Panama Highlights (8 days)

Details:

  • 8 days/7 nights
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Minimum: 2 persons

Includes:

  • Bilingual guide
  • Private A/C Transportation
  • Daily Breakfast and lunch
  • Entrance fees to included attractions
  • Accommodations in selected hotel

What to Expect

For this interesting program we have carefully chosen the most impressive and diverse tours you can do from Panama city.

You will navigate on the Panama Canal, search for wildlife in two of our National Parks, enjoy a ride on the historic transisthmian train, visit several of our UNESCO sites, discover a magical town located in the crater of an extinct volcano and experience the culture and magic of the native Emberas.

Photos

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival in Panama

On this day a Dynamo Travel agent will be waiting for you upon your arrival at the International airport of Tocumen to welcome you and organize your transfer to your hotel in Panama City, a 25 minute ride, approximately.

Night at your selected hotel in Panama City

Day 2. Panama Canal Transit

Today you will be part of the live action on the Panama Canal by navigating through the Canal locks, the Gaillard Cut and the Gatun Lake.  During your journey you will also be sailing by the new lane of the Panama Canal, which will allow Panama to triple the amount of cargo that is transported through this important commercial waterway every year.

Note: Departure times depend on the Authority of the Panama Canal and are given the day before the tour.

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your selected hotel in Panama City

Day 3. The Amazing Emberas

On this day our guide will pick you up early in the morning to take you on a 1 hour dive to the Chagres National Park, where the Emberas will be waiting for you to take you up to their village in their dugout canoes.

Enjoy beautiful sceneries while you navigate up the Chagres River to reach this community, submerged in the middle of this lush rainforest, and discover the well preserved culture of this knowledgeable and friendly people who will amaze you with their art, their music, their food but especially with their warmth. 

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your hotel in Panama City

Day 4. City and Canal tour

Today you will visit the three cities of Panama and learn about the important role our country has played in world trade from Pre Columbian times until our modern era.

You will visit the ruins of Panama Viejo (UNESCO), the first city founded by the Spaniards on the Pacific side of the new world in 1519.  After this interesting visit, you will drive through the modern city of Panama to your next destination, the Colonial city of Panama (UNESCO).  An area selected by the Spaniards to rebuilt the city of Panama after the famous attack of pirate Henry Morgan, in 1671. 

After walking through its narrow streets, admiring the rich mixture of architectural styles, which depicts the rich history of the place, and enjoying a nice Panamanian style lunch, we will take you to your final destination for the day, the Panama Canal’s visitor’s center at the Miraflores Locks.

Here you will have a close up look at the operation of this amazing feat of engineering from the beginning of the 20th century and observe as massive PANAMAX ships navigate from one coast to the other, through this important commercial route.

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your hotel in Panama City

Day 5. The Transcontinental Panama Railway and the Caribbean side of the Canal

Today you will go on a breathtaking one hour train ride along the shores of the Panama Canal and through the beautiful rainforest that surrounds this important waterway.  The train drives by the Canal locks and the lake and you may be able to spot monkeys, toucans or sloths on the surrounding trees and crocodiles and giant Panamax vessels in its waters. 

Upon arrival on the Caribbean side of the Canal, you will go on an up-close visit of the new Panama Canal locks at Agua Clara and witness the expansion of this waterway, one of the most important mega projects in our history.  

After this, we will drive over a swing bridge located right next to the massive gates of the Gatun locks, to the western slope of the canal, and pay a visit to the Spanish Castle of San Lorenzo (UNESCO) for have a glimpse of the mouth of the Chagres River, an important cross point during the transportation of gold, silver and other goods, between the colonies and Europe, from the 16thand up to the 18th century.

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your hotel in Panama City

Day 6. El Valle and San Carlos Beach

The town of El Valle is a beautiful and tranquil village located inside the second largest inhabited volcano crater in the world.  Upon arrival we will take you on a soft hike through its lush rainforest to “El Macho” waterfall. From here we’ll visit a large petroglyph carved in the rock by the pre Columbian tribes which inhabited this area and used as a map of the region. 

Afterwards, we’ll make a stop at the Aprovaca Orchid farm to admire some of the beauties that grow in this fertile soil.  We will also have the opportunity to visit the local Indian market, where you will be able to see the beautiful artwork of the region.  The market is full of flowers, tropical fruits and many other products that the indigenous population produce in the area.

We will finish our day with a brief stop at the San Carlos Beach, where you can go for a swim in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your selected hotel in Panama city

Day 7. The best of Soberania National Park

Our guide will pick you up at your hotel for your transfer to the town of Gamboa, located right on the shore of the Panama Canal. Once there, you will be able to enjoy nature first hand as you go on a 3 hour hike through one of the most important natural reserves of the Panama Canal watershed. The almost 20,000 hectares of Soberanía National Park are home to a great variety of mammals, birds and reptiles, and our experienced guides know exactly where to look for them.

After the hike, we will take you to the local marina, where you will embark on a 1 hour boat ride on Gatun Lake and navigate next to the giant Panamax vessels that transit the Panama Canal. Our captain will take you to different areas of the lake in search of wildlife, as our guide points out and interprets the plants, birds and animals visible from this new perspective of our rainforest. 

Upon your return you will enjoy a delicious lunch at the marina before heading back to your hotel.

Meals included – Breakfast and lunch

Night at your selected hotel in Panama city

Day 8. Transfer to International Airport

At the appropriate time a Dynamo Travel representative will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the international airport of Tocumen, for your flight back home.

Map

Tour Highlights

  • Hiking in lush tropical rainforest
  • Observation of wildlife
  • The Panama Canal

What to bring:

  • Fresh clothes
  • Sun protection
  • Camera
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Backpack
  • Raingear
  • Water