destination
panama
Panama Family Adventure
trip specifics
price
2012
$2,300 per person + 7% tax
$1,900 per child + 7% tax
(11 years and under) when room is shared with 2 adults
Single Supplement: $580 + 7% tax
prices based on double occupancy
duration
9 daystrip dates
Feb 18 - Feb 26, 2012Apr 07 - Apr 15, 2012
Jun 23 - Jul 01, 2012
Jul 21 - Jul 29, 2012
Dec 22 - Dec 30, 2012
trip level
view explanation
highlights
Panama CityPanama Canal
Chagres River
Summit Natural Park
Miraflores Locks
Chiriqui Highlands
Cloud Forest
Bocas del Toro
Bastimentos Marine National Park
accomm types
HotelWilderness Lodge
Day 1 - Arrival in Panama
On arrival to Tocumen International Airport you will be met by an Ancon Expeditions of Panama representative and transferred to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, your lodge for the next 3 nights, located along the shores of the Panama Canal.
Accommodations:Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Included Meals: n/a
Day 2 - Panama Canal
Early morning pick and transfer to the marina by your expedition guide. Board a specially equipped expedition boat for a voyage across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal. The expedition boat will allow for close approximations to rainforest covered islands in Gatun Lake to search for White-faced Capuchin, Howler Monkey, Spider Monkey and the endemic Red-napped Tamarin. Savor a picnic lunch on an island with extraordinary views of the Panama Canal and the natural surroundings. Early afternoon return to Gamboa. This afternoon is free to enjoy yourselves at Gamboa.
Accommodations:Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 3 - Chagres River
Early morning drive to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake (the main reservoir of drinking water for the cities of Panama and Colon). Board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up the Chagres River to the Embera indigenous village of Embera Drua. The boat journey takes 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.
At the Embera village be greeted with dancing and music. Learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature. There will be handcrafts available for sale and be painted with the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies.
After a picnic lunch, visit the nearby waterfall where you can take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the Chagres River before heading back to Gamboa.
Accommodations:Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Included Meals: breakfast & lunch
Day 4 - Gamboa - Miraflores Locks - Chiriqui Highlands
This morning start off with an adventurous kayaking excursion on the Chagres River and the edge of the Panama Canal. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxing and quiet rainforest nature walk on La Chunga Trail that leads you to the beautiful shore of the Chagres River. Eat lunch at a local restaurant and continue to the Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal. Learn about its history and marvel at this engineering accomplishment. The canal still operates pretty much as it did when it was inaugurated in 1914 the SS Ancon steamer was the first ship to transit the Panama Canal.
Late this afternoon, catch a flight from Albrook domestic airport 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 by van 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 fores.
Accommodations:Finca Lerida Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 5 - Cloud Forest Canopy
This morning, experience the world from a new perspective with a canopy tree trek on a zip line that that allows you to contemplate the rainforest from fourteen different canopy platforms while smoothly soaring in the heights of the cloud forest from one treetop to another. Glide through the trees and encounter a world unknown; discover a fascinating perspective of wildlife that you had never appreciated; and marvel at the sight of a great variety of orchids, trees and wildflowers that are found throughout the area.
Opt to go on a river floating tour down the Chiriqui River for those who don’t go zip lining today. This optional tour has an additional cost and must be arranged in advance.
Accommodations:Finca Lerida Lodge
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6 - Chiriqui Highlands - Bocas del Toro
4 hour drive to Bocas del Toro, traveling from the cloud-forests to the coral reefs. Stop along the way several times to stretch your legs, play some games and enjoy the scenery. On arrival to Almirante on the Caribbean coast, transfer by boat to Isla Colon for the next two nights.
This afternoon, weather permitting, 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. Enjoy beach time at Boca del Drago and search for colorful starfish. Along the coastline, make stops at coral reefs and mangrove isles for snorkeling.
Accommodations:Bocas Inn
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 7 - Salt Creek Village - Bastimentos Marine National Park
Depart by boat from the Bocas Inn traversing the expanse of Bastimentos National Park, Panama’s first marine national park. 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 enjoy a hike along Cayman Trail. This trail takes you through several stages of lowland forest dynamics. Look for birds such as Red-throated Ant Tanager and Golden-collared Manakin (Cerritus sub sp.).
After the hike, enjoy a visit to the indigenous community and have a chance to purchase handicrafts such as painted woodcarvings and Ngobe handbags, followed by lunch. In the afternoon, snorkel among mangroves and coral reefs, searching for numerous fish species, as well as dynamic and brightly colored sea fans, sponges and brittle starfish.
Accommodations:Bocas Inn
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 8 - Panama City
Begin with a morning flight back to Panama City where the daily activities include a visit the ruins of Old Panama and Casco Antiguo. After lunch at a local restaurant visit the Smithsonian Marine Exhibition at Culebra Point at the entrance to the Pacific side of the Panama Canal and the International Handcraft Market. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel.
Accommodations:Hotel El Panama
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9 - Depart Panama
Today you are 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.
Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast
Land Cost Includes: All lodging, land, air and water transportation within Panama, all airport/hotel transfers when arriving and departing on the stated arrival and departure dates of the group, meals as specified in the itinerary, hotel taxes, entrance fees to National Parks, museums and places of interest in effect at the time of booking are included unless otherwise specified, guide services as specified in the itinerary.
Not Included: Airfare to Panama, excess baggage charges, taxes and port fees, tourist card ($5), gratuities to transfer and naturalist guides, items of a personal nature such as alcoholic beverages, Snorkeling equipment (can be rented at a small fee at the Uaguinega Lodge), and insurance of any kind.
Arrival/Departure: The Panama Family Adventure begins and ends in Panama City. Plan flights to arrive any time on day 1 and depart anytime on day 9 of the outlined itinerary from the Tocumen International Airport.
Baggage Restrictions: Weight restrictions apply to luggage in commercial and chartered flights within Panama. A maximum of 25 lbs. (11 kg) of checked luggage and 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) of carry-on per person is allowed. Arrangements can be made with your hotel 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.
Payment and Cancellation Policy: Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.
Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with Travel Insurance. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.
Qualifications: This trip is available to any individuals or families with a love of nature and sense of adventure.
Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining trips on one of our Panama or Costa Rica expedition cruises. Also, pre or post trip extensions to San Blas Island are available!
General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations 'Terms & Conditions'. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.
We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.
return to top of page
