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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 of the West, with warm Idyllic Caribbean waters, to make this itinerary the epitome of what Panama has to offer.
Special features of our 9 Day Signature Panama Tour:
Type of Tourism: Adventure, Beaches, History, Culture.
Places to Visit: Panama City, Azuero, San Blas Islands
Duration: 9 Days and 8 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! Panama City is a cosmopolitan city combining the historical and the modern. The number of skyscrapers and the historical centre combine stunningly in the capital.
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. The Chief of the community will greet us on our arrival and will explain the history of the Tribe. Discover the roots of Embera and Wuanaan ethnic groups, two of the indigenous groups that inhabit the isthmus of Panama, on the Chagres River banks. Just minutes away are the communities Ella Puru and Katuma, whose inhabitants will warmly welcome you, explain abou...
The tour starts at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, where a guide will take you on a boat tour through the Panama Canal into secret waterways to find hidden islands where the Capuchin and Howler Monkeys can be seen leaping in the trees above. We will pass through lush green rainforest and hopefully spot these inhabitants as well as butterflies, herons and turtles.
Today, we will head to the domestic airport for a flight to David. On arrival, we will be taken to the small mountain town of Boquete. Hiking the area is spectacular and is the launching spot to climb the Baru volcano or hike The Quetzal Trail. If we are lucky, we could actually see the national bird in its natural habitat. If you prefer a more "cultural" activity, you can visit a coffee plantation, or if you are looking for an adrenalin-filled adventure, there are rafting trips abound on the Chiriqui Viejo River.
Today we will enjoy one of Boquete's best exports – its coffee! Boquete’s weather is the reason that the coffee in this region is as incredible as it is. The fertile soil, the precise altitude combine to provide one of the world's best coffees. We will visit the La Milagrosa Farm, where one of the country’s best biological coffees is produced. We will then walk through the plantations to see the different coffee plant varieties, including the prestigious Geisha coffee. We will enjoy a coffee tasting, whe...
Today is a free day for any of the optional excursions in this beautiful town.
After breakfast, the guide from the Cala Mia Hotel Boutique Hotel will collect you for the journey to Boca Chica, to take the boat to the Boca Brava Island. The hotel overlooks the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park and their private pier is perfect for the islands' excursions. The national park covers 150 km2 of transparent ocean, with 20 stunning islands of lush tropical rainforest and many palm tree-lined white sandy beaches. The islands are a treasure of water and nature, where pirates raided the Spanish galleons.
Today is a free day for any of the optional excursions or to relax and enjoy this beachside paradise.
Early in the morning, we will head back to the David Airport for your flight to Panama City. On arrival, we will head out for a tour of the old town, where the original settlers arrived. The city was founded on the 15 of August 1519, by Pedrarias Davila. The city of Panama was the central distribution point of the Spanish to transport all the gold and silver from America to Spain. Its ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. This is where the tour finishes and we will leave you at the airport for your flight home or...
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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