Some practical info (site visited in April, 2018). The best place to start exploration of the area is a small town of Toubacouta (frequent local buses or sept-place from Kaolack, main road Kaolack - Karang - Gambian border is a basic transportation artery from Senegal to Gambia). Toubacouta has some descent number of hotels / hostels, shops, restaurants so its an ideal base for visiting the area.

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Site visited recently (April, 2018). It is one of those places that are easier to visit with an organised tour than alone mostly due to cost reason.

Several tour agencies in Saint Louis organise daily tours to Djoudj Reserve. Prices are around 30.000 CFA per person for the group of minimum 4 tourists. The trip usually takes half a day starting around 8.00 am and finishing aproximately at 15.00 - 16.00. To have a better understanding - CFA has mostly fixed rate to Euro (655 CFA, it was the same when being in 2014 in Burkina Faso)

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Finally visited in November 2017. Quite difficult to reach but doable with some preparation.

Of course it is not the place you can go on your own. There are number of dangers that are real (smugglers, narcotraffickers, guerillas, paramilitares), presence of many armed representatives of Panamanian police (Senafront) only acknowledge that. But all the efforts and difficulties are rewarded with what you finally see in Darien. Untouched rainforest, pristine rivers, diverse wildlife, endemic species –everything you will find there.

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Both sites visited just recently (November 2017) with a rented car as that is the only possibility to reach San Lorenzo castle without participating in expensive organised tours.

From Colon one should folow the signs to Gatun Locks or Agua Clara (which is a new part of extended Panama Canal next to Gatun Locks). So far crossing Panama Canal is possible only through the Locks (althoug a new big bridge over the Canal is visibly going to be built). The passage is occasionaly closed due to ships going through the Canal but the crossing usually does not take longer than half an hour.

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Site just visited (November 2017). Initially I tried to visit some more places but all in all I managed to see only Finca 6. Currently due to high level of rainfall the site is oficially closed for visiting but after some negotiations with site guards I was able to see the site (althouh the exhibition part / museum was closed).

Finca 6 is easily accessible by bus from Palmar Norte town (take a bus heading to Sierpe and take off near the museum, its some 9 km from Palmar), come back the same way back. The bus circulates every 45 minutes during the day. Entrance to the archeological site is around 300 m from the bus stop.

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