I wanted to check if this is a group tour that runs daily and that you can book as a solo traveller and will be guaranteed travel companions?

Our bus passes are an independent tour which means you will be traveling on your own as there would not a group or guide with you, but we had a lot of solo travelers who found a lot of friends during their tour.

Would like to book a tour from December 28th to January 3rd with my family. Would like to know if this is possible for a family with kids aged 13 and 15.

Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.

I'm interested in doing this tour starting Dec 28. I currently have 2 questions. I) About Day 1/arrival for this tour. Does the accommodation cover the first night in Panama City or are we responsible for booking our own place? II) Can you explain the refund policy, if you have one?

Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Regarding the cancelation and refund policy: Cancelation before requesting any transfer/activity - Full Refund. Cancelation after requesting any transfer/activity - No Refund.

It is unclear why there are only 3 nights of accomodations for the Panama City to San Jose Travel Pass the tour is 10 nights

Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.

Please may you advise whether accommodation is included for all 9 nights of this tour? Exactly what type of accommodation will it be? It states 'berth/cabins' - what does this mean? Please may you clarify your cancellation policy for this tour?

This is a Travel Pass. Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.

why are there only 3 nights accomodations for a 10 day trip? Do we find our own place the other nights?

This is a Travel Pass. Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done so travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.

Can you please clarify about the accommodation? It says only 3 nights of accommodation, but doesnt specify which ones. How should the remaining nights be organised?

This is a Travel Pass package that doesn't include accommodation for all nights. You'll have 2 nights in Yanis Island (San Blas) and 1 night in Tortuguero (Costa Rica). This allows travelers more freedom. It's an independent package without a tour leader or group, with only guided activities.

Could you please confirm availability? Also, is Room Sharing available?

This is a Travel Pass that doesn't include accommodation. This is done so travelers have more freedom while traveling. This is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you, you will only have guided activities.

Could you please confirm if this tour included the Panama Canal?

No it doesn't include the Panama Canal, but since this is a Travel Pass you can add it. This package doesn't include accommodation. This type of passes have 2 options, you can do it fixed (with all the services book beforehand) or you can do it flexible (book the services along the way) you can stay as much as you want on each city.

From

US $1,627 per person

Panama City to San Jose Travel Pass

10 days

•

From San Blas Islands to Tortuguero

4.2

1,352 traveler reviews

View all
View all

From

US $1,627 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Gold Operator: Bamba Travel
Explorer: Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Private Tour: Travel exclusively with your friends and family
Partially Guided: Independent travel, featuring selected guided excursions
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Ages 10+

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

Explore San Blas Islands by boat and 4x4
Swim and snorkel in crystal clear waters
Visit a traditional Kuna Yala village
Discover Tortuguero National Park by boat
Taste local flavors at San Jose's Central Market

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary

Introduction

Day 1 San Blas Islands, Panama
Day 2 San Blas Islands, Panama
Day 3 Panama City, Panama
Day 4 Bocas del Toro, Panama
Day 5 Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Day 6 Tortuguero, Costa Rica
Day 7 Tortuguero, Costa Rica
Day 8 San Jose, Costa Rica
Day 9 San Jose, Costa Rica
Day 10 San Jose, Costa Rica

What's Included

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Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport
Free eSIM
TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Bamba Travel

4.2

(1,352 reviews)

Number of tours

274

Age Range

10 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

96%

Bamba Travel offers the best of both worlds: small group tours that foster...

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Reviews from other tours by Bamba Travel

Tour Operator
4.2

Stefan
February 11th, 2022
5.0
San Blas islands are really amazing. Chichime has few tourists compared to some of the other islands. The first night...
San Blas islands are really amazing. Chichime has few tourists compared to some of the other islands. The first night I was the only tourist on the island. The hosts are preparing fresh seafood for lunch and dinner and one boat trip for visiting other islands and to go snorkelling was included. Accomodation is simple, but beautiful with electricity only a few hours in the evening. The drive from Panama City to the jetty is very scenic and during the boat trip you pass some very beautiful islands. Overall an amazing trip.Show more
Florence
December 11th, 2019
4.0
Apart from the clerical error made while booking Canopy Zip-Line and the weather affecting the Arenal Volcano viewing...
Apart from the clerical error made while booking Canopy Zip-Line and the weather affecting the Arenal Volcano viewing I quite enjoyed the Itinerary of Bamber Experience. Your staff are fantastic, helping and encouraging one when things go wrong. It's a shame about some of the staff on the ground and far away from the Office. I must say majority of the shuttle pick ups arrived promptly. You have made me a more confident, and competent sole traveller. Thank you.Show more
Alexander
February 23rd, 2018
4.5
I should start this review off by stating that not only have I traveled quite extensively but I am also a travel...
I should start this review off by stating that not only have I traveled quite extensively but I am also a travel agent and book people on tours similar to this one. The drive from Panama City to the "dock" took about 3 hours through the Panamanian mountains and jungle. Once we were off the main highway the road became much more of a roller coaster ride, if you get motion sick make sure to take some gravol prior to leaving Panama City. This road is also filled with pot holes so be prepared to swerve around them. The views from the mountain tops was amazing but brief. Once at the "dock" was were things got a little more interesting. What they call a "dock" is really a dirt parking lot, be prepared to get a little dirty, as the dust gets kicked up by all the cars dropping off/picking up passengers. Neither my wife nor myself speak any Spanish so it was near impossible to communicate with the people at the dock to try and figure out which boat we were suppose to get on. Originally we were told that it would be about 20 - 30 mins and someone would come get us and take us to our boat. After an hour to and hour and a half I started asking around what boat we were suppose to get on. Make sure to ask your driver to let you know which boat and company you are taking. As the companies that operate the boats are not Bamba. The ride from the dock to the island was very rough as the winds were quite high. Nothing you can do about that but be prepared to get wet. The water and air are both warm so it's not so bad. Had we known prior to leaving the dock though we would have put on our swim suits. Once we arrived at the island we figured out that we were not on the island on our itinerary that was given to us from Bamba, no update was sent along to us to let us know about any change in islands either. After 4 - 5 hours of travel and waiting to get on the boat, we found out that we weren't on the island we thought we were meant to be on. Again none of the locals on the island spoke English so we weren't sure what we were meant to do. Luckily one of the other passengers spoke enough Spanish and English to help us out and we figured out that we were indeed where we were suppose to be. Bamba should have emailed us prior to our departure to let us know of this crucial change. Once on the island though everything was better than we had expected, the hut we had was great, the islands and water were beautiful and the food was delicious. It was pretty much the same thing each day just different variations of fish and rice. We had up graded our package which said we would have more options to choose from, again this was not the case, everybody was served the same dish each meal. Overall it was an incredible experience and I would recommend the San Blas Islands to anyone looking to getaway from the hustle and bustle of the real world, just be prepared for a very rustic experience. I would also recommend that anyone looking to do this trip brush up on their Spanish as Bamba doesn't have anyone on the ground, either at the dock or the islands representing the company that speaks even passable English.Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

From Monday
9 Feb, 2026
To Wednesday
18 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Tuesday
10 Feb, 2026
To Thursday
19 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Wednesday
11 Feb, 2026
To Friday
20 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Thursday
12 Feb, 2026
To Saturday
21 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Friday
13 Feb, 2026
To Sunday
22 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Saturday
14 Feb, 2026
To Monday
23 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Sunday
15 Feb, 2026
To Tuesday
24 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Monday
16 Feb, 2026
To Wednesday
25 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Tuesday
17 Feb, 2026
To Thursday
26 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person
From Wednesday
18 Feb, 2026
To Friday
27 Feb, 2026
English
From:
US $1,627 per person

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.

All questions

We couldn't find results

Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts

M
Mark
Asked on February 8th, 2025
I wanted to check if this is a group tour that runs daily and that you can book as a solo traveller and will be guaranteed travel companions?
Group size
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written February 2025
  Our bus passes are an independent tour which means you will be traveling on your own as there would not a group or guide with you, but we had a lot of solo travelers who found a lot of friends during their tour.
A
Andy
Asked on November 11th, 2024
Would like to book a tour from December 28th to January 3rd with my family. Would like to know if this is possible for a family with kids aged 13 and 15.
Age Range
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written November 2024
  Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.
V
Victor
Asked on October 30th, 2023
I'm interested in doing this tour starting Dec 28. I currently have 2 questions. I) About Day 1/arrival for this tour. Does the accommodation cover the first night in Panama City or are we responsible for booking our own place? II) Can you explain the refund policy, if you have one?
Accommodation
Payments
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written October 2023
  Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Regarding the cancelation and refund policy: Cancelation before requesting any transfer/activity - Full Refund. Cancelation after requesting any transfer/activity - No Refund.
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written October 2023
  We have two types of passes: Flexible and Fixed. For Flexible Passes, you can book up to 4 services in advance and still enjoy the flexibility of making changes to your departure dates anytime. For Fixed Passes, you can choose to book from 4 activities or all of your services in advance, but your pass will no longer be flexible.
- V
  Victor
  Traveler•Written November 2023
  Is there a price difference between flex and fixed deals? Would it be possible to aim for flex and then change it to fixed package? I'd prefer having a private room in a hotel with breakfast included.
- V
  Victor
  Traveler•Written November 2023
  How have people traversed from accommodation to the meeting points in the past? What's the best and safest way for solo female travelers to ensure safe arrival to the meeting points?
- V
  Victor
  Traveler•Written November 2023
  What sort of local transportation? How safe? Realistically, how easy or hard is it for a non-Spanish speaker to navigate it?
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written November 2023
  Transportation would be public buses that have the country or share transfers. We have had customers non-Spanish speaking and they had a great time.
A
Alyssa
Asked on May 26th, 2023
It is unclear why there are only 3 nights of accomodations for the Panama City to San Jose Travel Pass the tour is 10 nights
Accommodation
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written May 2023
  Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.
A
Aaron
Asked on January 28th, 2023
Please may you advise whether accommodation is included for all 9 nights of this tour? Exactly what type of accommodation will it be? It states 'berth/cabins' - what does this mean? Please may you clarify your cancellation policy for this tour?
Accommodation
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written January 2023
  This is a Travel Pass. Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done this way, so our travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.
E
Erica
Asked on January 11th, 2023
why are there only 3 nights accomodations for a 10 day trip? Do we find our own place the other nights?
Accommodation
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written January 2023
  This is a Travel Pass. Travel Passes include local transportation and hand-picked experiences. Accommodation is not included, giving you the freedom to choose your own and to travel at your own pace. This is done so travelers have more freedom while traveling. Also, this is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you. There are no fixed schedules, giving you full flexibility to change the dates (and pick your accommodation) on the go.
V
Veronica
Asked on December 26th, 2022
Can you please clarify about the accommodation? It says only 3 nights of accommodation, but doesnt specify which ones. How should the remaining nights be organised?
Accommodation
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written December 2022
  This is a Travel Pass package that doesn't include accommodation for all nights. You'll have 2 nights in Yanis Island (San Blas) and 1 night in Tortuguero (Costa Rica). This allows travelers more freedom. It's an independent package without a tour leader or group, with only guided activities.
K
Kyle
Asked on November 28th, 2022
Could you please confirm availability? Also, is Room Sharing available?
Accommodation
Price / Availability
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written November 2022
  This is a Travel Pass that doesn't include accommodation. This is done so travelers have more freedom while traveling. This is an independent package, you won't have a tour leader or a group traveling with you, you will only have guided activities.
A
Andrew
Asked on October 18th, 2022
Could you please confirm if this tour included the Panama Canal?
Tour Details
- Bamba TravelOperator•Written October 2022
  No it doesn't include the Panama Canal, but since this is a Travel Pass you can add it. This package doesn't include accommodation. This type of passes have 2 options, you can do it fixed (with all the services book beforehand) or you can do it flexible (book the services along the way) you can stay as much as you want on each city.

From

US $1,627 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 195643

Currencies
₡
Costa Rican Colon
Costa Rica
B/.
Balboa
Panama
Plugs & Adapters
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Typhoid - Recommended for Costa Rica.Panama. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Hepatitis A - Recommended for Costa Rica.Panama. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Hepatitis B - Recommended for Costa Rica.Panama. Ideally 2 months before travel.
- Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Costa Rica Yellow fever - Recommended for and Panama. Ideally 10 days before travel.
- Tuberculosis - Recommended for Panama. Ideally 3 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before May 7th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after May 7th, 2026, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Bamba Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 90 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and Bamba Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "Bamba Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of Bamba Travel. Please familiarize yourself with the Bamba Travel payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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