Adventures in the Tropics

A good life is an adventure that leads to the stories we love to tell and to listen to, and in the tropics of Panama, new stories are created daily. Kalu Yala abuts a 320,000 acre national park full of exotic flora and fauna, but also already contains 3,000 acres of primary rainforest, as well as sitting at the headwaters of a river you can begin to descend from within the valley. Three other rivers, two indigenous tribes, a deeply rooted ranching culture, the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans, beautiful history, a thriving metropolitan city and an abundance of diverse biospheres are all within a maximum drive of two hours. Clearly, residents and visitors to Kalu Yala will never need to worry about being bored.

Sunset in the Valley
This will be my last blog as an intern for Kalu Yala. It is weird to think that only three months ago I was about to get on a plane to a country I had never before been to, hell the most exotic place I had visited prior was Texas. This semester turned into a [...]  Read More
Kalu Yala
Three short months ago I found myself anxious and stressed out as I tried to decide what the heck I would need to live in the Panamanian jungles. I had a faint idea of what I was getting into, but nothing could have prepared me for the journey I was about to embark on. I [...]  Read More
Journey along Pacora river
Last week, Terra, Zac and I had six hours of hiking and swimming from the valley property to San Miguel. Watch a summary video of our adventure. Enjoy The Journey of Gooshers Along the Pacora River  Read More
Sunrise over Kalu Yala
Three months ago I awoke from a dead sleep with a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was four days away from heading to Panama for three months. I knew little of the company I was going to work for and even less about the country in which it operated. Qualms aside, I grabbed my four enormous bags (I didn’t know what to bring so I brought it all) jumped aboard the plane and met my future head-on. Now it is my last day in Panama, and I cannot quite comprehend this little factoid.   Read More
Ornithology
Biology intern Terra Filmer describes taking people on bird watching and nature tours in the Kalu Yala valley.   Read More
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March has been quite the eventful month. Since the 2nd day of March my level of stress and responsibility has gone up, and I am just starting to be able to look back on the last few weeks and feel rewarded for my efforts and time. March was the month to paint the mural in [...]  Read More
Valley horses
Since the beginning of time humans have been wanderers. The joy of finding comfort on an unfamiliar trail or setting foot on a mountain ridge, as the sun so gracefully sweeps the earths crust, is a settling feeling. There is much to be learned from the art of walking and wandering. To be surrounded by [...]  Read More
Ramon and bejuco group
“House construction is a collective enterprise, one in which some men have special knowledge but all play their roles, just as the house itself is a collection of named and symbolically significant pieces that when lashed together create an aesthetically pleasing whole standing for the solidarity of kin and community”  Read More
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When entering the jungle anywhere in the world you should always be prepared with the essential items that can be used for survival in case you find your self “lost in the jungle.”  The most important tools you would want to have on your body is a knife first and foremost.  This is because a [...]  Read More
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Bamboo Water Bottle: This is my favorite project I worked on in the valley  this past week.  It is one section of bamboo cut above and below the notches. After you have a section you either drill or punch a whole into one end where you will fill and drink from.  An optional step is [...]  Read More