeet, and Sulphur-winged Parakeet. We will also no doubt come across many other species endemic to the Talamanca highlands - Black-thighed Grosbeak, Yellow-winged Vireo, Yellowish Flycatcher, Ruddy Treerunner, Streak-breasted Treehaunter, Purplethroated Mountain-gem, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Spangle-cheeked Tanager, and Long-tailed and Black-and-yellow silky-flycatchers are all found here, and we will also hope to see the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal.
Overnights at Boquete Tree Trek.

Day 15 - Fortuna Forest Reserve & Continental Divide to Almirante
Today we’ll depart early for Bocas del Toro, a drive of several hours, which takes us through the vast Fortuna Forest Reserve of eastern Chiriqui province. We will be amazed by the spectacular scenery here, and make stops along the way to stretch our legs and see what birds are around. We will watch for Red-fronted Parrotlets and Sulphur-winged Parakeets flying overhead, hopefully with some nice perched views. This is also a great area to see Black-bellied Hummingbird, Blue-and-gold Tanager, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, and much more. As we descend to the Caribbean lowlands, we will watch for White-crowned Parrots and Montezuma Oropendola. Upon arrival this afternoon at our lovely B&B in Charagre, we will settle in and get acquainted with the local birdlife, including Olive-backed Euphonia, Golden-hooded Tanager, and Snowy Cotinga! As dusk approaches, we will watch Red-lored, Mealy, Blue-headed, and Yellow-crowned parrots retreat
to their evening roosts.
Overnight at Bocas Ridge Hotel.

Day 16 - Bocas del Toro lowlands
We will enjoy a full day of exploration in the Bocas del Toro lowlands. We can venture out to search nearby wetlands and riverbanks, and roadside forest edge, and a variety of other habitats found in this area. Our main target here, and the final of the tour, is the Olive-throated Parakeet, which we will hope to see flying over and perched in the trees. Other specialties of this area include White-collared Manakin, Bronzy Hermit, Brown Jay, Black-throated and Canebrake wrens, and Black-cowled Oriole, among others. Furthermore, we will enjoy the warm hospitality of our hosts, and delicious local food. Overnight at Bocas Ridge Hotel.

Day 17 – Bocas birding, flight to Panama City & transfer to hotel
We can enjoy some final birding around the B&B and local area. Then we will check out and transfer to the nearby airport in Changuinola to catch our midday flight back to Panama City. Upon arrival in Panama City, we will transfer to the hotel for our final night of the tour, or if desired, we can visit some (optional) local city attractions such as Miraflores Locks at the Panama and Casco Viejo.
​Overnight at Riande Aeropuerto Hotel.

Day 18 - Departure
This morning after breakfast we will transfer via hotel shuttle to the international airport for our return flights home.

Parrots to be seen on this trip:-
Scarlet Macaw - Ara macao macao
Great-green Macaw - Ara ambiguus
Green-winged Macaw - Ara chloropterus
Blue and yellow Macaw - Ara ararauna
Chestnut-fronted Macaw - Ara severus
Crimson-fronted Conure - Psittacara finschi
Brown-throated Conure - Eupsittula pertinax ocularis
Olive-throated Conure - Eupsittula nana astec
Azuero Conure - Pyrrhura eisenmanni
Western Sulphur-winged Conure - Pyrrhura hoffmanni hoffmanni
Eastern Sulphur-winged Conure - Pyrrhura hoffmanni gaudens
Barred Parakeet - Bolborhynchus lineola lineola
Spectacled Parrotlet - Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus
Blue-fronted Parrotlet - Touit dilectissimus
Red-fronted Parrotlet - Touit costaricensis
Orange-chinned Parakeet - Brotogeris jugularis jugularis
Brown-hooded Parrot - Pyrilia haematotis haematotis
Brown-hooded Parrot - Pyrilia haematotis coccincollaris
Saffron-headed Parrot - Pyrilia pyrilia
White-crowned Parrot - Pionus senilis
Blue-headed Parrot - Pionus menstruus rubrigularis
Red-lored Amazon - Amazona autumnalis salvini
Yellow-crowned Amazon - Amazona ochrecephala panamensis
​Mealy Amazon - Amazona farinosa virenticeps
​Please note:-
I cannot guarantee seeing all or any of these Parrots however we will have a great guide to help us in every way possible.
We will see lots of other bird and animal species.