Day 1
Arrival to Panama
Upon arrival to Panama the group will be met in the Tocumen International
airport by your guide and escorted to your accommodations at the Gamboa
Rainforest Resort. Nestled
among the vast Soberania National Park Rainforest, on the banks of the
Chagres River and Panama Canal, is this stunningly beautiful luxury hotel
and resort. This evening we
will host a “Get Acquainted” event with food, drinks, and a briefing of
what’s in store for the next week.
Day 2
Chagres River and Emberá Indians
This is a perfect opportunity to visit an indigenous village in the midst of
a wonderful natural setting that supports the harmony of their lifestyle and
traditions. Early in the morning guests are picked up at their hotel and
transferred to Port El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake, the main
reservoir of drinking water for the cities of Panama and Colon. Madden Lake
also supplies 40% of the water required for the operation of the Panama
Canal. Here, we board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up the
Chagres River to the Embera indigenous village of Embera Drua or Tusipono.
The boat journey takes us through the rainforest of the 320,000-acre
Chagres National Park, which is the largest of the National Parks protecting
the Panama Canal Watershed.
At the Embera village we will be greeted with dancing and music. We will
learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature. There will be
handcrafts available for sale and we will have a chance to be painted with
the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies.
After a lunch of fish , plantain, and fresh fruit served in traditional
style by the Embera, we visit the nearby waterfall where we can take a dip
in the crystal-clear waters of the Chagres River before heading back to
Gamboa.
Meals Included: B, L, D.
Day 3
The Wild Side of the Panama Canal
This day combines the thrill of
encountering wildlife in their natural habitats while passing in the shadows
of the mammoth cargo ships transiting the Panama Canal.
Gatun Lake,
with a surface
area of 423 square-kilometers, was
created in 1914 as the main
waterway for the canal and contains many small islands (former hilltops)
that provide protected natural habitats for many of the animals that live in
the region.
From the comfort of our expedition boat
which allows shoreline access to the
rainforest covered islands we will search for white-faced capuchin, mantled
howler monkey, central american spider monkey, and Geoffrey’s tamarin. We
are likely to spot green iguana and three-toed sloth resting on tree
branches, crocodile napping on beaches, osprey hunting for peacock bass,
snail kite, and keel-billed toucan. At mid-day, we will enjoy a picnic lunch
on a small island with extraordinary views of the Panama Canal and the
natural surroundings.
This afternoon we’ll board a plane for the short flight to the Chiriqui
highlands where we’ll embrace the mild climate of this beautiful mountainous
region surrounded by cloud forest and coffee fincas.
Meals Included: B, L, D
Day 4
River Rafting Rio Esti and Finca
Lerida
The Esti River is a Class II rafting experience that is ideal for a family
adventure. As the tropical
river winds through Panama’s rugged countryside we have the opportunity to
see a variety of wildlife including cormorants, kingfishers and more.
Along the way we’ll stop and swim in the many swimming holes and at
mid-day enjoy a riverside picnic lunch.
Meals Included: B, L, D
Day 5
Boquete Tree Trek and Bocas Del Toro
Meals Included: B, L, D
Day 6
Bastimentos National Park
This day is spent exploring both the terrestrial and under water wonders of
Bastimentos National Park.
First we visit Salt Creek, another Ngobe village, where we’ll be greeted by
our local guide Salino, who will lead us through his nature trail where we
have the opportunity to see sloths, monkeys, including the western night
monkey, birds, Caymans, and the famous red strawberry frog, a poison dart
frog that lives on the island.
Lunch will be enjoyed at a restaurant by the sea, built on stilts out over
the water. With a full stomach
we’ll head for a short on respite on Red Frog Beach where one can lie in sun
or take a swim in the Caribbean.
The afternoon will be spent snorkeling Tino’s reef and sponge garden
and Solarte Gardens which are teaming with tropical fish and multiple
varieties of coral and sponges.
Meals Included: B, L, D.
Day 7
Sea Star Beach & Panama City
After breakfast we head to the opposite side of Isla Colon to explore Sea
Star Beach, bask in the tropical sun on a white sand beach, and swim in the
warm turquoise waters. At Sea
Star Beach one can get up close and personal with the beautiful pin cushion
sea star. At lunch time we’ll
dine at Yarisnori Restaurant which serves up some of the best food in the
islands before we head back to Panama City for a free afternoon to enjoy the
facilities at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort.
This evening we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner together.
Meals Included: B, L, D.
Day 8
Panama Departure
Today we’ll say “hasta luego” to this enchanting country and return home,
where you’ll be eager to share your incredible Panama adventure and wildlife experiences.
Meals Included: B
