THE BEST OF PANAMA
10 days/9 nights
Explore the Panama Canal with its natural and historic legacy, enjoy cloud forest environments filled with life, and learn about extinct and thriving indigenous cultures.
The best of Panama!
2009 Departure Dates: Sept. 18-27 // December 25-January 3 (2010).
This tour may be scheduled on other dates that suit you; please inquire.
2010 Departure Dates: Jan 29-Feb 7; Feb 19-28; April 9-18; July 16-25; Sept 17-26; Oct 15-24; Dec 31-Jan 9.
2009-2010 Rates: $2250 per person in double occupancy; $420 single supplement; plus 5% government tax. Minimum of 2 people required for the tour.
Prices valid through November 30, 2010.
ITINERARY:
Day 1 Arrival in Panama
On arrival to Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, you will be met by an Ancon Expeditions of Panama representative and transferred to your hotel.
Night at HOLIDAY INN - PANAMA CANAL
Day 2 Panama Canal Rainforest Boat Adventure - Miraflores Locks - Chiriqui
Early in the morning you will be picked up at the lobby of the hotel by your Naturalist Guide for a 30 minute drive to the town of Gamboa, where the Chagres River 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 Iguana and Three-toed Sloth resting on tree branches, Crocodile, Osprey in the hunt for Peacock Bass, Snail Kite and Keel-billed Toucan among other wildlife. Gatun Lake was formed to give way to the Panama Canal in 1914. With a surface of 423 square-kilometers, at the time of its creation was the largest man-made lake in the world. The flow of all the rivers within the Panama Canal Watershed is contained in Gatun Lake to provide water for the operation of the locks system. More than 52 million gallons of fresh water are used for every ship that transits through the Panama Canal from one ocean to another. Your 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 Geoffrey’s Tamarin. Enjoy a midday picnic lunch on a small island with extraordinary views of the Panama Canal and the natural surroundings.
You will return to Gamboa in the early afternoon and head for Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal where you will learn about the canal’s history, operation and expansion work currently underway. You will also enjoy a close-up view of the locks in motion. A short drive to Albrook domestic airport will follow in order to catch the scheduled flight to David, capital of the Chiriqui province. Chiriqui is known as “Panama’s breadbasket” and contains some of the most breathtaking highland scenery in Central America. On arrival you will be transferred to the western side of the Baru Volcano, to the town of Volcan.
Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS (BLD)
Day 3 La Amistad International Park & World Biosphere Reserve
Shared with neighboring Costa Rica and recognized in 1982 as a World Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Amistad is located at a point on the Central American natural land bridge where flora and fauna from North and South America reach their maximum species mix. With great ranges in altitude, precipitation, soil and temperature, biodiversity here is at its best.
You will spend the morning hiking and exploring La Amistad in the area of El Retoño in search of the Resplendent Quetzal, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Andean Pygmy-Owl, Barred Becard, Black and Yellow Silky Flycatcher among many other western highland birds. After lunch at a local restaurant you will visit Finca Dracula home to over 1500 orchid species.
Night at HOTEL DOS RIOS (BLD)
Day 4 Sitios Barriles - Boquete
This morning you will visit Sitio Barriles, an archeological site of the extinct Barril culture that once thrived on the slopes of the dormant Baru Volcano. Here the site guide will interpret the writings on the stones (petroglyphs) and enlighten you on the history of this culture. After lunch you will continue to the eastern side of Baru Volcano to the quaint town of Boquete with its countryside dotted with flower, fruit and produce farms, coffee plantations and also lush tropical cloudforests. This afternoon you will have an interactive experience with coffee at Lerida Coffee Estate. The experts will explain the process the coffee beans go through before reaching your cup. This is no ordinary coffee. Organically grown and scrutinized; Lerida’s coffee is world renown. Enjoy a fresh brewed cup of coffee while watching the spectacular sunset over the Baru Volcano, the highest peak of the country at 3,475 meters above sea level.
Night at FINCA LERIDA LODGE (BLD)
Day 5 Finca Lerida Cloud Forest
Explore Finca Lerida, a privately owned preserve in Boquete, located in the buffer zone of Baru Volcano National Park. At an elevation of 2,286 meters you will have the opportunity to look for the elusive Resplendent Quetzal, Three-wattled Bellbird, Black-faced Solitaire, Volcano Hummingbird, Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher and Prong-billed Barbet in their cool habitat of orchids, bromeliads and wild avocados. The afternoon is open to relax or to walk through the coffee plantation within the property.
Night at FINCA LERIDA LODGE (BLD)
Day 6 Panama City - Casco Viejo
After breakfast you will be transferred to David in time to catch the morning flight to Panama City. Upon arrival you will begin a tour of Panama City, a contrasting metropolis with a World Heritage Sites, rainforests and a flourishing business district filled with skyscrapers.
Today we will explore the ruins of Old Panama City, the first European settlement to be established along the shores of the Pacific Ocean (1519), Casco Viejo with its colonial landmarks and cobblestone streets, the Panama Canal Museum and the modern city.
Night at HOLIDAY INN – PANAMA CANAL (BLD)
Day 7 San Blas Islands - Dolphin Island
Located along the northeastern coast of Panama on the Caribbean Sea, the San Blas Islands are the home of the Kuna Indians. Determined to protect their unique culture, the Kunas were granted regional autonomy forming the Comarca (autonomous territory) of Kuna Yala where to this day an indigenous congress rules. Kuna women spend countless hours stitching the very colorful reverse appliquéd cotton mola which is part of their daily wear. Essentially, the Kuna are fishermen, but they also farm coconut, corn, rice, cocoa, yucca and other staples.
Today you will depart by small plane to San Blas at the crack of dawn. To enhance the interaction with the Kuna, travelers will go without the Naturalist Guide. A representative of Uaguinega Lodge will greet you upon landing at the airstrip and will transfer you to the lodge by boat to check in and have breakfast. Uaguinega Lodge is located on Uaguitupo (Dolphin) Island, about ten minutes from the Achutupo airstrip. Owned and operated by a Kuna family, the accommodations at Dolphin Lodge are rustic but comfortable in traditional Kuna-style huts with cozy beds, indoor bathrooms and a hammock on the front porch. Meals are served in the Bohio dining room overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
After breakfast you will visit the Kuna village of Achutupo in the company of a local guide that will offer an excellent opportunity to learn about the Kuna culture and traditional ceremonies. Visit the communal house of “Sahilas” (Kuna chiefs) where the chiefs are responsible for enforcing the law of the community as well as offering advice on other aspects of life - including marital problems! Learn about the building of the typical Kuna house, their economy, the famous mola, and the processing of sugar cane into the alcoholic drink known as chicha. Return to the lodge to relax at one of the hammocks and to have lunch. Later this afternoon you will go snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea to look for stunning marine life.
Night at UAGUINEGA LODGE (BLD)
Day 8 Panama City - Chagres River & the Embera People
Early morning transfer to the mainland where you will catch the plane bound for Panama City. Upon arrival you will meet your Naturalist Guide who will take you to 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, you will board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up the Chagres River. The journey will take you through the rainforest of the 320,000-acre Chagres National Park, which is the largest of the National Parks protecting the Panama Canal Watershed. Along the Chagres 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. There will be handcrafts available for sale and you will have a chance to be painted with the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies. After a picnic lunch you will head back to Panama City. Night at HOTEL EL PANAMA (BLD)
Day 9 Partial Panama Canal Transit
Today you will transit through the Panama Canal. Drive to Gamboa where you will begin the journey heading south on Gatun Lake. At this point the ship will be sailing at 26 meters above sea level. Shortly after departure, the ship will enter Gaillard Cut, the narrowest section of the Panama Canal. The 13.7-kilometer long portion of the Continental Divide was carved through rock and shale at beginning of last century when the canal began operating (1914).
Panama is currently undertaking the monumental task of expanding the Panama Canal. The US$5.25 billion grand-scale project contemplates building of even larger locks and deepening the channel to accommodate post-Panamax ships, the largest of all cargo ships that now have to bypass this waterway. The project is estimated to be completed by 2015. You will have the opportunity to look at the advancement of this extraordinary engineering venture.
The ship will reach Pedro Miguel locks, where the vessel will be lowered 9.4 meters into Miraflores Lake. After traveling nearly 2 kilometers you arrive to Miraflores locks, where the transition from fresh water to salt water takes place in the locks chambers. Due to the Pacific Ocean’s extreme tidal variations, Miraflores locks miter gates are the tallest of the locks system. In two steps, the vessel will be lowered 16.6 meters onto the Pacific Ocean. You will then sail under the bridge of the Americas, which reunites the land divided by the Panama Canal as part of the Pan-American Highway. The Amador Marina will be your final destination, where you will disembark and returned to your hotel. Tonight you will enjoy a farewell dinner at local restaurant.
Night at HOTEL EL PANAMA (BLD)
Day 10 Depart Panama
Today you will be picked up at the lobby of the hotel 2.5 hours prior to your scheduled departure flight and transferred to Tocumen International Airport. Fly home (B)
Optional pre and post-tour extensions are available to the Darien and Bocas del Toro
TRIP CLASSIFICATION: Easy/moderate hiking 2-4 hours per day with rolling and slippery hills. Hotel or lodge accommodations are comfortable.
INCLUDED: Lodging, all land, air and water transportation within Panama. All airport/hotel transfers on scheduled arrival and departure dates, meals as specified in the itinerary (B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner), park, museum and related entrance fees, guides’ services and expenses and the services of an in-bound land operator for airline re-confirmations and tour operations.
NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, tourist card ($5 per person), meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels (laundry, telephone calls, room service, etc.) or gratuities.
NOTE: The San Blas portion of this trip is led by a local bilingual guide. The Naturalist Guide will not be traveling to San Blas. Women travelers to the San Blas Islands should wear one-piece swimsuits in accordance to Kuna traditions.
Weight restrictions apply to luggage in both commercial and chartered flights within Panama. A maximum of 25 lbs. of checked luggage and 10 lbs. of carry-on per person is allowed. Arrangements can be made with Ancon Expeditions of Panama to store luggage that will not be needed while away from the city. Excess baggage charges assessed by commercial carriers are the responsibility of the passenger.
EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST: Binoculars (preferably 7x35 or larger), camera with extra batteries & film, flashlight with extra bulb & batteries, bathing suit, insect repellant, sunscreen, hat, day pack, water bottle, lightweight/quick dry cotton clothes, windbreaker, sandals, sneakers/hiking boots, rain gear, money in small denominations, toiletries & personal medication.