Does anyone know if you can still go spotlighting independently along Pipeline Road in Panama?

Hello all,

I’ve been reading through a lot of trip reports saying the spotlighting along Pipeline Road is pretty amazing but just wondered if it’s possible to do so without a guide?

Thanks!

Post author

Shaun

4 Comments

  • simonfeys

    We were there last year in February, and didn’t have any problems. When we were getting back to the car, we saw some big spotlights, thinking there were other naturalists around. When we met them, it turned out they were from the (military?) police 🙂 They just asked what we were doing and were we slept, but were friendly and didn’t ask us to leave or anything, so I guess it’s not a problem.

    • William Henri Lewis

      I was there just about a month ago, and had no problems walking and driving along the road at night with a light. We were able to walk plenty, and drove up past the discovery center until we hit a gate, and then continued on foot from there – all without any issues, and in fact I don’t believe we ran into anyone else there at all. I’m still in the process of writing my report, but I will say here that I did have much better production walking along Semaphore Hill road near the Canopy Tower than I did at Pipeline road, though this may have been just luck as I did just one night at each. I was not staying at Canopy Tower, but they did not seem to have any issue with me walking along the road after dark, as that area is still part of the public National Park

      • Shaun

        Hi William, thanks very much for this in-depth reply. Interesting that you don’t need to stay at the Canopy Tower to be spotlighting the access road (and convenient since it’s a little out of my budget!)

    • Shaun

      Thanks Simon, sounds like I should maybe bring my passport then just to be on the safe side!

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