Mamoni white water river rafting and kayaking | raft | duckie

Somebody once said about Burbayar that it was "the little house in the mountain we all dreamed of having". And the truth is, we have made a lodge which provides all the basic comforts but is totally natural! We have been able to build our lodge in the middle of the forest using wood obtained sustainably, through recycling.

There is a maximum group size of 14 people. Rooms are shared. We have fully-equipped bathrooms and water 365 days a year. We have power from a small generator and through solar lamps. At night we always light candles, giving the lodge an old-fashioned atmosphere. Our terraces are surrounded by colourful and relaxing hammocks, where you can also take a siesta, read a good book and plan your upcoming trips.

Our delicious Panamanian-style meals are served in our main dining room on one of the terraces so we can enjoy the landscape, the wind and the surroundings while we eat!

The weather up here is delicious: 25 °C during the day, and at night it goes as low as 20 °C. Almost like an eternal spring! This, together with the fact that we are 375 meters above sea level, allows us to enjoy tropical nature without mosquitoes. Amazing but true!

From the lodge we start our tours through the forest. We have six trails: red, yellow, white, blue, the El Laguito and the waterfall trails. There is a trail for everyone: they take from as little as 35 minutes up to 4 hours for the more adventurous!

The materials used for building the lodge are recycled or reused, non-polluting or at least polluting as possible
We cannot accept more than 14 visitors at one given time (groups are generally 4 to 8 people) in order to reduce the impact on the environment.
Forest trails are just wide enough for people walking and they have been made without cutting down a single tree.
Visitors can only use wooden walking sticks. Metal-tipped canes are not permitted.
Solid wastes generated in the lodge are taken back to Panama City in special bags.
Food waste is reused as compost or for feeding animals.
Tours are guided scientifically with the goal of educationg about ecology, the environment and sustainability.
Visitors cannot take or cut anything from the forest
Visitors cannot throw away or leave behind any foreign element or material in the forest.
Wastewaters are sent to septic tanks.
Forest animals cannot be hunted or bothered

The first rule in Burbayar is: "You shall not take anything but pictures, you shall not kill anyhting but time and you shall not leave anything behind but your footprints, which shall be as imperceptible** as possible" (annonymous).

Moreover, being at the centre of the mountain range we share birds from both the Pacific and the Caribbean sides. The oceans are separated by barely 50 kilometres across our site. It's been estimated that there are about 400 bird species on the area. An Panama has more than 950 in total!

The forests of Burbayar are bordering the Nargana nature reserve, both part of a natural corridor and buffer zone. This area was designated an Important Bird Area by the Panama Audubon Society. Many endemic species of the AAEs of the Darien lowlands and highlands can also be found here (Angehr, 2002).

Our bird list includes species which have been spotted over the last two years, which add up to nearly 300.

From our terraces you can catch sight of several hummingbird species such as the Little Hermit, Garden Emerald, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Black Throated Mango or parrots including the Mealy Amazon, Brown-hooded Parrot and Blue-headed Parrot; toucans such as the Keel-billed Toucan adn the Collared Aracari; or tanagers like the Golden-hooded Tanager, Sulphur-rumped Tanager, Summer Tanager and Flame-rumped Tanager, just to mention a few. From the gardens and balconies of the cabins you can see many more species.

Rare and stunning species birdwatchers come to our forest to find include the Sapayoa, Speckled Antshrike, Black-faced Antthrush, Black-headed Antthrush, Black-crowned Antpitta, Streak-chested Antpitta, Yellow-eared Toucanet and Green Hermit. The experts go back home feeling very satisfied.

Some tips: the best time for birdwatching is the dry season from December to June. The months of July to September, even though they fall in the rainy season, are also good because rains are sporadic and scarce.

An interesting fact: Have you realised our logo is a sapayoa? We chose this bird because besides being shy and difficult to see, ornithologists still can't agree on which family it belongs to or if it is the sole member of its own genus and family. It had been recently been considered a manakin, and now scientists are almost sure the sapayoa has no cousins or uncles or any family but itself: the Sapayoidae.

Burbayar also offers birders the option of visiting the Bayano lake and its surroundings (Maje river, Maje island or Gorgas) for birdwatching. We are working on the Bayano bird list!

Burbayar is an ideal place for enjoying a tropical rainforest, in the middle of which you will have the opportunity to discover the camouflage of trees and plants, to admire the landscape, to amaze yourself with waterfalls and the sound of the jungle, to realise there is not one shade of green, but hundreds of different shades of green, to smell exotic flowers with bright colours, to see astonishingly large trees and vines, to breathe pure clean air, to test yourself to walk for minutes or long hours going up and down hills, climbing staircase-shaped roots and to hear mysterious sounds.

Our mountain lodge is the perfect starting point for your tours, whether you are looking for birdwatching tours, jungle trekking, walking to pristine waterfalls in virgin rainforest, exploring caves or visiting indigenous communities, our mountain lodge is the perfect starting point for our tours. Check out our tour packages!

Who can take our tours? People in good physical conditions and with an adventurous spirit, lovers of nature or those who just want to get unplugged from the daily stress of urban life.

Transport to and from the lodge, which requires travelling a dirt road on a four-wheel-drive car, is included. This by itself is quite an adventure! You also have the option of getting there by helicopter, which is of course quicker and with no mud involved. Ask for our rates.

Burbayar / Kuna trail: Walking to the Kuna Yala archipelago is an unforgettable experience. From Burbayar you can cross the San Blas cordillera to visit the Kuna on your own two feet... Also known as the San Blas archipelago, its 365 islands are spread along the eastern Caribbean coast of Panama across the water from a strip of virtually 100% virgin forest. The walk takes six to eight hours, depending on the physical conditions of hikers. Take the big challenge!

Classic Burbayar: For those interested quietly enjoying nature, spending the night in our lodge, eating delicious food and salads, relaxing in hammocks, meditating, dreaming and getting away from it all, this is the best option.

Please note that these tours can be combined and you can come up with your own tailor-made tour!

We give you here a list of stuff to pack up to make sure your adventure is as enjoyable as possible:

Trail boots good for hiking or shoes with good grip
Long, loose trousers for walking on the mountain
Bathing suit or trunks
A pair of sandals or flip-flops for relaxing on the lodge
A hat or cap
Sunscreen
Long-sleeved shirt or pullover for cool nights
Binoculars
Camera
Insect repellent for tours on the Bayano lake and the Kuna Trail, as well as for walking on the mountain (you won't need it at the lodge)
Flashlight