Rio Sambu is a brown river in the city of Panama. It has a wide mouth, which is located around one and half hours to the south of Punta Patino. However, it is usually accessed via La Palma, as there are many more facilities available there. Since it is for the adventurous soul, fortitude is a must-have here. A trip up the entire river is sure to put your adrenaline in a rush.
Major Attractions
One gets glimpses of forests of different types while gliding through the waters of this river. Another common view while surfing the Rio Sambu is the pretty little villages dotted along the banks of it. These villages are inhabited by the traditional Embera and Wounaan tribes and take after their names.
The Thrill
If spending your holiday perched upon a boat, soaring through a river sounds like a merry time, be warned! This expedition is not everyone’s cup of tea, especially not the weak-hearted. While going upstream, one needs to hire a canoe for this job. The canoe has to be waded through the currents. However, gasoline leakages from the canisters are common complaints of these expeditions. As such, tourists are always advised to bring along their own large containers of gas from La Palma. The canoe needs fueling from time to time, especially more so upstream. Tourists can then hire a guide to direct them throughout the river journey.
How To Get There
A boat and a guide can be hired from La Palma, but knowledge of Spanish is a prerequisite for this, as communication becomes easier. On reaching Rio Sambu, your boat and guide have to be left behind, only to be replaced by a new guide and a canoe (known as a ‘piragua’). This piragua is a narrow canoe since the river goes on meandering through narrow paths upstream, which can be accessed only if the width of the boat is short enough. During the rainy season, the river fills up to a higher level. At this time, the canoe can be taken all the way up to Pavarando. Pavarando is the most inland of the eight indigenous communities on the Sambu.
Sambu
The banks of the river also have a lot to offer. They are lined with the traditional populates of Embera and Cimarron. There is an interesting story behind how the Cimarrons came to live in these forests. In order to escape slave trade, the ancestors of the Cimarron community hid in the forest, along the banks of the Rio Sambu. Over a period of time, they settled there, and the tribes went on flourishing. The village of Sambu has urbanized, compared to Darien standards. Basic amenities, like an airstrip, a hospital, and a payphone, are available here. Since it is accessible by flight, it is growing as a tourist destination. It can easily be accessed for visiting the riverside of Sambu and watching the Wounaan and Embera communities. Since time goes by slowly here, unlike in the city, this is a good place to get acquainted with such a lifestyle.
From Sambu, tourists can go to visit other nearby places, too, like Puerto Indio. However, proper permission is required from the Embera and Wounaan people. Here, one can explore the petroglyphs or mangrove forests. There is also a lagoon that has live crocodiles, along with a vast and unique birdlife. The name of this lagoon is Bocaca Verano.
Every place has its own set of famous guides and travel companies. Rio Sambu is no exception. The name of the famous local guide here is Lupicinio. He can usually be found in front of the Sambu Hause Hotel. He takes the adventurous souls on excursions and hikes, to see the very famous Harpy Eagles. He also takes tours to Bocaca Verano in the dry season.
Accommodation and Food
Many hotels are available here for tourists. While exploring the Rio Sambu, tourists can choose from different options of stay, as different types of hotels are available here. Right from a basic room to a forest Airbnb, the choices are vast. Airbnb is an American-owned cozy hotel and is probably the only hotel in the area where you can get pancakes for breakfast. Cultural tours can also be arranged by the hotels. Darien has a famous restaurant, where the famous American chef Anthony Bourdain dined before.
How to Get There
Charter flights are available to and from Sambu. Small motorboats, known as Panga, go from Puerto Quimba to Sambu during the early morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. These boats also make a stop at La Palma. That way, one can refill his necessities on the way to Sambu.
Round trips can be arranged on request. However, they are not scheduled in advance. There is also a bus service available. This bus starts from Puerto Quimba, which goes on to Meteti, and finally to Panama City.
Conclusion
This is one of the most thrilling and adventurous trips in Panama. The adrenaline rush that the place is sure to give you will be remembered for a lifetime. It is a bucket-list destination for wanderlust souls all over the world who are tired of their 9-5 jobs and would like to experience some thrills!
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