DAY 1 ARRIVE TO PANAMA
Arrive to Tocumen Airport, Panama City. Meet and greet our Ancon Expeditions of Panama representative and transfer to the town of Gamboa by the Panama Canal (45 minutes) where we will spend the next 2 nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. Depending on our arrival time, we can opt to join any of the outdoor activities available at the hotel. Meals are on our own today.
Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort

DAY 2 CAMINO DE CRUCES – PANAMA CANAL BOAT EXPEDITION
Early this morning we will meet our guide over breakfast for a briefing. Soon enough we take a 15 minute drive to the Camino de Cruces (Las Cruces Trail). This historic trail was built by the Spanish in the early years of the colony to comunícate Panama City, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, with Fort San Lorenzo, by the mouth of the mighty Chagres River on the Caribbean Sea. The stoned trail ended at a bend on the Chagres River (where it now meets the Panama Canal) and from there on transportation of goods and people took place via dugout canoes. Fortunately a 10km stretch of the trail (4-5 hours) has been protected within Soberania National Park. The mostly flat trail will take us through magnificent rainforests teeming with exotic wildlife and historic landmarks. We will reach the ruins of the town of Venta de Cruces, by the Chagres River, where we board a comfortable expedition boat and depart on an adventure that will include a voyage across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal passing by gigantic cargo ships transiting the waterway, making contrast with the natural surroundings.  Along the way, we will have the opportunity to spot Green iguana and Three-toed sloth resting on tree branches, Crocodile, Osprey in the hunt for Peacock bass, Snail kite and Keel-billed toucan among other wildlife. Gatun Lake was formed to give way to the Panama Canal in 1914. With a surface of 423 square-kilometers, at the time of its creation was the largest man-made lake in the world. The flow of all the rivers within the Panama Canal Watershed is contained in Gatun Lake to provide water for the operation of the lock system. More than 52 million gallons of fresh water are used for every ship that transits through the Panama Canal from one ocean to another. Our expedition boat will allow close approximations to rainforest covered islands (former hill tops) in Gatun Lake to search for White-faced capuchin, Mantled howler monkey, Spider monkey, and Geoffrey’s tamarin.
Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort (B,L)

DAY 3 THE CHAGRES RIVER AND THE EMBERA INDIANS
Early in the morning we depart on a 35 minute drive to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake.  The main reservoir of drinking water for the cities of Panama and Colon, Madden Lake also supplies 40% of the water required for the operation of the Panama Canal.  Here, we board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up the Chagres River to the Embera indigenous village of Embera Drua. 

The dugout canoe journey takes us through the rainforest of the 320,000-acre Chagres National Park, which is the largest of the National Parks protecting the Panama Canal Watershed.   Along the Chagres River, we may be able to spot Little Blue and Green Heron, Great Egret, Anhingas, Neotropical Cormorant, Amazon, Ringed, and Green Kingfishers, along with Keel-billed Toucans and Ospreys flying above. At the Embera village we will be greeted with dancing and music.

We will learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature.  There will be handcrafts available for sale and we will have a chance to be painted with the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies.  After a picnic lunch we visit the nearby waterfall where we can take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Chagres River. We can also hike the medicine trail with a local guide.
Night at Gamboa Rainforst Resort (B,L)

DAY 4 WHITEWATER RAFTING/ RIVER KAYAKING
Today we check out from Gamboa and head East on the Panamerican Highway (2 hours) to the the Mamoni River for a day of whitewater adventure. The river is classified as Class II-III at its upper section and Class III-IV at the lowest section. There are a couple of passes that we choose to hike due to safety considerations, among them, a beautiful Class VI fall.

NOTE: During our dry season (usually February through May) we only run inflatable kayaks on this river. Along the way we will enjoy the wonderful scenery. We arrive to the take out zone by mid afternoon. From here we drive a short distance to Burbayar a private nature reserve protecting some of the most spectacular rainforests found in Central America.
Night at Burbayar Jungle Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 5 BURBAYAR RAINFOREST RESERVE
Today we will hike on one or two trails within the reserve. There will be options to go birdwatching at a slower pace looking for specialties of the area or to do a more demanding hike to reach a couple of spectacular and seldom visited waterfalls.
Night at Burbayar Jungle Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 6 KUNA YALA – SAN BLAS ISLANDS
At the crack of dawn we will enjoy a hearty breakfast and soon will be on our way. This time we will drive north on 4x4 vehicles along a recently recovered jungle road. A quick stop at the Continental Divide will reveal splendid views of the vast rainforest protected by the Kuna Indians as far as the Caribbean Sea our destination. The 20km ride will be accomplished in 1.5 hours accounting a couple stops along the way for nature observation. On arrival to the shore a motorized dugout canoe will be waiting to take us to Carti, a Kuna Indian village, for a cultural visit. We continue a short distance to an idyllic palm tree covered island where we spend the rest of the day snorkeling and relaxing. Tonight we will stay at lodge owned by a Kuna family.
Night at Coco Blanco Kuna Lodge (B,L,D)

DAY 7 PANAMA CITY
This morning we fly back to Panama City (35 minutes) from El Porvenir. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel located at the entrance of the Panama Canal on the Pacific Ocean. We have the morning off to rest, enjoy a walk along the Amador Causeway or shop at the nearby handcraft market. For lunch we will hop on bicycles and ride to a nearby seafood restaurant overlooking the Bay of Panama and the modern city of Panama. In the afternoon we visit the Smithsonian’s Punta

Culebra Marine Exhibits and the Frank O. Gehry Biodiversity Museum. We return to the hotel to freshen up before heading out to colonial Casco Viejo for a walking tour. We stay in the area for a farewell dinner at local restaurant.
Night at the Country Inn – Panama Canal (BLD)

DAY 8 DEPARTURE
After breakfast, catch the group transfer back to the airport for homeward-bound flights or spend additional time in Panama exploring this incredible country on your own (B)

TRIP CLASSIFICATION: Varied daily activities ranking from 5-7 hours per day over muddy, steep, slippery slopes. Exposure to variable climatic conditions. Luxury, Standard and Rustic accommodations

INCLUDED: Lodging, all land, air and water transportation within Panama. All airport/hotel transfers on scheduled arrival/departure dates, meals as specified in the itinerary (B - breakfast; L - lunch; D - dinner), entrance fees, guides’ services and expenses, and services of an in-bound land operator for airline re-confirmations and tour operations.

NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, tourist card ($5 per person), meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels (laundry, telephone calls, room service, etc.) or gratuities.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST: Binoculars (preferably 7x35 or bigger), camera with extra batteries & film, flashlight with extra bulb & batteries, bathing suit, insect repellant, sunscreen, walking pole, hat, day pack, water bottle, lightweight/quick dry cotton clothes, windbreaker, sandals, sneakers/hiking boots, rain gear, money in small denominations, toiletries & personal medications.