Panama City Essentials

Panama City Arrival
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Panama City is considered the most cosmopolitan capital city in Central America with it's vibrant citylife, chic clubs, underground bars and cobblestoned streets not to mention its ease of access to tropical destinations.

Panama City & Miraflores Locks Tour
Your English speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you on a tour to Panama City and the Miraflores Locks.

You will start the tour with a 30 minutes drive to Miraflores to see the huge vessels passing the Panama Canal. The busiest hours are from 9am to 10am and from 2pm to 5pm, so you will be able to see many ships getting lifted or lowered 16 meters in two distinct steps. You will enjoy the view on the Locks from a sheltered terrace and listen to the explanations of your guide.

To complete the visit of the Canal you will visit the Museum and Visitor Center at Miraflores which gives you a good idea on the construction of the Canal – a masterpiece of engineering. You will also learn about the history of the canal and its significance for Panama and the entire world trade as well as on the current expansion project.

After the visit to the Canal you continue with your guide to the Amador Causeway, a road that connects three Islands in the Pacific Ocean and offers magnificent views on the Canal on one side and on the skyline of Panama City on the other side. After lunch which will be served in an Panamanian restaurant, the tour continues to the Casco Viejo, Panama City's colonial quarter. At the Casco Viejo you feel set back in time as you admire the lovely colonial houses, the narrow roads and the impressive churches. You will get a good idea about Panama's history by driving or walking through the main attractions of this quarter.

To continue the tour you will be taken to Panama Viejo, the Old Panama. Panama Viejo was the first European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. This first Panama City was looted and destroyed by the notorious English bucaneer Henry Morgan in 1671 and therefore abandoned. Today there are only ruins left. Still, the tower of the ancient cathedral is standing and has become a landmark of the town. After the tour you will be taken back to your hotel.

*For an additional cost this tour can be upgraded to a partial or full transit of the Panama Canal, traversing Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. Upgrade options are available most Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.

Lunch included.

Embera Indian Village
In the morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you up north towards Lake Alajuela. There you will board small boats which will carry you up the Rio Chagres. A fascinating and dense jungle will accompany you on your boat trip. Upriver, you will step out of the dugout canoes and enjoy a short hike (can be a bit muddy) to a beautiful waterfall in midst of the rain forest (this stop will be made depending on the weather conditions). Now you are ready to visit the village of the Embera Indians, one of the seven indigenous tribes in Panama. The people of the Emberá tribe will welcome you at the pier and gladly give you an insight in to how they live today. The villages chief will give you a brief explanation on the history of the tribe, its traditions, cultures, believes and handicrafts. Then, a traditional lunch of fish and plantains prepared by the Embera women will be served. In the afternoon you will experience a traditional Embera dance and have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts. The sale of local products directly benefits the village and helps to pay the school fees for the children. You can also get a temporary Embera tattoo painted on your arm or leg before heading back to Panama City.

Lunch included.

Departure
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.