Tours and Events

We invite you to know the origins of the isthmus of Panamá through the BIO MUSEUM. Designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Frank Gehry (who also designed the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao). The building was designed to tell the story of how the isthmus rise from the sea, uniting the two continents, separating a great ocean into two and changing the ecology of the planet forever. Eight galleries and eight “amazement artifacts” tell the story and its huge impact on the planet’s biodiversity. An oasis with diverse experiences. It also includes a scenic drive through the Amador Causeway and a shopping stop at Amphora Duty Free.

Panamá City is characterised by having “three cities in one” – the original >settlement, the colonial city and the modern metropolis. We visit the colonial city – or Casco Antiguo, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with< attractions such as the Golden Altar, the Plaza de Francia, Las Bóvedas. Appreciate the panorama of the modern city of Panamá and the waterfront coastal strip (Cinta Costera) where we find the monument to Vasco Núñez de Balboa, discoverer of the South Sea. Panoramic tour on the Amador Causeway from where you have a magnificent view of the city, and a shopping stop at Amphora Duty Free.

5. PANAMÁ – HISTORY & GOLDSMITHING

This tour take you on a journey through the history of Old Panamá (Panamá La Vieja), the name that is given to the archeological remains of the original settlement in 1519. At that time, this was the first ever European settlement on the American Pacific Coast. Several ruins form this archeological site. Many expeditions left from here and went on to conquer the Inca empire and the city became the hub in one of the most important commercial routes of the American continent, transporting gold and riches looted in the Americas back to Spain. The museum tells of the first, pre-Hispanic inhabitants, then the European settlement and lastly the move of the city to what is now the Casco Viejo and urban expansion. Continuing this historical journey we visit Reprosa, the only craftsmanship company that is authorised to reproduce the original gold and silver pieces of the pre-columbine ‘Las Huacas’ – treasures amassed and left long ago by the indigenous population, found on the Isthmus of Panamá. Thus, the lives and believes of past cultures are preserved for present-day generations.

6(b). CANOPY ADVENTURE – ZIP LINE (additional to Ancon Valley Hike)

This is an activity for the adventurous tourist looking for a new challenge! Ascend to the treetops and embark on a journey through the airs, all the while observing the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest from a unique perspective. The equipment and techniques used are those developed by speleologists and mountain climbers. The Canopy Adventure is developed around the spectacular waterfall at El Chorro Macho in Valle de Anton. A stop will also be made at the local crafts market.

7. EMBERÁ INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY

The Emberá Indians are one of the many ethnic indigenous tribes in Panamá. Visitors are welcome to discover their culture in one of their communities, Emberá Purú, Parará Purú or Embera Drua (choice depends on the climate, each located on the banks of one of the most important rivers in the Canal Basin. After a scenic bus ride to the banks of the San Juan or Charges River, we are met by representatives of the Emberá Indians who take us up the river in piraguas (wood canoes). We then arrive at a community of Emberá Indians, originating from the mountainous region of the Darién province. We experience the history and culture of the indigenous culture, through narrative, traditional dance and craftsmanship like baskets woven from the natural fibres of the chunga, maquenque and naguala palm trees, as well as figures carved in cocobolo wood and tagua (better known as vegetable ivory). We will enjoy a traditional lunch of fried fish and yucca or plantains served in a plantain leaf cone. This is the opportunity to try an ancestral custom in the form of a tattoo with jagua, an extract from vegetable seeds, which the Emberá use to adorn their bodies with geometrical patterns or animal sketches for ceremonies and special celebrations. There is also time for a refreshing bath in the waterfall.

INCLUDED: Bus and river transport in an engine-powered piragua, English-
speaking tour guide, donation to the community and park, traditional lunch,

We arrive by bus at the city of Colón, Panamá’s commercial capital and the Western Hemisphere’s largest Free Trade Zone. Weather permitting, we visit the 16th century San Lorenzo Fortress on the banks of the Chagres River. It was from here that the infamous pirate Henry Morgan set off to loot the city of Panamá. We visit the Aguas Claras Observation Center – a new viewpoint of the Canal expansion with a panoramic view. From this vantage point, we take in the majestic Gatún Lake, the ships transiting the Canal and the recent engineering feat of the Canal expansion. Lunch will be served in a restaurant in the city of Colón, followed by a panoramic tour of Colón, before returning to Panamá City on the Panamá Express Train (a journey of about 1 hour), the world’s first inter-oceanic railway. The rails border the Canal stretch at all times, passing by the still and immense Gatún Lake and through the dense, virgin tropical forest of the Canal Watershed.

 

 FREQUENCY: Monday through Friday