Panama - Harpy Eagle Special

Tour Code: PAN07

An 8-day bird-filled holiday providing a wonderful opportunity to see one of world's "must see" species: the mighty Harpy Eagle.

8 days from
£3,895 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£3,195
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

Exciting news has just come in from our friends at the Canopy Tower in Panama. A nesting pair of Harpy Eagles, one of the largest eagles in the world, has recently been located near to the Canopy Camp at the Darién Gap. This majestic predator is on the wish-list of most birders, and once a nest is found, the birds can reliably be seen for a considerable period of time as the parents regularly visit the nest in the early stages and then the fledged juvenile remains close to the nest for up to a year! Only rarely do opportunities like this come around and we have launched this special departure for those with Harpy Eagle as a "bucket list" bird.

  • Visit the active nest site of the Harpy Eagle
  • Nusagandi foothills
  • African safari-style walk-in tents
  • Bird true Central American wilderness
  • Black Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antwren & Orange-crowned Oriole
  • White-eared Conebill, Green-naped Tanager & Great Curassow among target species
  • Crested Eagle possible
  • Led by expert local birding guides

 

Grading

Easy walking but considerable time on foot so reasonable level of fitness required.

The Darién Gap is a break in the Pan-American Highway consisting of a large swathe of swampland and forest within Panama’s Darién Province in Central America and the northern portion of Colombia’s Chocó Department in South America. Long revered by avid birders as a haven for rare species, including the majestic Harpy Eagle (Panama’s national bird), this region is now readily accessible via a new highway, which extends south through Panama and into the heart of this bird-rich territory! We have recently received exciting news that close to the camp an active Harpy Eagle nest has been found. Access has been granted by the local land owners for those staying at the camp to view the nest to offer a wonderful opportunity to see this legendary species. The young bird will fledge after around 6 months and remain in the crown of the nest tree and very nearby for around a year before becoming independent

Although the main target there is a huge amount to see here besides the Harpy Eagle. After a night in Panama City we drive towards the Darién, exploring the foothills of Nusagandi in search of the elusive Broad-billed Sapayoa, and the Bayano Reservoir in search of Black Antshrike, Rufous-winged Antwren and Orangecrowned Oriole. We then spend five nights at the new Canopy Camp Darién, where we will stay in spacious and comfortable walk-in safari tents, each with full-sized beds, private bathroom facilities with hot water and flush toilets, electricity and a fan. We won’t have to travel too far into the Filo de Tallo Hydrological Reserve which surrounds us, as the camp’s garden is frequented by such regional specialties as Greycheeked Nunlet, White-headed Wren and Palebellied Hermit!

Other species that we’ll be targeting during the week include Spectacled Parrotlet, Duskybacked Jacamar, Double-banded Greytail, Whiteeared Conebill, Green-naped Tanager and the spectacular Great Curassow. We will also venture further into Darién National Park, to the lowlands and foothills of Cerro Pirre where Red-and-green Macaw, Saffron-headed Parrot, Crested Eagle, Pirre Hummingbird, Pirre Warbler, Viridian Dacnis, Sharpbill, Scarlet-browed Tanager and many other species which cannot be seen elsewhere in Central America all become targets. 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Panama
Day 2/6
Transfer to Canopy Camp and daily birdwaching.
Day 7
Leave for airport
Day 8
Land UK
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation: 1 night at Riande Airport Hotel followed by 5 nights at the Canopy Tented Camp. Rooms en-suite.
  • Food: All included in the cost.
Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 16th Apr – Wed 23rd Apr FULL £3,895
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£465
Sat 26th Apr – Sat 3rd May SPACES £3,895
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£465

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Thu 16th Apr – Thu 23rd Apr SPACES £3,895
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,195
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£465 
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Bargain Birdwatching Holidays


Our bargain birdwatching tours suit keen birders who want an active, fast-paced birding holiday with a dedicated focus on searching for birds rather than on looking at the area’s other wildlife or cultural highlights.


We offer a wide selection of long-haul holidays to many destinations in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere.


What can I expect?


    

  • An expert English-speaking local ornithologist leader
    • 

  • Outstanding value for money
    • 

  • Dawn-to-dusk birding with limited time for rest, relaxation and outside interests
    • 

  • Enviable bird lists
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  • Focused searches for endemics and regional specialities
    • 



Who are these tours best suited to?


    

  • Keen & active birders – whether expert or making their first visit to a country or continent
    • 

  • People looking for an action-packed bird-focused tour
    • 



Where can I go?


Naturetrek's selection of birdwatching holidays includes many South and Central American countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Panama.


In Africa our selection includes Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa, while in India and Nepal we offer a choice of 17 bargain birdwatching tours! Here are a few more choices:



 


 




 


Our specialist recommends...







"I’d recommend our ‘Nepal’ holiday visiting Chitwan National Park and Koshi Tappu Reserve, and ‘India – Bharatpur & Chambal’ within Asia. Try ‘Ecuador – Cock-of-the-rock’ for a superb introduction to Andean birding, while, if you want a bit of luxury, the accommodation we use on our ‘Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park’ tour is top class.” 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




 


All Bargain birdwatching Tours

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Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

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Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

Allow our experts to create a private, customised itinerary with dates and prices to suit you.

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!

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Harpy Eagle Updates 2022
Harpy Eagle Updates 2022

Harpy Eagles are truly magnificent and highly sought birds. Each Harpy Eagle pair needs several square miles of undisturbed forest to thrive and breed, hunting their established range continuously to feed themselves and offspring. In this article, read recent Harpy Eagle nest updates from Panama and Brazil.