Panama Sloths and Frogs
Panama
July 23 to Aug. 3, 2025
Panamá boasts stunning biodiversity, and we'll photograph lots of birds and monkeys. But, we designed this trip to highlight two of our favorite subjects - sloths and frogs!
Date
July 23 to Aug. 3, 2025
$
Price
$6,999
Difficulty Level
Easy
0
Available Spots
Contact us to get on the wait list.
View the itinerary below, read more about the tour, or sign up now!
About the Workshop
Panama Sloths and Frogs
About the Workshop
Panama Sloths and Frogs
Leaders
Paulo Valerio
Costa Rican born and raised, Paulo Valerio is an ecologist, tourism entrepreneur, and nature photographer. Paulo graduated as a tropical ecologist from the Biology School of the National University. During his graduate studies, he specialized in the development of sampling and research methods for high-flying bats in the rainforest canopy.
Involved with ecotourism since 1992, Paulo has worked as a naturalist guide and field instructor for several companies, has developed and directed field study programs and taught tropical ecology at various universities in Costa Rica and the US.. He is also a nature photographer and birdwatcher. Paulo recently also decided to pursue a long time interest and passion and obtained his PhD in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
Greg Basco
Gregory Basco is a professional nature photographer based in Costa Rica. After completing graduate degrees in political science and tropical ecology (his doctoral dissertation focused on the politics of ecotourism in Costa Rica), Greg worked in conservation before turning to photography full-time in 2006. His images have been awarded in the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice competitions and have appeared in numerous magazines and books around the world.
His latest major project is the second edition of the large format printed book National Parks of Costa Rica in conjunction with Zona Tropical and Cornell University Press. His popular e-books include The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography, the mega e-book Flash for the Nature Photographer, and the new Complete Video Guide to Lightroom for the Nature Photographer.
You can see more of Greg's work at his website.
Follow him on Instagram @gregbascophotography
Gallery
Info
Airport
You should arrive to and depart from Panamá's Tocumen International Airport (PTY). Our driver will be waiting to provide your private transfer to our capital city hotel.
Electricity
Electrical outlets are US-style. Those coming from Europe or Asia may need travel adapters.
Insurance
We strongly recommend you purchase trip insurance that includes trip cancellation and medical coverage while overseas.
Medical
Though Panamá does not require any vaccinations for entry, we suggest you stay up to date on routine travel shots. Some tropical countries may require that you have proof of yellow fever vaccination upon departing from Panamá.
Internet Access
All of our hotels have free WIFI. We will also have cell data coverage for most of the trip.
Certified
All of our services are conducted by fully licensed travel, lodge, and transport operators. This is part of our commitment to providing a professional and legally operated travel experience.
Recommended gear
Tele lens 500 mm or longer
Teleconverters
Camera body or bodies
Medium zoom lens, e.g., 70-200 mm, 100-400 mm
Macro lens
Wide angle lens
Cable release
A flash with TTL functionality
Telephoto flash bracket
Flash plus Better Beamer for birds and wildlife
Rain cover for camera
Small softbox or diffuser
Small pack or shoulder bag for daily shooting
View the full Itinerary +
Day 1, Arrival/Panamá City
Arrival to Panamá. Meet our representative at the Tocumen International Airport (PTY) and enjoy your private transfer to our hotel in the city's business district. The hotel has free wireless Internet.
Day 2, Panamá City
After breakfast, we enjoy a photographic city tour that will include the Miraflores Locks in the canal, a typical produce and seafood market, a tasty local lunch with some great views for photographing the ocean and the city skyline, and a visit to the well-preserved historical quarter. We return to our city hotel, which we have chosen specifically for its view in order to teach you how to do blue hour cityscape photos. This day will be a fantastic way to stretch your photographic wings and to add some images that will help you to tell a story about Panamá.
Day 3, Rainforest
Today we travel to our first lodge where we'll spend the day photographing sloths and monkeys!
Day 4, Rainforest
Today we head out from our lodge to explore the Soberanía National Park area for birds, including manakins, tiger herons, and motmots among other species. In the afternoon we'll photograph hummingbirds back at our lodge. At the end of the day, we photograph the city skyline as framed by the surrounding rainforest.
Day 5, To the Islands
After breakfast, we drive to the Albrook airport for our short flight to the Bocas del Toro islands. Upon arrival, we have a private van transfer to the docks for our private boat ride to our rainforest lodge. We arrive for lunch and then head out on the lodge grounds to photograph tanagers and sloths.
Day 6, The Islands
Today is macro day! We will have morning and afternoon sessions to photograph the amazing color morphs of the Strawberry Poison frog. We'll be with you every step of the way to teach you our best macro flash techniques.
Day 7, The Islands
Today we have a special treat, a boat trip to a nearby island to photograph the Red-billed Tropicbird! We'll also have time for more sloths around the lodge.
Day 8, Anton Valley
We return to the mainland today and, after a delicious lunch en route, we arrive to the cooler climes of the Anton Valley. After settling in at our lodge, we'll look for birds and other creatures right on the lodge grounds and then enjoy a nice dinner.
Day 9, Anton Valley
This morning we'll have a macro session with some interesting frogs and insects. After lunch at the lodge, we'll visit a very nice butterfly garden (the famed Blue Morpho is awesome!) and then check out the picturesque local market for a coffee and some photos. We return to our lodge for dinner.
Day 10, To Gamboa Area
After breakfast this morning, we have a short trip to our next lodge in a beautiful rainforest area in the Canal zone. After lunch at our lodge, we have a huge treat, a special sloth closeup photography session that will help to support a local conservation group!
Day 11, Gamboa Area
We have two boat trips today, the first an early morning venture to photograph birds such as jacanas, tiger herons, gallinules, kites and others. We have the rest of the morning to explore the lodge grounds or relax and work on post-processing. In the afternoon, we head out again in our boat to photograph monkeys on an island right in the Canal. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner back at our lodge.
Day 12, To the Airport
This morning you have a private transfer right from our lodge to the Tocumen International Airport for your flight home.
Itinerary includes
Full-time photo instruction and setups by Greg and Paulo
Lodging as specified in DBL occupancy
Meals as specified
Private transfers to and from hotels on first and last days
Professional driver/photo/nature guide and private transportation in spacious tour bus
Domestic flights
Entrance fees for all described activities
Taxes on all services listed above
Itinerary does not include
International airfare
Dinner nights 1, 2
Alcoholic drinks
Gratuities
Non-meal time snacks
Non-meal time soft drinks and bottled water
Single room supplement - $865
Booking a tour with us is easy!
1. Register for your tour using the form at the end of each workshop page.
4. Send us your traveler info form.
2. Send us your reserve deposit.
5. We will send you your final invoice.
3. Book your international air travel.
6. We´ll send you everything you need to know before you hop on the plane!
-
+ Will someone be there to meet me at the airport?Certainly! We take care of you from the moment you step off the plane until the moment you leave to return home. We'll send you all of the info you need to know regarding arrival in a final info message before the trip.
-
+ I plan to arrive a day early. Can you help?Definitely, we'll be happy to make your reservations to ensure that you get to the same hotel that we have booked for the official first night of the tour. By the way, private transfers to and from the airport are always included in our tours, and you can use this transfer whether you arrive early or depart later than the official dates.
-
+ What kind of clothes should I bring?In general, your best choices are lightweight garments that breathe and dry quickly, and you'll want a mix of long sleeves and short sleeves. A light polar-tec and a good rain jacket are also good to have. For meals, it's informal at the lodges and in the region in general. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a clean shirt are just fine for dinner, even in the capital city hotels. Lightweight hiking boots are fine for your photography out in the field, and if you're visiting a beach area, you will want sandals or aqua shoes as well. Of course a good hat and sunscreen are important. We will send you clothing information specific to your trip after you've signed up.
-
+ Can I have laundry done?Many of the lodges we use offer laundry service for a cost of approximately $1 per garment with same or next day service. We will indicate to you which lodges have laundry service after you've signed up for a given trip.
-
+ Can I drink the water?This is probably the question that our clients ask us the most. And it’s the one for which we have the least definitive answer, except to say that beer is always a safe choice!. Water in and around capital cities is treated with chlorine and generally can be consumed with no worries. The lodges that we use for our photo travel often have their own well water, which is tested regularly by the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, upset stomachs do occur as a result of change in diet or simply bacteria different from those to which Northern stomachs are accustomed. Serious disorders such as Giardia or amoebic dysentery are virtually unheard of. Bottled water is very widely available at our hotels and lodges, and a conservative strategy would be to use it as often as possible when outside the capital. As with travel to any foreign country, immodium pills are good to have along, and some of our clients also bring along Cipro or other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Some go so far as to begin taking antibiotics before arriving in-country. For antibiotic use, we suggest you consult with your physician. That said, we have very very few problems with water and food-related issues on our tours. During the tour, we will indicate to you where and when it might be better to stick to bottled water.
-
+ I'd like a single room. Can that be arranged?Certainly. Simply indicate your rooming preference on the workshop signup form. There may be an extra for the single room supplement. This is simply the difference due to what our hotels and lodges charge us. We do not take a commission for single room supplements.
-
+ I'm traveling by myself but would like a double room. Can that be arranged?It depends. If we can match you up with a suitable solo traveler who also wants to share, we will be happy to place you in a double room.
-
Should I bring a tripod?Yes, you always want to bring a tripod. We will advise your each trip of any need for specialized heads or flash brackets.