Discover Panama: An Educational Adventure!

Welcome to Panama! Your journey begins with a flight to Panama City, the capital city. There you will be met and assisted upon arrival at Tocumen International Airport and transferred to your hotel.  

Panama City is the national capital and economic center of Panama and is framed by the Pacific Ocean and the man-made Panama Canal. Casco Viejo, its cobblestoned historic center, is famed for colonial-era landmarks like the neoclassical Palacio Presidencial and bougainvillea-filled plazas lined with cafes and bars. The Miraflores Locks offer views of ships traversing the canal, an essential shipping route linking the Atlantic and Pacific. 

See Best Things to Do in Panama City. 

Panama's unique location provides the experience of a lifetime. We are gifted with having a wide range of rainforests, a desert, and breathtaking beaches on both coastlines, the Caribbean and the Pacific, all within driving distance of a cosmopolitan city. 

Accommodation: Overnight for 3 nights in Panama City at the Plaza Paitilla Inn.

Meal: Breakfast

After breakfast, you will visit the different attractions related to the Panama Canal such as: the Panama Canal Administration Building, The Goethals Monument, The Stevens Circle Monument, the former Albrook US Military air force and Clayton US Military base, and The Miraflores Locks where you will learn the about the operations of the Canal and have time to admire this manmade invention.   

The second part of the day, we will visit the Biodiversity Museum, which was designed by Canadian- American Architect Frank Gehry. This museum is his only work in Latin America and the tropics. The building was designed to tell the story of how the Isthmus of Panama rose from the sea, uniting two continents, separating a vast ocean in two, and changing the planet’s biodiversity forever. The Biomuseo’s 4,000 square meters contain eight permanent exhibition galleries designed by Bruce Mau Design. 

Dinner on your own in Panama City 

Duration 6-7 hours 

Day Includes: Bilingual Guide, Entrance to Miraflores Visitor Center and Biodiversity Museum, Lunch and Private transportation. 

Accommodation: Overnight at Plaza Paitilla Inn 

Meal: B, L 

Early in the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to El Corotu, on the shores of Madden Lake. Here we will board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel through dense jungle up the Chagres River to one of the Embera indigenous villages for the day experience. 

The boat journey takes you through the 320,000-acre Chagres National Park, which is the largest of the National Parks protecting the Panama Canal Watershed. Along the Chagres River, you may be able to spot the little blue and green heron, great egret, anhinga, neotropical cormorant and green kingfishers, and ospreys flying above. 

Upon our arrival at the Embera village, we will be welcomed with traditional dancing and music. You will learn about fascinating Embera traditions and their close relationship with nature. They are master artisans, famous for their woven baskets and masks, as well as their qualitative wooden carvings of cocobolo and intricate tagua. 

There will be handcrafts available for sale and you will have the chance to be painted with the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies. After a traditional Embera lunch we will head back to Panama City. 

Includes: Private transportation/driver, expert guide, entrance fees, snacks, bottled water and lunch. 

Duration: 5-6 hours

Accommodation: Overnight at Plaza Paitilla Inn 

Meal: B,L 

Get ready for an exciting culturally immersive experience in the Ngäbe Indigenous Community!

Your day begins with a private Transfer from City Hotel to Albrook Airport. At the appropriate time you will be picked up by a driver for your 45-minute flight to David located in the Chiriquí Province.

Upon arrival to David International Airport, you will be picked up by your driver-guide for a 1.5-hour private car ride through the Talamanca Mountain Range. Along the way, you will be able to connect with nature as you witness rivers, waterfalls, cows, and get stunning views of the Central Mountain Range.

When you reach the Soloy Community, a local leader will welcome you to their village and you will learn all about their traditions and culture. For the next 2 days you will enjoy their traditional dishes, visit their school, hospital or just mingle with the villagers to embrace their way of life.

Read more here about the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca Region in Panama.

Duration: Full day with overnight in the community

Includes: private transportation with bilingual driver/guide, local indigenous guide, snacks, water, and local indigenous lunch and dinner, and cultural experience. 

Accommodation: Overnight at Homestay with Soloy Indigenous Community

Meal: B, L, D

Note, about Overnight in Soloy Indigenous Community: Local homestays within the community. Very rural area, no air conditioning, TV, etc. There is a bathroom for physiological needs, but visitors must shower in the river o with tanks filled with water from the river, as locals do every day.

Note - Air Ticket Panama City to David: You are allowed to check in 23kg of luggage free of charge, very additional kilo will have the approximate cost of 2USD. Please note that the amount of extra luggage depends on the flight capacity. 

Rise and shine bright and early for your next adventure – today, you will discover one of the most beautiful, yet untapped waterfalls in Panama. After a local indigenous breakfast, your local driver-guide will pick you up and you will start the day with a transfer into a 4x4 vehicle for 20-minute car ride off the beaten path, towards Cerro Blanco.

Take some time to admire the impressive “KiKi” waterfall, soak into the nearby lagoon for a refreshing swim and appreciate the intact natural environment that surrounds you. After a traditional Ngäbe lunch, you will head back to the community, where you will spend the rest of the afternoon with the community.

*Must be in a good physical condition for the waterfall hike.

Included: transportation with bilingual driver/guide, 4x4 transportation, local indigenous guide, entrance fee to the KiKi waterfall, water, coffee/tea, and traditional lunch and dinner. 

Accommodation: Overnight at Homestay with Soloy Indigenous Community

Meal: B, L D

The first coffee plants arrived Panama at the beginning of the 19th century and were brought to Boquete, where the microclimate turned out to be ideal for coffee. Its great height, the influences of the oceans, the rich volcanic soil and the shadow of the Baru Volcano all contributed to the full development of the aromatic potential of coffee. 

In Boquete, we will tour one of the local farms where we will be able to admire a clean and modern environmental processing plant or an organic coffee farm. We will visit a coffee plantation and your guide will explain the whole process, from the picking of the coffee cherries by the Ngäbe-Bugle Indians to its journey to your cup while you walk through the coffee fields. We will learn about the coffee plants and how the coffee beans are harvested and processed. The tour ends with a taste of the product, and lastly a transfer back to your accommodation. 

Duration: 3-4 hours

What to wear/bring: Comfortable clothing and shoes, hat, raincoat and water.  

Includes: Private transportation/driver, on-site bilingual guide and entrance fee.

Accommodation: Overnight at Hotel Boquete Garden Inn

Meal: B

Today, we explore two farms in the area.  

Finca La Granjerita: On this farm, they work hard with the aim of recovering food security in Panama. In La Granjerita, products without agrochemicals are planted, among them, colored carrots, cauliflowers, varieties of lettuce, blackberries and strawberries, their favorite product.  

Hidroponia Gonzalez: One of the healthiest systems for the cultivation and production of all types of plants is hydroponics, a Greek word meaning water (hydro) and work (ponos). In Panama, this system is relatively new; So much so, that there are few people who use it. In this tour, you will visit the farm and learn about this method of agriculture. In hydroponics, the cultivation of the plant is done in water, which is constantly moving. A substrate is used, that is, a material that replaces the soil, which has the virtue of not having nematodes, bacteria, fungi, or weeds, but is natural and inert. The substrate does not provide nutrients; it is only there to hold the roots and so that the water is distributed well. 

Duration: 3-4 hours 

What to wear/bring: Comfortable clothing and shoes, hat, raincoat, sun protection, insect repellent and water. 

Includes: Private transportation, driver/bilingual guide, entrance fee and lunch. 

Accommodation: Overnight at Hotel Boquete Garden Inn

Meal: B

Private guided transfer from Arenal to Guanacaste. On the way we will stop at Las Pumas Rescue Center. The rescue consists on the rehabilitation and release of wildlife species that are received as a result of seizures by personnel of various Conservation Areas-SINAC in the country, mainly from the province of Guanacaste, or deliveries of individuals who find them injured , orphans, or had as pets. The animals are evaluated by qualified personnel (veterinarian and biologist) to determine if they can be rehabilitated and released or if they should remain at the Center. Those who can not be returned to their natural habitat receive the necessary care during their lifetime and under humanitarian conditions, in the Sanctuary area. The whole program gets financed by the visit of tourists in the sanctuary.

Lunch at Tacorles and then continue to the beach.

Overnight accomodation at Bosque del Mar in Playa Hermosa, or similar.  (B, L)

Air Ticket David to Panama City

Today at the appropriate time you will be transferred to David airport for your flight back to Panama City. You can check in 23kg of luggage free of charge. Afterwards will have the approximate cost of 2USD. Please note that the amount of extra luggage you can take also depends on flight capacity.

Private Transfer from Albrook Airport to Plaza Paitilla Inn.

Accommodation:  Plaza Paitilla Inn.

Meal: B

Private Transfer from City Hotel to Tocumen Airport

Meal: B

Through our Learn, Serve & Immerse travel pillars, we have developed a unique journey to this vibrant country that offers many opportunities to discover and learn about the diverse wildlife, indigenous cultures, and adventure in a beautiful tropical rainforest. ​

Highlights and Learning themes unique to this tour include:

• Panama culture and history
• An Immersive two-day homestay in the indigenous village of Soloy, and discover the natural and cultural heritage of the Ngäbe-Buglé people.
• Explore the Biodiversity Museum
• Harvest coffee beans and learn about coffee plants
• Sustainable tourism and its impact on the local economy
• Key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and how they are being addressed in Panama 

Much more than a traditional tour operator, Global Family Travels’ mission is to “Learn, Serve and Immerse” through culture and community-based travel programs. In partnership with non-profit organizations and schools, we offer family-friendly and sustainable travel experiences in support of education, gender equality, access to clean water, preservation of local cultures, conservation, and economic growth, all of which foster cross-cultural understanding and global citizens.  

Our trips include a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, homestays, and participation in local service projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the communities we visit.    
 
Expect to expand your family circle when you embark on a Global Family Travels trip!  Visit our website for more information: Global Family Travels

As one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, the Panama Canal is a must-see for anyone traveling in the country. Built to dramatically decrease the travel time for ships between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the Canal has seen over 900,000 vessels and counting.

On this tour, you will visit the different attractions related to the Panama Canal such as: the Panama Canal Administration Building, The Goethals Monument, The Stevens Circle Monument, the former Albrook US Military air force and Clayton US Military base and The Miraflores Locks where you will learn the about the operations of the Canal and have time to admire this manmade invention.

Plaza Paitilla Inn is a modern hotel in the center of Panama City. Enjoy wonderful panoramic views of the city and the bay, as well as great services and facilities. This hotel is a great place for a romantic celebration, a delicious meal, a business stay or to celebrate an important event. 

Hotel features: Air conditioning, free WiFi, on-site restaurant, bar, fitness center, pool and event rooms. 

Check in: 3:00pm  

Check out: 1:00pm 

Hotel Boquete Garden Inn 

With its excellent worldwide reputation (voted # 1 B&B in Panama, # 3 in Central America, 2014 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards), Boquete Garden Inn is not a conventional hotel: We offer the unique experience and personalized service of an exclusive boutique hotel – at an affordable price. Rate includes daily three-course, sit down, hot breakfast; WiFi; complimentary Social Hour drink (redeemable any time during your stay); drink tickets for selected restaurants and more. 

Boquete Garden Inn hotel has a limited number of rooms, in cabañas nestled within some of Boquete Panama’s most beautiful gardens, home to more than 90 species of birds (some of the best birding in Panama). This unique concept creates a warm, intimate setting while offering privacy. Lovingly designed and featuring local art, our rooms have the amenities and comforts you expect, while still capturing—what we feel is—the essence of Boquete Panama. 

Open concept and airy, with relaxing atmosphere. Located on main level. Door opens onto tropical gardens. Sleeps up to three people.