Panama Great Adventures

Itinerary

8 DAYS

DAY 1 –  PANAMA CITY – FLAMENCO MARINA

Sail the Pacific Ocean towards Contadora, where the Discovery will stay the first night before continuing on to Darien’s Jungle. Meet your expedition leaders, crew and fellow travelers while you savor our tempting native cuisine.

DAY 2 – DARIEN JUNGLE

Step back more than 600 years to a place that not many have had the privilege of experiencing. This is a journey into the lives of the Embera Indigenous Community. A proud people who have been able to maintain their traditions and lifestyle as they were before the Spaniards colonized the region. These native are also crafters of cocobolo wood carving and basketry. After motoring up river you will see the village emerging from the jungle, as if by magic. The region offers abundant wildlife particularly active along the rivers edge.

DAY 3 – LAS PERLAS ISLANDS – SAN TELMO

Snorkel and swim on the waters off Las Perlas Islands. The archipelago owes its name to the abundance of pearl oysters which supported a substantial fishery in the early 1900′s. On the outer portion of the archipielago, the islands of San Telmo and Mogo Mogo, are home to some pristine beaches and fertile fishing grounds. Kayak along beautiful and unspoiled beaches and view the remains of the submarine Explorer, built in 1865 during the Civil War, which sank off the coast of San Telmo during the oyster fishery of the late 1800′s.

DAY 4 – PANAMA CANAL TRANSIT – GATUN LAKE

Wake up at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal and join the morning’s ship convoy for our northbound canal passage, traversing Miraflores Locks and Pedro Miguel Locks. The Discovery will be raised 85 feet above sea level to Gatun Lake. Experience up close the history and operation of this engineering marvel. Navigate Gaillard Cut, the narrowest section of the Panama Canal, bisecting the Continental Divide. This section of the canal is full of history and geological value, and you will be able to appreciate the continuous maintenance that this area requires, due to it’s propensity for landslides. Spend the night on Gatun Lake in Panama Canal waters.

DAY 5 – PANAMA CANAL – BARRO COLORADO

Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, the vast jungle area that is now Gatun Lake was teeming with an abundance of wildlife. As the region was flooded to create the lake, animals took refuge in the mountain peaks, that are now the many islands that dot the lake. Explore Barro Colorado Island, where the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Center is located. Your expedition leader will take you aboard small crafts, past lush rainforest to secluded areas of the lake, to witness firsthand the splendor and excitement of the jungle. Exotic birds, monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and crocodiles are just a few of the animals that you could see in their native surroundings. The sights, sounds and scents that make up this beautiful tropical jungle will engulf you. Cameras are a must, as this is considered the world’s premier location for viewing monkeys and other animals in the wild. Later in the afternoon, the Discovery will complete its full Panama Canal transit on its way to the Caribbean Sea and the mouth of the Chagres River.

DAY 6 –CHAGRES RIVER – FORT SAN LORENZO

The Chagres River, which was used by the conquistadors to move their gold across the Isthmus of Panama en-route from Peru to Spain, and by the gold prospectors who attempted a “short cut” from the US East Coast to the gold fields of California. The river was the center piece of the colonial inter-oceanic route, and is now the lifeline of the Panama Canal-full of wildlife and tropical jungle. Explore San Lorenzo, located on a cliff at the mouth of the Chagres on the Atlantic side, where your leader will offer details regarding the immense amount of history in this area. The Fort was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century, to defend their well known gold trail.

DAY 7 – PORTOBELO – CARIBBEAN

Portobelo town was founded by Christofer Columbus on his fourth voyage to the new continent in 1597. This quaint town is rich in history as it was the site of many sea and land battles between the Spanish colonials and the pirates and corsairs raiding the Spanish Main. Explore the fortifications built by the Spaniards to protect their treasures and visit the Church of San Felipe, sanctuary of the Black Christ.

Spend the night in Portobelo’s bay, the most important refuge for the Spanish galleons in the Caribbean.

DAY 8 – PORTOBELO – CARIBBEAN

Wake up to a farewell breakfast before you disembark the Discovery. Travel by motor coach to Panama City and back to reality. This two hour trip will allow you to traverse the Trans-Isthmian Highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Rates

US$ 1,725 Single Supplement.

Departure  Dates

May 26,     2011

July 26,      2011

August 26, 2011

Includes

• Transfers to and from the ship.
• Shore excursions and use of equipment
• All meals and beverages onboard the ship
• Taxes and port charges

Bring

• Binoculars
• Camera
• Light clothing
• Swimsuit
• High traction footwear

Book it!