Panama
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Panama, How Beautiful You Are!!
8 Days / 7 Nights
Day One Panama
Reception at the Airport and transfer to the hotel. Remainder of the day free.
Overnight in the Hotel of your choice. No meals included.
Day Two El Valle de Anton
Departing from your hotel after breakfast you will travel westwards for a two hour drive to the small town of El Valle de Anton. The village is located in the center of an extinct volcano that erupted with such force about three million years ago that it blew its top off, creating an enormous crater 5 km across. The valley rises 600 meters above sea level with breathtaking views and a cool and pleasant climate.
Upon arrival, visit the picturesque Handicrafts Market where native handicrafts and all sorts of other local goods are sold. Visit El Macho waterfall and see the ancient petroglyphs. Afterwards we visit El Nispero Gardens and Zoo (keep your eyes open for the famous golden frogs). We will stop for lunch at a local typical restaurant.
Those people who are a little more adventurous can take the Canopy Adventure. Soar from platform to platform through the treetops and see the jungle from a very unique perspective. This is an optional extra and the price is not included in the tour.
Overnight in the Hotel of your choice.
B / L
Day Three Panama City and the Canal
The first stop on this historic tour is at the ruins of Panama Viejo, the first city founded on the Pacific side of the isthmus by the Spanish and subsequently sacked by the pirate, Henry Morgan and his men in 1671. Passing through Altos Del Golf, an affluent residential neighborhood, the tour proceeds to Casco Antiguo, the colonial sector of the city, built in 1673 in hopes of avoiding another pirate attack. This area boasts exquisite French, Italian and Spanish architecture and is home to the Independence Plaza, the Presidential Palace, Bolivar Plaza, the National Theater and French Plaza, a monument to the French canal effort from where you will have a breathtaking view of the city and the Bridge of the Americas.
From there the tour proceeds to the Amador Causeway, a breakwater that joins three small islands to the mainland and protects the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Where you may be able to see the ocean going ships pass under the Bridge of Americas. We will stop for lunch either at Flamenco Island where you can explore the artisan stores and other shops or at Mi Pueblito, a picturesque, re-creation of a rural village that also demonstrates the varied architecture and the history of Panama.
After lunch our first stop will be in Casco Antiguo at the Museum of the Interoceanic Canal where you will be able to see exhibits dating from the very first attempts by the French to build the canal. The full and fascinating history of the current canal is captured in detail throughout this historic building. We will then make our way to Miraflores Locks where you will experience the operation of the Panama Canal first hand and enjoy an audiovisual presentation that describes how ships pass through this engineering wonder. We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight in the Hotel of your choice.
B / L
Day Four Gamboa Adventure
We will depart in the morning for the Gamboa Rainforest Resort where you will enjoy a variety of adventures including; the aerial tram into the rainforest canopy, the snake house, the butterfly farm, the orchid exhibit and the aquarium. There will also be ample opportunity to take any of the optional tours offered by the resort. Lunch will be served at the Los Lagartos restaurant at the resort. We will return to the hotel late in the afternoon.
Dinner tonight will be at a traditional Panamanian Restaurant - Typical Panamanian dishes accompanied by traditional dances and music. You will have a chance to see the beautiful national dress of Panama called the "Pollera".
Overnight in the Hotel of your choice.
B / L / D
Day Five Kuna Yala
After an early breakfast you will be transferred to the Domestic Airport for your flight to the San Blas Islands, home to the Kuna Indians. Upon landing you will be taken by boat to the San Blas Cabaņas, a small resort with basic yet comfortable accommodation. Enjoy the day soaking up the sun, immersing yourself in the distinctive Kuna culture, visiting a few of their island communities, watching their native dances and delighting in the unique handicrafts called molas.
Overnight at the San Blas Cabaņas
B / L / D
Day Six Kuna Yala
Today you can enjoy the waters surrounding the more than 365 islands that make up the Kuna Yala Archipelago.
Overnight at the San Blas Cabaņas
B / L / D
Day Seven Kuna Yala / Embera Drua
Early in the morning a boat will return you to the airport for your flight back to Panama City. On arrival you will be met by our guide and bus for your departure on a fascinating, authentic cultural excursion. The short bus ride takes us to our starting point within the Tropical Rainforest of the Chargres National Forest. Then we will take motorized dugout canoes up the Chagres River where we will meet the passionate and friendly people of the Embera-Drua community and learn about their indigenous culture and traditions. We will lunch in their typical thatched huts; definitely an unforgettable experience.
You will also have the chance to take a tour with the "Medicine Man" who will explain the use of plants as natural medicines. The village lies above a beautiful tranquil natural pool and waterfall in the river, perfect for a refreshing swim before we return to the city. You will also be able to purchase some of their incredible handicrafts.
The Embera Indians are master artisans in Panama, known for their fine baskets and high quality woodcarvings. In addition to crafting objects for sale, skilled woodcarving has many traditional uses in the Embera culture, including fabricating hunting weapons, canoe, paddles, household furnishing and ceremonial objects. The Embera have recently expanded their carving skills to tagua, known as "vegetable ivory", and have created a unique and imaginative art inspired by the plants and animals of the rainforest.
The Embera artisans carve the tagua with hand tools and polish the tagua with a series of fine abrasives; no varnishes or lacquers are used. The natural color or tagua is ivory white with a dark brown skin with other natural shades of brown and gray. Others colors are produced by dying the tagua with natural extracts of plants and earth, using the traditional methods for dying basket fibers. Only high quality India inks are used on those pieces with inked "jagua"
details. Some of these carvings have won UNESCO prizes in native handicraft competitions.
Overnight in the Hotel of your choice.
B / L
Day Eight Departure Day
After breakfast transfer to the International Airport for your return flight home.
B
PRICE: Standard Double $ ; Standard Single
SCHEDULE: Tours Depart on Sundays.
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