Destinations: Casco Viejo/Panama City, San Blas (Guna Yala)

Duration: 8 days

*Price Range: $$$

*Rates inclusive of full vacation experience – hotels, tours, domestic transfers, and tax (excluding international airfare).  Actual price based on length of travel, number of travelers/rooms, seasonal rates (high, low, peak), number of tour activities, and mode of domestic transportation.

$$$: At or under $1,200 per person.

$$$: $1,200 – $1,800 per person.

$$$: $1,800+ per person

1. Day 1

   Fly into Tocumen International Airport (PTY) where one of our local airport representatives will meet you as you exit your plane and guide you through an expedited immigration process.  They will show you to the VIP Lounge where you can enjoy snacks and drinks while they collect your luggage for you.  Once you are ready, the airport representative will guide you to your private transfer waiting outside the airport.  A short, 30-minute drive will bring you to Casco Viejo, Panama City’s oldest neighborhood (over 340 years) and a UNESCO site.  Check into the historic Las Clementinas Hotel and Bistro.  If you’ve arrived to Panama by the early afternoon, enjoy a historical tour of both Panama Viejo and Casco Viejo in route from the airport to Las Clementinas.  Enjoy a lovely, gourmet dinner at Las Clementinas’ Bistro or one of many nearby restaurants in the trendy Casco Viejo neighborhood.

2. Day 2

   After breakfast, you’ll take a domestic flight from Panama City to the San Blas Islands and land at Corazón de Jesús.  Your sailing adventure begins today as you sip on a rum cocktail.  Sail northwest just a few miles to your first island anchorage, Isla Verde.  Enjoy the white sandy beach and clear turquoise waters that surround this picturesque island.  Your sailing adventure around San Blas’ 365 islands is an all-inclusive journey.  You’ll dine on fresh seafood, coconut rice, and tropical fruit while sipping on your choice of juice, soda, wine, beer, or rum.

3. Day 3

   Today you’ll set sail for Cayos Holandeses, a group of 21 uninhabited islands protected by 7 miles of coral reef.  With year-around transparent waters, you’ll enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, or simply relaxing on these gorgeous beaches.

4. Day 4

   Set sail to Coco Bandero, a set of islands protected by 4 miles of outer coral reef.  This comfortable, calm anchorage is the perfect place to snorkel, fish, or kayak.  Soak up the sun while reading a good book and enjoy a delicious catch-of-the-day under a sky full of stars.

5. Day 5

   A longer 8-hour sail will bring you to Isla Grande.  Try your hand at sailing or simply relax and take in the Caribbean Sea views.  Isla Grande is sparsely populated by Cimarrones, people of African descent traced back to the slave trade.  Enjoy dinner on the boat or opt to try some of the local, afro-Caribbean-food on the island.

6. Day 6

   >A half day sail to an abandoned island, Linton, will allow you to see a few friendly monkeys.  Enjoy a ride on the dinghy through the “Love Canal”, a natural passage across a mangrove near Linton Island.  Then, take a shorter two hour sail to Portobelo, a UNESCO site founded in 1597 as a port city.  If there is time, head to either the Castle of San Lorenzo or to the Panama Canal Expansion at Agua Clara Locks.  You’ll then aboard the Panama Canal Railroad train for your return to Panama City.  This railway follows the gold route the 49ers used from the mid-to-late 1800s.  Enjoy the tropical views of the Soberania National Park on this one hour train ride back to the city.  Check into Las Clementinas in Casco Viejo and enjoy dinner at the hotel or around the neighborhood.

7. Day 7

   Enjoy a full day of exploring in and around Panama City.  If you didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy a historical tour of Panama Viejo and Casco Viejo on Day 1, then make sure to visit these locations along with a stop at Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal.  Alternatively, for those interested in wildlife encounters, head to Gamboa for a boat ride on Gatun Lake to see crocodiles iguanas, monkeys, and tamarins.  After your boat ride and lunch, you’ll visit the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center at the Panama Canal and walk through the Biodiversity Museum.  For those interested in a leisurely day, stroll around the cobblestone streets of Casco Viejo in search of souvenirs, cafes, and rooftop bars overlooking the Panama Canal.

8. Day 8

   A 30-minute private transfer will bring you back to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) for your international flight home.