Panama to Costa Rica PRISTINE PARKS ABOARD the VOYAGER FEBRUARY 22 – MARCH 4, 2019 Corcovado National Park
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Panama to Costa Rica PRISTINE PARKS ABOARD THE VOYAGER FEBRUARY 22 – MARCH 4, 2019 Corcovado National Park Emberá village Bay-headed tanager Orchid MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON Mass Audubon’s roots were established in 1896 by Founding Mothers Harriet Lawrence Hemenway and Minna B. Hall, who persuaded ladies of fashion to forgo the cruelly harvested plumage that adorned their hats. Noted ornithologist William Brewster was enlisted as the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s first president (1896-1913) to advance legislation to restrict the killing of birds and sale of their plumage. Environmental education and advocacy for conservation were driving forces from our beginnings. Mass Audubon continues 120+ years later, as a strong conservation leader. Mass Audubon Natural History Travel program began in the early 1960’s with the mission to share world-class birding with broader education about the natural world. We—as an organization and individuals—are deeply committed to getting people connected to nature. However, the effects of climate change are evident, and we, as travelers, are often conflicted with our desire to explore new places while wanting to be responsible stewards of the natural world. Mass Audubon works to fight climate change, but we know we can do even more. So in fall 2017, we teamed up with NativeEnergy to offset the carbon costs of all flights for Mass Audubon’s tours. NativeEnergy calculates the carbon footprint of all Mass Audubon tour related flights. These funds then finance carbon-reducing projects with strong social and environmental benefits. Fatimella Emesis butterfly Emberá children Turquoise-browed Motmot Three-toed sloth Yellow warbler Coiba National Park MASS AUDUBON HAS BEEN TAKING TRAVELERS TO COSTA RICA AND PANAMA FOR OVER 40 YEARS! But rarely do we get the opportunity to explore these fascinatingly diverse birding destinations by ship! This new and very special cruise - aboard the yacht Voyager - explores the rich Pacific coast – beginning at the world-famous Pipeline Road and remote Darién National Park in Panama. We continue northwards to spend a day at Isla de Coiba - one of the last relics of tropical moist forest in Pacific Central America. Cruising north along the coast, we will have time to fully explore Coiba National Park, gorgeous Piedras Blancas National Park, Terraba-Sierpe Reserve, and ending at one of our favorite places: Carara National Park in Costa Rica. Along the way, we will be birding, snorkeling, river rafting, and learning. For those who wish to extend their journey, ask us about our Costa Rica Birding tour: March 5- 15, 2018 with Jeff Collins, Director of Conservation Science at Mass Audubon. Peruto Caldera San José Carara National Park COSTA RICA Gamboa Rainforest Lodge Soberanía Panama City National Park Piedras Blancas National Park Drake Bay PANAMA Golfito Corcovado National Park Punta Alegre Darien National Park Coiba National Park Red-legged honeycreeper DAILY ITINERARY Day 1 • Friday, February 22 ARRIVAL IN PANAMA CITY Fly today from your home to Panama City on independent flight arrangements. No matter what time you arrive we are there to meet you and take you to Gamboa Rainforest Lodge located about an hour from the airport. Day 2 • Saturday, February 23 SOBERANÍA NATIONAL PARK & GATUN LAKE / EMBARK VOYAGER Those who would like an early start will meet your naturalist EXPEDITION HIGHLIGHTS guide and fellow birders over coffee, pastries and fruit before heading to Soberanía National Park. Our first stop will be Travel by small-ship for seven nights, ensuring access on Pipeline Road, where the Audubon Society held its world to remote areas. Christmas bird count record for 19 years straight, with 357 Explore famed national parks, including Soberania, species of birds identified in a period of 24 hours. The now home to over 530 species of birds & 105 species of abandoned gravel road built in World War II to transport mammals, as well as the remote Darien, one of Central fuel from one ocean to the other to maintain the pipeline America’s most ecologically diverse areas. provides excellent walking access to Soberanía’s 55,000 Swim & snorkel off the island of Granito de Oro. acres of tropical rainforest. The park boasts an impressive Discover the cultural traditions of the Emberá people. list of over 530 species of birds including the Black Hawk- Add to your life’s birding checklist at locations eagle, Black-cheeked woodpecker, Black-breasted Puffbird, throughout! Piedras Blancas National Park is an Broad-billed Motmot, Blue Cotinga, Purple-throated important gathering point for many birds from North Fruitcrow, Masked Tytira, Violaceous Trogon, Fasciated and South America. Antshrike, Shining honeycreeper and a great array of North American migrants. Soberania is also home to 105 species of mammals including large felines, Tamandua, Two and Three-toed Sloth, 4 species Gamboa Rainforest Lodge of monkeys, Agouti and 59 endemic plant species in 4 life zones. Also, visit the Rainforest Discovery Center where you enjoy spectacular views of Soberania National Park’s vastness and canopy bird species from the 100-foot observation tower. Standing above the canopy, witness the morning flight of Keel- billed Toucans, Red-lored Amazons and the silent and stealthy movement of Mantled Howler Monkeys. You continue to explore the network of trails surrounding the Discovery Center and enjoy the hummingbird feeders that provide up close and personal views of 10 species of hummingbirds! Harpy eagle After early morning birding, we return to the lodge for a full breakfast and a bit of time to refresh before checking out Lunch is back aboard ship and in the afternoon the Emberá and enjoying a trip by boat across Gatun Lake which is part of people of the Mogue River have invited us to visit their the Panama Canal. Green iguana, Three-toed sloth, American community. The journey up river takes us through red, black crocodile, Snail Kite and Osprey in the hunt for peacock bass are and button mangroves making the boat ride extraordinary generally seen here. in itself. Look out for Neotropical Cormorant, Sswallow- Drive into town for lunch in a local restaurant. Later we visit tailed Kite, Mangrove Black-hawk, Green Heron and Snowy the Biodiversity Museum which is a Smithsonian affiliate Egret along with Rufescent Tiger heron stalking through the museum and serves as a gateway to information about the undergrowth. Green kingfisher, Mangrove Yellow Warbler and natural history of the Isthmus of Panama. The building was crab-eating raccoons are common along with iridescent Blue designed by the world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. The Morpho butterflies. Dinner is again onboard the Voyager and Flamenco Marina is only a few minutes away and this is where this evening we reposition to another part of the Darien. B,L,D our ship is ready and waiting for us to embark. We have dinner aboard Voyager and begin sailing overnight to the Darien. B,L,D Day 4 • Monday, February 25 PUNTO PATIÑO NATURE RESERVE, DARIÉN NATIONAL PARK Day 3 • Sunday, February 24 On the southern shore of the Gulf of San Miguel, this 65,025- PUNTA ALEGRE, DARIÉN NATIONAL PARK acre wildlife preserve is owned by the National Association Following breakfast, local boats take us from the ship to for the Conservation of Nature (ANCON), a Panamanian explore some of the mangroves and estuaries of this part non-profit conservation organization. It is the largest private of Panama’s remote Darien region. This National Park of nature reserve in Central America consisting largely of rare 1,400,000 acres is situated in the eastern part of the country, primary and secondary dry deciduous tropical forest. It bordering Colombia and is the largest protected nature area contains species-rich primary and secondary forest, and is of Central America and the Caribbean. In the mangroves, one of the best places in Panama to spot Harpy Eagles. This there’s a good chance of spotting Roseate Spoonbills, Amazon morning we observe Blue-footed Boobies in a nearby rookery Kingfishers, White ibises and herons, as well as waders such as along with mangroves where birds, marine life and other Willets, Whimbrels and Spotted sandpipers. wildlife make their home. We also explore estuaries and shorelines from our small boats before lunch back on board. serve as a refuge and source of species replenishment for other islands, including the Cocos and Galapagos, during and after El Niño disturbances. Enjoy a nature walk with our naturalists to introduce you to the islands this afternoon. B,L,D Day 6 • Wednesday, February 27 COIBA NATIONAL PARK Spend the day exploring Coiba National Park. Begin on the island of Granito de Oro. This tiny speckle in the vast ocean features a white-sand beach, a handful of coconut trees and an army of hermit crabs. Few places allow swimmers and snorkelers to walk into calm waters and into an amazing world of coral and fish life directly from the beach. You will immerse yourself in the rich tropical waters of Coiba to explore the reef and its inhabitants. Snorkel the coral reef where sightings of Snapper, Grouper, Jack, Moray eels and the benign White- tipped shark are not uncommon. Walk along Los Monos Trail. The trail includes sections of virgin primary forest where a number of bird species can be observed such as Bi-colored Hawk, White-throated Thrush, Lance-tailed Manakin, Coiba Spinetail and the endemic Brown-backed Dove among others. Later this afternoon, head toward the central station of the old penal colony where you are free to roam the installations of the Fiery-billed Aracari once notorious prison. Abandoned cells, chapels, a cemetery, dining halls and the original 1919 main prison building still stand the test of time. In the afternoon we land at Punta Patino beach to explore trails Afterwards explore the Hot Springs Trail flanked by steep within the Punta Patino Nature Reserve.