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Panama’s lush dense jungles and pristine coastlines are home to some incredible ecosystems, which means that it has some of the richest marine and terrestrial biodiversity on the continent. Panama City is famous for the impressive feat of engineering of its canal as well as its long historical significance in the world of trade. The diverse capital combines with the pristine beaches, with warm Idyllic Caribbean waters, to make this itinerary the epitome of what Panama has to offer. Visit preservation sites and witness the sea turtles hatching from their eggs as well as the best snorkelling and diving to see the coral reefs and their habitants! This 7 day off the beaten track trip has it all!
Special features of our 7 Day Isla Iguana Extension:
Type of Tourism: Adventure, Culture, History, Beaches.
Places to Visit: Panama City, Chitre, Isla Iguana.
Duration: 7 Days and 6 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 4 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels have been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is arrival day to Panama City! We will collect you from the airport and take you to the hotel in the centre, 30 minutes away. The guide will also provide important and useful information regarding the rest of the itinerary and what to expect on the tour!
After breakfast at the hotel, the tour starts at the Panama Canal, a magnificent work of engineering, the greatest and most expensive human feat of the time. After 30/40 minutes of route, you will reach the Visitor Center of Miraflores Locks, from which you will be able to see closely the ships moving along the canal and the way it operates. You will then visit the Amador Causeway, which offers one of the city’s most spectacular panoramic views. Lunch will be served in one of the unsophisticated and typical restaurants of the C...
After Breakfast, we will head to the pier on the Gatún River, near Buena Vista, to board a motorized canoe, which will take us to the community of Emberá Quera. We will pass through lush, green rainforest and hopefully spot its inhabitants, such as monkeys, butterflies, herons and turtles. Indian Chief of the community will greet us on our arrival and will explain the history of the Tribe. The Emberá are native people of the Darien jungle region, close to the Colombian border. They inhabit the shores of the river...
Today, we will head to the domestic airport for a flight to Chitre. On arrival, we will head to the Cubita Boutique Resort & Spa. After lunch, we will visit the San Isidro Farm, where Panama’s best rum is produced - Ron Abuelo. We will first visit the colonial house belonging to the distillery’s founder: Mr. José Varela. We will continue through the plantations and at the farms' mill. We will see the different stages of the rum production process, from the juice extraction, its fermentation to its distillation...
Today, we will head out on a day trip to the Isla Iguana. We will head to Playa El Arenal, in the small town of Pedasí, where we will take a boat, to the Isla Iguana. The Isla Iguana Wildlife Refuge was created to protect fifty hectares of sea and land territory in 1981. The island is the habitat of a vast colony of man‐of‐war, birds, crabs and iguanas. Five sea turtles species arrive to the shores to deposit their eggs and the white‐sand beaches, crystalline waters and sixteen hectares of barrier reef are perfect for divers a...
Today, you will have a free morning and then after lunch, we will be picked up for a trip to Isla Cañas. This island is renowned for its visits of the Olive Ridley sea turtles to deposit their eggs. A sustainable tourism project is working on the island to protect these eggs, which were previously collected for commercialization meaning the species was becoming endangered. We will enjoy dinner on this island which is prepared by the local ladies. We will then head out on a horse-pulled carriage to see these magnificent animal ...
After breakfast we will head back to Chitre for our flight to Panama City in time for your ongoing flight back home, or onto your next exciting destination!
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.visitpanama.com/information/travel-guidelines/
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Panama is The balboa (PAB) and is along with the United States dollar, one of the official currencies of Panama . In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: We work with indigenous communities in Panama and support them in different social programs.
• We support the Calicanto Foundation and offer the Fortaleza Tour to our clients which is a visit to Casco Viejo guided by ex-members of gangs that today work in tourism ( we do not get commission over this excursion)
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +507 6202 6013
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of our sustainable projects you can do: Visit to Indigenous Communities
Aerial Tram in Gamboa
Gatun Lake Expedition
Rappel in Chame
Visit to the Bayano Caves
Trekking & Bird Watching in the Soberania National Park
Whale Watching excursion during season
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +507 6202 6013. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary, please contact your sales representative to give you the specific altitude information of your itinerary.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. We provide a bottle of water per person during excursions and at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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