Over 29% of Panama's landscape includes 15 national parks, forest reserves, and 10 wildlife sanctuaries - this itinerary is designed to visit some of the country's most celebrated. Begin your Panama travel journey with a cruise of the "8th wonder of the world", the Panama Canal, working your way through its complicated and impressive locks. Visit the charming mountain town of El Valle, and explore the surroundings on a canopy adventure. Visit with the indigenous community, Embera, in Chagres National Park, and finish your Panama travels exploring the ecology of Barro Colorado Island. Let us introduce you to this beautiful country!
Highlights
Explore trails that pass Indian petroglyphs, hotsprings, and waterfalls
Hop aboard a boat and make the iconic journey through the Panama Canal
Enjoy a free day at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Spend a day at the Embera community and learn about their culture
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Begin your Panama travels by taking a morning bus ride to the town of Gamboa where your vessel awaits to bring you on a partial transit of the Panama Canal. Your exploration of this engineering wonder begins at the north end of the Gaillard Cut; builders faced unprecedented challenges as they carved their way through the continental divide's solid rock for nearly 9 miles. At the southern end of the Cut enter the Pedro Miguel Locks, taking you into the man-made Miraflores Lake. Next, you are lowered 18 meters in the Miraflores Locks as you make your entrance into the Pacific Ocean. Disembark at the Flamenco Marina where you meet your transfer to El Valle. This 2-hour drive follows the famous Pan American Highway. Sit back, relax, and take in the celebrated views of Panama.
The beautiful mountain town of El Valle is located in the crater of an ancient volcano that erupted with such ferocity it blew off its top. It left a 3-mile-wide scar on the landscape – this crater is the largest in the Americas. The valley forests are alive with hummingbirds and other tropical wildlife, including a golden frog unique to the area. El Valle’s spring-like climate is perfect for exploring the vast variety of trails that run past Indian petroglyphs, hot springs, and waterfalls. Spend the night in a quiet bed and breakfast.
Today you will visit the native handicraft market. Local farmers, as well as Ngobe Bugle, Wounaan and some Embera Indians come to the market to sell fruits, vegetables, plants, and handicrafts. After this leisurely morning continue your Panama travels with a canopy adventure. At El Macho Falls securely strap into a harness, and through a series of cables and pulleys, observe the landscape from four different platforms on a canopy adventure. At 220 feet above the forest floor, share this rare and remarkable view with the animals sheltered within the canopy. Tonight, spend some time enjoying the charm of El Valle.
After a leisurely morning, you are picked up and transferred to Gamboa Rainforest Resort. The rest of the day is free for you to arrange activities through the resort. You can visit any of the local exhibits, including the frog and reptile exhibit or the butterfly enclosure, or arrange to go on a rainforest aerial tram tour, or go kayaking or boating out on Gatun Lake. Please note: if you think you will want to arrange an excursion for this afternoon at Gamboa, please notify us in advance to ensure you will be able to join.
Board a motorized canoe to take you deep into the Chagres rainforest to an Embera community. The park’s protected waters supply nearly 80% of Panama City’s drinking water. Upon arrival, exit the canoe and walk up a short hill where you are welcomed into the Embera settlement. Let these intriguing and inviting people introduce you to their culture as they share their knowledge of botany, craftsmanship, and traditional music and dance. Try the Embera traditional body painting that colors the skin with the purplish juice from a jagua fruit and enjoy lunch with the Embera community. Spend the rest of the afternoon with a guided tour of the tropical park.
Note: Community visit may change depending on the water level in the river.
This morning continue your Panama travels to Barro Colorado Island. After a short ride to the town of Gamboa, board a boat to cross the massive Lake Gatun. Born out of the Panama Canal, Gatun’s creation displaced over 50,000 people and submerged acres of forest – it also formed Isla Barro Colorado. It is heavy with wildlife including howler monkeys, keel-billed toucans, tapirs, sloths, anteaters, tiger herons, crocodiles, and the stunning Morpho butterfly. Administered by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute since 1946, this area is considered the best-protected and most-studied tropical rainforest in the world. Travelers are limited to a single trail that loops the island, to ensure that the ecosystem remains well-protected. You also have the opportunity to explore the bays and forest-covered channels. From the boat, keep an eye out for Panama's thriving wildlife. In the evening, head back to Panama City for your final overnight.
Day 7: Return Home
1 Breakfast
Make your way to the airport for your international flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for Mar 30, 2025 not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for Mar 30, 2025 are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$1,894
Notes
$698 Single Supplement Additional Cost for Private Room when traveling with others. Traveling Solo? Contact us for a custom quote.
Payment in full for internal flights is due at time of booking.
Initial deposit is $400 (50% during holiday season) plus internal flight fare, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
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