Itinerary
- Day 1
Panama City
You'll land in Panama City where a driver meets you at the airport for the transfer to your hotel downtown. After getting settled in early, there's time to wander around the nearby shopping streets and grab food or drinks at local spots on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore shopping streets in city center
- Dine at restaurants and bars in surrounding area
- Day 2
Emberá Village
After breakfast, head northeast to Lake Alajuela and board small dugout canoes for a trip up Rio Chagres. You'll reach an Embera village to see traditional dress, watch locals make handicrafts, and have lunch of plantains and fish wrapped in palm leaves. There's also the option of getting a jagua tattoo before returning to Panama City by afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Emberá lunch - plantains and fish wrapped in palm leaf)
Included Activities
- Dugout canoe trip up Rio Chagres
- Visit to Emberá village with cultural experience
- Traditional lunch with Emberá community
Optional Activities
- Organic jagua tattoo (traditional body art, several dollars)
Landmarks Lake Alajuela Rio Chagres - Day 3
Panama Canal Transit
Take approximately a 4-hour boat trip from Panama City through the Panama Canal to Gamboa. You'll pass through the Miraflores locks, Lake Miraflores, Pedro Miguel lock, Gaillard Cut, and Lake Gatun while lunch is served on board. The return to Panama City happens by bus.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board)
Included Activities
- Partial transit of Panama Canal by boat
- Passage through Miraflores locks, Lake Miraflores, Pedro Miguel lock, Gaillard Cut, and Lake Gatún
- Lunch on board
Landmarks Panama Canal Miraflores Locks Lake Miraflores Pedro Miguel Lock Gaillard Cut Lake Gatún - Day 4
Panama City Tour
A guided tour of Panama City starts at Panama Viejo, the 16th-century ruins, then moves to Casco Antiguo with its colonial buildings now converted to bars and restaurants. Next you'll see the Causeway for city views, followed by the Miraflores locks where you can watch ships pass through and check out the museum about the canal.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Panama City
- Visit to Panama Viejo (16th century ruins)
- Walking tour of Casco Antiguo/Casco Viejo UNESCO World Heritage site
- Visit to Causeway with Panama City skyline views
- Visit to Miraflores locks with museum access
Landmarks Panama Viejo Casco Antiguo Causeway Miraflores Locks - Day 5
El Valle de Antón
Drive west across Centenario Bridge to El Valle de Anton, a mountain town inside the world's largest populated volcanic crater. Stop at a local market to see tropical fruits, then choose from optional activities like visiting El Macho waterfall, La Piedra Pintada rock with pre-Columbian carvings, Butterfly Haven, or relaxing in warm mineral springs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Drive to El Valle de Antón across Centenario Bridge
- Visit to local fruit and vegetable market
Optional Activities
- Short hikes in El Valle de Antón area
- Visit to El Macho waterfall
- Visit to La Piedra Pintada (pre-Columbian rock carvings)
- Visit to Butterfly Haven butterfly farm
- Relax in warm mineral springs at Pozos Termales
Landmarks El Valle de Antón El Macho Waterfall La Piedra Pintada Butterfly Haven Pozos Termales - Day 6
El Valle de Antón - Las Tablas
Continue west on the Panamericana to Nata de los Caballeros, founded in 1520, to see the historic church. You'll have typical Panamanian lunch in Parita, then meet a mask-maker to learn about traditional diablico masks. Later, visit a local home to watch how polleras (the national dress for women) are handcrafted.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical Panamanian lunch)
Included Activities
- Visit to historic church in Natá de los Caballeros
- Typical Panamanian lunch
- Visit to local mask-maker to learn diablico mask production
- Visit to private house to see pollera (traditional dress) handcrafting
Optional Activities
- Purchase diablico masks as souvenir
Landmarks Natá de los Caballeros Parita - Day 7
Oria Arriba - Playa Venao
Drive about 1.5 hours into the Los Santos hills to Oria Arriba village. After a musical welcome, watch locals make hats and instruments, see a working horse-powered sugar cane mill, and taste fresh juice. Depending on the season you might visit a tobacco plantation, then walk along Rio Oria where howler monkeys sometimes call out. Have lunch at a local home and finish the day swimming at Playa Venao beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical lunch with products from Oria Arriba village)
Included Activities
- Village tour of Oria Arriba
- Observe handmade hat and musical instrument production
- Visit to working horse-powered sugar cane mill
- Taste freshly pressed sugar cane juice
- Rio Oria visit
- Typical lunch with village products
- Visit to Playa Venao beach
Optional Activities
- Tobacco plantation visit (seasonal)
Landmarks Oria Arriba Rio Oria Playa Venao - Day 8
Las Tablas - Boquete
Drive 4.5 to 5 hours west to Chiriqui province and the mountain village of Boquete, sitting at 1,200 meters with a spring-like climate. Check out the charming town and do a short hiking tour where you might spot the rare quetzal bird before checking into your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Town discovery of Boquete
- Short hiking tour in Boquete surroundings
Landmarks Boquete 
- Day 9
Boquete
Morning walk on suspension bridges high above the cloud forest gives bird's-eye views of waterfalls and nature. In the afternoon, head to a coffee plantation to learn about how the fruit is cultivated, harvested, and processed, ending with a tasting of the coffee.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Suspension bridge walk in cloud forest with waterfall views
- Coffee plantation tour
- Coffee tasting
- Day 10
Boquete - Bocas del Toro
Drive 3 hours over the Cordillera de Talamanca mountains to Almirante on the Caribbean coast. Visit Oreba Chocolate Farm to tour organic cocoa cultivation and see the chocolate-making process, native plants, and local Ngobe Indian women at work. Take a boat to Isla Colon (about 30 minutes) and settle into your hotel with its relaxed Caribbean vibe.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Oreba Chocolate Farm guided tour
- Cocoa and chocolate process explanation
- Viewing of native plants and exotic animals
- Raw chocolate tasting
- Boat transfer to Isla Colón
Landmarks Oreba Chocolate Farm Isla Colón 
- Day 11
Bocas del Toro - Red Frog Beach
Take a boat through winding mangrove channels watching for water birds, then head to Coral Cay where calm seas let snorkelers of any skill level enjoy the water. Eat at waterside restaurants built on stilts, then go to Isla Bastimentos, a jungle-covered island only reachable by boat. Visit Red Frog Beach named after the red poison dart frogs, explore forest trails, or relax before heading back in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Boat trip through mangrove forests
- Visit to Coral Cay
- Visit to Isla Bastimentos
- Visit to Red Frog Beach
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling at Coral Cay
- Dining at local waterfront restaurants in Coral Cay (not included)
Landmarks Mangrove Forests Coral Cay Isla Bastimentos Red Frog Beach - Day 12
Bocas del Toro
You have the day free to do as you please. There's an optional bike ride to Playa Bluff available, or you can relax at the hotel pool.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Bike ride to Playa Bluff
Landmarks Playa Bluff - Day 13
Bocas del Toro
The group tour ends after breakfast today. You can arrange individual departure or explore other options to extend your time.
- Meals
- Breakfast
