Welcome to Panama! Upon arrival at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, proceed through Immigration, collect your luggage and clear Customs. Once you have passed through the exit door, you will be greeted by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with your name on it. Your driver will then transfer you directly to your hotel within the city, for a smooth and comfortable start to your adventure. (This service is on a private basis.)

Panama City

Welcome to the urban wonderland and cosmopolitan capital of Central America, Panama City. With bustling streets and modern skyscrapers, this vibrant metropolis is also the gateway to tropical hideaways. Worlds collide in this regional hub of trade and immigration, international banking and commerce. The refreshing blend and large variety of cultures that can be identified in this area, influence a dynamic and fluid atmosphere and outlook of the people. Whether you are spending your time immersed in the buzz of the city streets, the stacked shopping malls, chic clubs and lively casinos, or only passing through en route to a more tropical escape, Panama City has something to offer any traveler.

Full Day Panama City & Canal Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, you will embark on a full-day tour of Panama City, including the Panama Canal! During the first half of your tour, you will explore the ruins of Old Panama, climb up the Cathedral tower, and visit the Old Panama Museum before continuing to Casco Viejo (the old city compound), dating back to the late 1600s. Casco Viejo is the Site of the French Plaza, containing statues of Ferdinand de Lesseps and other Frenchmen instrumental in the ill-fated attempt of the French to construct a canal through Panama. Along the way, your bilingual guide will describe the events in history, leading up to the eventual movement of the capital city to its present location.

The full-day tour continues with a visit to the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal, where large ships can be seen transiting the canal. Marvel at the workings of this human engineering feat by going through the four floors of exhibits. You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before the tour continues to the Panama Canal area, including the town of Balboa, a former part of the Panama Canal Zone. In the late afternoon, you will return to your hotel in Panama City for an evening at leisure. (This service is on a private basis.)

Embera Indigenous Encounter

Early in the morning, you will be met in the lobby of your hotel by your naturalist guide. Today you will have a unique experience with an Embera indigenous village in the Chagres National Park or within its buffer zone. This 320,000-acre National Park is the largest National Park that protects the Panama Canal Watershed. You will board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) to begin your adventure. Along the river, you might be able to see the Little Blue and Green Heron, Great Egret, Anhingas, Neotropical Cormorant, Amazon, Ringed, and Green Kingfishers. As well as the Toucans and Ospreys flying above. You will learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature. You can also get your shopping done or simply just admire the handcrafts. You will have a chance to be painted your body with the traditional ink jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies.

Upon your arrival at the Embera village, you will be welcomed with traditional dancing and music. Learn about the fascinating Embera traditions and their close relationship with nature. They are master artisans, famous for their woven baskets and masks. As well as their qualitative wooden carvings of cocobolo and intricate tagua. After a traditional Embera lunch, you will head back to Panama City. (This service is on a private basis.)

This morning you will be picked up from your hotel in Panama City and will be transferred to the Albrook Airport in good time to board your domestic one-hour flight to Chitre. On arrival, you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to the Cubitá Boutique Resort & Spa for an afternoon at leisure.(This service is on a private basis.)

**You can check-in 14kg of luggage free of charge. Luggage exceeding this amount will incur an approximate cost of $2.00 per kg over 14. Please note that the amount of extra luggage you can take also depends on flight capacity.

Chitré

Chitré is the largest city on the Azuero Peninsula with a vibrant culture and a history of its own! The city is a comparatively mellow place. The town's center contains the majority of the shopping and commercial areas, as well as a small museum and cathedral. La Catedral de San Juan Bautista, built between 1896 - 1910, is stunning with tastefully decorated stained glass windows, dark wooden beams, and colorful frescoes. The well-preserved Spanish-colonial building housing Museo de Herrera offers a decent collection of archaeological finds on exhibit. Most are devoted to the history and culture of the Herrera province, but others indulge in the customs and traditions of the country at large. Chitre is a beautiful and quaint upcoming tourist destination. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination.

Best of Azuero

Considered by many to be "the cultural heart of Panama," the inhabitants of the Azuero Peninsula portray their traditions and their folklore with great pride and express it in their daily life throughout the year. On this tour, you will observe, in detail, the making of the "pollera," one of the most beautiful typical costumes in the world! You will have the unique opportunity of visiting artisans who have dedicated their entire lives to making this beautiful dress.

Today, you will also visit workshops of two local artisans dedicated to Panamanian folklore. One workshop makes the devil masks that are used for the dances of the "Dirty Devils" and the "Great Devil." The other workshop makes wooden drums, which cannot be missing in typical Panamanian music.

Before your day comes to a close, you will stop by the town of La Arena to learn why it is so famous for its ceramics. Here, you will be able to experience just how difficult the pottery is to make by trying it yourself. Your final stop will be at a workshop where you will see how typical Panamanian sandals are made, the famous "cutarras." (This service is on a private basis.)

Traditional Cooking Class

The countryside, people, gastronomy, and culture are essential when visiting Panama. Embrace the 100% autochthonous experience, and enjoy a pleasant day in the company of a rural family, where you will learn how to prepare culinary delights from this region. (This service is on a private basis.)

After a lovely time in Chitre, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport in good time to board your domestic flight back to Panama City. Upon arrival, you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

**You can check-in 14kg of luggage free of charge. Luggage exceeding this amount will incur an approximate cost of $2.00 per kg over 14. Please note that the amount of extra luggage you can take also depends on flight capacity.

Folkloric Dinner & Show

This evening, you will be met in the lobby of your hotel and transferred to a typical Panamanian restaurant. Here, you will have the opportunity to taste Panamanian food made of corn, plantains, yucca, fish, Tamale, Sancocho (typical Panamanian chicken soup), pork, seafood, beef, and more. After dinner, you will watch a folkloric show where you will be able to see the diverse national dancers with their elegant costumes. Some of the names of the dances you will see are the Punta, Travesado, Diablos Sucios, and they perform with live music using the typical Panamanian instruments. After the show, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Although your adventure must come to an end today, you will be leaving with new friends, amazing experiences, and memories to cherish for the rest of your life. Once you have checked out of your hotel in Panama City, you will be met by your driver and transferred to the Tocumen International Airport in good time to board your international departure flight. (This service is on a private basis.)

We wish you safe and happy travels home!