2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Independent Panama with the Pacific Coast (ILP2)

9 days from Panama City to Panama City

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This Globus Independent tour begins in Panama City. Here, on the isthmus linking Central and South America, you’ll explore the colonial-style architecture of Casco Antiguo and hear the fascinating history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cruise in the waters of the Panama Canal to follow in the historic wake of some 14,000 ships that traverse the engineering marvel each year. Venture into Gamboa Rainforest Resort in the heart of Soberania National Park. Cruise up the Chagres River in a dugout canoe to visit an Emberá Indian Village where ancient dances, mystical ceremonies, and medicinal plants are a way of life. Take some free time in Gamboa to fish, birdwatch, or kick back at the pool or spa. Follow your independent spirit even further on the Pacific Coast of Panama to enjoy resort life between the lush tropical forests and white sand beaches. Take some free time for yourself to kayak, raft, surf, or dive! Treat yourself to a tour that is exclusively yours with free time, me time, and optional adventures that speak to your independent spirit!

Special features included in this tour:

  • Guided city tour of Panama City’s Casco Antiguo historic district
  • Visit to the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal
  • Panama Canal partial transit cruise from Culebra Cut to the Pacific Ocean
  • River cruise in a traditional dugout canoe to an Emberá Indian village
  • Cultural immersion in Emberá traditions, dances, and jungle medicine
  • 3-night stay at a beachfront, all-inclusive resort

Independent Panama with the Pacific Coast map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfast daily; 5 lunches; 3 dinners


Notes:

•Transportation is as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary. Local Guide service is provided in Panama City. Unless otherwise noted, some services may be shared with other travelers.
•The day of operation for the Panama Canal Partial Transit may vary based on seasonality, weather conditions, and availability. When the transit is not available as scheduled on day 3, it will be confirmed on an alternate day.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN PANAMA CITY, PANAMA


• Arrive in beautiful, colorful, and vibrant Panama City. Built in 1519 by Pedro Arias de Avila, a Spanish conquistador who made it his base for plundering Peru’s riches, Panama today remains one of the central hubs for commerce and trade in the Americas. Panama offers diverse natural wonders, a melting pot of cultures and historical as well as modern cityscapes.

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Day 2 PANAMA CITY


• After breakfast, your private city tour visits Casco Antiguo, the colonial area and oldest sector of modern Panama City, founded in 1673 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This historic district was built as a protected walled city after Panama City was burned down in a pirate attack in 1671. Here, see the restored colonial buildings, churches, and historical monuments.
• Next, visit the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal to witness this engineering genius in operation. During your guided tour, learn about the history of the canal and its construction, and observe transiting vessels navigating the locks from just a few feet away.



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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 PANAMA CITY–GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT

• Today, a special treat is in store when you board a vessel for a Panama Canal partial transit. Your boat will enter the canal at the Culebra Cut, where the Chagres River flows into the canal and where the canal was carved through the Continental Divide. Enter the Pedro Miguel Locks, where your vessel will be lowered approximately 30 feet into Miraflores Lake. Continue to the Miraflores Locks to be lowered almost 60 feet to the Pacific Ocean.

Please note: the day of operation for the Panama Canal transit may vary based on seasonality, weather conditions, and availability. When the transit is not available as scheduled on day 3, it will be confirmed on an alternate day.

• Disembark your ship and head to Gamboa Rainforest Resort within Soberania National Park.



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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 4 GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT


• Enjoy a free day to take advantage of the resort’s many activities.



INSIDER PICKS
Take your experience higher with an aerial tram tour above the canopy, go fishing, birding or visit the sloth sanctuary. Alternatively, simply relax by the pool or at the spa.


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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT


• An enchanting journey takes you deep into the dense jungles of the Chagres, where the Emberá Indians have lived for centuries. The adventure begins with a river cruise up the Chagres in dugout canoes, the Emberá traditional hand-carved boats.
• Upon arrival at the Indian village, you will be taken back in time as you are immersed in ancient Emberá cultural dances and music that have not changed much since Columbus arrived in the 1500s. The Emberás will give you a glimpse into their mystical rituals and amazing knowledge of medicinal plants and other natural remedies. The Indians will invite you to explore the area’s abundant variety of birds and wildlife during a trek that takes you through the untouched jungle and past sparkling waterfalls.
• Top off your visit with a typical lunch in the village.



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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 6 GAMBOA RAINFOREST RESORT–PANAMA CITY–PACIFIC COAST


• Journey to the Pacific side of Panama for some relaxation time on the beach at a deluxe all-inclusive resort. Nestled between lush, tropical forests and white-sand beaches, this is the perfect way to end your vacation.



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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 7 PACIFIC COAST


• Enjoy two free days at your all-inclusive hotel to explore on your own.



INSIDER PICKS
Unwind and recharge with some time by the pool or at the spa. Alternatively, the more adventurous may opt for kayaking on the Pacific, rafting, surfing, or diving.


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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 8 PACIFIC COAST

Free day.



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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 9 PACIFIC COAST


Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.



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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ROBERT TAYLOR

Escorting tours for more than 10 years

I have worked as a guide for over 8 years and my focus is on historical and ecological tours in Panama. I love guiding new people as they experience Panama for the first time. I am fluent in Spanish and English and particularly skilled at tours involving Panama's colonial history, the Panama Canal, Miraflores, and Gatun Locks, as well as the Chagres River and Embera villages.

Tour Director - ROBERT TAYLOR

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Gamboa

Gamboa

Sunset Boat Tour

Sunset Boat Tour

Awaken your senses as you gently enter the tributary that feeds water to the Panama Canal, and which is home to many plants, animals and some indigenous communities. As the sun goes down, the pleasant golden light will allow you to witness the evening ritual of some of the many birds that nest in the nearby trees and at that time descend in search of food.

Price Range: $$

Rainforest Aerial Tram

Rainforest Aerial Tram

Ascend by aerial tram up some 280 feet from the shadowy forest floor, through the dense undergrowth and up to the sun drenched canopy with its thousand shades of green that are only interrupted by the vibrant colors of flowering trees. Your naturalists will point out colorful birds and butterflies and you may also encounter sloth or white-faced capuchin monkeys and hear the howler monkey cry out in the distance.

Price Range: $$

Gatun Lake Expedition

Gatun Lake Expedition

Take a boat tour through the Panama Canal into secret waterways and explore Gatun Lake with a chance to view wild monkeys in their natural habitat.

Price Range: $$

Freshwater Fishing on Gatun Lake

Freshwater Fishing on Gatun Lake

Fishermen are always impressed by the plentiful variety of fish in Gatun Lake. A Gamboa fishing guide will take you and your party on a private guided tour of the lake and show you the best spots for fishing.

Price Range: $$$$

Portobelo Historical Tour

Portobelo Historical Tour

Take a guided tour of Portobelo, a sleepy bayside town full of colonial history where you will feel transported back in time. Here, you will encounter no less than 5 colonial fortifications where the canons are still pointing their mouths towards the bay they once protected.

Price Range: $$$$



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.