Embera, El Valle and Beach
(5 Days / 4 Nights) Price from: $ 795.00

Tour the old Panama City, with its convents, monasteries and public buildings of ancient architecture. Meet Embera culture during a tour and relax at the beach!

Day 1: Welcome to Panama. Suites Ambassador, Suites (B)

 Today at the appropriate time an CRS Tours representative will meet you at the Tocumen International Airport to assist and transfer you to your hotel located in Panama City. You will also receive an CRS Tours information kit. Once arrival, please check-in & overnight. Your transfer will take 25 - 30 minutes approximately. Small tropical country in size but huge in biodiversity, Panama offers the visitor an incredible and exuberant natural variety. An abundant vegetation and colourful variety of animals, gives you the opportunity to experience countryside vitality and the abundant Panamanian tropic.  The ecologic richness is inherent of what lives in this biological bridge of numerous species which move between North and South America, since three million years ago.  The great biodiversity that Panama offers is what propelled the Smithsonian Institute of the United States to establish in the country the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), operating since 1923.  The contact with nature in this tropical paradise is a gratifying experience to whoever visits this country, which has destined more than 30% of the national territory to natural reserves.

Day 2: Half Day City Tour. Suites Ambassador, Suite (B)

 Depart from the hotel to visit Panama Viejo, the first city founded in the isthmus by Spanish conquerors at the beginning of colonization. Few years following the discovery of the Isthmus of Panama, Balboa went through the Darien jungle and discovered an ocean that was until then unknown to the Europeans, the American Pacific Ocean, named by them the South Sea. The first city built by the Spanish conquerors in the coast of said sea in 1619 was Panama, later invade d, looted and destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. The city was abandoned and its inhabitants were relocated in another city some kilometres to the West. From that old city remain the ancient architecture of the cathedral, convents, monasteries, public buildings and a bridge, all of them built from stone. Panamá La Vieja has been declared by the UNESCO as Patrimony to the Humanity. Tourists may visit the ancient stone buildings and walk through the ancient stone streets which are currently covered by grass. It will feel like a very ancient voyage.

Day 3: Emberá Tour. Suites Ambassador, Suite (B)

Early in the morning you are picked up at the lobby of your hotel by the guide and transferred to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake. Here, you board a motorized piragua (dugout canoe) and travel up the Chagres River to the Emberá indigenous village of Embera Drua. The boat journey takes you through the rainforest of 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 Little Blue and Green Heron, Great Egret, Anhingas, Neotropical Cormorant, Amazon, Ringed, and Green Kingfishers, along with Keel-billed Toucans and Ospreys flying above. At the Embera village you will be greeted with members of the community. You will learn about Embera customs and their relationship with nature. There will be handcrafts available for sale and you will have a chance to be painted with the traditional jagua, a natural dye the Embera use to adorn their bodies. Optional: Our tour at the community involves social work and we require that each participant pack with purpose for that trip. See below our suggestions: You can make a big impact on the lives of children of Panama. Use available space in your luggage to provide supplies to the community you visit. For 5 pounds (2.27 kilos), you can bring: Math workbooks, notebooks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, crayons, colored pencils, rulers, books in English and Spanish for all ages to donate to the library, solar calculators, and educational wall posters (please nothing that requires batteries or replacement parts), soccer balls and jump ropes.

Day 4: El Valle and Beach Tour. Suites Ambassador, Suite  (B)

This excursion begins at 8:00 AM with a two-hour drive along the Pan-American Highway to the beautiful town of El Valle de Anton in the province of Cocle. According to geologists, El Valle originates in the crater of a volcano, once the largest in Central America. With a cool and pleasant climate, this unique valley rises 600 meters above sea level. El Valle has a variety of attractions such as Indian petro glyphs, hot springs, waterfalls, rock climbing, and hikes for all abilities. Upon arrival, visit the picturesque town market where handicrafts are on sale. The tour continues with a hike on the hills around the valley. Enjoy a picnic lunch from the top of El Gaital, “La India Dormida,” “Cariguana,” or the easier walk, “Pastoreo.” Return to Panama City in the late afternoon. Then head to Santa Clara beach Island for lunch afternoon activities such as: kayaking, windsurfing, swimming, relaxing on the beach. Departure: 6.00AM Duration: 8 hrs.

Day 5: Transfer back to Panamá airport. Departure.

At the appropriate time, you will be transfer to Tocumen Intl. Airport. Check-out from the hotel and relax in your private transfer until you arrive to Tocumen Airport. You will arrive to the airport 3 hours before your flight for your check-in at your counter.

Includes:

• Personalized information, maps, brochures, vouchers.
• Land Transfer in and out from Tocumen International Airport (SIB)
• 04 nights lodging at hotels indicated at the preceding itinerary. Breakfast and local taxes.
• Half Day City Tour (includes: transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fee to Panama La Vieja Visitor Center and Tower).
• Private tour to Emberá (includes: transportation, bilingual guide)
• Private tour to El Valle and the Beach (includes ground and boat transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fee to Gaital Protected Area, picnic lunch) 

Excludes:

• Optional activities
• Bank fees
• International taxes - Departure taxes ($40.00 per person for Panama)
• Meals not specified in the itinerary & Alcoholic beverages
• Personal equipment
• Extras in hotels (laundry, phone calls, room service, etc.)
• Gratuities

Price Conditions:

Price per person in US dollars, based on double occupancy.

Includes local taxes. Subject to availability.

Valid Rate All Year Round

US$ 795,00 per person

November 01, 2011 to October 31, 2012

Additional cost might apply if traveling between Dec 20 – Jan 05 or Easter week (Apr 01-08) 2012

Important Note:

What makes us different? You can customize your trip to fit your exact needs. Maximize fun time and minimize hassles, mistakes and travel time. Every detail from airport pick-up to adventure tours and activities are arranged by us to make sure the only thing you have to worry about is having fun. Use our quick and easy trip customization form and find out how affordable your dream Costa Rica vacation can be! With CRS you don´t just vacation in Costa Rica, you experience it!

What To Bring:

The most important things to bring are your travel documents: a valid passport, flight and hotel information, health insurance card and driver's license (if you plan on renting a car in Costa Rica). We advise you to make three copies of these documents. Put one copy in your carry-on bag, one copy in your suitcase and leave one copy at home.

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