Panama Rainforest Discovery Center

A great place for birding and to be immersed in nature! We had a wonderful time here. It costs $30 usd per adult to enter and you can spend as long as you like there. There is a tower viewing platform, hummingbird area with feeders and a seating area down by the lake. It is so nice to support something that is focused on protecting nature.

I really enjoyed visiting here. There are a lot of paths to hike around and look for wild life. The tower is quite impressive and offers a great view of the top of the rain forest. You can get up close to the hummingbirds, they don't seem to mind people being around. The staff was friendly and told me about what I would see and what to look for when I purchased my ticket.

I was lucky and both times I visited there was hardly anyone there so it was nice and quiet with no crowds. When my brother and I went there was a large tour group leaving and I was glad because I'm sure having to wait for a turn to climb the tower and being up there with so many other people trying to take photos or crowding the hummingbirds wouldn't have been as fun so I recommend trying to go when there aren't a whole lot of people there.

This Nature Center is an excellent introduction to the tropical forest of Soberania National Park - the nonprofit organization that runs it actually has a concession for this forest which is adjoining the park itself. Open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will open for groups at 6:00 a.m. if arranged in advance. Clean bathrooms, well maintained trails through the forest, pleasant facilities to wait out any rain, sit and eat any snacks or food you have brought - with a view of the forest. There is lake side viewing platform that is a little bit out of the way but worth the walk. The highlight is the canopy tower with its deck above the tree crowns, that enables an eye level view of the birds and other animals, it has a much larger space up there than similar things I have visited in Peru and there is even wraparound sitting. Many animals like howler monkeys and toucans are seen very frequently, and the main visitor center has several hummingbird feeders and hordes of hummingbirds constantly. Bring mosquito repellent. It can be visited with almost any vehicle but the last few minutes require careful driving if your vehicle sits close to the ground because the last 2 km are gravel road. I saw visitors arrive by taxi from Panama City (45 minutes) and apparently they obtained the taxis phone number from the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center.

Worth the $30 (for tourists) to walk the very nice trails, climb the observation tower, and watch the hummingbirds at the feeders. They had very nice bathrooms and a good selection of drinks and snacks. Note for folks catching an uber there that unless your driver has a very sturdy car/truck, they will drop you off at the road entrance. It will be an additional 2 km uphill walk from there.

I loved getting to see such a wide array of wild life! From white faced capuchins and spider monkeys, to leaf cutter ants and even some dung beetles, there's a huge variety of animals that call the forest in this area home. Keep your eyes out!

A must see place in panama: tropical rainforest in parque soberanía. Near the city and in Gamboa. Perfect for birdwatching (and my favorite: different types of hummingbirds) . Its better to go early in the morning. Monkeys are close distance : cari blancos (white faced capuchin) and howler monkeys. The canopy tower is a must!

Great place to visit. Great scenery for wildlife. We visited early August (2nd) and weather was great, when you are beneath the trees (98% of the time) is not hot.

It’s a cute little place, not very big but ask the workers anything about Panamá and they will
Let you know, very knowledgeable. It’s in a remote area, the road is rough but that’s what gives it authenticity,

Incredible views from the nearby canopy tower. Discovery center is also a great place to see hummingbirds as there are multiple feeders set out around the building.

This is the access point for a hummingbird viewing gallery, a watchtower, and lake view. It is about 2.2 km trail that is much better maintained than the road used to access the center. The fees are $30 USD per person. If you have a Copa airline boarding pass, then it is $20. Also, if you are with a guide then it is $20. Make sure you get water over here if you are running low as the humidity is very high at times. You can try to feed hummingbirds from your hands. 4-6 varieties of hummingbirds are here all the time.

The absolute highlight of our trip!!!
Note: Make a LEFT turn at the sign

Great place to watch wildlife. I recommend morning watching. You can rent a binoculars for small money.

Great place to enjoy nature and another good reason to invest in Panama. Have to pay for entrance but worth it.

Great please for a short hike. Take your camera since you might spot a few curious creatures

Nice place to stroll around and see many animals. We saw a sloth, capuchins, two anteaters and a toucan. They also have a feeding site for hummingbirds where you can see lots of them. Moreover the view from the observation tower ist breath-taking.
Even if the walking path is only 1,5 km long and the entry fee is 30 USD per Person you see a lot and you support the Rainforest project. We liked it a lot.

Awesome place to escape the city and see nature and some wildlife but BEWARE; plan you transportation. Uber drivers will probably be mad at you for going all the way out here and it’s unlikely to find a way back to town unless planned.

We observed each layer of the rain forest from the 32 meter high view tower. We were stunned by the abundance of hummingbirds on the center's terrace. We went for a hike to the lake shore and saw amazing insects, birds. Take your kids here if you are in the area and have an hour or two.

Thank you so much, that was incredible! We saw amazing wildlife!

This is my third time visiting Panama and the PRDC is my primary destination as a birder. On today's hike we saw many birds including a golden-collared manakin doing his best to impress a female. We also saw loads of wildlife and were very close to a family of howler monkeys. Leave yourself 4 hour minimum to visit the park and pack in your own water. It is sold there but there is no free water fountain. There are washrooms at the gate and at the hummingbirds area.

Great place to visit. You can wander around in real rainforest. There are animals around every corner. Toucans, Leafcutter ants, as Coati are just a few of the ones we saw. Walk quietly and stop often to see the most wildlife.