There are a bunch of great trails to explore in and around this beautiful Panamanian town, but here are 4 of the best Antón Valley hikes.
Along with Boquete, the Antón Valley (El Valle de Antón) is 1 of the 2 main hiking destinations in Panamá. Here you’ll find plenty of short yet really fun trails that hikers of all abilities can tackle.
The quaint town at the base of the valley is surrounded by nature yet has all the amenities you need for a few days to an extended stay. Some people base themselves here for weeks ticking off all the adventures.
In this guide, I share my recommendations for the 4 best Antón Valley hikes and for accommodation. Read on to discover my favourite trails and where to stay here.
Where is the Antón Valley?
The Antón Valley is located 3 h west of Panamá City in the middle of the country. If you head south from the valley for around 1 h 30 min, you reach the Pacific Coast.
An interesting fact about the Antón Valley
The Antón Valley is no ordinary valley. In fact, it’s the huge crater of an extinct stratovolcano thought to have last erupted around 200,000 years ago.
The eruption caused the volcano to collapse in on itself forming the crater and several of the peaks along the edge of the crater are actually lava domes.
From the summit of these lava domes you can clearly see that the valley has a rounder, crater shape rather than a narrow v shape typical of valleys.
4 of the best Antón Valley hikes
These are arguably the 4 most popular hikes in the Antón Valley and for good reason. The trails aren’t too challenging and the views from the top are great!
La India Dormida
- Distance: 1.5 km (from Piedra Pintada trailhead to La India Dormida)
- Duration: 1 h 30 min
- Elevation gain: 297 m
- Difficulty: moderate
- Cost: 3 PAB ($3 US)
La India Dormida, or Sleeping Indian Girl, gets its name from local folklore. Legend has it that during the times of Spanish colonialism a local girl fell in love with a conquistador. Her father, a tribe chief, forbade the affair and she fled to the hills never to be seen again.
When you look closely at the hill where the girl’s spirit is believed to wander, the outline of a person lying on their back can be seen.
This trail has to be the most-hiked of all the Antón Valley trails, probably because it starts within the town, albeit on the outskirts, and is short. There and back, this hike should take you a mere 3 h.
The trailhead sits at the western end of the valley just before a petroglyph called Piedra Pintada (Painted Rock). Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Antón Valley engraved carvings on the rock which is thought to be older than 1000 years.
The majority of the hike is along a steepish dirt trail and there’s also a technical rocky section near the top where you need to scramble. However, this is literally a few metres and it’s not hard. From the top you can see all the way down the Antón Valley.
You can also extend this hike beyond La India Dormida along the crater rim to another viewpoint called La Cruz (The Cross). And, if you want to go even further, then you can follow the crater ridge beyond La Cruz.
Here’s my full guide to hiking La India Dormida.
Cerro La Silla
- Distance: 5.5 km
- Duration: 2 h
- Elevation gain: 210 m
- Difficulty: moderate
- Cost: 5 PAB ($5 US)
This is 1 of the easiest Antón Valley hikes but also 1 of the best. The trailhead lies a short bus ride outside of town to the southeast in El Roble. In total, the adventure should take you around 4 h there and back.
The trail itself is mostly a steepish gravel road and then later on steep, dirt underfoot as you ascend the peaks. There are 2 peaks at La Silla and these almost look like a horse saddle after which the mountain is named.
Locals have dedicated the peaks of La Silla to Christ, placing a cross atop the first and statue of the Virgin Mary atop the second.
The views from the peaks are great, especially early in the morning when the light is golden. In fact, many people hike Cerro La Silla for sunrise. Another cool aspect of this trail is that when the conditions are right, you can see all the way to the Pacific Coast.
Check out the complete guide to hiking Cerro La Silla.
Cerro Gaital
- Distance: 2.5 km
- Duration: 2 h
- Elevation gain: 355 m
- Difficulty: moderate (to first viewpoint) hard (final section)
- Cost: free
Cerro Gaital is 1 of the more difficult Antón Valley hikes. It’s a great adventure if you like earning the views and you’ll get plenty of exercise along the way.
The hike has 2 sections: first you head to a viewing platform, then you continue on to the summit. The first section is pretty easy as the trail is maintained and there are only a couple of short steeper sections.
However, the second section is a different kettle of fish. You battle your way through thick growth and tree tunnels along the trail which becomes narrow and brings you precariously close to the edge of the mountain.
Also, there are steep rock faces that you climb using ropes that’ve been fixed in place, so you’ll need a good level of upper body strength. At the summit you get panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and onto the Antón Valley.
I would not do this hike when wet as the already dangerous trail would become super dangerous.
You can read my full Cerro Gaital guide for more information about this hike.
Mirador La Gaita
- Distance: 4 km (there and back)
- Duration: 3 h
- Elevation gain: 338 m
- Difficulty: moderate
- Cost: free
I love hikes where the trail isn’t too hard, is interesting and leads to great views. The route to Mirador La Gaita is just that and it’s 1 of my favourite adventures in the Antón Valley.
The trailhead is at Los Pintos, a neighbourhood roughly 45 min on the bus to the north-east of the valley. While there is a steep section at the start, the majority of the hike passes through a private reserve and the owners have done a great job building a fairly easy trail and maintaining it.
The bulk of the hike is a long, and I mean really long, flight of concrete steps through a lush forest. As you emerge from the forest, you join a wooden walkway and climb more steps before arriving at a viewing platform among the treetops.
Overall, it takes around 2 h to reach the viewing platform from which you have really good vistas of the surrounding landscapes including nearby peaks.
Here’s my full guide to hiking Mirador La Gaita.
How to get to the Antón Valley
You can travel to the Antón Valley from other popular destinations such as Boquete or Panamá City by driving or with a bus.
Getting to the Antón Valley from Boquete
Driving
Boquete is 1 of the first places in Panamá that people who cross the border from Nicaragua over land usually visit. It’s a long drive from here to El Valle de Antón, just shy of 400 km, that takes around 6 h 30 min. This is the fastest route according to Google Maps.
Bus
Taking a bus from Boquete to the Antón Valley is a bit complicated but doable in a single day.
- First you need to head to David, which takes around 1 h 30 min and shouldn’t cost much more than 2 PAB ($2 US)
- At David, catch a bus towards Santiago. This leg takes around 4 h and costs around 10 PAB ($10 US)
- Later, at Santiago you need to find a bus heading to Las Uvas. This journey takes roughly 3 h and costs around 9 PAB ($9 US)
- Finally, at Las Uvas you need to hop on a bus towards El Valle de Antón. This last leg of the journey takes just over 1 h and costs 2 PAB ($2 US)
I’ve read online that in David you might be able to find a direct bus to Las Uvas. It’s more likely you’ll have to stick to the route I outlined before, but it’s worth finding out at the terminal in David if this option is available as it could save you a few hours.
Getting to the Antón Valley from Panamá City
Driving
It’s a relatively short 135-km drive from Panamá City to El Valle de Antón that takes around 2 h 30 min. This is the fastest route according to Google Maps.
Bus
The main bus terminal in Panamá City is called the Gran Terminal Nacional De Transporte (National Transport Terminal) and it’s right next to Albrook Mall. To get to El Valle de Antón, you need to take a bus from here for around 3 h at a cost of 4.5 PAB ($4.5 US).
Where to stay in the Antón Valley
Here are my recommendations for accommodation in the Antón Valley. These are based on either personal experience or a combination of consistently high ratings across major booking platforms, location and price.
Hostal La Casa de Juan – from $13 US/night
This is a super budget-friendly accommodation at the western end of town near to La India Dormida trailhead. It’s where I stayed and I recommend it for a few days. The property has a shared kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs to hang out/eat at and friendly staff. While not the most comfortable nor cleanest of hostels, for a few nights it’s fine if you want to save money.
Book Hostal La Casa de Juan here.
Bodhi Hostel & Lounge – from $16 US/night
Bodhi is the best-known hostel in El Valle de Antón and for good reason. It’s a nice property with plenty of comfortable common areas to hang out in including a big garden. There’s also a shared kitchen. If you’re a backpacker or simply a budget traveller, I highly recommend Bodhi Hostel.
Book Bodhi Hostel & Lounge here.
Casa India Dormida – from $59 US/night
You can either rent a 1-bedroom house or a holiday home with Casa India Dormida. The property is a stone’s throw from the India Dormida trailhead and features a kitchen, parking and a garden. For the price, this place seems like a steal.
When to visit the Antón Valley
The dry season in Panamá typically runs from mid-December to mid-April and is the ideal time for hiking. During this period skies are clearer and trails are in better condition.
The rainy season in Panamá typically runs from late April to early December. During this period, it usually begins raining in the early-afternoon in the Antón Valley.
Many of the Antón Valley hikes are short, so if going up at sunrise during this time of year, you might be able to avoid the rain. However, the chances of having good views are slim.
Enjoy these Antón Valley hikes
You can’t miss the trails I’ve covered in this guide when visiting the Antón Valley. They’re great adventures to begin with, especially if you plan on sticking around to do some of the harder hikes.
I recommend staying in the valley for at least a week to give yourself time to do the hikes with a day or 2 to rest and enjoy the town. Below are the 4 Antón Valley hikes again and you can find all of my Panamá travel guides here.