Panama’s consistent rainfall and winding river circuit provide global appeal for whitewater rafting and kayaking, yet another adventure to choose from during your stay in Boquete. We arranged our excursion through Chiriqui River Rafting, who provides transportation, lunch, and of course a fun time.
The van picks you up from wherever you might be staying. In our case, this was at the interstate highway in Horconcitos because we had to reschedule the trip to take place after we left Boquete. While our situation is rare, transport seems to be flexible.
A number of rivers are at your disposal, and we chose one going through Soloy, the same region where the Ngobe-Bugle tribe lives. The winding road turns off to the river, where we geared up in life vests and helmets. I put the GoPro camera on as well, though it fogged up pretty quickly, making our footage notably hazy. As far as footwear goes, barefoot is just fine, unless you’ve got closed-toed shoes meant for getting wet.
Our guide, Juan Carlos, issued simple directions with a friendly tone. His English is limited so we made sure to listen for ‘forward,’ ‘backward,’ and ‘down!’ in case of unexpected bumps. We paddled forth, getting off to a rocky start, literally. But after learning the drill for navigating the boat to regain movement, we settled in just fine.
Two hours of rafting takes you through dozens of rapids, classes 1-3. For reference, a class 3 rapid reaches enough turbulence for a good thrill without making you fear for your safety. One of us did fall out nevertheless, creating a moment of gasps followed by a lot of laughs. Those life vests do come in handy.
The river unveils beautiful views, as well as sights of the Ngobe-Bugle people. They use the water to bathe, wash their clothes, and in some cases, dive. During lunch, we saw a group of kids jump off a nearby bridge, about 30 feet tall, into the water. We were tempted to join, but decided against it in the end.
The cool water delivers a refreshing feeling as the day warms into a tropical afternoon. The trip is filled with short breaks that allow you to take in the scene between thrills, and sometimes getting out to swim. Panama’s rapids make an exciting trip for all ages, so long as you’re ready to enjoy the bumpy ride.
TAGS: Adventure Chiriqui Do & See Island Intern Panama Panama Do & See
