By Maxwell Radwin METETÍ, Panama — Darién National Park covers around 575,000 hectares, or 1.42 million acres, of rainforest ...

Thousands of people used to cross the Darién Gap every day. Emerging from the rainforest, they would stop in small towns ...

My stop here in Panama’s remote Darien National Park is part of a week-long Smithsonian Journeys cruise through Central America aboard Le Bellot, a small ship in the French-based Ponant line.

Panama's government hopes to turn the Darien National Park into "the main eco-tourism destination in Central America," according to the country's 2020-2025 master plan for sustainable tourism.

Last year was an “unprecedented year” where a total of 248,284 people crossed the Darién National Park, she said. 2023 now looks set to outstrip that number as the year continues.

Darien National Park - map of inscribed property: Decisions; 2015 39COM 8B.41 - Darien National Park, Panama: 2014 38COM 8B.46 - Examination of minor boundary modifications : Darien National Park ...

Last year was an “unprecedented year” where a total of 248,284 people crossed the Darién National Park, she said. 2023 now looks set to outstrip that number as the year continues.

Stop in Panama’s remote Darien National Park as part of a week-long Smithsonian Journeys cruise through Central America aboard Le Bellot, a small ship in the French-based Ponant line.

Last year was an “unprecedented year” where a total of 248,284 people crossed the Darién National Park, she said. 2023 now looks set to outstrip that number as the year continues.