When you think of traveling to a resort
located in the middle of a national park, your preconceived notion might be of a rustic setting, limited amenities and an even more limited menu. The total opposite is true of the "attraction/destination" called
Gamboa Rainforest Resort.
Located about one hour from the capital of Panama, the Gamboa could not be more ideally situated. Its location in the Soberania National Park provides the resort guests with a
birds eye view of the "Eighth Wonder of The World", the Panama Canal, its primary source of freshwater, the beautiful Chagres River, and the unspoiled jungle habitat surrounding them.
Upon arriving in Panama, Gamboa resort guests are greeted by Gamboa Tours transportation. As you travel through the "new" and "old" Panama City, the contrast is evident. The "old" Panama City, founded in
1521, still shows its roots of Spanish ancestry and pirates, as well as the European and American influence during the "early days" of construction of the Panama Canal. Historic churches have been
renovated and a new focus on improving parks and cultural centers for visitors in this part of the city is well under way.
The "new" Panama City is a cosmopolitan business and economic center which is truly becoming the most modern in Central America. The large majority of Panamanians speak English and the U.S. Dollar is
common currency. The road to the Gamboa Resort parallels the historic Panama Canal and travels by many of the buildings and barracks built by the workers and by the U.S. Government while it had an active
military base in the country.
Upon arrival at Gamboa Rainforest Resort, it is easy to be impressed by the modern "atrium-style" lobby with 3-story arched
windows which immediately bring the beautiful scenery into the ambiance. Personal attention to the decoration is obvious. Tiffany lamps and an imported chandelier complement the hand-carved
wooden bookshelves in the library, wooden carvings of native fauna at the lobby bar and the individually-carved guest room doors. And these are only of the few of the unique decorative touches throughout the facility.
The very comfortable accommodations at the resort are uniquely decorated, and no two rooms look alike. All rooms have balconies overlooking the Chagres River and the
Panama Canal, with beautiful hammocks beckoning. Each expansive guest room also has remote control color TV, direct dial phones with voicemail, internet access, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and electronic
safe. The entire resort is fully handicapped-accessible.
Opened in June 2000, the resort is located on 340 rainforest acres,
but just 40 are utilized. With only 145 guest accommodations, guests can enjoy quiet solitude in almost every part of the resort. At the entrance to the hotel are 43 fully renovated apartment-style villas that
include kitchenettes and provide even more privacy while giving guests access to the resort's amenities. The beautifully restored villas were built in the early 1920's to house canal workers, and later were
used by the U.S. military as barracks for the nearby canal operations.
The Resort's Outside Activities
Take your pick. Visit the resort's marina and go fishing for the exciting peacock bass in the Chagres
River or Lake Gatun or take a wildlife boat tour. Join a guided hike of one of many historic trails around the
resort or take the resort tram tour and visit the ecological exhibits on property. Or schedule a round of golf at the nearby Summit Golf Course. These are only some of the available options.
The property's marina offers half day or full day fishing trips on Lake Gatun, which has been formed by the damming of the
canal waters. Anglers need not be experienced to catch peacock bass and an occasional snook. If you prefer to see exotic wildlife, there is plenty just a few minutes from the
marina. Our morning boat tour gave us plenty of opportunities to see and photograph colorful and loud Toucans, green parrots, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, huge iguanas,
four sloths (both three-toed and two-toed species), and the beautiful blue morphos butterflies. We also saw bats during the daytime and at night. In all our travels, no other trip to the
jungle has offered so much fauna in so little time!
Panama's wildlife is a laboratory for studies. Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution, Audubon Society
and National Geographic have ongoing research activities at various locations just a few minutes from the resort. While guests are not able to visit these spots, it does underscore how the unspoiled habitat is
among the most interesting in the world.
Bird watchers are particularly impressed with opportunities in Panama and the Gamboa Rainforest Resort is a great destination or
point of departure for them. The resort recently hosted the American Bird Watchers Association, and even for people like us, who know very little about the 950 species of birds that live in the area, the
abundance is evident. The resort offers guided birding tours to Pipeline Road, La Laguna Trail and Las Cruces Trail, and approximately 250 species have been sighted in this area. One of
the easiest places to see a large variety was at the top of the resort tram tower. For a nominal fee, guests can take a cable car tram through the jungle canopy past colonies of monkeys and up to the
mountaintop tower. It's a bit of a climb then up the ramp to the top, but well worth it. Here, you are above the tree tops and can see the beautiful colorful birds of all sizes flitting around everywhere.
Also included in the price of the Tram Ride is a guided visit to the ecological exhibits. You can visit the serpentarium, the interesting butterfly house, a large variety of orchids and botanical gardens, and
a freshwater fish exhibit, a great way to learn about the wildlife that you will sooner or later encounter during your stay.
After the Tours
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Other amenities and resort fun, in addition to the massive swimming pool, include video games, pool, ping pong, free nighttime guided wildlife
tours, painting contests, tennis and many other scheduled activities. A discotheque is also open weekends for adults and young adults and there are a couple of bars off the main lobby. The beautiful surroundings
keep guests busy enjoying the Gamboa Rainforest Resort and its amenities. Plan on the time you'll need there and then double it. You still won't be able to see everything you want or participate in everything you
want. We guarantee it! 
