Gamboa

If you come to Panama and want to see animals the place to go is Gamboa. In particular, the Gamboa Rainforest Resort where you can join guided hikes/tours. Here you can really immerse yourself in the jungle and experience all the fauna and flora that comes with a jungle from the birds to the sloths to the leaf-cutter ants marching along their well-worn paths carrying their leaf burdens. If you are there during the rainy season when it typically rains in the late afternoon you can sit on the balcony of the Gamboa Rainforest Resort and watch the mist roll in and the rain pour down while sipping a great Mohito!  It's a great experience. And, the rains rarely last long. You can usually resume your walks after the rain. The dry season begins in mid December and last until March.

 I recommend going with a guide especially if it is your first time.  The guides are trained on how to locate animals and birds for tourists to see.  I was amazed at their ability to do this because try as I might I just can't pick them out like they can, although I am improving.  One would think that the bright colors of many of the birds would make them easy to spot.  On the contrary...The bright colors make them blend in more due to the dense foliage and all the shades of green, yellows and reds... At any rate, I have been to Gamboa multiple times and have seen a lot of critters every time I go.  Make sure you schedule a hike along the "Pipeline Road" and/or do the tour to "Monkey Island" or the "Radio Tower" tour (my favorite). You are guaranteed to see some of the wildlife on these!

If you walk the grounds on your own you can see hummingbirds buzzing from flower to flower, iguanas lounging in trees, basilisks sunning by the pools, agouti running around the grounds, and a myriad of birds if you listen and look. If you care to see some of the "nightlife" you can take one of the night tours on one of their little "trolley trucks" where the guide stands up front near the driver with a big hand-held spotlight and shines light on animals along the way.  How they spot these animals I will never know.  They must simply know the exact locations where to expect them!

Rainforest  Foliage

Lobby inside the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

Rain usually comes later in the day.

Watch the rain from the resort's bar balcony.

There are many Agouti around.

Basilisk by pool area. (Also called the "Jesus Christ Lizard" for its ability to run across the top of the water)

View of pool area from bar balcony.

Comfortable well-stated rooms at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort Hotel

Relax in a hammock on the room balcony over-looking the grounds and the Chagras River.

Crocodiles (large and small) can be seen sunning themselves

on the banks of the Chagras River. 

Capuchin Monkey

Large Crocodile seen regularly at the "Los Largartos" restaurant in Gamboa.

Large Adult Iguana seen in top of tree during the Monkey Island Tour.

Baby crocodile the guide fished out of the Chagras River to show group.

Capuchin Monkey "drops in" for a visit during the  Monkey Island tour.

Sunset on the Chagras River in Gamboa.

You can relax in a hammock on your balcony over-looking the Chagras River
and grazing Capybarra if you stay at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.

Capybarra (largest rodent in the world) can be seen grazing

on the grounds of the resort.

Howler mom and baby along Radio Tower hike.

Nocturnal 2-toed sloth snoozes.

Guide leads us up trail to old WWII radio tour site. 

One of the old Radio Tower site buildings still standing.

The jungle "reclaims" one of the Radio Tower site buildings. 

Daytime 3-toed Sloth seen climbing.

Beautiful Rufous Tiger Heron in hunt position.

Howler monkey

Yellow-headed Caracara in tree on hotel grounds. 

Curious Kiskadee

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird takes a break. 

Chestnut-sided Toucan spotted high in canopy along Pipeline hike

Keel-billed Toucan seen in canopy along Pipeline hike. 

Back side of hotel/resort

Gray-headed Chachalaca

Collared Aracari

Smooth-billed Ani

Crimson-backed Tanager