Las Golondrinas Waterfall Trail In Santa Fe, Veraguas

I had heard about this goliath waterfall but never envisioned it to be quite so epic. Las Golondrinas Waterfall is a mammoth falls near Santa Fe, Veraguas. The trek to the falls takes only 20 minutes but leads you through a wonderland of vines and river crossings before revealing the gigantic waterfall.

HOW TO GET TO LAS GOLONDRINAS WATERFALL

There are a few options. Obviously, the easiest is to have a car, which we did on this day thanks to a friend from Panama City who was showing me around. However, most travelers in Santa Fe are without a car. My accommodation, Hostal La Qhia, was in the center of Santa Fe town. From there you can catch the Santa Fe – Guabal bus. This will take you straight past the waterfall and you can just ask the driver to drop you at Las Golondrinas. I have added a map at the bottom of this blog post to help you find your way. I have also added several images of the parking and trailhead to help you spot the entrance.

You can actually enter the trail from the right or left side of the river and both trails lead to the same waterfall. Many people choose to complete a circuit, although the trails are so close you can virtually see the other trail from across the river so don’t feel like you are missing out by choosing to go out and back.

LAS GOLONDRINAS WATERFALL

It was pouring with rain. I took nothing with me just a camera, hidden in my rain jacket and a lens cloth. We ran across the road from the parking and lept up the muddy trail. It was full adventure mode in the wet rainforest.

The trail is very clear to follow and has handrails in some points. However, because of the conditions, it is very muddy and you will get wet and dirty on this trail. If the trail doesn’t get you wet, the river crossing will.

You need to cross the river at least two times to reach the waterfall if you access the waterfall from the left trail. It was pouring anyway so it didn’t matter to us. After about ten minutes we got our first glimpse of the waterfall. From this far back, it looked incredible. I let my friend, Angel, wander ahead and shot a few photos of him on the rocks for scale. It felt like a magical place. Two small adventurers in wonderland, no one else about. Just the roaring thunder and rain hammering down on us.

We continued the trek towards the big fall but first, we stopped at a wider cascading fall. I really loved this part. It was like the class prelude to the almighty aggressor that stood behind it.

Finally, after lots of photos, rain, and adrenaline running high, we reached Las Golondrinas Waterfall. What a beauty! There was a slalom at the very top of the waterfall that weaved in and out before it all came crashing down with extreme force into the pool of blue water below.

There are several nice viewing spots to the sides or you can get up close and personal… and wet if you so desire.

Las Golondrinas is only a 30-minute drive from Santa Fe town and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the area. Bermejo and La Piedra Alto are great waterfalls as well but require a bit more effort to reach, which is another reason Las Golondrinas is a great little adventure that doesn’t take up your whole day! Definitely get out here to check out the beast of Santa Fe/Guabal!

LAS GOLONDRINAS MAP LOCATION

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I hope you enjoy my guides and have a great time exploring Panama!