A Really Cool Three Day Itinerary for Boquete, Panama

Posted 28/01/2025 | 28th January, 2025
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Boquete is an incredibly beautiful area of Panama – it couldn’t contrast more with the hustle and bustle of Panama City. It’s lush, green and fresh; filled with great hikes, excellent coffee, and even better chocolate.
Three days in Boquete will just scratch the surface – there is a surprising amount of activities to enjoy which cater to all levels of adrenaline junkies.
I explored Boquete using a mix of ‘DIY’ exploration days and some tours. Tours in Panama are not cheap, so I’ve created a varied three-day itinerary for Boquete that hopefully won’t break the bank but will still allow you to enjoy the best that this incredible town has to offer!
Day One: Lost Waterfalls & Amazing Coffee
The Lost Waterfalls Trek
💰Cost: $10 Entry + $5 return colectivo
The Lost Waterfalls Trek is one of the best and most popular things to do in Boquete. In my opinion, it’s a must-do on any Boquete itinerary.
You can, of course, book a tour which includes round trip transportation and a guide. However, in my opinion, this is not needed at all. DIY style is significantly cheaper and much more of an adventure!


How to Get to the Lost Waterfalls Trail
As with the majority of Latin America, the buses (known as colectivos) don’t run on a set schedule. Instead, they just depart when they are full. The colectivos depart just next to Casa Bruña supermarket, and journeys cost $2.50 per person (you pay when you get off).
Just head down to the bus stop and tell the driver where you want to get off, they will be more than happy to oblige!
What to Expect from the Lost Waterfalls Trail
The first twenty minutes of this hike are a steep, rocky incline. This is probably the hardest part of the whole hike so try not to let this put you off. After working up a sweat you will reach the ticket booth where you will pay your $10 entry fee and sign in. There is a small map, and the lady working advised us to visit waterfalls two, then three, then one.
It is possible to take a dip in two and three, however, the water is extremely violent and absolutely freezing cold. Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it.
The whole hike took me around three and a half hours, with plenty of stops for drinks and photos. Last entry to the trail is at 3 pm, and everyone must be finished by 5 pm.
I found the trail quite difficult, with lots of large rocks and tree roots, and a steep incline. However, it’s totally worth it! The waterfalls (especially number two) are fantastic and will be a real highlight of your three days in Boquete.
When you’re ready to head home, just go back to the spot where the colectivo dropped you off and wait to be picked up. I was lucky and only waited around five minutes, however this can be much longer.
Sample Incredible Coffee & Chocolate

Now, I made it my personal mission to try every coffee and chocolate shop during my three days in Boquete (all in the name of research). And, my absolute favourite is Kotowa Chocolate (right next to the Blasina Beer Hostel).
The staff here are very friendly, the coffee is excellent, and the chocolates are to die for! There is a huge range of individual chocolates and plenty of more substantial items such as cakes, pastries, and cookies.
Day Two: Pipeline Trail & Mirardor
The Pipeline Trail
💰Cost: $5 Entry + $5 return colectivo
The pipeline trail is another very popular hike in Boquete, and much easier than the Lost Waterfalls hike that you completed on the first day.


To get to the pipeline trail, just head down for the same colectivo you took yesterday, and tell them you’re heading for the pipeline trail – they’ll drop you off at the right place.
After around five minutes of walking the woman who lives on the land will come and collect your $5, and take your details in the sign-in book.
The hike has a very gradual incline with incredible, continuous jungle scenery. We were lucky to see a sloth, but didn’t manage a glimpse of the famous Quetzal birds (maybe next time, eh!). After around 50 minutes of hiking, you will reach the incredible 1000-year-old tree. I really enjoyed seeing how the land had changed and exposed the roots of the tree – magnificent!
Continue along the trail for another ten minutes and you will be at the river. From this point, it’s a short but challenging scramble to get to the source of the water and be greeted with incredible views of the falls – totally worth it!
This hike took around two hours and fifteen minutes to complete, and it was great fun! I think I actually enjoyed it more than the Lost Waterfalls Trek as it was much less strenuous, which allowed me to properly take in the scenery and chat with new hostel friends who we enjoyed the hike with.
Don’t be put off by people calling this hike ‘easy’, there is some incredible scenery to be enjoyed!
Day Three: Zipline & Hanging Bridges Tour
Hit the Zipline
Cost: $65, plus $15 if you want to purchase photographs
Boquete is a town of adventure, so if you’re looking for an adrenaline hit, you’ve come to the right place.
Hitting the Zipline is a right of passage in Boquete, it’s exhilarating and an amazing way to enjoy the lush, green scenery in the area.
There are a few companies that offer ziplining adventures in Boquete, and I opted for Oasis. They were fantastic from start to finish. They are located on the side of Volcano Baru which makes the adventure even more spectacular.
Getting to the Zipline
You will be expected at the Oasis office at 8 am sharp to sign your waiver and head off on your adventure. From here, you will take a truck to their farm on the side of Volcano Baru. This is an adventure in itself. The first ten minutes of the drive are smooth and seamless, but once you’re on the Volcano terrain, prepare for a bumpy ride!
You can actually hike to the top of Volcano Baru (apparently it takes eight hours to reach the top), however, after feeling like I had hit my max capacity earlier in the year on Volcano Acatenango, I decided to sit this one out.
After around half an hour you will reach the main Oasis building where you will receive your gear and a safety briefing. You will also meet the team who will be guiding you through the Zipline adventure.

What to Expect
After the safety briefing is complete you will switch into another vehicle to the first platform. The car will hit some crazy angles as it traverses the side of the volcano – and this is all part of the fun. After around 15 minutes of further driving you will reach platform one where the adventure really begins.
This was my first zipline experience and what an extreme way to learn the activity! It’s seriously not for the faint-hearted but I can safely say I loved it! The guides are extremely experienced so you’re in perfect hands. I made some mistakes but we laughed them off together. It was so much fun and a great way to feel like a big kid!
You will take eight lines varying in speed and distance. You will spend around an hour traversing them all, with plenty of breaks in between to re-gather your confidence!
After the adventure, you will have around an hour to enjoy the cafe/restaurant which has incredible views over the forest. Also, it has outstanding coffee.
The Hanging Bridges Tree Trek


💰Cost: $35 (includes round-trip transportation)
I was undecided about whether or not to do the Boquete Hanging Tree Trek as it can only be accessed via guided tour. After enjoying the two treks the days previous I thought this might make the day feel somewhat inauthentic – but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
The tour includes six bridges with a total hike of around 5km. The hike has some steep uphills at the start but if you’ve completed the two hikes the days previous this is nothing to worry about. We were lucky and had an intimate group of just six including our fabulous guide (who spoke English and Spanish). Walking over the various bridges is so much fun and the views from the top bridge are absolutely out of this world.
If you’re nervous about the bridges at all, ask if you can go first. If you’re towards the back of the group you will feel the movement of all the people in front of you. After you’ve completed the trek you’ll get around an hour to grab a coffee and enjoy the surroundings, before being picked up and dropped back off in Boquete town.
Other Fun Things to Do in Boquete
As mentioned, three days in Boquete will only scratch the surface when it comes to available activities in the area. If you have more time, here are some excellent options:
☕Take a Coffee Tour. I did a coffee tour in Salento, Colombia so I didn’t feel the need to repeat (although I did drink my fair share of Boquete coffee). If you haven’t done one before it’s a great addition to any Boquete itinerary.
🌋Hike (or take the Jeep) Up Volcan Baru. There are two ways to summit Volcan Baru. The first is to hike the eight hours to the top, and the second is to take the Jeep. They are both equally as exhilarating in very different ways.
💦 Visit the Hot Springs. The Cladera Hot Springs are another popular attraction in Boquete. There are three thermal springs at different temperatures which offer a welcome afternoon of relaxation (especially if you’ve spent the days before hiking!). The hot springs can be reached by a colectivo and short hike, or by guided tour.
🚴Explore on two wheels. You can rent bikes (or E-bikes) and explore the local area in style! If you like this option but don’t feel confident going alone – there is a cycle tour company located just outside of the Boquete Brewing Company that offers daily group tours.
🍫 Take a Chocolate Making Class. The Perfect Pair coffee shop offers a really cool chocolate-making class for $39 per person. The class lasts around two hours and is for a group of up to six people. You can book the class in person or via their website.
Useful Links for Travelling Panama:
🛌Booking.com / Hostelworld for the best-priced accommodation
🚗 Discover Cars for comparing car rentals
🌎 Viator / Get Your Guide for tours across Panama
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