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Canopy Tower

  • Aerial view of Canopy Tower
  • Canopy Tower external view
  • Canopy tower bird watching
  • Canopy tower reception area
  • Canopy tower library
  • PAN_SoberaníaNationalPark_Canopy tower internal room
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One of Panama’s top birding venues, the Canopy Tower is perched on top of Semaphore Hill in the heart of Soberanía National Park.

This is also one of Central America’s most unusual places to stay. Situated at an altitude of 300m, the one-time US Air Force Cold War radar tower overlooks the rainforest canopy, the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal and the skyline of Panama City, just an hour away. Built in 1963, it finally became a lodge in 1999.

There are a dozen guest rooms arranged on the first and second floors of the circular construction, each clean and comfortable and some with private bathroom. There is also spacious dining area and well-stocked library. Our favourite feature is its excellent open air observation deck on the top floor, just above the canopy line; this is where guests convene in the early morning to enjoy the views and listen to the sounds of the forest as the new day dawns.

As well as the birding that is offered onsite from the observation deck, each day there are morning and afternoon excursions to some of central Panama’s premier birding locations.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • Highlights: “Locks on the Panama canal and Panamax vessels up close.”

    MC, Fulham Nov 2012
  • Top experiences in Panama - going through the canal and exploring Panama City and surrounding area. I was surprised to find that Panama is not just the Canal Zone!

  • Because of my interest in shipping, the Panama Canal partial transit was fascinating. 

    JB Apr 2012
  • Most Memorable Moment?: Too hard to choose one. Panama Canal Transit was a lifelong ambition.

    NA, London Mar 2017
  • "Bocas del Toro was great fun and frivolous and a great journey there by boat."

    GS, Bushey Jun 2013
  • We didn't realise the partial canal transit would be in such a big boat with loads of other tourists - not a problem, but would have been good for this…

    NF, Tunbridge Wells Apr 2013
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Our Expert's Opinion

Kathryn
Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Finn Clennett
    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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