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Covering almost 5800 square kilometres of pristine rainforest along the border with Colombia, Parque Nacional Darien is possibly the most biologically diverse region on earth - over five hundred species of bird have been reported here. Inhabited by scattered indigenous communities, it is the only great forest in Central America that has not been affected by logging, and provides a home for countless rare and endangered species including jaguars, harpy eagles and several types of macaw. Given its isolation, the park is surprisingly accessible, especially from the village of El Real, where the park office is located. At the time of writing parts of the park were safe to visit, but the security situation can change rapidly: phone the park office before you come down to check the current situation. To visit the park you should first head to the park office in the small town of EL REAL , about half an hour by boat down the Chucunaque and up the Tuira from Yaviza. There's no scheduled boat service, but if you go to the dock in Yaviza in the morning you should find vessels which will take you for about US$4 per person. These boats go to meet the Aeroperlas (tel 315 7500) and Aviatur (tel 315 0397 or 315 0314) planes that arrive daily from Panama City, returning the same day - the El Real airstrip, on the edge of town, serves Yaviza as well. There's basic accommodation at the Hotel El Nazareno (no phone; US$5-15), a few stores, and a couple of simple restaurants (inform them in advance if you want an evening meal). To the enter the park you need permission (US$3 per day) from the Parque Nacional Darien office (daily 8am-4pm; 25299 6579) in El Real. Check here too about the relative safety and accessibility of the park's three ranger stations . Of these, only Rancho Frio , a three-hour walk through the forest from El Real, is currently safe to visit - the park office can provide a guide (US$10) to take you here. There are plenty of trails into the forest from Rancho Frio, including one to the peak of Cerro Pirre (1200m), considered one of the best bird-watching locations in the world. The other two ranger stations, Cruce del Mono and Rio Balsas , are currently off limits to visitors, though they may reopen if the security situation improves. Cruce del Mono is considered the best station for seeing mammals. To reach it you must first go to Boca del Cupe, a small village about two hours up the Rio Tuira from El Real (ANAM should be able to help organize a boat), from where it's a five-hour walk. Rio Balsas is about eight hours by boat down the Tuira and up the Balsas - renting a boat from Yaviza or El Real could cost anything up to US$200. The ranger stations all have basic lodges where you can stay for US$10 a night. You should take food, bedding, mosquito repellent and nets or coils, a water bottle and purifiers, and a first aid kit. Gifts for the park guards (food, drink, batteries, newspapers) are much appreciated. ANCON Expeditions have a lodge deep in the park at the old Cana Mine , another excellent birding location which is accessible only by private light aircraft.
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