Sarigua National Park

Come visit a national park that’s different from the rest. Sarigua National Park is a large salt lake in recovery: a dry landscape, with reddish sand and biodiversity that’s completely different from what you’ll see in the rest of the country.

In the park, you’ll find an arid ecosystem that was once a green mangrove teeming with life. Over time, the ocean moved farther away and human intervention, the exploitation of the soil, and the highly saline environment transformed the mangrove into the largest salt lake in the country. Today, the landscape is full of interesting features, such as petrified trees and fragmented rocks, which exemplify the extreme conditions in the area.

The park also serves as an example of environmental restoration. For years, environmental organizations and the Ministry for the Environment have worked on different projects to restore the ecosystem, in the hope that future generations can enjoy a larger dry forest full of life.

Although there is still a long way to go, the fruits of sustainability efforts are already visible. As you explore the park, you’ll see greener areas and small signs of what used to be a much larger salt lake.

Visit Sarigua National Park to have a different kind of hiking experience. Start your hike at the Visitor Center, where a guide will welcome you and share information about what to see, where to walk, and the efforts to restore local flora and fauna. Plus, you’ll see a small exhibition with pieces found at the archeological sites from the country’s oldest settlements.

The park has three well-marked trails that lead you through different landscapes and past attractions in the area. You can follow them at your own pace. Remember that the temperature range in this area is quite extreme. At midday, in the more arid areas, the temperature can reach 40°C (104°F), while at night, it can drop below 20°C (68°F).

If you want to explore the park but you have reduced mobility, don’t worry. A large part of the park can be seen by car, so you won’t miss out on this unique experience.

Las Dunas Archeological Trail

This trail leads you through a landscape with small mountains of sand formed by erosion and wind. There, you’ll see fragmented rocks—rocks that have cracked due to the extreme changes in temperature. On the path, there’s a short detour that will lead you to the archeological area where you can see traces left by our oldest ancestors.

Armadillo Trail

This trail takes you along a paved path that’s very easy to walk despite having bridges and some slopes. Plus, the path goes through a pre-montane dry forest, so some sections will be shady, and you’ll find covered rest areas to sit down in the more open areas.

Las Piedras de Gato Trail

This is the longest trail of all, and it leads you to volcanic rocks. It gets its name from the small felines that may occasionally cross your path, an odd sighting given the lack of fauna in this area. Close to the end of the path, you’ll find a detour that leads to the largest salt lake in the park. From there, you’ll be able to appreciate the completely arid landscape that Sarigua National Park is known for.

Although many efforts have been made to make Sarigua greener—and the results are gradually being seen—for now, the biodiversity is still typical of arid areas, which is rare in a country as green as Panamá.

During your hike, you may see black and green iguanas, a wide variety of insects, butterflies, and birds like the caracara, the white-tipped dove, and the ruddy-breasted seedeater.

If you want to learn a bit more, take a specialized bird-watching tour in both the park and the surrounding areas. Around the park, eco-friendly farms dedicated to sustainable tourism offer tours that will take you through different landscapes, from the salt lake to a swamp where up to 200 species of local and migratory birds have been reported.