SANTA CRUZ DE CANA

Those who can possibly spare the time and money should make a trip to Santa Cruz de Cana, in the heart of Parque Nacional Darién. More commonly known simply as Cana, it’s the most remote spot in all of Panama: The nearest human settlement, Boca de Cupe, is two to three days away by foot, and there are no roads. Cana is a truly amazing place that offers genuine wilderness amid relative comfort, a rare combination. It’s my favorite spot in the Darién.

  Cana sits in a forested valley up against the eastern slope of the 1,615-meter-high Cerro Pirre. Given its extremely isolated location in the middle of dense, uninhabited forest, it’s hard to believe Cana has been a major player in the history of the isthmus for at least 500 years. Even more astonishing is that at various times in that period it has hosted large, important settlements. During the Spanish colonial era it grew to be a town of 20,000. Later, it became the first place in all of Panama to have electricity, not to mention an ice plant.

  The reason for all this attention was gold. The early conquistadors founded a settlement here and named it Santa Cruz de Cana, but it wasn’t until 1665 that they discovered the area’s fabulous gold deposits. “The richest gold mines ever yet found in America,” the buccaneer historian William Dampier called them in 1684. You can almost hear him drooling.

  The Spaniards forced slaves to work the mines, which came to be known as Las Minas del Espíritu Santo de Cana. At their height, they produced 100,000 troy ounces of gold a year. But repeated attacks by English pirates, Indian rebellions, and disease forced the Spanish to abandon the mines in 1727.

  They were lost to the jungle for many years before they were reopened in the 19th century. Their most productive period was from 1887 to 1912, when they were run by an Anglo-French outfit called the Darien Gold Mining Company. During this era there was a railroad linking Cana with Boca de Cupe, and from there to the outside world.

  The mines were abandoned once again, and once again the jungle swallowed up most traces of human habitation. But in 1962 the last survivor of the Anglo-French operation, a hearty 73-year-old named Medardo Murillo, guided an expedition to the mines. He had started working as a mule driver in 1904, when he was 15, and he still remembered the way. The whole place was overgrown, naturally, but they did find one house still completely intact and still stocked with viable dynamite.

  Though mining was revived once again for a spell starting in the 1960s, today Cana is treasured for different kinds of natural riches: amazingly diverse and abundant flora and fauna. Two of Murillo’s grandsons now work at an ecological field station at Cana, which, except for a tiny border-police post, is the only inhabited facility of any kind in the entire region. Though in the middle of Parque Nacional Darién, Cana is operated by ANCON, a nonprofit environmental organization, and the tourist concession is operated by Ancon Expeditions, its for-profit tour-operator sister. Other tour operators can use the facilities, but arrangements have to be made through Ancon Expeditions. The imposing abandoned mines (do not try to explore them; for one thing, it’s the perfect lair for jaguars and other beasties) and rusted mining equipment overwhelmed by vegetation give the place a slightly spooky Heart of Darkness feel. But for the most part it’s an open, airy, and inviting spot that doesn’t square with stereotypes the uninitiated may harbor about the forbidding jungle.

Flora and Fauna
The wildlife here is breathtaking. As usual in the forest, those who come expecting a Discovery Channel cavalcade of big critters will likely be disappointed. The only thing you’re guaranteed to see are some of the most gorgeous birds in the world. But there’s a better chance of coming across tropical mammals and other impressive animals here than in most parts of Panama. There’s an especially good chance of finding troops of Central American spider monkeys, and it’s a near certainty you’ll be surrounded by the uncanny bark of howler monkeys. It’s not uncommon to come across fresh jaguar prints. Jaguars have been known to take a leisurely stroll down Cana’s landing strip, but you’d be extremely lucky to spot one during a brief visit.

  Herds of literally hundreds of white-lipped peccaries sometimes descend on the station and tear up the turf, rooting for food. When this happens, the staff and visitors have to lock themselves in the lodge. Peccaries, the only creature I’ve seen Darién guides get nervous about, can be aggressive, and they run faster than you do. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they’re just cute little pigs.

  The very lucky few might also come across a Baird’s tapir, the largest land mammal in Central America. At the cloud-forest camp above Cana, a tapir once sat on a guide’s tent while the guide was sleeping in it. Both recovered from the surprise.

  Cana has been called one of the 10 greatest bird-watching spots on the planet. Even those with only the slightest interest in feathered creatures will likely be bowled over by what they encounter here. Blue-and-yellow, red-and-green, great green, and chestnut-fronted macaws streak across the valley all day long. Keel-billed toucans, looking as if they just flew off a Froot Loops box, peer down at visitors from the trees.

  From the porch of the lodge it’s possible to spot an incredible array of stunning birds, many of them rare elsewhere, searching for food on the ground a few meters away.

  The lodge is a barely converted mining camp building that dates from the 1960s. It’s a rustic wooden structure containing six basic rooms with little in them besides a bed and a few shelves. Fresh linens are supplied and there are screens on the windows. There are shared bathrooms and showers with running water. A generator provides electricity 7 p.m.–9 p.m., after which everyone switches to candles and flashlights. A plan to upgrade the facilities has been put on indefinite hold because there are not yet enough visitors to justify the cost.

Trails
Since Cana’s elevation is nearly 500 meters, the forest here is premontane, and it’s neither as hot nor as buggy as one might expect. The valley offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills, which are covered with lush virgin forest. There’s also a cloud-forest camp on the mountain itself, at 1,280 meters, where it can get cool in the evenings.

  Five main trails originate from Cana, not counting a short trail near the station that follows railroad tracks to an abandoned locomotive. The Boca de Cupe Trail is the longest. It continues for a solid two days, all the way to the village of Boca de Cupe. Hiking in for at least a few kilometers is well worthwhile. It’s a mostly flat trail offering spectacular birding and the chance of seeing larger wildlife. The Machinery Garden Trail is a lovely and exotic two-kilometer loop that features both nature and the rusting remains of the 19th-century mining operation. The Seteganti Trail leads down to the Río Seteganti. Visitors can easily explore all these trails during a brief visit.

  The Pirre Mountain Trail is a somewhat strenuous nine-kilometer hike that leads three-quarters of the way up Cerro Pirre to a cloud-forest camp. The hike takes four to five hours at a reasonable clip. The hike down takes about three hours and can actually be a bit more painful, as the trail is often fairly steep and hard on the legs.

  But it’s absolutely worth the effort. The trail itself leads through beautiful primary forest alive with animals. On a single trip I encountered large groups of spider monkeys crashing through the trees 40 meters overhead, crossed paths with a fer-de-lance snake (we both minded our own business), and, of course, saw dozens upon dozens of flamboyant birds.

  The cloud-forest camp itself is a pretty impressive operation. A full field kitchen is set up in one large thatch-roofed hut, and tents with pads are set up in another. The camp can accommodate about two dozen guests. It’s relatively cushy for its location. Generally all you have to take is a day pack; the cook and staff bring the food and water and set up the tents. (Tips are much appreciated; the guides can suggest amounts.) The view of nearby Cerro Setetule and the forested valley is breathtaking, and the nights are a riot of forest sounds. Big animals have been known to wander through camp at night.

  The truly dedicated can continue a bit farther up the mountain on the Cloudforest Trail, but the summit can’t be reached from this side of the mountain. There’s a slim chance of spotting the rare golden-headed quetzal on this trail.

  Guides lead all these hikes. Do not attempt to venture out anywhere alone. The trails are well marked so you probably wouldn’t get lost, but there are small but real dangers to avoid in the forest. Travelers have a much better chance of staying out of trouble if they go with a good guide.

  Plenty of venomous snakes are in the area. On a single trip, a guide recently spotted a coral snake, fer-de-lance, and bushmaster. But such sightings are unusual, and none of the snakes bothered the group. They’re highly unlikely to bother you, either.

  It’s hard to exaggerate just how special Cana and its surroundings are. It’s an enormous expanse of nearly pristine tropical forest, an overwhelming oasis of biodiversity. It’s not cheap to get there and the trip is a bit of adventure, but nature lovers will likely find it the highlight of their trip to Panama.