EcoCircuitos Panama: Promoting Sustinable Tourism in Panama

Claudia Young, International Sales Manager

San Blas Islands

Fabio Trujillo y Laura Ramirez, staff team

EcoCircuitos training guides on the field

Office team

EcoCircuitos theoritcal training

Ecocircuitos Panama

Kayaking tours

Annie Young, Director and Founder

EcoCircuitos Panama: http://www.ecocircuitos.com
31 Albrook Plaza, Panama City, Panama
+507 315 1488

Since 1999, EcoCircuitos Panama has been a company committed to the development of sustainable tourism by providing diverse options for responsible and low impact travel thought the Republic of Panama. It is a locally owned company that works on a grass roots level providing greener options for traveling.

EcoCircuitos founder Annie Young Jaén realized earlier than most Panamanian tour operators, that the sensitive natural and cultural destinations in the country would need to be approached with much care and understanding. “The core element in all our tours is to keep the environmental impacts to a minimum while at the same time maximizing the benefits to the local host communities. The customized tours and adventures are  designed to have a strong educational side: each traveler is accompanied by a local guide who is not only an expert on the nature and culture of the visited area, but also follows and teaches minimum-impact principles”.

EcoCircuitos aims to combine fun outdoor adventures, cultural exchanges and nature preservation to make an unforgettable vacation for their clients, all organized and lead by local talents.  “Maximizing the skills and opportunities of the local suppliers, guides and staff to grow together through tourism is one of the main goals for us”.

The EcoCircuitos staff is an inspirational group of people who are all committed to provide alternatives to conventional tourism in Panama. They truly care about their clients and make sure that each and every experience is unique and genuine, showing the true Panamanian culture and spirit. The team is passionate about sustainable travel and work continuously to improve not only their operations through best-practice learning but also those of their suppliers in the office and the field.

The company’s commitment is further visible in their key role in the founding of APTSO (www.aptso.org) The Panamanian Association for sustainable tourism. EcoCircuitos hope that their permanent example of best practice will become a model and learning opportunity to other Panamanian companies to inspire a more sustainable and responsible development of Panama Tourism.

Full day adventure in Camino de Cruces Trail

Early this morning you are picked up at the lobby of your hotel by an Ecocircuitos Staff member guide for the approx. 45-minute drive to Camino de Cruces (Las Cruces Trail).  This historic stone trail was built by the Spanish in the early years of the colony to join the Old Panama City, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, with Fort San Lorenzo, by the mouth of the majestic Chagres River on the Caribbean Sea.  You hike a 9.5 Km (6 miles) stretch of the trail (approx. 5 hours) that has been protected within Soberania National Park. The mostly flat trail takes you through magnificent rainforests teeming with exotic wildlife and historic landmarks. This road served the Spanish well for more than three centuries. Many treasure trains passed through it as they moved the treasures from Peru and the Pacific to the Atlantic and then on to Spain. Merchandise from Spain, and her colonies were transported to Panamá, which was the center for trade, for Central and South America.

During the 1849 Gold Rush in California, the activity on the Las Cruces Trail picked up a large number of 49er’s that used the Panamá Route, to get to California.  Be prepared for uneven, muddy and slippery terrain and to get your shoes wet when crossing little creeks along the way. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to spot Green iguana and Three-toed sloth resting on tree branches, White-faced capuchin, Mantled howler monkey, Keel-billed toucan, Hawks, anteaters among other wildlife. Also you will admire large specimen of silk cotton tree, cuipo (Cavanillesia platanfolia), nance, jobo, oak (whose spectacular blossoming in April and May heralds the end of the dry season).

After completing the 9.5 km of road you will reach the ruins of the town of Venta de Cruces, by the Chagres River, where you can enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by our staff.  This tour can be combine with a kayaking tour to a indigenous villa.  After this fantastic historical adventure return to Panama City hotel in the afternoon.

Please know that this trail requires good physical condition and will take you through creeks and muddy, slippery and uneven rainforest terrain. You might bring another set of sandals and clothes in your backpack.   Ask our guide for a packing list for this great adventure.

Minimum 4 people.