A 15-day round trip to Panama's highlights with easy and moderate hikes, from the Panama Canal and the Camino Real through the highlands of Chiriquí and the Volcán Barú to the island paradise of Bocas del Toro.
Highlights
- Panama City and a Panama Canal boat trip
- Hiking on the Camino Real
- Summit of the Volcán Barú (3475m)
- Island paradise of Bocas del Toro
Highlights of Panama Hiking
Discover the highlights of Panama, UNESCO World Heritage Sites among them, on easy and moderate hikes, each lasting between two and six hours. You begin with a boat trip on the Panama Canal and a walk through the colonial old town of Panama. From there you head out onto Gatún Lake to watch wildlife and cruise alongside the huge ships crossing the canal. Spanish fortresses on the Caribbean draw you into the region’s colonial history. You spend a night in a village of small-scale farmers in the rainforest and walk the Camino Real, the gold route of the Spanish conquistadors that lay lost in the jungle for centuries. From there a dugout canoe carries you to a nearby Emberá village.
From there you fly to western Panama and the province of Chiriquí. Here you tour a coffee plantation and hike in the cloud forest, visit an orchid farm with hundreds of different species, and in Boquete cross suspension bridges through the treetops. To round off the trip, you relax in the natural paradise of Bocas del Toro on the Caribbean.
Type of trip: Round trip
Duration: 15 days
Participants: 2-16
Highlights
- Panama City and a Panama Canal boat trip
- Hiking on the Camino Real
- Summit of the Volcán Barú (3475m)
- Island paradise of Bocas del Toro
Itinerary Overview
- Day 01 | Welcome to Panama!
- Day 02 | Boat trip on the Panama Canal
- Day 03 | Visit to the Miraflores Locks and the old town
- Day 04 | Boat trip to Monkey Island, San Lorenzo fortress, Panama Canal on the Caribbean coast
- Day 05 | Visiting the Emberá
- Day 06 | Excursion to the Camino Real
- Day 07 | Hike on the Camino Real
- Day 08 | Coffee in the province of Chiriquí
- Day 09 | Hike in La Amistad National Park – orchid farm
- Day 10 | Hiking in Boquete
- Day 11 | Boquete
- Day 12 | Bocas del Toro
- Day 13 | Bocas del Toro
- Day 14 | Return flight to Panama City
- Day 15 | Departure from Panama
Itinerary in Detail
Day 01 | Welcome to Panama!
On arrival at Panama’s international airport, you are met by your driver and taken to your hotel. Overnight in Panama City (B).
Day 02 | Boat trip on the Panama Canal
In the morning you drive to the harbor and board a boat that lets you experience the workings of the canal up close. The canal runs a total of 80 km from the Pacific to the Caribbean coast. You first pass beneath the “Puente de Las Américas” and soon reach the Miraflores Locks, then cross the Gaillard Cut, the narrow stretch of canal that had to be blasted through the central cordillera. After about 4 hours you reach Gamboa and disembark. In the afternoon you can optionally visit the ruins of Panama Viejo, the first European settlement on the Pacific. Overnight in Panama City (B, L).
Day 03 | Visit to the Miraflores Locks and the old town
In the morning we visit the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage district of ornate churches, quiet squares, and colonial-era buildings. From the Plaza de Francia you can take in spectacular views of the skyline of Panama City’s modern banking and financial center. In the afternoon we head to the Panama Canal, one of the engineering wonders of the world. From the viewing platform at the Miraflores Locks we watch the ship traffic up close, then catch a 3D film about the canal’s construction at the IMAX cinema. Overnight in Panama City (B).
Day 04 | Boat trip to Monkey Island, San Lorenzo fortress, Panama Canal on the Caribbean coast
In the morning you take a boat trip on Gatún Lake, cruising close to the huge ships crossing the Panama Canal and stopping at small islands where capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, and Geoffroy’s tamarins live in the wild. Then you continue to the Atlantic coast and the San Lorenzo fortress, a relic of the Spanish colonial era (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Afterwards you visit the new locks of the expanded Panama Canal at Agua Clara, then Portobelo with its customs house and Fort San Geronimo. Overnight in Portobelo (B).
Day 05 | Visiting the Emberá
In the morning we travel on from Portobelo to the Emberá in the rainforest of Chagres National Park, heading upriver in a traditional dugout canoe. At the village we get to know Emberá culture and daily life and share a traditional lunch, and afterwards you can learn about the rainforest’s medicinal plants. In the afternoon you continue to Quebrada Ancha on the Camino Real. Overnight in a tent or simple cabin in Quebrada Ancha. B/L/D
Day 06 | Excursion to the Camino Real
Today and tomorrow you explore the Camino Real, forerunner of the Panama Canal and gold route of the Spanish conquistadors between the Pacific and Atlantic. In the morning you hike about two hours along the trail through hilly country, learning more about its history along the way: the Spanish conquistadors, the mule caravans, Francis Drake and other pirates. Then you reach the village of Quebrada Ancha for a delicious lunch. [3 km, 80 m ↑, 80 m ↓, walking time approx. 2 hrs.] Overnight in a tent in Quebrada Ancha. B/L/D
Day 07 | Hike on the Camino Real
Today you continue along the original course of the legendary Camino Real, rediscovered by the Austrian Christian Strassnig over years of research. First you climb for about an hour to the crest of a ridge for a magnificent panoramic view of Chagres National Park. Following the Mauro River, you reach the village of Santa Librada for lunch, then drive back to Panama City. [↑ 250 m, ↓ 150 m, 11 km, walking time 5-6 hrs.] Overnight in Panama City (B/L).
Day 08 | Coffee in the province of Chiriquí
In the morning we fly to David/Chiriquí in western Panama. The province is home to the highlands of the same name, crowned by the Volcán Barú (3,475 meters), Panama’s highest mountain. You drive to a coffee plantation, where a guided tour teaches you all about coffee and how it’s grown. Thanks to the ideal climate, the coffee grown here ranks among the best in the world, as you can judge for yourself at a tasting. Overnight in Volcán/Bambito (B).
Day 09 | Hike in La Amistad National Park – orchid farm
Today you visit the impressive cloud forests of the “La Amistad” biosphere reserve, a cross-border protected area of 400,000 hectares spanning Panama and Costa Rica. With luck you may even spot the quetzal, the legendary divine bird of the Aztecs and Maya. In the afternoon you visit Finca Dracula, an orchid farm with more than 1,500 different orchid species. [150 m ↑, 150 m ↓, walking time approx. 2 hrs.] Overnight in Volcán/Cerro Punta (B).
Day 10 | Hiking in Boquete
In the morning you drive along a scenic road to Boquete, on the south side of the Volcán Barú, through fertile volcanic land. On arrival you hike the Pipeline Trail or out to the Lost Waterfalls. Overnight in Boquete (B).
Day 11 | Boquete
Today in Boquete is yours to enjoy. You might drive or hike up the Volcán Barú early in the morning, walk a suspension bridge trail, or take a fast ride on a zipline through the treetops. Optional: a 4x4 drive to the summit of the Volcán Barú before sunrise, or a climb on foot [28 km, 1,700 m ↑, 1,700 m ↓, walking time approx. 10-12 hrs.]. Overnight in Boquete (B).
Day 12 | Bocas del Toro
After breakfast you continue to the Caribbean island paradise of Bocas del Toro, a stunning island world full of natural treasures protected by Bastimentos National Park. You can simply relax and soak up the sun, the beach, and the sea. Overnight in Bocas del Toro (B).
Day 13 | Bocas del Toro
Today is yours to enjoy. You might take a boat tour into the Bastimentos marine national park or simply relax at the hotel pool. Overnight in Bocas del Toro (B).
Day 14 | Return flight to Panama City
Today you fly back to Panama City. You are picked up from the national airport and taken to your hotel. Overnight in Panama City (B).
Day 15 | Departure from Panama
Today is yours to enjoy. Alternatively, you can hike up Cerro Ancon, Panama City’s own hill (walking time approx. 2 hours). In the afternoon your driver picks you up and takes you to the international airport. (B)
Services & Hotels
Included services
- Accommodation in comfortable hotels, lodges, or resorts of the 3, 4, and 5* category
- Accommodation in tents in Quebrada Ancha
- All admissions included in the program
- Meals as per the program
- Private English-speaking guide on several days
Not included
- International flight to Panama
- Meals not listed in the detailed program
- Drinks
- Optional tips
- Travel insurance
- Optional excursions
Notes, Info & FAQ
What are the requirements of this trip?
- 4 x walks of 1-2 hours
- 3 x hikes of 2-3 hours, 1 x hike of 5-6 hours (a shorter hike is possible on request)
- Maximum elevation changes of 250 meters (except for the optional Volcán Barú hike)
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination, and which vaccinations do I generally need for Panama?
The standard vaccinations are sufficient protection. More information on health, tropical diseases, and vaccinations here.
Dates & Prices
As a local travel agency based in Panama, we can run this trip for you at any time, every week of the year. The program (day 01) starts every Friday in Panama City. You’re also welcome to arrive on any other day of the week.
Prices
| Participants | Price p.p. |
|---|---|
| Individual trip, 2 participants | EUR 3125 |
| Small group, 4 participants | EUR 2395 |
| Small group, 6 participants | EUR 2150 |
| Group trip, 12 participants | EUR 2150 |
Prices per person in a double room. Single room supplement: EUR 750.
