Picturesque Panama

12n/13d

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL TO PANAMA

Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a Panama Great Adventures representative and transferred to your hotel in Panama City.

Meal (-)

Night at: Hotel in Panama City

DAY 2 – CANAL LOCKS, CANAL AREA, CASCO ANTIGUO

8:30am pick up and transfer to visit Miraflores Locks, where interactive exhibits explain the history and workings of the Canal, its nature rich rain forest and waterways, and for the “grand finale” you will see–very closely, ships on their voyage through the famous Panama Canal Locks. We will continue to see the Canal area.

On the way to the Colonial city, we will stop at the Canal Administration building and surroundings.

Let´s continue to the “Casco Antiguo”, home of the 17th century Church of the Golden Altar, ruins and restorations of colonial churches, convents and residences, Spanish dungeons, the Panama Canal museum and a French monument to the 22,000 who died attempting to build the Panama Canal. After this we will take you to Panama´s modern city.

Meals (B)

Night at: Hotel in Panama City

DAY 3 – EMBERA INDIGENOUS VILLAGE

Early pick up and transfer to the Chagres National Park.

Here, you will board a motorized dugout canoe and travel to the Embera indigenous village. Once at the village, you will be greeted with a brief explanation of their history and traditions, a performance of tribal dances, drums, and the Embera traditional lunch. You will learn about their relationship with nature, their handcrafts will be available for purchase, and you will also be able to experience having your body painted with the traditional “jagua”, a natural dye used by the village members to adorn their bodies.

Optional: You can continue up the river and walk approximately 600 meters to swim at the waterfall.

Transfer back to hotel at approx. 2:00 pm

Meals (B-L)

Night at: Hotel in Panama City

DAY 4 – BIOMUSEO, HANDCRAFT MARKET & AZUERO

The Biodiversity Museum: Panama Bridge of Life (also known as Biomuseo), contain 8 exhibitions that will mainly revolve around the origin of the Panamanian isthmus and its gigantic impact on the planet’s biodiversity. These exhibitions will be mainly led by the Smithsonian and the University of Panama.

The building silhouette is the usual unusual Frank Gehry design; however unlike most of his designs, each panel is painted a different bright color. The reason for the bright colors were said to express its tropical location.

We will continue to the hand craft market where you will find crafts made by natives Gunas, Emberas and other indigenous living cultures in Panama.

After lunch we will hit the road to Chitré on the Azuero Peninsula.

Meals (B)

Night at: Hotel in Chitre

DAY 5 – ISLA IGUANA

This morning you will be transfer to Playa El Arenal in Pedasí, where your boat takes you to Iguana Island – a wildlife refuge 8 kilometers off the coast. The island is famous for its white sand beach, crystal waters, mangrove forests and coral riffs including 12 different types of corals that shelter more than 300 species of fish. Dolphins are frequently seen, turtles and  between June and October  you will have the chance to see humpback whales that migrate from cold waters to Panama’s Pacific coast with warmer water temperatures.

Iguana Island is also home to a large breeding colony of frigate birds and  as the island’s name indicates… iguanas.  Also explore a hiking trail that crosses the island from West to East to observe the iguanas and marine birds with your guide.

You will then settle at the beach and explore the different coral reefs and the colorful submarine world snorkeling. Enjoy some relaxing time at the beach while your guide prepares a snack for you. A coastal lunch fried fish and plantains  will be served once back on the mainland.

Meals (B-L)

Night at: Hotel in Chitre

DAY 6 – BEST OF AZUERO

Discover the most traditional products of the Herrera Province. Observe how the salt is extracted from the Pacific Ocean using the same technique the indigenous invented long time before the Spanish arrived to the Americas; learn why the village of La Arena is famous for its pottery and see how hard it is to use the potter’s wheel; visit a traditional sugar cane mill to see how the refreshing sugar cane juice called “Guarapo” is made and how sugar cane honey is cooked; and finally know how the local bread, called “Pan de La Arena”, is baked in clay ovens and how it obtains its unique taste.

At noon, taste a delicious traditional Panamanian lunch in a local restaurant.

Let´s continue to see in detail the handcrafting of the Pollera, one of the most beautiful traditional costumes in the world, by visiting a group of ladies devoted to the traditional dress of the Panamanian women. You will also visit: A maker of the fearful devil’s masks used for the folkloric dances of the Dirty Devils and Clean Devils; and a drum maker that hand makes traditional wooden drums that are part of Panama’s traditional music.

Meals (B-L)

Night at:  Hotel in Chitre

DAY 7 – RUM TOUR

Visit Hacienda San Isidro in Pesé, where Panama’s best rum is produced: Ron Abuelo. After a short historical introduction in a colonial house, you will tour the distillery in order to see the different steps that are necessary to produce liquor from sugar cane: Grinding, fermenting and distilling. Then, you will visit the bodega where the rum ages in oak barrels. Now is the time to try the different rums produced at Hacienda San Isidro: In a guided rum tasting you will drink 5 years, 7 years and 12 years aged rum as well as Ron Abuelo Centuria a solera rum of 30 years. After the rum tasting, a traditional Panamanian lunch and an open-bar of rum and “seco” based drinks round off this exciting tour.

Meals (B-L)

DAY 8 – BOQUETE

After breakfast your driver will take you to Boquete at Chiriquí highlands.

Free afternoon.

Meals (B)

Night at: Hotel in Boquete

DAY 9 – COFEE TOUR

Today you will have a guided tour on a coffee plantation, located at 1,700 meters of altitude, where you will tour a Unique Plantation with different Varieties of Fine Coffees. Learn how the nut, fruit, and flower flavors are developed in the bean; how the processing and roasting affect the final taste; and very important, how to recognize a Good Coffee! A Professional style Cupping will allow your palate to differentiate among Coffees that have been awarded at National and international Events.

Meals (B)

Night at: Hotel in Boquete

DAY 10 – VOLCAN BARU HIKE & BOCA CHICA

This dormant volcano is the highest point of Panama with 11,398 feet above sea level. Located south of the Continental Divide in the western province of Chiriquí in the “Volcan Baru” National Park, certainly is one of the most challenging hikes attracting numerous travelers who are eager to test their physical endurance.

At the end enjoy a well-deserved lunch!

Afternoon transfer to Boca Chica

Meals (B-L)

Night at: Bocas del Mar

DAY 11 – BOCA CHICA

Enjoy a boat ride to some of the ravishing beaches on the Chiriquí Pacific coast and see the dolphins on the way. You will be able to see whales only from (July to October).

Meals (B)

Night at: Bocas del Mar

DAY 12 – PANAMA CITY

Afternoon transfer to David to take the flight back to Panama city.

Transfer to your hotel.

Meals (B)

Night at: Hotel in Panama City

DAY 13 – DEPARTURE

You will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to Tocumen International Airport.

Meals (B)

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