La India Dormida Hill is one of the best known hills in Panama, for its peculiar shape and for being part of the walls of one of the few inhabited volcanoes in the world. In addition, it is only 2 hours from the capital.
I have seen so many beautiful photos of sunrises on beaches and mountains, now, I want to visit them and be able to contemplate a sunrise or sunset from one of these places, this time La India Dormida Hill.
Hiking La India Dormida Hill
Being in El Valle de Antón (Anton Valley) with some friends, we took the opportunity to climb La India Dormida Hill (the Sleeping Indigenous).
We woke up at 4:00 a.m. to get ready and leave the hostel, heading to the hill.
For those who do not know it, this hill is named sleeping indigenous because of its peculiar shape of a lying woman, there is also a legend about it, later I will tell it to you.
We walked through the town and once we no longer had the street light, we began to use our lamps, I recommend headlamps with a good battery, because the one I was using ran out, when we started to climb the hill.
We started to climb the head of La India Dormida Hill, well- known pass, we passed by the Piedra Pintada (painted stone, the petroglyph), there are some signs (white arrows painted on stone and trees) but, they are not very visible and less at night.
Right after the painted stone, we take a trail that is on the left-hand side, it is not seen at all.
If Jerry is not with us, we would have taken another trail because, although he told us, the left-hand, take the left-hand we did not believe him, because nothing was seen.
Many years ago, like about 10, I did this trail, however, there is a part, like a third that has changed, now it is taken the other way.
The trail looks a bit like that of La Cruz Hill in Campana, due to the steepness and the stones and roots of the trail.
We left a little late, about 10 minutes, but for a sunrise, every second counts, and well, we were going quite fast, which somehow affected me, because I almost fainted, I got a little dizzy, I had to stop and sit on the ground, until it was pass me.
Fortunately, a friend stayed to accompany me, I was worried, because I did not want that because of my fault, he will miss the sunrise.
Now, that was not the only thing that happened to me, after one of the twins’ muscles tried to mount on my right leg.
I fell to the floor because of pain, I stayed for a while giving myself massages and trying to relax the muscle, I continued and meters later it was the turn of the other leg, here I fell into a bad position, I could fall down the mountain, but I could not move, so my friend, Josias placed me in a safe place.
After we move on and we get there before sunrise.
La India Dormida Hill
I stayed the first stop that I saw, it is like the forehead and Josias met with the others, I think at the nose of La India Dormida Hill.
After taking some photos I went with the others and we stayed for a long time, taking photos, videos and fighting with a lot of flying insects that had probably brought the rain the day before.
From this point my photos begin, since I now had light to take them.
Definitely appreciating the sunrise from a mountain is a spectacle of nature, seeing how everything is illuminated, starting with a yellow color, and that was not a day when the clouds are down and cover the entire town.
From there you can see not only the town of El Valle de Antón, but also beaches and even the Penonomé Wind Farm.
Then we advance to go down the other side, they told me that we went down through the navel.
I was in the middle of the group, distanced from each other and as always from taking photos, in some moment I was last, hahaha.
Back
How good there are small hills, so in one of them I could see the rest of the group and meet with them.
We started the descent and right there the #AventureBag, it is cleaner on this side, but still we picked up some things like beer cans.
On the other side I cannot appreciate the trail because we went up in the dark, but it was charming on this side.
Because, the trees form a roof like stories, in addition to some very photogenic mushrooms that I found on the way.
On that side there is no signposting, but it is not very difficult to get to and it may be that it is even safer, because along the trail of the head they tend to steal a lot.
It seemed to me, to climb at night, that trail t is better, because there is less vegetation, so you can take advantage of the moonlight and the air can feel better to breathe, it also feels that it is less than meters from mountain to climb.
Also, going down, I only had to take 2 times to the left-hand, at the points where I did not know which way to go and soon I was in town.
We left just right-hand t to the Temple of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Investigating a little more I found interesting information, first of all, as we know, El Valle de Antón is an extinct volcano that erupted many years ago (300 thousand), and the product of it is the current form.
However, the hair Forest of la India Dormida is because this part is older than the eruption (about 6.5 million years old).
Giving time to degrade it and turn it into soil, where vegetation can grow. Information from my friends of Alma Aventurera.
La India Dormida Legend
Flor del Aire (it is a name), maiden, daughter of the cacique Urraca, fell in love with one of the Spanish colonizers.
Because of that, she despised the Yaraví indigenous man, one of the bravest warriors. Yaraví, sad committed suicide, throwing himself from the top of a mountain, Flor del Aire saw him.
For not betraying her people, she decided not to see Spanish again.
She wandered through the mountains, she lay down and death surprised her, nature decided to perpetuate that love and took the shape of her body.
Interesting Facts
- La India Dormida Hill -1055msm,
- elevation of 285m.El Valle de Antón – 600msm.
- Level: intermediate.
Hiking times
I went up, from the center of town, in 1 hour 10m, if it goes quiet it can be done in that time or a little more, if it goes fast it can be 1 hour.
We descend in 50m (from the head, down the navel, to the center of the town).
Advices, what to bring and more
- Hiking shoes or boots,
- Wear dry fit clothing,Bring water (it can be 1lt),
- Snacks,
- Rain coat, in case of rain,
- If you see that it is going to rain or there is lightning or thunder, please do not go up, it can be dangerous, lightning has already fallen there,
- Do not leave trash,
- Do not make noise, people below can hear everything and they may think that something is happening.
La India Dormida Hill Hours
The place does not close as it is a point of passage for some residents.
Prices to hike La India Dormida Hill
- $0.50 children from 5 to 12 years old.
- $1.00 students (educational tour), retirees and pensioners.
- $2.00 Panamanians.
- $3.00 camping.
- $3.00 foreigners.
- $15.00 guide
They only charge while they are attending the kiosks at the entrance, on the side of the head of La India Dormida, on the other side there is no charge at any time.
My guide
The guys of Travelling Souls Panama, (507) 6153-8924 (WhatsApp), info@travellingsoulspanama.com
Tour in Spanish and English.
How to get to La India Dormida Hill?
Take the Panamericana Highway and enter the town of Las Uvas, (near San Carlos), from there it will be about 27km to El Valle de Antón.
After passing the San Jose Church, continue along the road, after the bridge turn right, then turn left (last signposting).
Then on the 2nd street turn right, after turn left and continue, a few meters before the Santa Cruz Church, on the left-hand side, you will see the entrance.
Option 2: Once in the town of El Valle de Antón, go through the market, then the San Jose Church, continue along the street without deviation, after the bridge turn left.
Then turn right and turn left (next to the Temple of Jehovah’s Witnesses).
Continue there, the street will become a dirt road, on the way you will find only two deviations that look like T, in both cases turn right.
If you go by car, you must leave it before the street is unpaved, since later it is narrow.
Other places you may like
- Square Trees of Panama
- Relaxing Experience in Hot Springs
- Touring El Níspero Zoo and Nursery
- Serpentarium in El Valle de Antón
- Las Mozas Waterfall and its Legend
- Exciting Whale Watching Tour in Pedasí
- My Hike Through Hanging Bridges
