Pipeline Road

The Camino del Oleoducto was cut during the Second World War to service a pipeline that would have carried fuel across the isthmus if the canal were bombed, and the pipeline was never needed. What remains is a track running many kilometres into lowland rainforest in Soberanía National Park, and it has become one of the best known birding sites anywhere: teams working this road and its surroundings have set world records in single-day bird counts, with well over five hundred species recorded in twenty-four hours. Antbirds, trogons, motmots, woodcreepers and four species of toucan are routine. A discovery centre near the start has a canopy tower.

What you actually see

• The birding - among the highest single-day species counts recorded anywhere.
• The canopy tower - at the discovery centre, above the treetops.
• Army ant swarms - with the antbird flocks that follow them.
• The road itself - kilometres of lowland forest with almost no traffic.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the road most passable. Dawn is the only serious birding hour; the discovery centre opens early for that reason. Vehicle access along the road is restricted beyond a certain point, so most of it is walked.

Honest expectations

The road is rough and beyond the first stretch requires four-wheel drive or walking. Without a guide most visitors see a fraction of what is there; Panamanian bird guides are excellent and worth the money. Mosquitoes and chiggers are heavy. There have been occasional robberies on the quieter sections, so go with others.

Nearby

Gamboa is at the start; Barro Colorado boats leave from there.