Experience with your family the best places in Panama from the Pacific coast and the Panama Canal to the western highlands to the Caribbean coast. This is an easy to moderate trip with optional activities like snorkeling, rafting, and hikes.

Day 1 - Arrive Panama
On arrival to Tocumen International Airport we will be met by an Ancon Expeditions of Panama representative and transferred to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, our lodge for the next 3 nights, located along the shores of the Panama Canal. This evening we enjoy a welcome briefing with our Naturalist Guide. Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort Village.

Day 2 - Panama Canal Jungle Boat Adventure
Early in the morning we are picked up by our Naturalist Guide and transferred to the marina, where we board a specially equipped expedition boat.   The voyage takes us across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal passing by gigantic cargo ships transiting the waterway and 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 species.

The expedition boat will allow for close approximations to rainforest covered islands in Gatun Lake to search for White-faced capuchin, Howler monkey, Spider monkey and the endemic Red-napped tamarin. We will have a picnic lunch on an island with extraordinary views of the Panama Canal and the natural surroundings. Early afternoon return to Gamboa This afternoon is free to enjoy Gamboa. Night at Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort Village.  (B,L)

Day 3- The ChagresRiver and the Embera People
Early in the morning we drive to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake.  This is the main reservoir of drinking water for the cities of Panama and Colon, Madden Lake. It 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 boat 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. Afterwards, we’ll head back to Gamboa. Night at Gamboa Rainforest Resort Village. (B, L)

Day 4 –Summit Botanical Gardens-  Miraflores Locks – Chiriquo Highlands
After a leisurely morning we will visit the Harpy Eagle exhibit at the Summit Botanical Gardens where we will be able to see up close this magnificent species which is endangered. It is  being studied and under a captive reproduction program. We continue to the Miraflores Locks in the Panama Canal to learn about its history and marvel at this engineering accomplishment.
The canal still operates pretty much as it did when it was inaugurated in 1914 and the SS Ancon steamer was the first ship to transit the Panama Canal. In the afternoon we catch a flight from Albrook domestic airport to David, the capital of the Chiriqui province. Chiriqui is known as “Panama’s breadbasket” and contains some of the most breathtaking highland scenery in Central America. Transfer by van to the eastern side of the dormant Baru Volcano to the quaint town of Boquete with its countryside dotted with flower, fruit and vegetable farms, coffee plantations and extraordinary cloud forest environments. Night at Hotel Panamonte (B,L,D)

Day 5- White Water Rafting or Los Quetzales Trail
This morning we’ll depart early for our approximate 2-hour drive to the river put-in. Our white water river rafting experience will be a floating tour down the Chiriqui River. A picnic lunch will be served on the riverbank.

For those who choose not to go rafting we will hike Los Quetzales Trail from Cerro Punta to Boquete through the cloud forest of Baru Volcano National Park. The Baru Volcano is the highest peak of the country at 3,475 meters above sea level. We will make stops along the way to enjoy the views and to look for the elusive Resplendent Quetzal. The Quetzales Trail goes to at an altitude of 6000 ft, on a ridge with amazing views, and full of ancient trees, like oak, cedar, magnolia and laurel or aguacatillo (Quetzals main food). Ferns and mosses provide habitat for a great number of birds, such as Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Spotted Barbtail, and Spectacled Foliage-Gleaner. Heliconias and flowers attract a variety of gorgeous hummingbirds such as White-throated Mountain-Gem, Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, Magnificent Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing.
Picnic lunch will be in route to Boquete. Night at Hotel Panamonte (B,L,D)

Day 6- Chiriqui Highlands – Bocas del Toro
After a good night’s rest we pack our belongings and get ready for an early morning flight to Bocas del Toro. After check-in we will receive a briefing on the activities that
will take place during our trip. Start the adventure with a boat ride to Boca del Drago and around Colon Island. Weather permitting, we visit Swan's Cay, a rock protruding from the depths of the Caribbean Sea, which serves as rookery for Red-billed tropic birds (the only place to be found in Panama) and Brown boobies. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will enjoy the beach at Boca del Drago and search for colorful starfish. Along the coastline, we make stops at coral reefs and mangrove isles for snorkeling. Return to the Bocas Inn.  Night at Bocas Inn (B,L,D)

Day 7- Salt Creek Village – Bastimentos Marine National Park
We depart by boat from the Bocas Inn traversing the expanse of Bastimentos National Park, Panama’s first marine national park. We reach Salt Creek by
 navigating through clusters of red mangroves, which provide sea creatures with a protective area during their reproductive and development stages. Upon arrival, we first enjoy a walk along Caiman trail. This trail takes us through several stages of lowland forest dynamics.
Here, we will look for birds such as Red-throated Ant Tanager and Golden-collared Manakin (Cerritus sub sp.). Mammals such as Night Monkeys, White-faced Capuchins and Three-toed Sloths also live here. An older tract of rainforest has tall trees that provide life to birds such as the Three-wattled Bellbird and Green-breasted Mango. A nearby lagoon is home to Spectacled Cayman and Slider Turtle. On the ground we will look for the tiny endemic poison dart frog Dendrobates Pumilio. After the hike, we enjoy a visit to the indigenous community and a chance to purchase handicrafts such as painted woodcarvings and Ngobe handbags, followed by lunch. In the afternoon, we will snorkel among mangroves and coral reefs, searching for numerous fish species, as well as dynamic and brightly colored sea fans, sponges and brittle starfish.  Night at Bocas Inn (B,L,D)

Day 8- Zapatilla Cays
Our sense of adventure will take us to Bastimentos Marine National Park Today. Our first stop is Zapatilla Cays where the white sand beach and coral reefs are simply extraordinary. More snorkeling and beach time here. After a full morning here we head out to Red frog trail where we will look for the amazing strawberry frog. This tiny amphibian, the size of a fingernail, was used in the past by indigenous to poison their arrows tips used for hunting. Tonight dinner at the Bocas Inn is accompanied by a live Calypso band. Music, dancing and laughter will rule the evening. Night at the Bocas Inn (B,L,D)

Day 9- Depart Panama
Today we are picked up at the lobby of the hotel 2.5 hours prior to our scheduled departure flight and transferred to Tocumen International Airport. Fly home (B)