Itinerary
- Day 1
Panama City
You'll land in Panama City and head to your hotel on your own. This is your first night to settle in and get oriented to the city.
- Day 2
Panama City
After meeting your guide in the morning, you'll walk through Old Panama's colonial ruins and climb up the cathedral tower to see the city from above. The Old Panama City Museum comes next, then you'll spend time wandering the narrow streets of Casco Antiguo to check out sites like the Flat Arch, Cathedral, Las Bóvedas and French Plaza. Your guide fills you in on the city's history, particularly the failed French attempt at building a canal. Back at your hotel in the late afternoon via private transfer.
Included Activities
- Explore ruins of Old Panama
- Climb cathedral tower for panoramic views
- Visit Old Panama City Museum
- Stroll through Casco Antiguo historic quarter
- Visit Flat Arch landmark
- Visit Cathedral in Casco Antiguo
- Visit Las Bóvedas
- Visit French Plaza
- Private transfer back to hotel
Optional Activities
- Panamanian Dinner and Folkloric Show (Available Monday to Friday only - includes traditional Panamanian cuisine, lively folkloric performance in themed restaurant, hotel collection and return transfer)
Landmarks Old Panama (Panamá Viejo) Old Panama City Museum Casco Antiguo Flat Arch Cathedral of Casco Antiguo Las Bóvedas French Plaza - Day 3
Panama City
After breakfast, you're heading to Flamenco Marina to board the Pacific Queen for a partial canal transit. The ship sails across the Bay of Panama, passes under the Bridge of the Americas, then enters the Miraflores Locks where you're lifted 18 metres in two stages. You cross Miraflores Lake and go through the Pedro Miguel Locks for another 9-metre ascent. From there it's on to the Gaillard Cut, that historic passage through the Continental Divide where you'll see the ongoing work needed to manage landslides. Then you disembark at Gamboa Dredging Division and coach back to Flamenco Marina.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Partial Panama Canal Transit on Pacific Queen
- Sail across Bay of Panama
- Pass beneath Bridge of the Americas
- Transit through Miraflores Locks (18 metre lift in two stages)
- Cross Miraflores Lake
- Transit through Pedro Miguel Locks (9 metre lift)
- Pass Centennial Bridge
- Travel through Gaillard Cut
- Disembark at Gamboa Dredging Division
- Coach return to Flamenco Marina
Optional Activities
- Upgrade to Full Panama Canal Transit (approximately 10 hours, continues through to Colón province)
Landmarks Flamenco Marina Bridge of the Americas Miraflores Locks Miraflores Lake Pedro Miguel Locks Centennial Bridge Gaillard Cut Gamboa Dredging Division - Day 4
Panama City - Soberanía National Park
Following breakfast, your guide meets you and you'll depart for Soberanía National Park, watching the landscape shift from city to thick rainforest. After passing former Fort Clayton and the canal locks, you board a boat on Gatún Lake. This waterway shares space with cargo ships moving through the canal, and the forested islands around you are home to green iguanas, ospreys, frigate birds, snail kites, mantled howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins and Geoffroy's tamarins. The day ends with a guided walk into the rainforest on one of the park's trails.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Boat cruise across Gatún Lake
- Wildlife viewing (green iguanas, ospreys, frigate birds, snail kites, mantled howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins, Geoffroy's tamarins)
- Guided rainforest trail walk
Landmarks Soberanía National Park Fort Clayton Miraflores Locks Pedro Miguel Locks Gatún Lake - Day 5
Panama City - Embera Village
After breakfast, you travel to El Corotú on Madden Lake's shore and board a motorised piragua for a river journey through dense jungle along the Chagres River to an Embera indigenous village. This route takes you through Chagres National Park, which protects the Panama Canal's watershed. Along the way you'll spot herons, egrets, kingfishers, anhingas and ospreys. The village welcomes you with traditional music and dancing, and you'll learn about their culture and craftsmanship, seeing handcrafted baskets, masks and wood carvings. Optional jagua body painting using natural dyes is available. A traditional Embera lunch happens before you return to your accommodation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Embera lunch)
Included Activities
- Motorised piragua journey along Chagres River
- Visit Embera indigenous village
- Welcome with traditional music and dancing
- Learn about Embera culture and craftsmanship
- View handcrafted baskets, masks and wood carvings
- Traditional Embera lunch
Optional Activities
- Traditional jagua body painting using natural dyes
Landmarks El Corotú Madden Lake Chagres River Chagres National Park Embera Village - Day 6
Panama City
After breakfast, make your way to Panama City airport for your onward flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
