As you may have heard, there is a canal in Panama. Watching a football field’s worth of ship rise in a lock on a pillow of water is one of the world’s great manmade miracles. But what about the much tinier spectacle of a hummingbird barely larger than your thumbnail? Or the quiet whiiiiiish as your native dugout canoe slices through a rainforest river? A Panama vacation is one of the finest ecotourism experiences—easy to reach, friendly in the extreme, and not yet on everybody’s radar screen. From anteaters to mantled howler monkeys, the wildlife is extraordinary. The Audubon Society conducts its Christmas bird count here so you can just imagine the abundance. To explore the culture of Panama, we travel you to a native village and introduce you to our friends along the way. You’ll see things you’ve never seen, in a place you never thought to visit—which makes this our favorite new example of a travel adventure.

DAYS 1-2 - GAMBOA
Your Panama travel itinerary begins at our luxury rainforest resort at Gamboa on the banks of the canal. A sailing excursion on Gatun Lake lets us weave amid the gigantic ships traversing the canal and catch our first glimpse of wildlife such as monkeys and crocodiles. An afternoon jungle walk in Sobernia National Park takes you into some of the world’s richest bird watching terrain.

In a traditional dugout canoe, we’ll navigate the Chagres River to a settlement of one of Panama’s indigenous tribes. The villagers treat us to a typical meal, and we get a firsthand look at the cultural and ecological challenges they face. We’ll also go for a guided walk in Panama City. No Panama vacation would be complete without a close-up look at the canal in action, and you get yours with a fascinating visit to the Miraflores Locks and the canal museum.

DAYS 3-6 - CHIRIQUI WESTERN HIGHLANDS 
A brief flight to David City positions us for fascinating days in the Chiriqui Western Highlands, the rolling breadbasket of Panama. From our gracious, award-winning inn, we wander into the countryside to meet the farmers who raise everything from strawberries to mangos…watch for the resplendent quetzal on a walk in La Amistad International Park…and go kayaking on the serene Las Lagunas, the highest natural lakes in Panama. We also get real looks at rural life, first on a visit to a working coffee plantation for a tour and tasting, and then at a family home where we watch the centuries-old process of pressing sugar cane. On the final day of your Panama travels, we part company after breakfast.