Parque Nacional Darién

The craggy mountains, towering rainforest canopy, and tremendous wildlife in the country's largest wilderness region - and Unesco World Heritage Site – make the journey worthwhile. Parque Nacional Darién is Central America's largest protected area, covering 5,790 square kilometers (2,235 square miles). It is the largest and most well-known of Panama's national parks, having been established in 1972. Despite this, it is one of the least-visited protected areas in the country because getting there needs a lot of planning.

The awe-inspiring nature, interwoven with rivers and waterfalls and rich in wildlife, makes the effort worthwhile, delivering a genuinely wonderful experience. Now that hiking across the Darién Gap is a thing of the past – though various specialty operators market their multi-day jungle adventures as such – visiting the national park now entails hiring a guide (who will assist with paperwork) and staying at the only permanent camp: Mi Ambiente's bunkhouse at Rancho Fro, which can be reached via El Real.

Location: Panama