409 Ringaskiddy Cr,
Floresville, TX 78114
Phone: 210.232.7527
Fax: 830.393.4895
travel@journeysunique.com
Creating Journeys as unique as you are!
Specializing in Central/South America, Australia, New Zealand,
All Inclusives and Honeymoons
Panama Adventure
14 Days / 13 Nights
From $2812.50 per person Double Occupancy
Do you love being active and getting to know a country on an individual track? Then this program is perfect for you. Secluded lodges have carefully been chosen for you to merge with the lush vegetation of Panama. Various adventures have been put together to guarantee you an exciting thrill during your stay in adventurous Panama. |
Day 1 - Arrival in Panama City After your arrival to Panama one of your representatives will welcome you at the airport and drive you to your city hotel, where you will spend your first night in Panama. |
Day 2 - Panama City and Canopy Crane After breakfast you will be taken on a city tour to visit Panama La Vieja, the first city established by the Spanish in 1671, Casco Antiguo with its unique French, Spanish and Italian architecture styles and Miraflores Lock where you will have the chance to observe ships as they pass through the canal. After lunch (not included) you will take a walk in Parque Natural Metropolitano and experience the Smithsonian Rainforest Canopy Crane and observe the forest from the unique bird's perspective. |
Day 3 - Bayano Lake & Emberá Community Travel in the morning on the Panamerican Highway in the eastern direction. Your aim is the bridge at Alayala where a boat is waiting for you. You will ride approximately 45 minutes across Bayano Lake to visit the indigenous tribe Emberá Wounaan. On the way you have the chance to see aquatic birds and a floating petrified forest. In the village you will find traditional handicrafts to take home as a souvenir. Return then by boat and continue with a 4x4 through rough, muddy road to your lodge on the Llano-Carti road. This is the only road that traverses the Serranía de San Blas, beautiful foothills joining Panama and San Blas to Darién and home to the indigenous Kuna tribe. The lodge is situated only 375 m away from the Nusagandi or PEMASKY Reserve (Project for the Study and Management of Wilderness Areas of Kuna Yala). It is very important to the Kunas to protect their culture and nature. That is why they initiated to stop the encroachment of their pre-montane rainforest by settlers, subsistence farmers and loggers. Nowadays scientists from the Smithsonian Institute rank the reserve as one of the world's top 10 reserves in terms of its wealth of flora and fauna. The Burbayar Lodge will be your home for the next two nights. The hotel is cozy and offers simple rooms with private bathrooms but only cold water. Lighting is by hurricane lamp. |
Day 4 - Burbayar Jungle Trails The lodge offers seven different inter-connected tails for hiking. They will guide you through the scenic rainforest and are between 0.5 and 3.5km long. Local Kuna guides will gladly help you identify birds, butterflies, medicinal plants, trees and flowers. Monkeys, agoutis, sloths, frogs and iguanas are often encountered along the way. Some of these trails lead you to wonderful waterfalls and pools. Feel free to take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear water. The ones bursting with energy can hike the Kuna Trails crossing the San Blas cordillera to the Caribbean - a really challenging 6 to 8 hours jungle trek for the energetic hikers. |
Day 5 - Chiriquí Highlands - Volcán You will be transferred over land back to the capital, what takes you about 2.5 hours. Catch a flight to David in the highlands of Chiriquí. You will be welcomed in David and taken by road to the other side of the volcano Barú to Volcán. The next two nights you will spend at an altitude of 2'200 meters (approx. 7'218 feet) at Los Quetzales Lodge on Cerro Punto. The lodge is surrounded by a preserve of 400 ha land inside both the Barú and La Amistad International Park. |
Day 6 - Horse Riding, Mountain Biking, Walking, Birding or Spa The lodge offers many different activities. Choose the ones you would like to experience. Nearby the hotel you can do horse riding or walking excursions through the beautiful farming scenery from 30 minutes up to 4 hours. The independency lovers can grab a mountain bike and explore the area. Cycle on one of the 8 trails through the pristine cloud forest reserve. The Finca Dracula Orchid Farm is the more relaxed alternative for today. It is situated only 10 walking minutes away from the lodge and offers optional spa treatments such as massage, hot stones and reflexology. These services are not included in the package. |
Day 7 - Los Quetzales Trek The Los Quetzales Trek is approximately 6 miles long and takes about 5 hours of walking. Today you will challenge this trail together with a guide. You will start from Cerro Punta west of the volcano Barú. You will walk on scenic but muddy trails, hike uphill and downhill through the pristine cloud forest of the Barú National Park. Your final destination is Boquete on the eastern flank of the volcano, a popular coffee growing mountain town. On the way you will enjoy a nice picnic lunch and you will have a good chance to see a number of birds and mammals. Locals say there is a 100% chance of spotting the Resplendent Quetzal between January and May. However, it falls to just 25% for the rest of the time. Upon reaching the ranger station at the end of the trail, one of our representatives will wait with your luggage to take you to Finca Lerida, your lodge in Boquete. The lodge will be your home for the next three nights. |
Day 8 - Canopy Tour & natural hot springs Today a thrilling adventure is on your program. After breakfast you will be taken to Palo Alto for a morning canopy experience. Glide through the forest on a series of 11 different zip-line cables. Enjoy this challenging 3 km ride at heights between 30 to 60 m above ground. This part of the day is all about adventure. But you will also have great opportunities for spotting orchids, ferns and bromeliads high in the top of the trees. In the afternoon you deserve a relaxing time at the Caldera Thermal Pools, famous for the curative properties of their waters. These pools provide mineral water and are open-air. The water is heated geo-thermally to different temperatures. Try the bracing alternation of a warm bath in the pool and one in the river. Feel the cooling sensation. |
Day 9 - White water rafting Today it's another thrilling day. Experience the freshness of water on a morning white water rafting adventure. Raft down one of the local rivers which carve their way through the breathtaking cloud forest scenery. Choose from the following possibilities depending on your personal skills and season. Available are rafts from a gentle 2.5h class II introduction on the Esti River, through class III trips (e.g. Sabo section of the Chiriquí Viejo) to an exciting 4h class VI run on Palon section of Chiriquí Viejo. To enjoy nature on its best and see pristine waterfalls, it is recommended to raft the 3h class II and III rapids on the Gariche River. A nice lunch is included. Take advantage of a free afternoon to relax at the lodge. |
Day 10 - Bocas del Toro Your destination for today is Almirante on the Caribbean coast. Leave the cloud forested mountains and enjoy the transfer down to the seashore. Continue by boat and reach the colorful coral reefs of Bocas del Toro. For the next 3 nights the Hotel Bocas del Toro on Isla Colón will be your home base. The friendly town you are staying in has the same name as your hotel. Mingle with the locals and try the different bars and restaurants. |
Day 11 - Salt Creek Village - Bastimentos Marine National Park Cross the Bastimentos Marine National Park by motorboat, steering between clumps of Red Mangroves to reach Salt Creek. Stroll along the Caiman trails and look out for the famous, tiny poison dart frogs. Continue to a Ngobe Guble indigenous community and regard their handicrafts. After lunchtime you will have the great opportunity to snorkel in the midst of coral reefs and mangroves spotting a huge number of different species of fish, starfish, sponges and sea fans. |
Day 12 - Free day at Bocas del Toro Enjoy a free day on the Caribbean Island Colón. If you are still seeking for more water related adventures, take advantage of following activities: kayaking, snorkeling, diving or hiking to local beaches (not included). |
Day 13 - Return to Panama City After breakfast you will fly back to the capital. Up on arrival one of our representatives will welcome you at the airport and take you to your city hotel. Back in this thrilling city you will have time for some shopping, sightseeing, relaxing at the hotel or exploring the nightlife of cosmopolitan Panama City. |
Day 14 - Depart Panama For your departure you will be transferred to the international airport Tocumen for your flight back home. |
| Prices Include: | Prices don’t include: | Notes: |
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| Pricing: | Single: | Double: | Triple | Child |
01 Nov, 2009 to 31 Oct, 2010 |
$3,387.50 | $2,812.50 p/p | $181.25 |