Itinerary
- Day 1
Panama City
Your German-speaking guide will meet you at the airport in Panama City with a sign bearing your name. After transferring to your hotel in the city center, you'll have the rest of the day to walk around at your own pace and check out the shopping streets and bars in the area.
Optional Activities
- Explore hotel surroundings with shopping streets and bars
- Day 2
Panama Canal Transit
This morning you'll head to Amador port to board a boat for the legendary Panama Canal trip to Gamboa. The 4-hour journey takes you through the canal system, passing under Puente de las Americas, through Miraflores locks, across Lake Miraflores, past Pedro Miguel lock, through Gaillard Cut, and into Lake Gatun. By evening, a bus returns you to Panama City.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Boat transit through Panama Canal from Panama City to Gamboa
- Pass Puente de las Americas, Miraflores locks, Lake Miraflores, Pedro Miguel lock, Gaillard Cut, and Lake Gatun
Optional Activities
- Complete crossing of canal to Caribbean side (surcharge applies on select dates)
Landmarks/POIs Panama Canal Miraflores Locks Lake Miraflores Pedro Miguel Lock Gaillard Cut Lake Gatun Puente de las Americas - Day 3
Panama City Tour
Starting with Panama Viejo from the 16th century, you'll see the city's history come to life. Then you'll walk through Casco Antiguo to find 17th and 18th-century buildings, the cathedral, and San José Church with its elaborate altar. Later, head to the Causeway for skyline views, then wrap up at Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Casco Antiguo (16th-18th century buildings, cathedral, San José Church)
- Visit Panama Viejo
- Visit Causeway with Panama City skyline views
- Visit Miraflores locks of Panama Canal
Landmarks/POIs Panama Viejo Casco Antiguo San José Church Causeway Miraflores Locks - Day 4
Panama City to El Valle de Antón
After crossing the Centenario Bridge heading west, you'll reach the small town of El Valle de Antón with a stop at a local fruit and vegetable market. Located inside the world's largest populated volcanic crater, the area offers pleasant weather and unique birds. Optional hikes let you see El Nispero zoo, El Macho waterfall, Pozos Termales warm springs, or La Piedra Pintada with pre-Columbian stone drawings.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit local fruit and vegetable market
Optional Activities
- Short hike to El Nispero zoo
- Visit El Macho waterfall
- Visit Pozos Termales (warm mineral springs with face mask option)
- Visit La Piedra Pintada (rock wall with pre-Columbian stone drawings)
Landmarks/POIs El Valle de Antón La Piedra Pintada - Day 5
Valle de Antón to Las Tablas
Continuing west on the Panamericana, you'll stop at the historic church in Natá de los Caballeros, one of the country's oldest towns. Lunch happens in the village of Parita with typical Panamanian food. Then visit a local mask maker to learn about traditional Diablicos masks and tour a pollera workshop showing the national women's costume. A short drive gets you to Las Tablas for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical Panamanian lunch in Parita)
Included Activities
- Visit historic church in Natá de los Caballeros
- Visit local mask maker's home in Parita (learn about Diablicos mask making)
- Visit pollera workshop (see hand-made Panamanian national women's costume)
Optional Activities
- Purchase Diablicos mask souvenirs
Landmarks/POIs Natá de los Caballeros Parita - Day 6
Oria Arriba - Beach
A 1.25-hour drive takes you to the remote village of Oria Arriba in Los Santos province. You'll watch locals craft hats and musical instruments, check out an original horse-powered sugar cane mill, and try fresh-squeezed juice. If seasonal, there's a tobacco plantation to visit too. Lunch happens at your hostess's house with mountain views, and after that, you'll head to the Pacific coast for an afternoon of swimming and relaxation before returning to Las Tablas.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical lunch with village products at hostess's house)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Oria Arriba village
- Watch hand-crafted hats and musical instruments being made
- Visit original sugar cane mill (horse-powered)
- Taste fresh-squeezed sugar cane juice
- Typical lunch at hostess's house in Oria Arriba
- Visit Pacific coast beach for swimming and relaxation
Optional Activities
- Visit tobacco plantation (seasonal availability)
Landmarks/POIs Oria Arriba - Day 7
Las Tablas to Boquete
The 4-5 hour drive west takes you to Chiriquí province and the mountain village of Boquete at 1,200 meters elevation with spring-like weather. You'll spend the morning walking around town, then take a short hiking tour in the afternoon through the beautiful surrounding area before checking into your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore small town of Boquete
- Short hiking tour in Boquete surroundings
Landmarks/POIs Boquete - Day 8
Boquete Adventure
This morning involves a suspension bridge walk through cloud forest with aerial views of nature and waterfalls. During the afternoon, you'll tour a coffee plantation near the hotel to learn how they cultivate, harvest, and process coffee fruit, with a tasting session of the final product included.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Suspension bridge walk in cloud forest
- Coffee plantation tour with explanation of cultivation, harvesting, and processing
- Coffee tasting
Landmarks/POIs Boquete - Day 9
Boquete to Bocas del Toro
A 3-hour drive over the Cordillera de Talamanca mountains and along the Caribbean coast brings you to Almirante, where the vegetation changes noticeably. Your German-speaking Bocas guide will meet you to tour Oreba Chocolate Farm, an organic cacao operation with cocoa, chocolate process, native plants, and exotic animals, plus Ngöbe Indian women at work. You'll taste raw chocolate. From Almirante jetty, a boat takes you about 30 minutes to Colón Island and Bocas del Toro's relaxed Caribbean vibe with bars, restaurants, and shops.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Oreba Chocolate Farm organic cacao farm
- Tour of cocoa and chocolate production process
- See native plants and exotic animals
- Watch Ngöbe Indian women at work
- Raw chocolate tasting
- Boat transfer to Colón Island
Landmarks/POIs Oreba Chocolate Farm Colón Island 
- Day 10
Bocas del Toro Boat Tour
A boat tour starts through mangrove forests where you'll watch for waterfowl, then continues to the calm Coral Cay for snorkeling that works for all ages (local stilt restaurants are available, but meals aren't included). After that, you'll go to Isla Bastimentos surrounded by mangroves and nature. Red Frog Beach here is famous for red poison dart frogs. You can swim, explore, or relax on the beach. The day ends with a return to the main island via Hospital Point.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Mangrove forest boat tour watching waterfowl
- Snorkeling at Coral Cay
- Visit Isla Bastimentos
- Visit Red Frog Beach
Optional Activities
- Seafood meals at Coral Cay stilt restaurants (not included)
Landmarks/POIs Coral Cay Isla Bastimentos Red Frog Beach Hospital Point - Day 11
Bocas del Toro Free Day
You have free time to explore the Bocas del Toro island archipelago. Optional boat trips can be arranged on-site to places like Isla de los Pájaros or Playa de las Estrellas if you want something specific to do.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Boat trip to Isla de los Pájaros (can be booked on-site)
- Boat trip to Playa de las Estrellas (can be booked on-site)
Landmarks/POIs Isla de los Pájaros Playa de las Estrellas - Day 12
Bocas del Toro to Panama City
The morning is leisurely with chances to rent bicycles or hop on water taxis to check out other islands and beaches. A short afternoon transfer gets you to the airport for your flight back to Panama City. An optional 'Noche Panameña' culinary city tour is available before returning to Best Western Plus Zen hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Domestic flight from Bocas to Panama City
Optional Activities
- Rent bicycles
- Explore islands and beaches by water taxi
- "Noche Panameña" culinary city tour (available)
- Day 13
Departure
It's time to say goodbye to Panama. A transfer takes you to Tocumen International Airport during the day, marking either the end of your tour or the start of a follow-up program.
- Meals
- Breakfast
