PANAMA ITINERARY | Abiri Tours

Day 1

Fly to Panamá. Hola, and welcome to Panamá! Arrive at the airport and transfer to your lodging. Enjoy fine food and conversation with fellow travelers during our Welcome Lunch.

Day 2 - Panama Canal & El Chorrillo Experience

On this half day experience, we will visit one of the wonders of the Engineering world, the Panama Canal. We will visit Miraflores Visitor Center where we will have the opportunity to observe how the Panama Canal operates. Then we will be immersed into the local culture to learn about music, food, people, customs and beliefs of El Chorrillo, a local neighborhood of about 20,000 people. The Barrio El Chorrillo is a subdivision in Panama City. It was founded in 1915, when immigrants started settling down to work on the construction of the Panama Canal. The US Americans were living in a strictly separated zone, where locals were not allowed to go until the 1990s. During this tour you will experience “A real taste of Panama”.

WHAT TO BRING

Camera
Cap or hat
Sunscreen lotion
Light clothing
Close-toe shoes

Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrances fees to the canal, bottled water, and an English-speaking guide.

Day 3 - Embera Visit

One of the best opportunities to discover the indigenous culture of Panama is by visiting the Embera people. This indigenous group migrated from Eastern Panama searching for better opportunities as they settle in the Chagres River Area which is one of Panamá’s most important rivers. It provides water for the Panama Canal Operation. Even though they live so close to the modern world, the Embera People have worked extremely hard to keep their traditions. You will learn about their culture, how they build their homes, explore their handmade crafts and then learn about their educational system. Afterwards, you will be able to indulge in a delicious typical Embera meal of locally caught fish and organically grown plantains.

WHAT TO BRING

Camera
Cap or hat
Sunscreen lotion
Light clothing
Shoes with good grip and water resistance

Includes: Private transportation, English-speaking naturalist guide, dug-out canoe fees, entrance fees to the national park, fruits of the season, lunch (fried fish with plantains) and bottled water.

Day 4 - Portobello Experience

Today we will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Portobelo. In Portobelo, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the city’s five fortresses, some of which date back to the mid-1700s. These forts were aimed at protecting Portobelo, which was once one of the most important ports in the Spanish empire. Gold was regularly transported through the town and the ports were under constant attack from pirates and buccaneers. Today, they are interesting (and crumbling) sites. Some even have cannons that still face the ocean.

Portobelo is also home to the Black Christ, a statue that resides in the Iglesia de San Felipe. The statue is surrounded in legend. Every year thousands of Panamanians travel to Portobelo to attend the Black Christ Festival and pray to the Black Christ—it is believed to have healing powers.

WHAT TO BRING

Camera
Cap or hat
Sunscreen lotion
Light clothing
Shoes with good grip and water resistance

Includes: Private transportation, English speaking naturalist guide, entrances to the national park and water.

Day 5 Boat tour around Monkey Island

Board a boat for an exciting, guided boat tour of Gatun Lake. Motor through a stretch of the Panama Canal and watch as massive tanker ships make their way to another ocean! Try to spot monkeys as your boat circles Monkey Island, then learn how so many species are able to survive in the middle of the Panama Canal.