Drug rehabilitation is an opportunity for new adventures and ways of seeing the world. Leave the snow and cold behind, come and heal in Panama! Throughout your recovery program, a variety of holistic therapies are included. Each week, as part of Serenity Vista’s comprehensive holistic approach to addiction recovery & spiritual exploration, a full day is devoted to eco-friendly, outdoor recreation and adventure that will facilitate your connection with nature and invigorate your body, mind and spirit. Activities are varied with a healthy balance of challenge, stimulation and ability.
If a guest arrives with any sort of physical limitation, we plan accordingly. No one is asked to go beyond their physical capabilities – although you may be challenged out of your comfort zone. It’s all part of the experience of a new life.
Glide through the canopy of cloud forests, high above the pristine rivers and waterfalls that make up the incredible natural landscapes bordering the National Park La Amistad and the famous Volcan Baru.
4.5 km or 2.8 mi in total length, divided into 12 different zip line cables, glide through the trees and encounter a fascinating perspective of life you could never have imagined. At any time you may experience the gentle mist we call bajareque.
The wildlife within the treetops is immense and varied. You will observe the diversity of native species including small animals and birds. With a bit of luck you may even get the chance to see monkeys and the famed quetzal. In addition, you can marvel at the great variety of orchids and wildflowers that you will find throughout the area.
The Hanging Bridges Tour is your unique opportunity to enjoy an elevated perspective of the biodiversity of Panama’s tropical cloud forest. It is a circuit of 6 suspension bridges covering a 4.5 km route through the treetops.
The Bridges Tour takes place within the private forest reserve, Rio Cristal, located in the Talamanca Mountain Range bordering La Amistad International Park. You will be accompanied by a local guide who will help you know the lush flora and fauna of these protected forests.
This is a new adventure in which you will enjoy breathtaking views of rivers, waterfalls, and the towering Volcan Baru. A unique experience that will leave you with unforgettable memories.
Suspension bridges at Boquete Tree Trek range from 70 to 135 meters long and reach heights from 10 to 75 meters above the ground. In addition, you will go along 6 trails that measure from 185m to 1.5 km, reaching altitudes ranging from 1.660 to 1.827 meters above sea level.
A full-day trip out to one of the Pacific’s Chiriqui Gulf tropical islands is one of our favorites. Isla Gamez is our usual destination with gorgeous white sandy beach, palm trees, and crystal clear, warm tropical water for swimming and snorkeling. A highlight is a feast of fresh tropical fruits and freshly caught red snapper cooked over a beach campfire. A full day of fun, sun, and water, experiencing the joy of the tremendous abundance of life in sobriety.
I climb mountains in search of freedom and harmony with my senses, because it is a form of artistic expression and through it, I find myself.
–César Augusto Meléndez Castillo – First professional climber in Panama
Rock Climbing is a recreational highlight for some guests during their rehab program. Your guide will give you instruction and coaching, gentle and kind, always guiding and inspiring you to do your best and edge outside of your comfort zone – but in a safety harness. Guests that have never climbed, and those that have all find rock climbing to be a safe and thrilling experience.
Another option is Los Cangilones de Gualaca, one of the best natural swimming bath in the province of Chiriquí and major tourist attraction Gualaca district. It is a pretty swimming bath visited by both Panamanians and foreigners due to its easy access, for its beautiful scenery and of course for its refreshing waters. Los Cangilones de Gualaca is a natural swimming pool, a rock formation that was created by the river Estí in the form of a narrow channel and a large natural pool.
Jä Wäkta Waterfall Hiking and Rappelling Tour never leaves you short activities or new and exciting ways to challenge yourself. Hiking in search of waterfalls, a bit of rock climbing, diving into crystal clear pools, trying your balance on a slack-line over the river, even rappelling down the Jä Wäkta waterfalls; this tour has it all!! Jä Wäkta was named by the indigenous Ngäbe of that region and basically is translated as flat rock which makes this waterfall an ideal location for all the activities we have in store for you. Relax and enjoying the sounds of nature while counting the blue Morpho butterflies
Learn the fascinating steps of the coffee journey, from farm (finca) to cup. Panama has bragging rights to one of the most famous and expensive coffees in the world – and it is grown right up the road from Serenity Vista at Finca Esmerelda. Geisha Coffee is like no other coffee you’ve tasted! But then all the coffee grown in Boquete is extraordinary and you will learn first-hand what is so special about it. You will be surprised at the number of painstaking steps between the hand-picked coffee cherry and the cup of steaming deliciousness. Cafe Ruiz is considered the Granddaddy of the coffee tours, and it’s our favorite.
“We want to share the unique story about coffee’s incredible journey to your cup, and our effort to fulfill all the responsibilities that working with coffee demands.”
– CASA RUIZ nearly 100 years of coffee growing
“For nearly one hundred years the Ruiz family has been growing and processing some of the finest coffee in Panama. Dedicated to growing traditional coffee varieties in the cool, high altitude, shade-growing environment of Boquete. What was once a single-family farm in Boquete is now a coffee crafting enterprise, which not only grows coffee but processes, packages, and roasts some of the finest coffee in the world. Café Ruiz has earned an excellent reputation in the coffee world and is well known for quality, consistency and a willingness to test new grounds in processing and packaging. They are dedicated to crafting the most consistently flavorful coffee possible while maintaining a healthy natural environment for future generations.”
Boquete has some of the finest hiking trails anywhere. You will walk through breath-taking jungle, cloud-forest and river trails. Thick and lush rainforest dazzling with tropical birds, panoramic lookout points and crystalline streams rushing across velvety moss covered rocks. Orchids, bright and varied blooms, fruits and vines, and the butterflies! They are flying jewels challenged in beauty only by the dozens of different hummingbirds. We have some favorite hiking trails that showcase waterfalls. The intrepid can even go for a dip!
Spectacular river passages through mysterious jungle gorges, swirling eddies and drops, hidden waterfalls, wild waves and some crazy rapids. When the season is right for rafting you will love this recreation excursion.
You will love to be back on a horse, or perhaps it will be your first ride ever. Either way this is a recreation activity that always delights. Riding in the Caldera Valley provides breathtaking vistas of verdant green. Slow ride through the rivers and trees and maybe take that thrilling gallop on the gentle rise through the meadow.
Cesar Caballero is our talented and charismatic bird/coffee specialist at Finca Lerida, a stunning resort/working coffee plantation. Spend the morning identifying the dozens of hummingbird species, spotting the resplendent quetzal and soaking up the astounding landscape of flowers and coffee. There are over 300 species of birds on site. You may spot a monkey or sloth if you are lucky. After the tour – the coffee!
Boquete Bees has a sweet tour that will leave a great taste in your mouth. Explore the gardens and farms and learn about bees and honey production. You will leave with a new and different perspective on nature and the importance of bees in our lives. The fascinating butterfly house has over 35 native species where you can observe the metamorphism and emergence from colorful chrysalises. Always a favorite – honey tasting!
