Canal, Rainforest & Islands of Panama

Join a Panama Canal expert for privileged access behind the scenes of this feat of engineering. Learn how the original locks were constructed, step into areas normally closed to the public and watch massive ships pass through the locks. Weather permitting, there may also be the chance to get even closer to the working Canal. Return to Hotel La Compañia for dinner at 1739.

Overnight: Hotel La Compañia

Head into Soberanía National Park early for a morning at Pipeline Road, one of Panama’s best-known birding areas. Walk beneath the rainforest canopy with a specialist birding guide, looking for parrots, trogons and other tropical species. Continue to the Rainforest Discovery Center and climb its observation tower for views across the treetops, with the chance to spot howler monkeys moving through the surrounding forest.

Overnight: Hotel La Compañia

Leave Panama City and travel to Portobelo, where tropical rainforest surrounds your next base. Settle into The Casitas and spend the rest of the day exploring the property and its surroundings at your own pace before heading deeper into the forest tomorrow.

Overnight: The Casitas

Set out early into Portobelo National Park, following trails such as El Tigrillo or La Trilla through tropical rainforest. With a naturalist guide, look for toucans, motmots, manakins and migratory birds among centuries-old trees, tropical butterflies and secluded forest viewpoints. After dark, return to the jungle with biologist Dr. Jaison Ashcroft. Listen for tree frogs and owls, keep watch for nocturnal mammals such as kinkajous and armadillos, and learn to identify bioluminescent fungi, insects and medicinal plants as another side of the forest emerges after sunset.

Overnight: The Casitas

Leave Portobelo behind and travel west toward Boquete, flying to David before climbing into the cooler highlands. Settle into Finca Lérida Coffee Estate, surrounded by the mountain landscapes that will form the backdrop to the next few days of dedicated birding.

Overnight: Finca Lérida Coffee Estate

Start early at Tree Trek Boquete, making the most of peak morning activity to look for hummingbirds, tanagers, warblers and other cloud forest species. Later, continue to Casa Sabrewing and Alto Jaramillo, two nearby birding sites known for highland endemics and mountain views. Spend the day moving through contrasting habitats and discovering the variety of birdlife found around Boquete.

Overnight: Finca Lérida Coffee Estate

Follow a shorter section of the Quetzal Trail through Boquete’s cloud forest, keeping watch for the resplendent quetzal in an area known for frequent sightings. Keen early risers can also choose a sunrise visit to La Amistad International Park, whose biodiverse highland forests offer another opportunity to search for rare and highland bird species before the main hike begins.

Overnight: Finca Lérida Coffee Estate

Leave Boquete’s highlands and descend toward Panama’s Pacific coast before continuing by boat to Islas Secas. Settle into Casita Mirador and enjoy a relaxed afternoon before heading out on a private nature and sunset cruise. Explore the archipelago’s bays and coastline while looking for marine and birdlife as the light begins to fade.

Overnight: Islas Secas

Spend the day discovering the archipelago, traveling across the water to a secluded beach for a private picnic. Swim, explore the shoreline and enjoy having a remote stretch of sand almost entirely to yourselves before returning to Islas Secas.

Overnight: Islas Secas

Join an expert guide to seek some of the more than 126 bird species recorded around Islas Secas. Explore the island’s trails and gardens or head out by boat to discover the archipelago’s birdlife from the water, encountering a very different habitat from the rainforests and cloud forests earlier in the journey.

Overnight: Islas Secas

Choose how to spend your final full day in the archipelago. Head out on an inshore fishing adventure in the surrounding Pacific waters, or take a slower approach with a spa treatment and time to unwind on the island.

Overnight: Islas Secas

Leave Islas Secas by private charter and fly back to Panama City, looking down across the landscapes explored throughout your journey. Continue to Tocumen International Airport for your onward flight, bringing your time in Panama to a close.