Panama Explorer Details

Before signing up, consider the following

You are a guest in a foreign country and it is a 3rd world country. Things are done differently here. You will most likely experience some difficulty or inconveniences, especially in some of the remote areas of this tour.

You should travel as light as possible. You will be responsible for handling your on bags. Our guides will assist you with some things, but we will not carry your baggage or equipment. There are laundries nearly everywhere we visit where you can get clothing washed while we are out on tour. best times to take care of laundry will be pointed out in the Itinerary detail and also by your guide during your stay in Panama.

Light weight adventure clothing such as Columbia wear is recommended. This type of clothing can be purchased on. This type of clothing can be hand washed and dried fast. You should have a good pair of hiking sandals or wet hikers and a good pair of hiking shoes or boots. You should also bring one set of clothing with long pants for evenings out while in Panama City.

ETIQUETTE WITH THE INDIAN CULTURES WILL BE EXPLAINED TO YOU THE MORNING OF THOSE TOURS. On the Indian village tours, our Indian hosts will most likely assist you with bags. Let them. They will be careful with them and will be offended if you refuse.

Physical and mental abilities - All we have to go by when the tour is booked is your word you will be fit for this tour. You must be a strong walker and be able to keep up with the group and especially the guide. Please respect the group and the guide by keeping pace and listening carefully so the guide doesn't have to repeat him or herself. Other group members are usually not happy when they have to listen to details more than once due to inattentive tour mates.

Be on time so as not to delay the group. We can encounter enough delays due to normal logistical situations, out of our control, in Panama. Things will run much smoother if everyone is on time and adaquately prepared for the day. Each day after each day's activities are completed, your guide will explain to yout the next days activities and answer any questions you may have.

Although some of our more serious travelers have suggested that all complainers, whiners, and dawdlers should be left, and unruly children should be sold, we have not done this yet. Respect the guide and other group mates by not openly expressing discontent. This should be done in private as to not disrupt the group. We will do everything possible to address concerns in a timely maner.

We absolutly do not allow smoking in any of our vehicles, or at the table where other travelers are eating.

Slow or poor service will be encountered in Panama, and it will get worse the further you get from Panama City. The food in some areas may also not be to your expectations but is safe to eat including fruits and vegetables. Water is safe most places but we do recommend that you take bottled water in some areas. Your guide will inform you of the areas where water may not be safe. We really have no control over the service but we use the best establishments we have found in each area. When eating meals on your own allow more time than you normally would to compensate for slow service.

You WILL get wet in some areas on this tour during any time of the year. EXPECT IT at the Embera Indian village. However, it can happen anywhere even in dry season. You would be surprised at all the amazed looks we get when we tell travelers that we can't definitely assure them that it will not rain.

There are lots of photography opportunities and our guides know where they are. We will not stop in unsafe areas.

Day 1, Thursday

Overnight in Panama City

You will be greeted at Tocumen airport by one of our representatives. We will have a sign with your name printed on it. You will receive your packet of information and travel vouchers. We will answer all your questions en route to the hotel and provide a short briefing of general details of your trip.

Day 2, Friday

Overnight in Panama City - Breakfast included in the hotel and Lunch is included during the tour.

Our city and canal tour begins at 9 am and will take you through modern Panama City, Old Panama, colonial Panama, and the Canal Zone. Last, we will visit the Miraflores Locks where you will see how the ships are handled in the chambers of the locks and lowered to the Pacific Ocean or raised into Miraflores lake. The museum at the Miraflores locks has three floors of displays dedicated to the operation and history of the canal as well as ecological displays of the plants and wildlife of the Panama jungles. Our last stop is at the Old American YMCA building in Balboa for some shopping at the craft market where indigenious people sell their wares. You are usually back in the hotel by 5 pm.

Dinner at Trapichi at 7 pm. Tonight will be an orientation of your 2-week adventure with your guide. We will go over each day's activities and conduct a question and answer session. Trapichi is a Panamanian restaurant that specializes in the traditional Panamanian food. Sampler platters will be prepared so our guests can taste the different Panamanian dishes, and your guide will explain how they are prepared.

Day 3, Saturday

Overnight in Panama City. Breakfast is included in the hotel. Buffet aboard the vessel is included.

Full Panama Canal Transit. You will be picked up at the hotel at 6:45 for a transfer to the Pacific port and the vessel in which you will be transiting the canal. This transit is usually completed by 4:30 in the afternoon and you should be back at the Pacific Port by 6 or 6:30 pm. HOWEVER, we have experienced returns to the Pacific Port as late as 10:30. Return time is completely dependent on traffic and conditions in the canal and on the highway. Take lots of sun screen and floppy cotton hats are recommended. It seems that the Canal eats baseball caps or straw hats.

If you want to see more on the Panama Canal, The Panama Canal Authority has a killer website with lots of detail on the Panama Canal, and a live camera where you can see the ships passing through the Miraflores and Gatun Locks. There is also a live camera in the Gaillard Cut where you can see the new bridge over the canal. Tell your friends and neighbors to look for you transiting the canal. This page may open a bit slow, so be patient.

Day 4, Sunday

Overnight on Dolphin Island - Breakfast, lunch and dinner is included in San Blas. Bottled water, sodas, beer or wine are not included.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. You will check out of the hotel this morning. Hotel has storage space for your luggage.

2. The airlines will only allow each person to travel with 25 lbs of luggage.

3. Pay attention to your guide. There are several things in the Kuna culture on Achutupo island that are definite no - no's. Proper etiquette will be explained by your guide before visiting the Kuna village.

4. Spray insect repellent or other aerosol cans could be confiscated from carry on baggage. However, we have never had this happen in San Blas. Only in Bocas and David.

Pick up at the hotel at 4:45 (yes, we know, that is early) and transfer to the airport for flight to San Blas Islands. We will be greeted at the airstrip on the mainland near to Dolphin Island. From there we travel by boat about 10 minutes to Dolphin Island where breakfast will be waiting for us. Breakfast will be fresh fruit, coffee eggs and toast. After breakfast, we will take a boat about 5 minutes to the neighboring Mamitupo Island where there are some 3,000 Kuna inhabitants. There, we will visit with the Kuna Indians, see the way they live while our guide explains the life and culture of the Kuna Indians including cultural events and ceremonies.

Next, we will return to Dolphin for a bit of laying around and relaxing before lunch. After lunch, you got it. More laying around and relaxing. Take advantage of it. Tomorrow will be another early day.

About mid afternoon, we will visit a desert island for snorkeling, wading or swiming or just relaxing. From there, we will travel up a very picturesque river where all sorts of wildlife and be seen. There are some great photo ops here.

After we return to Dolphin, it is time to eat again. By the way, the food on San Blas is great and is always sea food and most likely will include lobster for at least one meal. After dinner, you can spend your time laying around in a hammock, visiting with our Kuna hosts, take all the pictures you want.

The huts are rustic with only cold water showers. There is in-door plumbing and electricity powered by a generator until 10:00.

Day 5, Monday

Overnight in Panama City - Breakfast is included on San Blas and lunch in Panama City.

Wake up call is at 4:30 (yes, that is early). After breakfast, we fly to Panama City. the remainder of the day is open. This is a good time to take advantage of laundry needs andand poke around Panama City.

Day 6, Tuesday

Overnight in Bocas - Breakfast is not included at Bocas.

IMORTANT NOTES:

1. There are so many activities available on Bocas, it is hard to include anything everyone would like. There are boat, hiking and water sport activities available. Activities are not included in your tour package. You are free to choose to your liking, or just explore the town.

2. You will have to check out of the Panama City hotel. The hotel will have a storage room for your luggage.

3. Weather is very unpredictable in Bocas. If you get wet in Panama, this is the place it will happen. We recommend you either have a rain jacket or carry one of those little retractable umbrellas.

4. The airlines will allow you to travel with 30 pounds.

5. Spray insect repellent will be confiscated from carry on baggage.

We will meet you at the hotel at 6:45 for a transfer to airport and flight to Bocas Del Toro. Bocas is a small Caribbean type community with lots of activity. There are several boat tour companies you can talk to about any tours you might be interested in. You may also speak with the hotel staff for activities such as water sports. This is kind of a do-it-yourself place and lots of people speak English. If you travel light and are a good walker, you can hoof it to the hotel which is only about 3 blocks from the airport. But if you want to catch cab, we can do that too pretty easily.

The night life in Bocas is just pretty funky. Try defining that word. With every group, we come up with different definitions.

Day 7, Wednesday

Overnight in Boquete - Breakfast is not included in Bocas.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

1. It will be cool at night and you could encounter some rainfall but usually only a mist. A light rain jacket or a small umbrella is recommended.

The flight leaves at 9:15 for the flight to David, so you will have to be at the airport at 8:15. If the weather is nice, you can hoof it or, if it is raining you can catch the taxi.

We will be met at the David airport by our Chiriqui province representative. From David, it is about a 45 minute drive to the mountain village of Boquete. On arrival at Boquete, we will take about an hour and a half scenic drive of the coffee plantations on a beautiful winding mountain road with great photo opportunities. After the drive, we will visit the Cafe Ruiz coffee processing plant and roaster for a tour of the roasting facilities. At Ruiz, you can purchase gourmet coffees and enjoy a cup of coffee with some outrageously fattening pastries. Then we check into the hotel. The hotel was built in 1914 and is a quaint homey place. Tourists favorite place is the lounge area where there is usually a fire going in the fire place. There is also a big screen TV for those of us who are news junkies. The rooms do not have TV's. This afternoon is your chance to poke around the neat little nooks and crannies of Boquete.

Day 8, Thursday

Overnight Boquete - Continental breakfast is included in Boquete

After our continental breakfast, we will pay a visit to The Jardin. Boquete is known for their flower festival in January, However, there always seems to be flowers year round. Especially at The Jardin. This is a private residence with acres of flower gardens which the owner proudly envites anyone in to visit. The sign above the entrance says Mi jardin es tu jardin (My garden is your garden). Remainder of the day is open.

Day 9, Friday

Panama City - Continental Breakfast is included in Boquete.

Early morning flight to Panama City. Remainder of the day open.

Day 10, Saturday

Overnight in Panama City - Breakfast included in the hotel.

This is another early day (best for spotting wildlife), if you really are serious about seeing wildlife on Pipeline road. If not, we can still do the trail later in the day and might see some wildlife. However, we will have another opportunity to spot these animals on our trip to Portobelo. Early morning hours are always the best to spot howler monkeys, spider monkeys, marmosets, night monkeys, white face monkeys and other mammals and birds.

The remainder of the day is free. This is another great opportunity to get that laundry done.

Day 11, Sunday

Overnight in Panama City - Breakfast included in the hotel and lunch is included in El Valle.

Pick-up is at 8 am. Today, we travel to the mountain retreat called Anton Valley. Also known as just El Valle. Here you can visit the Sunday market where everything is sold from household goods, gift items to plants and vegetables.

After lunch at the Restaurant Santa Librada, we will visit the Piedra Pintada (painted rock) which are petroglyph- that pre date Columbus. Here, a young local boy or girl will tell us the story of the Piedra Pintada. From there, we can enjoy a cloud forest walk along a mountain stream to a waterfall.

After we descend from the trail, will begin our trip back to Panama City.

Day 12, Monday

Overnight in Panama City - Breakfast is include in the hotel.

And yet another early day. Our train leaves the station at 7:15 am. So we have to leave the hotel by 6:15 in order to have some time to shop in the Panama Canal train station gift shop and try to rush and get a good seat in the dome car. The one-hour trip across the isthmus by train is spectacular. Want more detail on the Panama Canal Railroad ?

You will be met at the Colon train station by our Panama Jones representative and begin your Atlantic side tour.

First is a driving tour of Colon City. Over the years (especially the Noriega years) Colon had fallen into a state of disrepair and crime was rampant. Today, the City is on the rebound (although it may not look like it to you, it has cleaned up tremendously). Although it is still unsafe to travel alone in Colon, our guide will point out many points of interest including American and Panamanian structures and monuments.

Next is a trip across the Gatun Locks to a location where you will be able to spot the same wild life and more that you saw at Plantation road. We almost always see toucans, parrots, monkeys and sloths here.

Following our wildlife observation, we will travel to Portobelo, with a stop at Los Canones for lunch and a fantastic view from the quaint little restaurant of the Atlantic Ocean.

After lunch, Portobelo is next on the agenda. In Portobelo, we will visit the ruins of the Spanish fortresses, the customs house (which has been restored to its original condition), the Church housing the Black Christ, the museum of which robes from previous years yhat the Black Christ has been clothed. You can also look across the bay to Drakes Island, the final resting place of Sir Francis Drake.

From Portobelo, we return to the Colon train station. Our train leaves the Colon train station at 5:15 pm and arrives in Panama city at 6:15 pm. where we will be greeted by our guide and transferred to the hotel.

Day 13, Tuesday

Overnight in Panama City -Breakfast included in the hotel and lunch is included at the Embera Indian village.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Pick-up is at 8 am. You will get wet today. You should wear, fast-drying adventure wear or a swimming suit under your clothing. Blue jeans do not work in the tropics. Your foot wear should be wet water hikers or sandals (NO FLIP FLOPS). We tell this to everyone, and guess what? We have still had people show up with flip flops, blue jeans and once even had a woman show up wearing high heels and make up.

Today, we can sleep in a bit. Well, a little anyhow. We won't depart for the Embera Indian until 9 am. and travel by mini bus to Lago Alajuela (Madden Lake), where we are met by members of the Embera Indian tribe.

We will be provided with life vests and seated in a motorized piragua (canoe) and travel up the Chagres River for great photo opportunities of beautiful scenery and wildlife. If the river is not too low or not too high, we can travel by boat up a little tributary as far as we can go by boat, then bail out and slosh up the creek to a beautiful waterfall and cool pool of water where we can take a relaxing swim and just bask in nature.

From there, we travel back down the river to the Embera Indian village of Tocipuno where men, women and children of the village happily greet us. We are then welcomed to a community building (a hut on stilts) where the leader of the village (Tonio Tocama) tells us about the Embera history and culture. You can ask all the questions you want and take all the pictures you want while at this village.

Lunch is served in a gourd or on a banana leaf and is usually fresh water fish and patacones. Patacones are fried plantains.

After lunch, our friends will entertain us with their cultural music and dancing and most likely you will be asked to join in.

Handcrafted wood carvings, tagua carvings, baskets and bead work can be purchased directly from the person who made it.

The Embera Indians use a fruit called Jagua (pronounced ha-wa) that makes black dye. Originally the dye was used as an insect repellent, but later they began putting Intricate designs on their bodies for decoration. For a dollar, you too can have one of these designs painted on your body. However, we don't recommend putting any of this on your face. It lasts about 10 days, and we haven't found anything with will remove it before its time.

After a fun afternoon, we will return across the lake by piragua and back to the hotel by mini bus. You are usually back in the hotel between 3 and 5 pm.

Day 14, Wednesday

Breakfast is included in the hotel.

Today you will head for home. We will pick you up at the hotel and get you to the airport.

If return airport transfers occur before restaurants are open in any hotel, breakfast,

although indicated on itinerary, will not be included that day.

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