Every time that I ask my Instagram followers about what is the place that they like more in Panama, their best trip of the year or where they want to go, a place that they always say is Qui Qui Waterfall (it is in Ngabe Bugle region). I have seen many pictures of Qui Qui, but what you on photos it is not compared with the same waterfall, and it is not until you seen in front of you, when you see how beautiful is it.
The tour started from the capital, where a Saturday at 10:00 p.m., I will stay to find the team to left, although it had a change on the schedule and I did not know it, fortunately, the time departure was late and not early.
On the way
It was 8 hours by bus with some stops along the way, I was very lucky, because no one was next to me, so I took advanced to rest, I was prepared with coat, blanket, socks to sleep, comfortable clothes and of course, flip flop.
After a long bus trip to Soloy (I changed my clothes at the last stop, I recommend it), it was time to change the transportation and continue another 45 minutes by a 4X4 car.
When I got to Soloy I really wanted to urinate, but we immediately took the car, and I don´t know why, I understood that it was only 10 minutes, it was the most insufferable minutes.
I just thought I cann´t urinate the child who is next to me, hold on, you can, but several times I was about to jump out of the car and get into the mount hahaha.
When we finally arrived, I ran to the bathroom, which luckily there was one, and I was not the only one who ran.
On the trail
Once everyone was ready, we started hiking, it is a hike of approximately 10 minutes but of medium-high difficulty.
There are parts that you can go down without any problem, others you have to be holding the trees and branches (I remembered a part that I could not find how to hold me, so I hug a tree and turn without releasing it to be able to go down, it was almost like the fireman´s tube).
And in another part, you needed a rope, in our case, our guide brought it, in a small part I almost had to rappel because even sitting I couldn´t touch the bottom, I just held the rope from the back and wend down.
We were close to the Qui Qui waterfall, we can see it from above, we have it in front of us, it is really beautiful.
Our guide indicates us that it is time to keep everything in bags, because we would arrive wet to the down way of the waterfall.
This part is where we went down by rope, although not everything goes down by rope. The down way It is approximately 75 m, so you have to have some physical conditions.
Qui Qui Waterfall
I went on December, it already begins to come in the Dry Season, so the Qui Qui Waterfall start to lower its flow, therefore, it formed less foam and we barely get wet going down.
When the water falls on the rocks at 75m plus the wind, a kind of foam is formed, which looks like a light drizzle that is in the lower part of the waterfall.
We left our things in a cave, I recommend not staying there, if you can leave your things in other place, it is better, as I don´t know as safety it is to be there.
Some guys went to hike behind Qui Qui Waterfall, you can do it, but be careful because there are many stones.
I went straight to the down part of the waterfall to see it from to from, and swimming for a while, I must to say that the water is cold, but it is colder outside the water than inside.
As I saw there were many stones similar to the flagstones, I preferred to swim with my sneakers put on, it was the best, because I was comfortable and I could hike without hurting me.
There are flat parts where you can stand up without problem, but there is other it is deeper for the people that want to swim, this part is on the middle.
You have to be careful with the stones on the shore, because it can be slippery. There are stones everywhere.
Quartz
One of the things that caught my attention was the formation of some quartzs, there are on the bigger rocks and maybe it will take them some thousands or millions of years to finish forming hahaha.
The Rainbows
From how the water falls, you can see several rainbows, and I even saw one that was almost a circle, I think I have never seen one like it.
Also, you can see several simultaneous ones, depending on where you stand, it was really amazing.
This is one of the places that honestly, I would visit several times (even if it is many hours by bus, it is worth it) and if you have the opportunity to go, I recommend you.
That waterfall is beautiful whatever place you see it.
There is not a point that is not photographic, in the middle of the winter it must be a spectacle.
We stayed there several hours, after we ate some snacks and it was time to go to know Romelio Waterfall.
Dates
- It is also knowing as kiki.
- According to the locals it is 75m height.
Advices
- Bring water,
- Snack (fruits, nuts, tuna, cookies),
- Long pant, no jeans,
- Shoes for water or sneakers, there are many stones in the river and on the way to the river,
- Complete change clothes,
- Waterproof bag for the thing that you do not want wet (indispensable),
- Bag as zipplop to take photos with your cellphone or camera, if they are not waterproof,
- If you go on a tour from the capital it would be a good idea to have a coat, a blanket and a flip flop for the journey it is more comfortable,
- If there is rope to go down or up, it is important that you go one by one, because you can knock down the one who is ahead,
- Long rope to lower the most difficult part,
- To avoid to go if it is thundering or raining,
- Do not carry liquor, nor glass bottles for your own safety,
- Do not play music, nor make noise (fuss) for respect to the visitors,
- Don´t leave trashes and, if you can, pick up the one on the trail.
Hours to the visit
There is no defined hour to visit, but I must remember you that you are going to enter to private property and to pass through the houses of the owners.
Prices
- $70.00 – range cost, tour from the capital (bus and 4X4 car, entrance fee, guide fee).
- $1.50 for the transport by 4×4 car from Soloy to Cerro Blanco. They do not pass frequently if you find one when you go, you can hire it to pick up you and come back to Soloy.
- $5.00 entrance fee per person.
My guide
Rolegio of Trip Pty, you can contact him at (507) 6012.3577.
Tour only in Spanish.
How to get there to Qui Qui Waterfall?
Take by the Panamericana highway to the entrance to Soloy, at the entrance is the Isabel grocery store (there is a sign to Soloy).
Continue by the street to the town of Soloy, La Tulivieja Waterfall is next the street (it is small and next to the street)-
You should take a 4×4 car in Soloy, it is better to have one hired, because it is not frequent and there is no schedule.
Get off at the entrance to the trail in Blanco Hill (the driver knows), the place is on private land, you must ask for permission and pay a fee, I don’t have the cost, but it can be between $ 1 and $ 3 per person.
You can use Google Maps to get there, however, remember that on the way you will probably lose the cellphone signal as it is a remote place.
Other place you may like
- Romelio Waterfall, One of the Highest Waterfall in Panama
- Knowing Nativa Waterfall
- Knowing Filipinas Waterfalls
- La Gloria Waterfall is Really Amazing
- One Day at Arenilla Waterfall
- An Amazing Day at Emberá Druá Community
