Ever since I learned that I’d be dispatched on a month-long business trip to Panama, I’ve been trying to figure out how to get a real taste of the Camino de Cruces.
The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá was the most puzzling new inscription from the 2025 WHC. I couldn’t understand why it was designated as a replacement for the former Panama City site rather than as its own separate entry. It was only after reading some research papers that I realized this was a tactful move to prevent Panama City from being completely delisted. The threat comes from large-scale urban development projects, most notably Cinta Costera 3 which encircles the whole Casco Viejo, cuts it off from its surrounding seascape, and undermines both its integrity and OUV.
The new nomination of the colonial transisthmian route effectively rewrote the OUV of Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá, repositioning the 2 major components rather as terminal stations of an overland crossing than as harbors on the Pacific front. This narrative shift intentionally dissociated the sites from their maritime setting, and thus downplayed the negative impacts of the coastal construction projects that definitively altered the shoreline. In fact, the concerns of WHC were never addressed at all, only evaded.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of 3 sections of the Camino de Cruces illustrates another layer of the strategic importance of Panamá Viejo and Casco Viejo, and clarifies how goods and wealth once flowed between both sides of the isthmus. But it also made ticking off this site more challenging for WH travelers. To fully grasp the updated OUV, one has to set foot on the Camino, or whatever is left of it. The question is: how?
If you are based in Panama City, Sections 2 & 3 of the Camino are quite accessible. They traverse two national parks—Parque Nacional Camino de Cruces and Parque Nacional Soberanía. However, attempting to hike them without a guide is not advisable, as venturing alone into the jungle can be dangerously risky.
Fortunately, there are local OBCs (Organizaciones de Base Comunitaria) that arrange the Camino trips for you. I first went with Cruces Trails OBC on a 4-hour nocturnal bird-watching excursion in PN Camino de Cruces. I’m not a birder myself—I simply hoped to cross Camino Section 3 during the trip, which didn’t happen. When I asked about it, the guides explained that Section 3 lies close to the developed area and, at only 500 meters long, offers little to see. Instead, they suggested I contact APAVE, which was planning a group hike for the first weekend of September across PN Soberanía, where more than half of Section 2 is located. The cost is only $30, much lower than the private guides I had found online with a starting price of $100+.
On hiking day, the whole group gathered together in front of Albrook Mall at 6am, and took the bus arranged by APAVE to the starting point on Carretera Madden, located near the midpoint of the 20.7km Section 2. The hike began on a short stretch of pebble-paved road, but soon enough we found ourselves trekking along muddy trails or wading through shallow streams. It turned out that the hundreds of meters of cobblestones were all the visible remains of the Camino; the rest has long since been overgrown by the rainforest. The entire hike took 7 hours: we set out at 7:30am and by 2:30pm reached the site of Venta de Cruces, once the main trading hub at the mouth of Río Chagres, where the caravan transferred between river and overland routes.
For easier management, the participants were split into four smaller groups, and I went with the first. We moved pretty fast, closely following the lead guide who had to hack the way through the jungle with his machete from time to time. I found the entire hike a bit of a letdown, since I had expected to see more physical remains of the transisthmian route. Later, however, I learned that the groups behind us had a great time observing the flora and fauna of the PN. Looking back, I could have used all the time we stopped to wait for the others to admire the natural surroundings myself!
That’s why I think it is important to point out to future hikers: expect more of a biodiversity hike than a historical one, and it doesn’t matter if you slow down your pace. Another advice I’d give is to wear boots, as almost one third of the trail involves wading through water. And once again—never go into the jungle alone without a guide. Although you can download the entire route from websites like AllTrails, the poorly maintained signposting and the ever-changing rainforest environment make it all too easy for you to get lost. What’s more, on both of my trips we encountered Bothrops asper (terciopelo, fer-de-lance), the deadliest viper in Central America. Better let your guides handle them!
