For a decade-long expat like me, Sarigua's National Park in Herrera province was a surprise find. Traveling through the central provinces this past weekend with a Panamanian family, I was asked if I'd be interested in visiting Panama's "desert". As an ex-Arizona resident, I was We were in a time crunch and couldn't explore at any great length, but made a cursory stop with hopes to return for a more comprehensive visit.
Sarigua isn't really a desert, but resembles one in many aspects. It is actually a very unique area in Panama that underwent drastic change in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries due to massive deforestation by colonizers. It is currently under governmental protection, with efforts being dedicated to its restoration. The area is significant not only as an example of how not to treat this planet, but also because of it's historic importance as an archeological site and the oldest known area of habitation in Panama, dating back 11,000 years.
Located about 240 km from Panama City, in the district of Parita in Herrera province, it can be reached by road via the towns of Santa Ana and Parita. There are buses from Chitre to Parita, and it's possible to take a taxi or walk from Parita to the park entrance, but sources say the walk is 30+ minutes. The actual park area covers about 20,000 acres, (8,000 hectares), so a private vehicle is highly desirable. Apparently the park can also be accessed by boat via the coast on the Gulf of Parita. I imagine this route may provide more opportunities for wildlife observation. The entrance area from Parita is essentially arid wasteland with wind and high temperatures. There are nature and archeological trails to explore, as well as informational talks by the park rangers, but we were unable to avail ourselves of either due to the lecture schedule and our time constraints. If you understand Spanish there is also a great youtube video online.
According to this video, the park's land area is believed to have been underwater previously and over time elevated to create a salt lake. In that period, the area was much greener and fertile. Deforestation however destroyed the lands. The lake eventually dried up leaving heavily salted soil that couldn't be cultivated. The park currently receives low rainfall, and temperatures may reach as high as 113 degrees fahrenheit in the day and drop into the 60's at night. Sand storms hamper vegetative growth and augment the actual desert area by 3 sq meters per year. Reforestation efforts in progress are replenishing vegetation wherever possible using native species.
Currently about 500 hectares remain as salt lake deposits, and the rest is being developed into varied concessions dedicated to the mitigation of the sand storms. Included in these are around 2,500 hectares for shrimp farms, about 4,000 hectares of mangrove forest nearer the coast, and designated tourist camping areas for the ecological-minded who have an interest in astrology and star-gazing.
It would be very interesting to return when time permits to speak with park specialists and explore the diverse elements along the trails. It's on my bucket list !
