Finding the Lost Waterfalls of Boquete, Panama

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One of the beautiful things about Boquete – and Panama in general – is the fact that it is still relatively off the beaten track. Because of this, I didn’t really know what to expect when I got there. Sure, I was able to find a little bit of information in guide books and look at a few pictures on Google, but for the most part what awaited us when we arrived in Boquete was a complete surprise.

Unfortunately, this also meant that I wasn’t able to find much information on hiking trails in the area beforehand, and we had to rely almost entirely on asking around for recommendations and advice. The one trail that I had read about beforehand(besides the famous Volcan Baru sunrise hike and the Quetzal trail, which we wouldn’t be able to complete during our short time in Boquete) was the Lost Waterfalls hike. Funnily enough, this also happened to be the hike that everyone recommended to us, so off we went.

Getting to the Trailhead

From our guesthouse just outside of Boquete, we were able to hop on a colectivo that drove right past the Lost Waterfalls trail. Of course, nothing in Panama is actually that easy, and it was a still short but confusing walk from where the colectivo dropped us off to find the sign that pointed us to the trailhead. Which, of course, was over a rickety old suspension bridge up a very steep and rocky hill.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Once we made it up the hill, we walked a little further along flat ground to make it to the gate house. There, we each paid $7 to enter the trail. Even though we thought this was a bit steep for Panama, we were definitely excited. The kind man at the gatehouse showed us a map of the trail which marked off each of the 3 ‘lost’ waterfalls and told us about the recommended route. We each took a picture of the map on our phones so that we wouldn’t get lost. And then we were off!

Finding the Lost Waterfalls

Before we entered the forest,  some pretty amazing views of the surrounding mountainsides caught our attention. Even though the hike had barely started, I couldn’t help but stop to take some pictures.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Soon enough, trees, vegetation, and giant leaves surrounded us. I was more than a little bit amused by these giant leaves, and kept picking them up and demanding photos with them to show their size in relation to my face.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

We hiked for perhaps 25 minutes before finding our first waterfall – labeled on the map as Waterfall #2. And it completely blew us away.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

After taking the time to get all of the photos that we could possibly want, we set off again towards Waterfall #3. People told us that this would be the hardest waterfall to reach, and this was definitely not an exaggeration. After a particularly gruelling ascent, we decided to take a break by the river to eat our packed lunches.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

With a little bit more energy, we finally went the rest of the way to the penultimate waterfall. During this section of the hike, I was definitely grateful for my waterproof hiking boots. We walked through tons of mud and even a little stream of water to get the the waterfall. The hike to the last water fall completely wore us out. The reward, of course, was another beautiful waterfall.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

After a short break to admire the waterfall, we turned around and started to make our way back. In the end, we were so exhausted that we decided not to take the detour to see Waterfall #1. But, we were still incredibly pleased with how our afternoon turned out. As we emerged from the forest, Rocky Balboa –  cutest, friendliest dog of all time – ran over to greet us. We paused for a photoshoot before heading back down to catch a colectivo back to our guesthouse.

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

Just look how cute he is! It took all of our willpower not to try to bring him home with us.

If You Go

From Boquete, take one of the colectivos headed for Bajo Mono or hire a taxi and get off at the Lost Waterfalls Trail. Before you get to the Lost Waterfalls you’ll pass another trail called the Waterfall Trail. Be sure not to get off here. Keep going a little ways longer if you want to actually hike the Lost Waterfalls Trail!

From the road, you’ll hike about 15 minutes, partially up a steep hill to reach the gatehouse. There, the owner will charge you $7 (as of January 2017) and show you a map of the trail. The trail should take about 3 hours to complete (round trip). It’s pretty strenuous as there is a lot of ascending and descending, so don’t attempt this trail if you aren’t in at least decent shape. As you are in the cloud forest, be prepared to get a little muddy. Be sure to bring lots of water and wear hiking boots if you have them!

Check out this awesome post for more advice on things to do in Boquete, Panama!

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Hiking the Lost Waterfalls trail in Boquete, Panama is an absolutely more. Read this post to find out all about Boquete's best hike!

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MY FAVORITE TRAVEL TIPS & RESOURCES

Booking Flights: The first place I turn when I’m searching for flights is actually just Google Flights - it’s great to figure out what sort of routes are available. Then, I check Skyscanner and Kiwi for deals. I also love Kiwi for its destination: anywhere feature!

Transportation: I love Omio for figuring out the cheapest way to get from one place to another, and Trainline for booking train tickets within Europe.

Accommodations: I absolutely love Booking.com for finding great hotel deals. After you stay a certain number of nights, you get Genius discounts! For hostels, Hostelworld is my go-to, and I use Airbnb occasionally as well (click here for $40 off your first booking!)

Travel Insurance: I knew that I shouldn’t travel without insurance for the longest time, but I really learned my lesson when I got an infected cut in Bali. Thank goodness I had travel insurance! I use and love World Nomads for their extremely comprehensive coverage.

Travel Insurance: I knew that I shouldn’t travel without insurance for the longest time, but I really learned my lesson when I got an infected cut in Bali. Thank goodness I had travel insurance! I use and love World Nomads for their extremely comprehensive coverage.

Tours: I always check Urban Adventures for great day tours of cities first–I’m obsessed with them! GetYourGuide and Viator are also great options. For multi-day tours, I highly recommend Intrepid.

Camera Gear: I use a Sony Alpha A6300 camera with an 18-105 mm lens and a 35 mm lens. My tripod is the MeFoto Backpacker Air and I loooooove it! I also use a DJI Mavic Air and a GoPro and which allow me to capture everything my regular camera can’t.

Addie Gray is a recent college grad and a passionate solo female traveler. Having traveled to more than 20 countries, she now shares her knowledge on budget travel, solo female travel, and travel photography.

7 Comments

  • Another great example of why you should always ask the locals where to go - what a beautiful hike! Waterfalls in the jungle look amazing. And I concur - that is a darn cute pup! Thanks for sharing this corner of the world with #FarawayFiles - I always look forward to your contributions! Cheers, Erin

  • Clare Thomson

    What a fabulous day! Hiking in such stunning surroundings and finding three waterfalls. I'd just love to do this. Thanks for sharing on #Farawayfiles

  • I love the photos of the waterfalls, they are so pretty! I love hiking when I'm traveling it's such a cool way to see a country and it's nature!

  • What gorgeous lush green rainforest you found at Boquete. I love getting out in nature, I only hope people fight to preserve it for future generations to stumble upon! Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles

  • Panama is such a beautiful, lush country. Nice you got off the beaten-path. I went years ago to Bocas del Toro which is touristy but I still loved it. What an amazing day out you had! #farawayfiles

  • This area is so green and lush! I love waterfalls and it would be so great to hike to these stunning ones. I really miss Central America.

  • Wherejogoes

    Those photos are absolutely stunning they made me want to jump straight into that waterfall. What an amazing trip. Thanks for sharing with #farawayfiles and thanks for the pin!

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