Expedition Panama 2025
Nestled amidst the intersection of Central and South America lies a secluded valley enveloped within one of the world’s lowest-elevation cloud forests. Cocobolo Nature Reserve is a privately owned reserve managed by CREA: Conservation through Research, Education, and Action. This unique habitat in Panama stands as a vital sanctuary for migratory wildlife and harbors a remarkable ensemble of endemic plant and animal species found nowhere else. This richly biodiverse landscape holds immense potential for entomological exploration and discovery. We’ll be staying in a 100% solar, off-grid, hand-built biological field station.
Duration: 8 Nights / 7 Days
Dates: Jan 24th, 2025 – Feb 1st, 2025
Country: Panama
Expedition Language: English
Closest Airport: Tocumen International Airport, Panama City
Accommodation type: 2 night Hotel. 7 nights tent camping on raised platforms
Minimum Age: 18
Minimum participation: 6
Maximum participation: 11
ITINERARY
January 24th, 2025
Panama City
Welcome to vibrant Panama City! Feel free to explore until we meet at our hotel before heading into the heart of the Panama rainforest tomorrow. Get your hot shower in while you can.
We’ll meet for dinner for an informal briefing on what you can expect during our expedition, and to get to know each other. This is important, as we’ll be working, living, and sharing much of our space together.
January 25th, 2025
Hello Cocobolo!
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll load up onto a bus bound for the outskirts of Panama City, where we’ll transfer to the necessary 4×4’s for the rest of our journey deep into the rainforest.
Upon arrival we’ll gather for lunch. Our hosts will provide us with some information about the reserve and we’ll have a quick safety briefing. We’ll discuss our research objectives and planned field “work”.
After dinner, we’ll end the night as we will every night we’re at Cocobolo…. with our insect light sheet for a look at the insect diversity of the region.
January 26th, 2025
Jungle Familiarization &
Pitfall Setup
In the morning we'll begin work on making our own pitfall traps to check each morning. We'll select our plots, set our traps and see what kind of ground-dwelling invertebrates we can find.
Today we'll be led on a hike to familiarize ourselves with the various ecosystems of the area. From lowland cloud forests and river valleys, to the highlands: all drastically different habitats, searching for insects and spiders along the way.
And as always, we'll end the night with our UV light back at camp.
January 27th, 2025
Aquatic Invertebrate Survey
This morning we'll be able to check out pitfall traps for the first time to get a glimpse of what calls the forest floor home. We may, depending on need, bring specimens back to camp and have a mounting workshop, seeing if we can identify any of our catch, or taking photos for later identification and adding to the station's photographic record.
In the afternoon, we'll head over to the Mamoni River to sift for benthic macroinvertebrates, aquatic insects, to measure the diversity and health of the waterway.
Ending the night with our UV light sheet.
January 28th, 2025
Malaise Trapping & Night Walk
Today we'll set up our Malaise trap - a tent-like structure to catch and record diurnal flying insect diversity (flies, wasps, bees, etc.).
We'll have some free time throughout the day, because our primary activity will be at night. We'll venture out into the jungle armed with our UV flashlights to discover nocturnal feeding insects, but focusing primarily on discovering spiders and other arachnids.
We'll also have our UV light sheet set up at camp awaiting our return, or for those who would like to opt not to go on the night walk.
January 29th, 2025
Cocobolo Research & Other Trapping Methods
Working with the field station researchers, we'll assist with any ongoing projects they may need a hand with, potentially assisting with canopy camera traps to monitor the endangered Margay.
We'll check out our Malaise trap, and record our findings, while also learning how to use a beat sheet, and litter sifting.
And... you guessed it, we'll have our UV light sheet setup at night.
January 30th, 2025
The Big Bioblitz Hike!
Hopefully you're well rested, because today we're going to go for a long hike to some research plots, feverishly recording all the invertebrates we see via photos and iNaturalist to contribute a full day to biodiversity discovery! We'll have lunch in the jungle, and continue our bioblitz on the way back to camp.
January 31st, 2025
Our Last Day in the Jungle
After the week's activities, we'll have much welcome relaxed day of compiling our findings, breaking down all of our traps while collecting the last specimens of our expedition with some free exploration.
We'll have a farewell dinner, with one last UV light sheeting.
February 1st, 2025
Goodbye Cocobolo :(
All good things must come to an end. We'll pack up and head out after breakfast to our hotel in Panama City for a free day to do whatever you'd like!
Important Disclaimers
We will be spending a majority of our time in dense and humid jungles in wildlife rich areas. We’ll be wading through rivers, climbing trees, and trekking through brush and mud. You’ll get dirty… and that’s half the fun, however, please consider the disclaimers below. And keep in mind, all activities are optional, so if you need a rest or don’t feel like participating one day, you’re more than welcome to relax on the property.
COMFORTABILITY: We do have internet and electricity (the station is 100% solar), but this is a completely off-grid biological field station. You will be sleeping in tents on raised platforms for a majority of our expedition. It’s not a 5-star resort. While we do provide you with air mattresses, tents, and sleeping bags, please bring whatever else you may need to ensure your comfort in this environment.
Personal space is limited. You will share tent platforms, bathhouses, and common spaces with the rest of the participants, researchers, and field guides.
THERE IS NO HOT WATER – We will have a shared bath-house with shower stalls (cold-water only) and composting toilets.
We’d be happy to try to accommodate any personal requests you have, but please note that resources are limited.
MEDICAL: Biting and painful stinging insects as well as venomous snakes and other predators are present. There has never been an incident or medical emergency at Cocobolo Nature Reserve, but please exercise caution and follow our safety instructions at all times. We cannot control the wildlife, terrain or weather. If you have any allergies to hymenoptera venom (bees, ants, wasps) please reconsider participation or bring your doctor prescribed epinephrine. While we are Wilderness First Responder Certified, this really only means we’re certified to assess emergency situations and provide extremely basic emergency care… we are not medical doctors.
Our Expedition Includes:
Accommodation:
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2 nights accommodation in Panama City for the first and last nights, and all accommodation/station fees at Cocobolo
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Sleeping bags, air mattresses, and tents
Transportation:
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Pickup & dropoff from our hotel in Panama City to/from Cocobolo Nature Reserve
Food & Beverage:
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1x Dinner in Panama City
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Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages throughout stay at Cocobolo. On final day, only breakfast and lunch are included
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Equipment:
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Muck boots
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Use of entomological research equipment
Staff:
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Wilderness First Response certified expedition leaders, Cocobolo guides and researchers, drivers, chefs
Our Expedition DOES NOT include:
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Flights
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Transportation to our hotel on Day 1.
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Breakfast or lunch on Day 1
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Dinner on Day 9
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Toiletries
Suggested packing list:
While we have a lot of experience packing for such field trips, it may be a bit confusing or intimidating if this is your first trip to the tropics. We’ve compiled a list of items you may want to consider below. If you need to purchase any of these items, you may want to consider doing this through Amazon Smile and choosing Conservation through Research Education and Action as your target charity.
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Field clothes (long trousers, long-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, hat/cap. We recommend regular changes due to humidity and rain)
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Camp clothes (shorts, several t-shirts, walking sandals or light shoes)
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Any other bedding besides the supplied tent, air mattress, and sleeping bags
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Swimwear
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Additional towel
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Small backpack to carry water/lunch/camera in the forest (~20 L)
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Something to protect electronic equipment from humidity
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Refillable water bottle/hydration bag (recommended size: 32 ounces/ 1 litre)
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Toiletries
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Prescription medicine if any (allergies and other)
The following items are non-essential but may come handy:
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Your favourite snacks (chocolate, cereal bars, trail mix, etc.)
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Pajamas or night clothes
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Light fingerless gloves for trekking in the forest (hand protection)
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Solar camping shower (sorry, we only have cold showers at the field station!)
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Electronics: camera, phone/tablet, e-reader and chargers
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USB Power Bank for your phone/tablet/e-reader
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Biodegradable laundry soap – we have sinks and clothes lines (no washer/dryer)
