Panama Discovery Tour
8 Days - 7 Nights
- Based on Double Occupancy
A comprehensive tour of Panama, from the Canal to the Chiriqui Highlands to the Caribbean coast for 8D/7N starting at $2,835.00 per person.
Journey to a land where ancient history collides with modern marvels, and breathtaking natural beauty unfolds at every turn.
This is Panama, a country of staggering contrasts, where you can stand in awe of a 21st-century engineering feat one day and immerse yourself in the rich traditions of an indigenous community the next. From the bustling energy of its capital city to the tranquil serenity of its rainforests and the vibrant colors of its coral reefs, Panama promises an adventure that is as diverse as it is unforgettable. Your journey begins in Panama City, a metropolis of glittering skyscrapers and a testament to the nation’s economic dynamism. After a relaxing evening, you’ll dive into a world of cultural and historical significance.
Prepare to be captivated by a country defined by the legendary Panama Canal, a waterway that has shaped global trade and continues to inspire with its scale and complexity. Yet, this is only the beginning. You’ll witness the canal’s centennial history and its ambitious expansion project, a clear signal of its future. But the canal is just one thread in the rich tapestry of Panama.
You’ll venture beyond the locks and discover a nation teeming with life, where you’ll travel by piragua up the Gatun River to an Embera village. Here, you’ll be greeted with traditional music and dance, offering a window into a culture deeply connected to the natural world. This experience is perfectly complemented by a ride on the historic Trans-Isthmian train, following a route forged during the Gold Rush, offering a unique perspective on the country’s layered past.
Your adventure continues as you traverse the continental divide, journeying from the Pacific to the Caribbean, and witness a dramatic shift in landscapes. From the misty highlands of Boquete, where cloud forests whisper secrets and coffee plantations perfume the air, to the pristine coastal paradises of Bocas del Toro, where the turquoise sea invites you to explore its vibrant underwater world. In Boquete, you’ll soar through the canopy on a zipline, gaining a new appreciation for the rainforest’s intricate ecosystem, and learn the art of organic coffee production from a local master.
This isn’t just a trip; it’s an exploration of a nation’s soul. You will share a meal with the Embera people, learning their stories and customs, and snorkel in a world of vibrant coral, where colorful fish dart among the sea fans. The expedition boat journey on Gatun Lake offers an unparalleled opportunity to spot diverse wildlife, from howler monkeys and sloths to a variety of exotic birds, all while navigating a waterway bustling with colossal cargo ships.
You’ll witness the seamless transition from the dense, misty forests of La Amistad International Park to the sun-drenched beaches and mangrove ecosystems of the Caribbean coast. From the awe-inspiring engineering of the Panama Canal to the untouched beauty of its national parks, this journey is a masterclass in diversity, a symphony of experiences that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.
Day 1 : Panama City
Arrive in Panama City and transfer to your hotel for an evening of leisure.
Day 2 : Panama City
Embera Indians On Gatun River
Depart your hotel for a 1 1/2-hour drive across the Isthmus towards Colon for a cultural visit an Embera indigenous village on the shores of the Gatun River. You will board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up through lush forest to the community.
Along the river you may be able to spot Little Blue and Green Heron, Great Egret, Anhingas, Neotropical Cormorant, Amazon, Ringed, and Green Kingfishers, along with Keel-billed Toucans and Ospreys flying above. At the Embera village you will be greeted with dancing and music. You will learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature and experience their unique culture.
A traditional lunch will be included. This afternoon you will experience a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience history in the making by observing close-up the Panama Canal Expansion works on the new Gatun Locks.
Panama embarked on a major project to expand the Panama Canal a decade ago. The US$6.25 billion project, due to be completed in 2016 will give the waterway the needed competitive advantage to operate successfully for at least another century. The Panama Canal celebrated its 100th anniversary on August 15, 2014.
The return to Panama City will be on the Trans-Isthmian train. The railway follows a similar route as the original train built to transport 49ers coming from the East coast of the United States across the Isthmus to continue their journey by boat to California during the Gold Rush.
The route was diverted when Gatun Lake was formed to give way to the Panama Canal. After a 1-hour train ride you will be transferred to your city hotel early evening.
Day 3 : Panama City – David – Boquete
Panama Canal Rainforest Boat & Miraflores Locks
Early in the morning you will be picked up at your hotel by your naturalist guide for a 45-minute drive to the town of Gamboa, where the Chagres meets the Panama Canal.
Here you will board an expedition boat and depart on an adventure that will include a voyage across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal passing by gigantic cargo ships transiting the waterway, making contrast with the natural surroundings.
Along the way, you will have the opportunity to spot green iguanas and three-toed sloths resting on tree branches, crocodiles, osprey in the hunt for peacock bass, snail kite and keel-billed toucan among other wildlife.
The expedition boat will allow for close approximations to rainforest covered islands (former hill tops) in Gatun Lake to search for White-faced capuchin, Mantled howler monkey, Central American spider monkey, and the endemic Red-naped Tamarin.
Enjoy the extraordinary views of the Panama Canal and the natural surroundings followed by a picnic lunch in a private garden in Gamboa town. From here you head to the Miraflores Locks Visitors Center, where you will visit multiple exhibits of the canal and have the opportunity to view the operations of the Panama Canal.
In the afternoon you will transfer to Albrook domestic airport for a flight to David, the capital of the Chiriqui province. Chiriqui is known as “Panama’s breadbasket” and contains some of the most breathtaking highland scenery in Central America.
Transfer to the eastern side of the dormant Baru Volcano to the quaint town of Boquete with its countryside dotted with flower, fruit and vegetable farms, coffee plantations and extraordinary cloud forest environments. Overnight at a Boquete hotel.
Day 4 : Boquete
Cloud Forest Canopy Ziplining & Coffee Tour
Pick up from your hotel and set off on a a cloudforest canopy tree trek on a zipline, that allows you to contemplate the rainforest from 14 different canopy platforms while smoothly soaring in the heights from one treetop to another. You will glide through the trees and encounter a world unknown.
You will discover a fascinating perspective of wildlife that you had perhaps never appreciated. Native species of flora and fauna can be observed. You will marvel at the sight of a great variety of orchids, trees and wildflowers that are found throughout the area. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.
This afternoon you have an interactive experience in the highlands of Boquete. Sr. Tito´s Finca La Milagrosa in the Jaramillo region is one of the most respected and 100% organic coffee producers in the country.
This small farm is not meant for large productions, and Mr. Tito’s specialty coffee is only destined for exportation to Europe and the United States. Return to your hotel in the afternoon.
Day 5 : Boquete – Bocas Del Toro
La Amistad is a bi-national park that stretches from Costa Rica into Panama, a small portion of which extends into the Chiriqui province encompassing mostly cloud forests. Here, the land rises in excess of 1,500m and warm air ascends the mountains where it meets with cooler air and condenses into a persistent cloud cover.
Cloud forests exhibit a unique ecosystem with an astonishing diversity of flora and fauna. Towering trees reach towards the sun to form a canopy that creates a cool, shadowed, misty underworld on the forest floor.
It is noisy with the sounds of numerous insects, birds, and frogs but it is difficult to see them because of the ferns, tree ferns and epiphytes that crowd the lower and middle strata of the forest.
During the 4-5 kilometer nature walk you will reach up to 1,700m (approx. 200m elevation gain) where you can take a refreshing swim under a waterfall. Water drips from spongy mosses that cover tree trunks, from bromeliads that attach themselves to every cranny on the trees, and from flower petals perched high in the canopy of the forest.
After lunch at a Boquete restaurant depart for the 3.5 hour drive to Almirante, Bocas del Toro. Enroute across the Continental Divide, you may stop at Fortuna Dam. You will be crossing the Palo Seco protected area that serves as buffer zone to La Amistad International Park.
The transition from the cloud forests to the coral reefs of Bocas del Toro in the Caribbean Sea is impressive. In Almirante you are met by your boat and transferred to Isla Colon. Overnight at Bocas Inn.
Day 6 : Bocas Del Toro
Salt Creek Village / Basitmentos Marine National Park
You depart by boat from the Bocas Inn early in the morning traversing the expanse of Bastimentos National Park, Panama’s first marine national park.
You reach Salt Creek by navigating through clusters of Red Mangroves, which provide sea creatures with a protective area during their reproductive and development stages.
Upon arrival you first enjoy a walk along Caiman trail. This trail takes you through several stages of lowland forest dynamics. Here, you will look for birds such as Red-throated Ant Tanager and Golden-collared Manakin (Cerritus sub sp.). Mammals such as Night Monkeys, White-faced Capuchins and Three-toed Sloths also live here.
An older tract of rainforest has tall trees that provide life to birds such as the Three-wattled Bellbird and Green-breasted Mango. A nearby lagoon is home to Spectacled Cayman and Slider Turtle. On the ground you will look for the tiny endemic poison dart frog Dendrobates pumilio.
After the hike, you enjoy a visit to the Ngobe Bugle indigenous community to have a chance to purchase handicrafts such as painted woodcarvings and handbags, followed by lunch. In the afternoon you will snorkel among mangroves and coral reefs, searching for numerous fish species, as well as dynamic and brightly colored sea fans, sponges and brittle starfish.
Day 7 : Bocas Del Toro – Panama City
Boca Del Drago
Depart with a boat ride around Colon Island to Boca del Drago. Weather permitting, you visit Swan’s Cay, a rock protruding from the depths of the Caribbean Sea, which serves as rookery for Red-billed tropic birds (the only place to be found in Panama) and Brown boobies.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you will enjoy the beach at Boca del Drago and search for colorful giant starfish. Along the coastline, returning to the lodge, we make stops at coral reefs and mangrove isles for snorkeling.
After lunch you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Panama City. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel.
Day 8 : Panama City
You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Tocumen International Airport.
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