Family Panama: Sloths, Monkeys, Pirates & Canal

Arrive in Panama City and transfer to hotel. (3 Nights)

Explore the old city of Panama, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and Casco Viejo, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour the French Quarter and the Canal Museum. Afternoon visit to the Biomuseum designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry. Optional bicycle ride along the Panama Canal or stand-up paddle session. Welcome dinner.

Visit the former Panama Canal Zone and the Panama Visitor Center. Then board a comfortable passenger ferry for a partial transit through the Panama Canal. Sail on Gatun Lake towards Gaillard Cut, the narrowest section of the Canal, then pass the Pedro Miguel Locks and reach the Miraflores Locks which are the tallest. Sail under the bridge of the Americas before transferring back to the hotel.

Take the Panama Canal train to Colón City. Visit San Lorenzo National Park for wildlife viewing opportunities including monkeys, sloths, and toucans. Reach the Castle of San Lorenzo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (a point of entry for the Gold Rush to California). Visit the new Agua Clara Locks opened in 2016 as part of the Panama Canal Expansion, which is three times larger than the original locks! In the afternoon fly to Bocas del Toro in Panama’s western Caribbean Sea. (3 Nights)

Explore Bastimentos National Park, Panama’s first marine protected area. Look for birds such as Red-throated ant tanager and Golden-collared manakin. Mammals such as Night Monkeys, White-faced Capuchins, and Three-toed Sloths also live here. A nearby lagoon is home to the Spectacled Cayman and Slider Turtle. After the hike, visit the Ngobe Bugle indigenous community and have the opportunity to purchase handicrafts. In the afternoon snorkel among mangroves and coral reefs, searching for numerous fish species, as well as dynamic and brightly colored sea fans, sponges, and starfish.

The chocolate farm tour will begin with a brief history of the property and the farm. Learn about indigenous trees and medicinal plants. See the extensive plantation of cacao trees and learn about cacao and farming methods. The highlight is the visit to the “chocolate factory”! After lunch visit Los Monos Botanical Gardens. See a great variety of trees and tropical flora representative of the region with the opportunity of spotting howler monkeys, sloths, anteaters, and a myriad bird species. Hop on your kayak and gently row back to the hotel while enjoying the fresh Caribbean breeze. Alternative transportation will be available for those that don’t want to kayak.

Morning is free to relax or take a surfing lesson. In the afternoon fly back to Panama City. Transfer to Gamboa in Soberanía National Park. Stay at a rainforest resort in deluxe river-view rooms. (2 Nights)

Early morning short drive to look for wildlife at Pipeline Road which provides excellent walking access to Soeranía National Park tropical rainforest. The park boasts an impressive list of 525 species of birds! Next, board an expedition boat and depart on an adventure that includes navigating across Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal. Look for wildlife including iguanas, sloths, toucans, monkeys, and a great variety of birds. The afternoon is free to enjoy the hotel amenities or venture onwards to the canopy zipline or board a rainforest canopy aerial tram. Farewell dinner.

Transfers to Tocumen Airport for flights back to the U.S. and home.