Hiking in the Darien Gap
Hot pain suddenly shot through my left arm as I was instantly awakened in the middle of the night. But soon there was no feeling in my arm at all! Poison had rendered it completely useless.
Here I was, hanging between two trees deep inside the Darien jungle, and my whole left arm would no longer move at my command.
Surprise. Disorientation. Shock.
Struggling in the dark (with only one arm) to break free of my camping-hammock cocoon, I was finally able to step down into the mud and search for help in the pouring rain.
What the hell just bit me?!
My buddy Gabriel, along with Isaac, our Kuna Indian guide, had both chosen to sleep inside a wooden shelter here at the Rancho Frio ranger station within Darien National Park. I was the only stubborn one who insisted on sleeping outside.
My reason? Listening to the rainforest animals at night. Now I was paying the price for that decision… the animals were attacking me.
Damn you animals! I thought you were my friends?
Poison Dart Frog
Another Round of Chicha Please!
We’d spent the night hiking into Darien National Park after drinking a type of local indigenous moonshine called “Chicha Fuerte”. It’s a sweet, home-fermented corn liquor with a big kick.
It tastes like warm kool-aid and 190 proof grain alcohol with bits of corn floating around.
Mmmmm. Feel the burn!
Actually, the stuff is illegal. But everyone makes it down here anyway, including the Emberá family we stopped to chat with on our way into the rainforest.
There are three different indigenous groups that live in this region. The Kuna, Emberá, and Wounaan tribes. Sometimes the Emberá & Wounaan are collectively known as the Chocó, but they aren’t big fans of that term.
At first our Emberá hosts told us that they didn’t have any Chicha Fuerte with them. But after chatting for a bit and having a few laughs, out came the hidden plastic jug and a single cup with which to share the forbidden liquid. 
Tree-Hugging Hippy Defense System
Hunting for Dinner in the River
As the sun set over the Darien Gap, we thanked our hosts, strapped on headlamps, sharpened our machetes, and began marching into the jungle. For provisions we’d packed a couple gallons of fresh water, a sack of rice, oatmeal, and a few cans of fish. To supplement our diet we gathered tasty fruit from the trees.
There were plenty of river crossings to maneuver through as well, and we occasionally stopped in them to go fishing…
With our machetes. In complete darkness.
How to Fish with a Machete:
Step 1: Stand in cold river water.
Step 2: Shine headlamp down at your feet.
Step 3: Wait for something to swim past.
Step 4: Hack it to death with rusty machete.
Step 5: Make sure your feet are still there.
Using this method, we caught 2 fish, 3 river-shrimp, and 1 freshwater crab. When we finally arrived at camp after the 3 hour hike in the dark, our captured critters were boiled up in a pot and mixed with rice and plantain bananas for a hearty jungle meal! It was all washed down with steaming cups of freshly-cut lemongrass tea.
These organically harvested calories would be used to fuel our hike up Pirre Mountain the next day.
Inside The Darien Gap
Frogs, Scorpions, Snakes: Everything is Hazardous
The day after my arm was attacked in the middle of the night (rumor has it I screamed when I was stung, but because I don’t recall that specific detail, I’ll just pretend it didn’t happen), we readied ourselves for the climb up Cerro Pirre, the first real mountain before you hit the Colombian border range.
It was October, and the Darien’s wet season was in full swing. Rain came pouring down over us for most of the day and brought 100% humidity with it. The trail was steep, muddy, and overgrown with jungle. But I loved every second of the journey!
Darien National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s also one of the world’s top birding destinations.
But with the area’s notorious reputation as a hideout for paramilitary groups, drug smugglers, and other criminals, the park doesn’t get too many visitors.
Luckily the only dangers we faced were a giant scorpion hiding on a rotten tree, a black & red coral snake laying in wait along the trail, and repeatedly walking face-first into spider webs on the night hike back down the mountain.
Oh, and remember to always wash your hands before you eat, especially after handling a poison dart frog.
Fresh jaguar tracks were discovered in the mud, but these big cats are actually pretty shy, and would much rather keep their distance from stinky hikers like us…
Climbing Pirre Mountain
Experience of a Lifetime
On the third day of our Darien National Park expedition, we trekked out to a beautiful waterfall that worked perfectly as a 30 foot long natural water slide. Playing in the cold river was a welcome relief from the constant rainforest heat.
After collecting & treating more drinking water for the 5 hour hike out, we eventually made our way back to the village of El Real, hitchhiking in the back of a rare pickup truck.
Finally we checked in with the military again — reassuring them that we hadn’t been kidnapped by rebel forces.
How is My Arm?
As for what attacked me in the middle of the night, it’s still a mystery. It didn’t leave much of a mark, and my arm felt fine after about 30 minutes.
Our Kuna guide Isaac suggested it was some type of insect, but there is no way to know what kind without seeing the culprit first-hand.
I just hope there isn’t some alien creature growing inside my arm now, getting ready to pop out and say hello at some future date. 
Specific Details
Location: Darien National Park, Panama
Notes: I’ve collected a ton of detailed information on the logistics of my trip into the Darien Gap, and will be putting together a guide for anyone else who is interested in visiting. To learn when the guide is complete, make sure to sign up for my email list below.
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Great story. Sounds like an awesome place for a jungle adventure. I wonder if a spider bit you, we had a similar incident on safari in South Africa where Maria was bit by a spider and her entire left arm was experiencing pretty severe pain for a while.
It certainly could have been. We searched both inside and outside my hammock, but couldn’t find anything. I’ll probably never know!
Great story! I’ve had more than my share of icky animal encounters (getting bitten by centipedes – twice – in my sleep in Hawaii, 38 spider bites in Oz, and mozzie bites in the Caribbean that gave me everything from horrific blisters to full-on dengue fever!).
So it’s possible that despite my love of nature and hiking, my adventures in the Darien Gap will be limited to reading this post!
Ah yes, and walking face-first into spider webs? Yup. If there’s a web, I’m sure to eat it.
Roundup: Cash for Trash, Gratitude, and Solo Female Travel
38 spider bites and Dengue Fever??? Sounds like the critters really like you Nora!
I think I’ve heard that spiderwebs contain vitamins… just don’t eat the spider too.
Killer story and great photos Matt; I love it! And here I thought sailing from Panama to Colombia was a wild crazy adventure (it was).
The Great American Road Trip–Part IV
That sounds like such an incredible adventure! I was stung by a scorpion and my leg went numb for a little while. I was immediately surrounded by locals with garlic, lime juice, and tequila bottles full of water. I just did what they said and I still have my leg. I can’t believe you machete-hunted your own dinner. Nice.
It was Beth!
What did you have to do with those ingredients against the scorpion sting?
I had to chew up and swallow the garlic cloves, drink the lime juice right after, and then just drink lots and lots of water. I’m not sure the effects this has on the poison, if any. Crazy remedy? Maybe, but I was open to solutions
How a Girly-Girl Survives the Jungle
First, let’s review. I think you have some things mixed up. You had lots of homemade hooch, then struggled into your hammock – maybe, then you thought you had been stung, screamed and lost all feeling in your arm. I think it was the hooch or the ghost of one deceased chipmunk getting back at you. All animals communicate to each other. They said, this is no friend, he’ll eat you in a heartbeat. Bite him first. Some advice. I’ve seen corn floating in various mediums, and I certainly would not do a taste test. The frog is colorful, I’ll give you that. The tree actually looks like your leg after your third cup of corn liquor with floating things in it. Since your so much an animal friend, how about hugging a lion in S. Africa?
Alvin is definitely telling all his friends about the Timber Tiger incident from beyond the grave.
Wow..this is making every trip i’ve taken look like a preschool class being led along by a rope…
Also, I am impressed you were able to catch fish using the ‘machette method!’ Even more impressed that nobody lost a toe!
LOL! Yes Elizabeth, luckily there were no human toes mixed in with our river-creature stew…
Moonshine?? That’s my boy! Corn or no corn, there were plenty of times I felt as though I drank moonshine with you. The rest of it you can have. (jungles, bugs, snakes, painful bug bites etc.) Glad you made it out of there.
The moonshine helped with the bugs & snakes.
Matt, so do u finally hope to arrive to Colombia or it’s return to Panama-city trip? I wanna do the same with crossing Central-South America border, more details into the studio please!
Ur blog is awesome, I tried to find the drug plane @ Utila, but now it is impossible due to jungle arise. Keep rocking!
Day #200: Breaking the Tongue
Hi Roman, we returned to Panama City after this trip. It’s technically possible to cross the land border on the Caribbean coast, but it’s only a 2 hour hike from one port to another.
Crossing through the middle of the Gap overland is practically imposible these days. Some have done it, but it can cost a few thousand dollars to hire local guides and bribe officials. Not cheap. The police don’t mess around either, they know where you are at all times, and they have river & village checkpoints everywhere. You’d have to be a member of the Special Forces to sneak through.
Have I told you you’re crazy?
#FF I follow @expertvagabond for great photos and crazy stories like this one –> http://t.co/RLaevJnZ
What an adventure! RT @ExpertVagabond: Hiking inside the notorious Darien Gap: http://t.co/RoRFm8Fk
RT @ExpertVagabond: Hiking inside the notorious Darien Gap: http://t.co/1OnpTp4n
“I just hope there isn’t some alien creature growing inside my arm now, getting ready to pop out and say hello at some future date. ” – ha ha, I know! Even I’m pretty scared about the same thing. Got bitten by some insect in the jungle two years ago. The bite mark is still there!
Six reasons why Off Season is the new Season!
Two years ago??!! That’s crazy! Do you know what it was?
@ExpertVagabond – impressive article at http://t.co/Rk8Br7ZQ , I was just taking a closer look at Panama, looks like quite an adventure.
RT @gAdventures: RT @expertvagabond: Hiking in Panama’s Notorious Darien Gap: http://t.co/who4lfAk | #tbex #gadv #ngtradar
That looks absolutely incredible, I’d like to say enough to make me want to do it but I am such a wuss.
How I will remember 2011
Positive thinking Ayngelina! I’ll have to take you hiking someday & try to change your mind.
Hiking in Panama’s Notorious Darien Gap: http://t.co/izT1QFFM via @ExpertVagabond | #tbex #gadv #ngtradar
RT @ExpertVagabond: Hiking in Panama’s Notorious Darien Gap: http://t.co/2IktMKG0 | #tbex #gadv #ngtradar
HA! I can identify with this story. In the middle of the night at Sirena Station, Corcovado, I woke up to a sharp pain followed by a burning in my toe. After FREAKING OUT and waking up everyone in my dorm room we figured out that it was… a nail.
The only burning sensation that followed was my face. :/
B
Would you believe it? Your site came up first when I was researching was of crossing the Darién Gap. How’d your guide come along?
My interview at Trippando
Still working on it. Send me an email if you have any specific questions.
Now That’s what I call a jungle hike. The rainforest is an amazing place to run around in, but you also need to be aware at all times that it is one of the most dangerous environments on earth, where the smallest mistake could get you in serious troubles. Way to go Matt. Love the way you tell the story. Makes me want to get out there
Pico do Papagaio – hiking on Ilha Grande – Rio de Janeiro
Thanks a lot Raf. Certainly one of my most memorable experiences so far.
By any chance, do you remember the title of theat movie about the Darien Gap?
Trying to cross it on a jeep?
By the way, the movie was anything special, and your photos and story are much better!!
ciao
I do!
It’s called “The Art of Travel“