Panama Multi-sport Adventure | Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive to Panama
Arrive to Tocumen Airport, Panama City.  Meet and greet our local Panama representative and transfer to your rainforest hotel (45 minutes). Check-in to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort for a 2-night stay.

Day 2 - Pipeline Road Hike & Jungle Boat Adventure & Miraflores Locks Visitor Center on the Panama Canal
This morning you are picked up at the lobby of your hotel by an Ancon Expeditions of Panama Naturalist guide for the approx. 45-minute drive to Soberania National Park in the Panama Canal Watershed. Soon after you cross the Chagres River, you reach Pipeline Road. During World War II a pipeline was built along the Panama Canal to transport fuel from one ocean to the other in the event the waterway was attacked. Fortunately, it was never used. The gravel road built to maintain the pipeline provides excellent walking access to Soberania's 22,000 hectares (55,000 acres) of tropical rainforest. The park boasts an impressive list of 525 species of birds including the Black Hawk-eagle, Black-cheeked woodpecker, Black-breasted Puffbird, Broad-billed Motmot, Blue Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Masked Tytira, Violaceous Trogon, Fasciated Antshrike, Shining honeycreeper, and a great array of North American migrants.  Soberania is also home to 105 species of mammals including large felines, Tamandua, Two and Three-toed Sloth, 4 species of monkeys, Agouti, some of which are listed under CITES (endangered species) and 59 endemic plant species in 4 life zones. Pipeline Road is a moderate, approx. 22 km (13.7 mile) trail, remains pretty much flat and passes through a mature forest. In most places the forest is clear of undergrowth, which makes it especially suited for observing shy, interior forest birds like tinamous and leaftossers. When visiting Pipeline Road you also have a good chance to find an army ant swarm and many of the birds that follow these swarms as they roam the forest floor. This is not a loop trail, so hikers can enjoy a hike suitable to their physical abilities and walking speed and return on the same route mid-morning to continue with the boat tour.  Midmorning you board a comfortable 12 passenger expedition boat. The tour includes a voyage across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal, where you pass gigantic cargo ships in sharp contrast with the natural surroundings. Along the way, you 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 wildlife. After picnic lunch on the boat, continue to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center on the Panama Canal. Located on the East side of the Miraflores Locks, the Visitor offers several floors of exhibition halls where you will learn about the history of the Panama Canal construction, its various operations, its participation in the world market and the importance of the watershed. The lookout terrace allows for observation of transiting ships (transit times vary daily). (BL)

Day 3 - Panama City - Chiriqui - Islas Paridas Marine National Park
Early this morning you will depart the Gamboa Rainforest Resort to catch your flight to David in the Chiriqui Highlands, the breadbasket of Panama. You will be picked up at David Airport by your private guide and take just 15-minute transfer to the marina of Pedregal where will embark a covered motor boat for a 90-minute transfer to Isla Maridas Marine National Park in the Pacific Ocean. Leaving Pedregal you will pass through mangroves before passing the open sea with the islands in sight.  Upon arrival on a deserted island, Gamez, you will have lunch and take a bit of time to relax in hammocks overviewing the white sandy beach and the crystal-clear water. After lunch, you will head out with the motorboat to the best spots for snorkeling. The Gulf of Chiriqui Marine National Park has 14,740 hectares that encompasses many islands and serves as a refuge for leatherback turtle and many exotic fish making snorkeling an exciting and colorful adventure. Head back to the island where the camp site will be set up for tonight. You will have time to refresh with a shower using camping showers before enjoying a dinner. The comfortable tents are set and you can enjoy an unforgettable first night overlooking the stunning sunsets of the Pacific Ocean.
Your are “island camping” at this spot for the next two nights! (BLD)

Day 4 - Islas Paridas Marine National Park
Waking up in the morning you will enjoy breakfast and then getting ready for a whole day adventure on sea kayaks. You will explore the marine national park and stopping for lunch on one of the other deserted beaches. It is likely to encounter playful dolphins! In late afternoon return back to Isla Gamez. Dinner will be prepared and another comfortable night before the last day adventure in the national marine park. (BLD)

Day 5 - Islas Paridas Marine National Park - Boquete - Chiriqui Highlands
After breakfast on the island you will do a short sea kayak excursion close to the island. The rest of the morning there is time for some more snorkeling, relaxing time and lunch. It is also possible to do a short hike on the island, to enjoy some amazing views. Early afternoon we are heading back in the motorboat to Pedregal in David and then continue a 50-60-minute transfer to your hotel in Boquete, a small charming mountain town on the Caldera River. Check-in for a 3 night stay at La Serranía in Boquete.  (BL)

Day 6 - Hacienda Mamecillo - Waterfall Rappelling - Coffee & Agriculture
08:00 hrs - This morning you will be picked up at your hotel in Boquete. After about 30 minutes’ drive you reach Hacienda Mamecillo where you begin your exciting day with a short hike to reach one of Boquete's most exquisite waterfalls, measuring 25 meters. Get ready for the feeling of adrenaline looking down! You will have a safety briefing and explanation of the descent. You will have the time to rappel several times. Bring clothes to change. 

After the rappelling, you will get warm hiking in a privately owned remote virgin cloud forest of Chiriquí Highlands, surrounding the perimeter of Volcan Baru National Park. The trail parallels the river La Zumbona, a gorgeous river that is spilling into the Rio Caldera. With more than a hundred of bird species native to the area, including the elusive Resplendent Quetzal, birding opportunities abound. Not only does this hike offer the chance to see beautiful waterfalls and rare birds, it also provides unique opportunities to observe The white-headed capuchin (Cebus capucinus) monkeys. 

Return to the main house for a farm to table lunch including fresh fruit, vegetables and meat.

In the afternoon, you will go outside for a walk around the organic farm. You will meet the farm animals and talk about the benefits of agricultural farming using organic and ecofriendly methods.  You will be able to walk around in the greenhouse to see where part of your lunch came from.

This 3 hectares’ organic farm has a bit more than one hectare of coffee plants with some unique coffee varieties such as the famous Gesha (geisha) and yellow catuai, this is one of the few coffee beans that will ripe yellow.  During the walk, you will get a close-up view of the coffee plantation, learn about the process and growing the coffee plants in an organic way, to be able to have a successful harvest.  The tour continues inside the main house for further explanation on how the coffee beans reach your cup. You are invited participate in the selection process of the green beans and then get ready to roast coffee in the farm’s own coffee roasting machine and of course taste the coffee that you’ve just roasted!  You will also be shown how to use the dried coffee fruit to make and try a infusion with an amazing fruity flavor. In the late afternoon, you will be taken back to your hotel in Boquete. (BL)

Day 7 - White Water Rafting
With more than 35 world-class whitewater runs in Panama’s Chiriqui province alone, there is no paddling destination more extraordinary than Panama!  For this trip, you will be transferred for about 1.5 hours from David to Rio Chiriqui Viejo, near Panama’s border with Costa Rica. Bring a towel, dry clothes to change and your passport. Originating on the northwest side of Volcan Baru, the Viejo is 128 km long in total and offers several different sections of excellent whitewater, ranging from level 3-5 depending on water levels for trip day. A picnic lunch will be served on the riverbank.  At the end of the day, travel back to your hotel. (BL)

Day 8 - Canopy Zipline Adventure - Hanging Bridges - Panama City
This morning you will glide through the treetops of century-old forests, high above the pristine rivers and waterfalls that make up the incredible collection of natural landscapes bordering La Amistad International Park. The Canopy Tree Trek is three kilometers long in total length divided into 12 different stations. The wildlife within the treetops is immense and varied making it possible to appreciate our native species of wildlife; with a bit of luck you may even get the chance to see monkeys and the elusive Resplendent Quetzal. In addition, you can marvel at sights of the great variety of orchids and wildflowers that you will find throughout the area. After lunch at the tree trek’s restaurant with amazing views you will continue to the Hanging Bridges which is a unique opportunity to enjoy from a different perspective the biodiversity of the tropical cloud forest of Panama. It is a circuit of 8 suspension bridges 4.5 km route over the treetops. The bridges tour takes place within the private forest reserve Rio Cristal, located in the Talamanca Mountain Range bordering La Amistad International Park (P.I.L.A.). You will be accompanied by a local guide who will share with you the lush flora and fauna of our forests in their natural habitat. It's a new adventure where you will enjoy breathtaking views of rivers, waterfalls and the towering Volcan Baru. The Bridges range from 70 to 135 meters long and reach heights from 10 to 75 meters above the ground. In addition, you will walk along 6 trails that measure from 185m to 1.5 km, reaching heights ranging from 1.660 to 1.827 m.s.n.m. Late afternoon you will be transferred to David to catch your evening flight back to Panama City. Transfer to the Central Hotel, located in the historical area of Casco Antiguo. Check-in for a two-night stay.  (BL)

Day 9 - Panama City - Hike Ancon Hill - Bicycle on Causeway Amador - Casco Antiguo Historical walk 
This morning you will get some more exercise and treat yourself to an astounding bird-eye's view of historic Casco Viejo, modern Panama City and the workings of the Panama Canal by climbing to the top of this hill in the former American Canal Zone. To top it off, the path winds through rainforest so you are sure to see some nature as well. Ancon hill is home of 15 species of mammals and 39 species of birds—sloths, monkeys and exotic birds are a common sight.

Continue for a bike ride to Amador Causeway where you have lunch at a local restaurant around midday. In the afternoon, a historical walking tour through Casco Viejo (the old city compound) makes you familiar with the historical events of the area. Casco Viejo is home to monuments to Ferdinand de Lesseps and other Frenchmen instrumental in the ill-fated attempt of the French to construct a canal through Panama. In the afternoon, you will be invited to a Panama chocolate tasting learning about the cacao plants and farm process to tasting the different local chocolate flavors!  (BL)

Day 10 - Depart Panama
Today you are picked up at the lobby of the hotel 2.5 hours prior to your scheduled departure flight and transferred to Tocumen International Airport. Fly home. (B)

B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner