COLONIAL CHARME

Welcome to Panama! A fusion of history and modernity

After immigration and baggage claim, enjoy your private transfer to your Luxury Boutique Hotel located in the most desirable area in Panama City: Casco Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage site offering the best sight-seeing, dining, nightlife, all combined with an authentic Panamanian cultural experience. In the afternoon enjoy a guided tour of Casco Viejo and a catamaran sunset cruise in the Panama Bay.

Meals: D.

A cultural hub

Unflinchingly urban, the capital rides the rails of chaos, with traffic jams, wayward taxis and casinos stacked between chic clubs and construction sites. A centre of international banking and trade, it has a sultry skyline of shimmering glass and steel towers that is reminiscent of Miami. In contrast, the colonial peninsula of Casco Viejo has become a hip neighbourhood where cobblestones link boutique hotels with rooftop bars and crumbled ruins with pirate lore. Today we will wake up early in the morning to take an in-depth look at the famous Panama Canal on a cruise from Miraflores Lock to Gamboa to see the locks, Miraflores Lake, and Culebra Cut from the water.

TBN: The Panama Canal Tour departure times are subject to possible changes according to the operating conditions established by the Panama Canal Authority.

Meals: B, L, D.

Explore the wild rainforest

After breakfast, Begin your full-day excursion with an hour-long drive from Panama City to the Chagres National Park. Deep within Chagres National Park, many of the Embera people continue the traditions and lifestyle of their ancestors, living in riverside houses raised on stilts and using dugout canoes for transportation. Enjoy a traditional piragua boat ride on the Chagres River, followed by a half-hour walk through the jungle to a waterfall that’s hidden from civilization. Enjoy some free time at the waterfall to swim and relax, and then head back to the boat. Continue to an indigenous Embera village, where you’ll learn about their culture. Listen to a speech by the cacique or chief, some fruit and lunch and a live performance of traditional music and dance.
After lunch, we will drive to Portobelo, a small colonial town with a picturesque bays on the Caribbean coast of Panama.
At 6 pm we will have an orientation meeting with the Captain and the crew.

After dinner, we will move to the boat and introduce you to your home for next five days by showing you your quarters, where the bags go, how to use the toilets, fridges, ice, cups etc… Afterwards, the captain will have the safety meeting where you will learn about all the safety equipment on board and the man overboard procedure. We will sleep on the boat that night and set sail from Portobelo to San Blas Islands very early (7 am).
TBN Your trip and the islands you visit may be different depending on climate and on anchoring conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also result in delays or changes to the departure and arrival locations.

Meals: B, L, D.

Explore the beautiful waters of San Blas

Our first island group will be Chichime, where you will have multiple sandy beaches to choose from, reefs to snorkel, volleyball on the beach. And this is also one of the places we will have one of our seafood meals Guna style prepared by a local family on the beach including coconut rice made with freshly ground coconuts by their huts.

Meals: B, L, D.

BONFIRE PIRATE PARTY

We will move to Julios´s island which is among Hollandaise Cays where we will have the most sepctacular views from the anchorage and also one of the best snorkeling. We will throw our pirate party here that night by a bonfire. We recommend that you preepare your pirate outfit before the trip. We will have a photo shoot during sunset and a contest where the best outfit will win a prize. Afterwards we will enjoys Coco Locos (rum and coconut juice drunk out of the coconut) before our dinner and bonfire.

White sandy beaches

We’ll move to Coco Banderos island group and anchore between three small islands surrounded by white sandy beaches and spend the day relaxing, more swimming and snorkeling, taking in the views and enjoying delicious meals.

Stress free journey

We will set sail to Cartagena very early and sail all day and all night. In windy season this will be sailing only mostly (mid December until May) During rainy season the winds are not steady and unpreditable. We will sail whenever there is wind, motor when there is no wind, or motor sail.

Welcome to Colombia

What time on fifth day we arrive in Cartagean will depend on the wind, current, overall conditions basically. We check the weather before we start and strategize accortdingly to plan the most comfortable passage for everyone. And, of course, the safest. After we arrive, we will take all the bags to land, give our passports and boat paperwork to our agent. She will get our stamps in about an hour and meet us back at the marina with our stamped passports. After immigration and baggage claim, your exemplar representative will meet you at Cartagena marina to drive you in comfort and style to your chosen accommodation right in the heart of Cartagena old quarter.

the walled cityg

One of the most gorgeous, romantic, and colorful cities in the world, Cartagena is packed with history, art and friendly Colombians. The walled city is made up of pastel colonial buildings lined with flowers, cobblestone streets, horse carriages, and plenty of gorgeous restaurants and boutiques.

You can walk the city walls during sunset, explore the fortress that’s been protecting the city for hundreds of years, and try all of the area’s Caribbean cuisine, from fresh fish to exotic fruits. Between markets, day trips, shopping, and the nearby beaches and Rosario Islands, you’ll be marveling at Cartagena’s beauty for days on end.

Shopping or Relax

As a popular tourist town, Cartagena is filled with tons of shopping so you can take home whatever it is you’re looking for.
If you can’t find it on the streets, check out Las Bovedas, the little shops built into the walls of the city with alcoves and columns all around.They house everything touristy, from cheap trinkets to clothing, original artwork, and hammocks. With our guided shopping tours get to know fine boutiques and shops run by local fashion designers like Silvia Tcherassi selling strappy sandals, bags, and dresses, as well as home decor shops like Casa Chiqui. You’ll also be spoiled for choice when it comes to jewelry stores specializing in emeralds and gold pieces featuring indigenous designs and wild animals. Not in the shopping mood today? we have got you covered! Chosen whether you prefer to explore independently or join our guided activities.

Private transport to Cartagena airport for your departure

Drive to Cartagena airport where our guide and driver will bid you farewell.