Panama | A Taste of Panama: Canal, Rainforest, and Culture

Upon arrival at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, meet your driver and transfer approximately 45 minutes to the hotel, which is situated along the Amador Causeway. Check-in begins at 3 pm. This evening, meet your guide for a welcome orientation to the program and Panama City before enjoying a welcome dinner with your group in the hotel restaurant. Please note: In order to schedule the canal transit, this program needs to begin on a Monday.

After breakfast, head out to explore the historical wonders of Casco Viejo, or Casco Antiguo, the historical district built in 1671 after the destruction of Panamá Viejo by the English privateer Henry Morgan. Casco Viejo's parks and narrow streets are lined with colorful buildings representative of Spanish, French, and early American architectural styles. This eclectic collection of architectural styles reflects the city's role as an international trade center and culturally diverse metropolis long before the building of the canal. Explore the Metropolitan Cathedral, Municipal Palace, National Theater, French Embassy, and France Square. Later, visit the Interoceanic Museum and the Mola Museum before having lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, visit the Panama Canal Administration Building followed by the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center to witness the engineering marvel of the Canal at work and enjoy the museum's interactive displays. Return to the hotel to freshen up, and then take an evening walk to the Canal House Panamá restaurant for dinner.

In the morning, take a walk in a tropical dry forest in the center of Panama City, the Metropolitan Natural Park. Perhaps the only forest reserve within a major capital city in Latin America, it boasts a rich variety of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles; it also affords visitors the chance to see Geoffroy's Tamarin. Take an easy walk to an overlook for a sweeping perspective of Panama City. Next, visit the Biomuseo, Panama City's museum that showcases the country's natural history and impact on the world's biodiversity. The strikingly colorful building was designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry. It represents the saga of the Isthmus of Panama, a land that united two continents, changed the world's biodiversity, and connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Inside, eight permanent exhibits tell the story in graphic detail. Have lunch at a local restaurant, and then visit Punta Culebra - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to explore a rocky intertidal zone and sandy beach at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Return to the hotel for some time at leisure. Listen to a lecture given by a local expert and titled "Panama Canal and the GDP of the Panamanian Economy" before dinner at La Azotea Restaurant in Casco Antiguo.

Begin the journey to Antón Valley with a stop at Altos de Campana National Park, the oldest national park in the country, established in 1966 to protect the Panama Canal watershed. The park boasts terrific views of the Chame Bay and a great spot for birdwatching. Continue towards Antón Valley, stopping for lunch en route. Arrive at the hotel, check in, and then spend some time exploring the property and town of El Valle de Antón. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

After breakfast, take a field trip to Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. The lush, 827 acre nature reserve protects the mountainous terrain surrounding El Valle de Antón and is home to more than 300 bird species. Some of the best birding is done along the fringes of the reserve, where vegetation is less dense. Migrant raptors can be seen here, as well as residents like the Barred Hawk and the Bat Falcon. Look for the Tawny-crested Tanager, Chestnut-capped Brushfinch, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Green Hermit, and Spotted Woodcreeper. In the afternoon, visit Butterfly Haven, a refuge that features a 1,500-square-foot enclosure containing more than 250 beautiful butterflies, as well as educational exhibits. It is also possible to see hummingbirds and other tropical birds feeding in the gardens. Continue your exploration of the valley at APROVACA Orchid Nursery and Conservation Center, a non-profit organization established to conserve and protect native orchids. Stroll the orchid garden and the nursery, and learn about their project to reintroduce endemic orchids back into their natural habitats.

This morning, depart for Panama City. Stop at the Discovery Center at El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center Foundation, which serves as an educational resource to learn about amphibians, reptiles, and other endangered species in Panama. Have lunch en route. Upon arrival into Panama City, visit the Summit Botanical Gardens. The first botanical gardens were planted at Summit in 1923 by the United States as part of a program to reproduce and distribute tropical plants from around the world. In 1929, the name "Canal Zone Experimental Gardens" was bestowed upon the site, and in 1962, a small collection of native animals was added. In 1979, under the terms of the Torrijos Carter Treaties, ownership of Summit reverted to the national government and then to the City of Panama in 1985, when it became known as the Summit Municipal Park and Botanical Garden. Arrive at Gamboa Rainforest Resort in time for dinner.

Start the morning with visit the Sloth Sanctuary on the resort property. Learn about wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, their work to transition injured animals back into the wild, animal relocation during canal expansion, and meet their animal ambassadors. Then, board a ship in Gamboa to enjoy the unique experience of a partial, southbound transit through the Panama Canal, which takes about four hours to complete and includes lunch on board. Travel south through the Galliard Cut to the Pedro Miguel Locks, the first of two sets of locks on the Pacific side. Here, the ship is lowered 29.5 feet in one step. Then, pass through Miraflores Lake, an artificial body of freshwater that separates Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks. Passing through the Miraflores Locks, the ship is lowered 59 feet in two steps to the Pacific Ocean and provides beautiful views of the Panama City skyline.

After breakfast, visit Rainforest Discovery Center and walk the Pipeline road in Soberanía National Park. Created in 1980, it stands as one of Panama's natural jewels and is one of the country's most accessible tropical rainforests. Have lunch, and then spend the afternoon at leisure to enjoy the hotel amenities and explore the ground. Enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel along with an Afro-Panamanian dance performance and folkloric show.

This morning, travel to the international airport for the flight back to the United States. Participants with later flights can use their hotel rooms until check-out at 12 pm. Except for breakfast, all other meals are on your own today.