Amongst the many attractions of Boquete is the existence of cloud forests. Being a city dweller most of my life, walking into a cloud forest was a fascinating experience. Inside the forest, it was dark, damp, full of bird languages and green, always green in different shades and tones.
Before I continue, I would like to explain what a cloud forest is, if I may. A cloud forest is a mostly tropical or semi-tropical evergreen forest characterized by a low-level and frequent cloud cover at the canopy level. These forests usually show an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation and almost always develop on the saddles of mountains, like the Jaramillo mountains and Volcán Barú in Boquete.
In Boquete, the areas of Bajo Mono, Alto Chiquero, Horqueta and the slopes leading to the Volcán Barú are all considered cloud forests. And, although it can be sunny at times in legitimate cloud forests, you will find all the characteristics of a cloud forest in these areas.
No further talk. It’s time to share with you scenes of a cloud forest in Boquete. Sit down, relax and use your imagination to travel down to Panama and enjoy a forest in the clouds. Here we go.
Snapshot of signs and rustic benches of the trails leading to the cloud forest of Finca Lérida in Boquete. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of a huge tree known as “Cenizo” according to our guide Eddy. Notice that part of the tree is covered with moss. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Parts of the forest are so thick, you can barely see the sun. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of María (back), Concha (middle), and Eddy (front) returning from a gorgeous waterfall inside the cloud forest. María and Concha were visitors from Madrid, Spain visiting Finca Lérida. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of María and Concha exploring the trails of Finca Lérida in Boquete. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of one of the observatories of the trails. From here you can see Hotel Lérida down below. The scenery from here was absolutely lovely. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
That’s it for today. My legs are tired and I don’t feel like walking anymore. At least not for today. Tomorrow I’ll take you to a stunning waterfall in the middle of the forest. Please return, I promise you won’t regret it. Total satisfaction or your money back. Good Day.
Just wonderful. I wish I could make that walk myself. It reminds me of walking the bush trails in Liberia, although we have far fewer vistas, there. There was some altitude, but the cover was so dense our Liberian friends often were hacking out growth with their machetes as we walked.
By the way – another reader left this at my blog in response to your mention of Richard Bach. Have you seen the news reports of his plane crash?
Hi Linda:
I sure would like to be your host in Panama and take you to Boquete. You are a globe trotter, and know you will appreciate it here. Panama has a lot to offer besides the Panama Canal as I try to convey in my blog.
I just read the news about the unfortunate accident of Richard Bach while descending on a grass landing strip. I wasn’t aware of this sad event. I hope he recovers his health and continue to fly. I understand flying in his passion.
Bye,
Omar.-