Panama Kosher Vacations and Tours highly recommends taking the time to go on the daytrip of the Bayano Caves Tour.  If you go, you are sure to have an unforgettable caving experience.  The Bayano Caves Tour does involve hiking approximately 2 kilometers up a river and is not recommended for small children.  However, it is not so advanced that amateur hikers find it too difficult.  In addition, our seasoned, friendly and patient English-speaking guides will help you by showing you how best to navigate this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

You will leave your hotel in Panama City just as early as your party can get ready.  We recommend leaving by 7AM.  After an hour and a half bus trip to Puente Sobre El Bayano, you will meet your boat.  Your captain will take you on an approximately one hour power boat ride across the manmade Bayano Lake to the entrance to the Bayano Caves.

The Bayano Caves are a truly unique environment.  Carved by eons of water erosion by Rio Seco, there are openings in the roof of the caves.  These openings allow sunlight to enter that filter down through the caves to the depths below.  Depending on the time of day, this light creates different atmospheres within the caves that not only create stunning photo-ops.  In addition, this feature gives you rare opportunities for peaceful personal reflection like few other places on earth.  

Each of your party will be provided a helmet with an attached light.  Life vests for the aquatic portions of your tour are also provided.  Another feature of the Bayano Caves Tour that it shares in common with many cave environments is the presence of a large community of several species of bats.  Your guide will help you navigate those areas and phenomena as well.  If you have a fear of bats or have issues with claustrophobia, you may want to reconsider embarking on this journey.

There also exist in the caves active rock formations carved out by constantly running water.  These formations are much like stalactites in other well-known caves around the world, such as Carlsbad Caverns.  One main distinction of Bayano caves compared with other cave sites is the lack of heavy human traffic.  It is not unusual for our clients to have the caves to themselves during their journey, so to speak.  This makes for an opportunity to enjoy this exquisite natural beauty in a comparatively private way.

Most of your hike will be through the waters of the Rio Seco.  Rio Seco is a relatively calm river most of the year.  Depending on the time of year you are here, the water can be no higher than your waste, but at times you may need to swim.  It’s imperative that you have some kind of water shoes for this excursion.  The soles of your shoes should also be “grippy”.  The bottom of the river is also quite rocky, so expect to pay close attention to your steps as you make your way up and down the river.

At the point in your hike when you turn around to go back, there are a series of deep pools and easily accessible cliffs to dive into the crystal clear waters that feed the Rio Seco.  Your guide will help you safely climb your way to the best places to jump into the calm and refreshing waters at the top of the cave complex.

As you exit the caves you will be treated to a delicious kosher boxed lunch.   Your concierge will ask you to choose from several lunch options.  You’ll spend some time relaxing and reflecting on your caving experience.  Then you will re-board your boat and head back across Bayano Lake to head back to Panama City.