10 Day Pleasures of Panama Tour

• Day 1: 

  Arrival in Panama City
  Welcome to Panama City, Central America's most cosmopolitan capital, where skyscrapers pierce tropical skies and two great oceans meet through human ingenuity. This vibrant metropolis serves as both a dynamic regional hub and gateway to extraordinary tropical adventures.
  
  Panama's unique position welcoming both east and west has created a cultural cocktail that's refreshingly fluid and dynamic. Centuries of trade, immigration, and interoceanic commerce have shaped a city where colonial Spanish heritage blends with Caribbean rhythms, while gleaming modern towers reflect Panama's role as a contemporary financial centre.
  
  Tonight, we gather fellow travellers for dinner, sharing anticipation for our journey through one of the world's most strategically important and naturally diverse countries.
  
  Overnight in Panama City.

   

  Included Meal(s): Dinner
• Day 2: 

  Partial Canal Transit
  The world's most famous waterway beckons as we embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through the Panama Canal, one of humanity's greatest engineering achievements.
  
  Our adventure begins with a 15-minute drive to Balboa port, where we board the passenger ferry for our partial canal transit. At Miraflores Locks, we witness the extraordinary process as ships rise 16 metres (54 feet) through ingenious two-step chambers. This marvel operates entirely by gravity—no pumps required—as water flows from Pedro Miguel Lake to fill the chambers where vessels await passage.
  
  We then observe the Pedro Miguel Locks, where ships ascend to 26 metres (85 feet) above sea level. Again, gravity alone transfers water from Gatún Lake, demonstrating the canal's elegant hydraulic engineering. Crossing the Continental Divide at the canal's narrowest point, we arrive in Gamboa, home to the dredging division that maintains this vital maritime highway.
  
  The experience includes breakfast, lunch, and specialist guide commentary revealing the canal's fascinating operational complexities. Each transit requires precise coordination, with vessels guided through narrow chambers by powerful locomotives called "mules" ensuring safe passage.
  
  Light clothing, insect repellent, hat, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes enhance your comfort during this unforgettable journey through one of the world's most important transportation corridors.
  
  Overnight in Panama City.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Day 3: 

  Panama City: Portobelo & Agua Clara Locks
  We journey to Portobelo, once the beating heart of Spain's New World empire, where treasure fleets loaded Peruvian silver and Mexican gold for the perilous Atlantic crossing.
  
  During colonial times, Portobelo hosted annual trade fairs lasting 30 to 60 days, transforming this sleepy Caribbean port into a bustling commercial centre where transactions frequently totalled 10 to 12 million gold pesos. These extraordinary gatherings continued until 1738, when relentless pirate attacks forced Spain to abandon the Isthmian route for the longer but safer passage around Cape Horn.
  
  The constant pirate threat necessitated convoy systems—each year, two fleets of 40 to 70 ships sailed from Spain, one bound for Veracruz, the other for Portobelo. Though diminished from its golden age glory, Portobelo retains considerable charm and historical significance.
  
  We begin at San Felipe Church, home to the Black Christ—a life-sized wooden statue of Jesus discovered on the harbour shores. Adorned with robes changed twice yearly during the Festival of the Black Christ and Holy Week, numerous legends surround its miraculous arrival: shipwreck, divine intervention, or salvation from plague.
  
  We then visit the Customs House, passing stone sundials and gold measures where Spanish treasure was weighed before shipment. Fort San Gerónimo and Fort Santiago reveal defensive strategies, while panoramic views from ancient battlements showcase this strategic harbour's commanding position.
  
  Our final stop at Agua Clara Locks reveals modern canal expansion, featuring fascinating overflow tanks allowing 60% water recycling as vessels transit.
  
  * PLEASE NOTE that, due to ongoing renovations some of the monuments listed above may not be accessible during our visit.
  
  Overnight in Panama City.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 4: 

  Parque Metropolitano & Amerindian Village
  Urban wilderness awaits at Parque Metropolitano, where vast expanses of tropical semi-deciduous forest create an incredible escape within Panama City's boundaries.
  
  Our walking route ascends to a 150-metre-high mirador offering panoramic vistas across Panama City, the bay, and canal stretching toward Miraflores Locks. This protected forest demonstrates how tropical ecosystems survive within urban environments, providing habitat for countless bird species, mammals, and insects while offering residents and visitors a taste of Panama's remarkable biodiversity.
  
  This afternoon brings cultural immersion as we visit an authentic Emberá/Chocó Amerindian village. Our journey begins with a boat ride along routes commonly used by indigenous peoples for daily river transport, providing insights into traditional lifestyles that continue largely unchanged despite modern Panama's development.
  
  A short forest walk follows, guided by local experts who explain botanical novelties and cultural traditions maintaining deep connections to ancestral ways. The Emberá and Chocó peoples have inhabited these riverine environments for centuries, developing sophisticated knowledge of forest resources, traditional crafts, and sustainable living practices.
  
  We witness traditional handicrafts including intricate basket weaving using natural fibres, while learning about medicinal plants, hunting techniques, and social customs that preserve indigenous identity. The village visit provides respectful cultural exchange, supporting community tourism initiatives that benefit local families while sharing their remarkable heritage.
  
  Overnight in Panama City.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 5: 

  Panama City Touring - Fly to David, Chiriqui Highlands
  Panama City's layered history unfolds as we explore ruins spanning from colonial foundations to modern canal construction.
  We begin at Old Panama ruins and Casco Viejo, the historic compound dating to the late 1600s, learning about events that led to the capital's eventual relocation. Casco Viejo houses monuments to Ferdinand de Lesseps and others instrumental in France's ill-fated canal attempt, revealing early engineering ambitions that preceded American success.
  
  At San José Church, we discover the famous Altar de Oro—a magnificent baroque altarpiece crafted from pure gold. Built soon after the first Spanish Pacific Coast settlement in 1519, this church relocated to the present peninsula during the 17th-century capital movement, carrying its most precious possession. Our exploration concludes at the Panama Canal Museum, chronicling the waterway's complete construction saga.
  
  Later, we transfer to Albrook domestic airport for our scheduled flight to David in Chiriquí Province.*
  
  The enchanted Chiriquí Highlands await—part of the Cordillera Central defining northern Chiriquí Province. Primeval rainforests bedecked with clouds shelter chattering birds flashing brilliant iridescent colours, while flowering epiphytes bloom high above forest floors. Gurgling streams tumble over great boulders toward the sea through landscapes of cloud forests, volcanic peaks, coffee plantations, and traditional Guaymí Indian communities.
  
  * Flight schedules may have us flying to David this morning in which case the above listed Panama City sightseeing will be accomplished on Day 9. Due to 12 kilo weight restriction on this flight and on the flight from Bocas back to Panama City, we strongly recommend that you pack a smaller bag for the next few nights and leave excess baggage in storage at our Panama City hotel.
  
  Overnight in Chiriqui Highlands.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 6: 

  Chiriqui Highlands
  Cerro Punta beckons as we explore Panama's highland wilderness with expert naturalist guides seeking the region's spectacular avian treasures.
  
  These elevated forests provide excellent opportunities for spotting resplendent quetzals—Central America's most magnificent bird—alongside black and yellow silky flycatchers, prong-billed barbets, and volcano hummingbirds. Each species has adapted to specific altitude ranges and forest conditions, creating diverse ecological niches within relatively small geographic areas.
  
  We continue to La Amistad International Park Headquarters, where this binational reserve stretches from Costa Rica into Panama. Small portions extend into Chiriquí Province, encompassing primarily cloud forests where land rises above 1,500 metres (4,950 feet). Here, warm air ascends mountains, meeting cooler temperatures and condensing into persistent cloud cover that creates unique ecosystems supporting astonishing flora and fauna diversity.
  
  Cloud forests exhibit characteristics found nowhere else, with epiphytes, bromeliads, and orchids creating vertical gardens on tree trunks and branches. The constant moisture supports amphibians, insects, and specialized plant communities adapted to these misty conditions.
  
  We also tour Haras Cerro Punta, a thoroughbred breeding farm nestled in a mountain valley between Cerro Punta and Guadalupe—Panama's highest inhabited region. This 100-hectare operation, surrounded by fertile agricultural areas, maintains an average population of 200 animals while producing racehorse champions for Panama and beyond.
  
  NOTE: The order of our Chiriqui sightseeing may vary due to weather, accommodation availability, and other logistical considerations.
  
  Overnight in Chirqui Highlands.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 7: 

  Chiriqui Highlands - Bocas del Toro
  After a leisurely morning, we prepare for our scenic drive to Almirante on Panama's Caribbean coast, witnessing dramatic landscape transitions from highland cloud forests to tropical coral reefs.
  
  En route, we pause at the impressive Fortuna Dam and spectacular waterfalls along the Continental Divide, where Pacific and Caribbean watersheds separate through geological forces that shaped Central America's mountainous spine. We cross the Palo Seco Protected Area, serving as a buffer zone for La Amistad International Park while demonstrating conservation strategies protecting biodiversity corridors.
  
  The transformation from cloud forests to coral reefs proves remarkable as elevation decreases and Caribbean influences strengthen. Tropical vegetation changes dramatically, while architecture reflects Afro-Caribbean cultural influences that distinguish this region from Pacific Panama.
  
  In Almirante, boats await to transfer us across emerald waters to our island destination.
  
  Five centuries ago, Christopher Columbus arrived at this tropical paradise he named Bocas del Toro. Overwhelmed by incredible contrasts of vivid colours and pristine natural surroundings, Columbus dropped anchor to explore this idyllic archipelago. Little has changed since that pristine era, except for the provocative calypso rhythms and alluring Caribbean accents of local inhabitants.
  
  Bocas remains the perfect place to sink toes into white sand, explore lush rainforests and coral reefs, and observe faithful sea turtles that have visited these islands for millennia.
  
  Overnight in Bocas del Toro.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 8: 

  Bocas del Toro
  Paradise reveals its secrets as we explore an archipelago where 92% of land remains covered by tropical forest, maintaining natural ecosystem balance that supports extraordinary biodiversity.
  
  This immense national patrimony harbours 200 plant species, 55 amphibians and reptiles, 57 mammals, 200 bird types, 1,500 insects, and more than 58 coral species. Bocas del Toro Province borders the Caribbean Sea northward, with Veraguas Province eastward, Chiriquí southward, and Costa Rica westward. While most territory occupies Talamanca and Central mountain slopes, the majority of 93,000 inhabitants live in coastal lowlands and on islands.
  
  The province contains the large Archipiélago de Bocas del Toro at Laguna de Chiriquí's mouth, beginning 35 kilometres from Costa Rica's border. This chain consists of 68 islands and numerous mangrove keys surrounded by coral fields, titanic marine life variety, and water so emerald that Christopher Columbus named the region Veraguas—contracting "verdes aguas" (green waters).
  
  Our boat tour explores surrounding attractions revealing this destination's incredible beauty. Swimming opportunities await in pristine surf, while coastal walks lead to Red Frog Beach, where visitors discover an enchanting acoustic surprise. Initially, the symphony of non-musical chirping seems to come from crickets, but closer inspection reveals the source: tiny frogs about thumbnail size creating strangely beautiful sounds. These diminutive amphibians represent just one example of Bocas's remarkable endemic species, many found nowhere else on Earth.
  
  Overnight in Bocas del Toro.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 9: 

  Bocas de Toro - Fly to Panama City: Panama City Touring
  Leisure time in tropical paradise allows final appreciation of Bocas's extraordinary natural beauty before our afternoon departure to Panama City.
  
  Morning hours offer opportunities for independent exploration—perhaps revisiting favourite beaches, seeking additional wildlife sightings, or simply relaxing in hammocks while Caribbean breezes carry calypso rhythms and seabird calls.
  
  The flight back to Panama City provides aerial perspectives of the landscape diversity we've experienced: from Caribbean archipelagos through highland cloud forests to the urban sophistication of Central America's most important capital. If Panama City sightseeing was postponed from Day 5 due to flight schedules, we accomplish those activities today upon arrival.
  
  We reconvene this evening for our farewell dinner, sharing memories of canal transits, cloud forest adventures, cultural encounters, and Caribbean island magic that define Panama's remarkable diversity.
  
  Overnight in Panama City.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 10: 

  Departure
  Our Panamanian adventure concludes as we depart from this remarkable crossroads nation, carrying memories spanning from ancient indigenous traditions to modern engineering triumphs.
  
  ¡BUEN VIAJE! (Have a good journey!)

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast

*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.