The community of Quebrada Ancha has embraced tourism, welcoming hikers on the Camino Real since 2011. Supported by government funding, they built essential facilities such as an outdoor kitchen and bathrooms. As hikers experience local culture, they enjoy traditional dishes like sancocho and traverse the historic, lush landscape, reflecting on the centuries-old path’s evolution from its origins. The trek presents physical challenges, including muddy trails and river crossings, while offering opportunities to witness diverse wildlife and the vibrant natural beauty of Panama.
Strassnig has contracted the community of Quebrada Ancha, home to about 20 families, to provide food and accommodations for Camino Real hikers.
Residents serve us bowls of sancocho, a comforting Panamanian chicken soup with yuca and plantains, at a long table underneath a thatched-roof open-sided shelter.
We hike beneath swaying palms and scramble under barbed wire fences past grazing cows, a reminder of how the area has evolved since the route was established.
I can't help thinking about how in just a couple of hours, we've come from the capital to walk on a centuries-old path.
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