Journey through Central America

The construction of the Panama Canal was an engineering feat of vast proportions, connecting the Caribbean with the Pacific. To witness the operation of the Miraflores lock is unforgettable but the scale of the endeavour is best appreciated by a train journey along its banks. Ironically this ‘Path between the Seas’ cuts across another man made wonder, the Pan-American Highway, the longest road in the world stretching from Alaska to Argentina albeit with a small break from the canal to Colombia.

Travelling north along this legendary highway the landscape gives way to untamed rugged, natural beauty, virgin rainforest and stunning landscapes. Mighty volcanoes, unspoilt beaches, lakes, rivers and coffee plantations dot the slopes of the Cordilera Talamanca mountain range, home to one of the highest peaks in Central America. With such a diverse natural environment exotic species thrive and one particularly revered resident is the Quetzal bird, its metallic green plumage, crimson breast and incredible streamer like feathers, a vibrant symbol of the ecological splendour. This amazing bird is also seen in Panama, most frequently at Boquete, a notable centre of eco-tourism whilst the Piedras Balancas National park boasts an incredible biodiversity and is home to many endangered mammals including jaguars, pumas and countless endemic species.