Panama Multi-Sport Adventure - 8D/7N

photo of Emberá Indians in Panama, courtesy of Tourism Board of PanamaWhat a better place to have this adventure than Panama. Hiking – River Rafting/Kayaking – Snorkeling will be activities to enjoy!

Included: Lodging, all land, air and water transportation within Panama. All airport/hotel transfers on scheduled arrival and departure dates - Meals as specified in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) - Park, museum and related entrance fees, guides’ services and expenses and the 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 - Any personal expenses.

Notes: Minimum 2 passengers - Weight restrictions apply to luggage in commercial and chartered flights within Panama. A maximum of 25 lbs. of checked luggage and 10 lbs. of carry-on per person is allowed. Arrangements can be made to store luggage that will not be needed while away from the city. Excess baggage charges assessed by commercial carriers are the responsibility of the passenger.
Trip Classification: Varied daily activities ranging from 5-7 hours per day over muddy, steep, slippery slopes. Exposure to variable climatic conditions. Luxury, Standard and Rustic accommodations .
Equipment Checklist: Binoculars (preferably 7×35 or larger), camera with extra batteries & film, flashlight with extra bulb & batteries, bathing suit, insect repellant, sunscreen, hat, day pack, water bottle, lightweight/quick dry cotton clothes, windbreaker, sandals, sneakers/hiking boots, rain gear, money in small denominations, toiletries & personal medications. The Naturalist Guide carries a spotting scope.

Departures: January 13-20 // March 3-10 // July 7-14 // August 11-18 // December 22-29.

photo of The Chagres River in Panama courtesy of Tourism Board of PanamaDay by day Itinerary:

  • 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). Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort (B, L)
  • Day 3 The Chagres River And The Emberá Indians - Early in the morning we depart on a 35 minute drive to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake. 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 Rainforest Resort (B, L)
  • Day 4 Whitewater Rafting/ River Kayaking - Today we check out from Gamboa and head East on the Pan-American Highway (2 hours) to 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 bird watching 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 4×4 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. 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 (B, L, D)
  • 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)


Insure My Trip We provide, through “Insure My Trip” comparison site, travel insurance policies from Access America, AIG Travel Guard, CSA Travel Protection, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, International Medical Group, MEDEX, MedjetAssist, MultiNational Underwriters, On Call International, RBC Travel Protection, Seven Corners, Travel Insured, Travelex and TravelSafe. Click to compare the policies available.

Also tagged with: Central America, Panama, Hiking, Trekking, Kayaking, Active Travel, Cultural, Nature / Ecology, White-Water Rafting, Join-In Tour, Hosted Tours, Snorkeling, Falls


Vantage World Strongly Recommends Insurance for all your Travel Programs

Insure My Trip We provide, through TravelSafe Insurance, one of the nation's largest and most respected providers of travel insurance, a TravelSafe Custom Plan, where you decide the benefits YOU want and the levels of protection YOU desire including access to their 24-hour emergency assistance service from anywhere in the world. Click the link below the Plan Benefits table for plan details.