Panama and Costa Rica by Sea: The Natural Wonders of Central America – with Smithsonian Journeys

Extend your experience of Central America from the coastline to the mountains on this specially designed program.

 

Day 1 – San José, Costa Rica | Arenal Volcano Area

 

Arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José, where you will be met and transferred on a

two and a half hour drive to the Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa in La Fortuna, site of Arenal Volcano National Park, and your home for the next three nights. Join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail, followed by dinner at the hotel.

 

Day 2 - Arenal Volcano Area

 

Spend a relaxing day at Tabacon enjoying the resort’s thermal mineral springs and waterfalls or perhaps book one of their spa treatments (additional cost). Or join us on a hike in the Arenal Volcano area to explore the 1968 lava flows and take in extraordinary views of the smoking volcano and the surrounding landscape. The trail is filled with a diverse array of flora and fauna, including colorful birds, monkeys, and exotic plants.

 

Day 3 - Arenal Volcano Area

 

Depart after breakfast on an hour and a half drive through the Northern plains to Los Chiles, very near the Nicaraguan border, where you will board a boat for a floating safari along the Rio Frio through the rain forest of Caño Negro—a birder's paradise, home to the anhinga, the roseate spoonbill, wood storks, and the jabiru, the largest bird in Central America. Along the shore, you may catch sight of howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and white-faced monkeys, as well as the three-toed sloth and reptiles like caimans, Jesus Christ lizards, and turtles.

 

Return to your hotel for some time at leisure before dinner.

 

Day 4 – Arenal Volcano Area | Monteverde Cloud Forest

 

Check out of the hotel and meet your guide for a scenic drive up the mountains to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, part of the world famous Monteverde Cloud Forest.

 

You may choose between two ways of experiencing this unique ecosystem: the first is a mile and a half 'Sky Walk' through the treetops on a trail including six hanging bridges. You will enjoy the refreshingly cool air at this altitude while looking out for the fascinating animals that roam here: howler and white-faced monkeys, the three-wattled bellbird, keel-billed toucan, bare-necked umbrellabird, and the gorgeous quetzal. The second tour visits a family-run farm where you will see sugar cane, coffee, and banana plants and view the stages involved in producing high-quality coffee. Ride an ox cart to the sugar mill (trapiche) where sugar cane is processed into brown sugar. End the visit by sampling the farm’s coffee and sugar cane products.

 

After your adventure in the clouds or on the farm, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the El Establo Hotel, where you stay the night. Dinner at the hotel is included.

 

Day 5 – Monteverde Cloud Forest | Puntarenas Embarkation

 

After breakfast at the hotel, continue your exploration of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on a 2-hour guided walk through one of the most biodiverse regions of Costa Rica, habitat for over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles.

 

Lunch at a local restaurant is followed by a relaxing drive to Puntarenas for embarkation on Le Champlain.

 

Your hotels:

The world-class Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa is a hotel dedicated to sustainable practices set on 900 acres of lush tropical reserve near Arenal Volcano National Park. The hotel features 42 rooms; natural thermal mineral river, waterfalls, and pools; a full spa; two restaurants; and four bars.

 

The rustic Hotel El Establo is set on a private 150-acre farm adjacent to the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves. It houses 155 rooms, two restaurants, a swimming pool, spa, and hiking trails.

 

Your program includes:

·        Transfers and luggage handling from the San José airport, through the program as described, and on to the pier on Day 5

·        3 nights at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, including 3 dinners and 3 breakfasts

·        1 night at the Hotel El Establo, including dinner and breakfast

·        Lunches on Days 2, 3, 4, and 5

·        Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary

·        Local English-speaking guides

·        Gratuities for guides, drivers, porters, and waiters for included meals

 

Your program does not include:

·        Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program departure day

·        Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

Please note:

·        It is imperative that your flight departure details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the hotel to the airport.

·        The Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José is a 2 ½ hour drive to the hotel; we recommend flights arriving by 2:00pm.

·        This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.

·        Program is offered on a space available basis.

·        Program is subject to change without notice.

Hotel contact information:

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

La Fortuna de San Carlos

Alajuela Province

Costa Rica

+506-2519-1999, +506-2479-2000, or toll-free from the USA +1-855-TABACON

 

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Bº Cerro Plano, Monteverde

Costa Rica

+506-2645-5110

This program offers two different perspectives on the Isthmus of Panama, as you spend two nights at a resort surrounded by a lush jungle of tropical rainforest, after a day tracing the history of the importance of the region as a crucial link in international trade. See how these two aspects of Panama co-exist and enjoy some of the best eco-tourism available in Panama.

 

Day 1 —Colon | Dismbarkation| San Lorenzo | Gamboa

 

After breakfast, disembark Le Champlain and travel a short distance to the northern end of the Panama Canal to the Agua Claras Observation Center, where you will see the recent efforts to keep this important trade route open as you observe the results of the Panama Canal Expansion. This project doubled the waterway's capacity by creating a new lane of traffic and a new set of locks. The Observation Center offers stunning views over the Canal and Lake Gatun, as well as accessible and informative exhibits on the Canal's past, present, and future.

 

After this, step into the past with a visit to the 400-year-old ruins of Fort San Lorenzo. Built by the Spanish as one of a number of fortifications to protect the northern end of the trade route across the isthmus, it was an important leg in Spain's transatlantic trade. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an extraordinary example of 17th and 18th century military architecture, San Lorenzo commands marvelous views of the Caribbean and the mouth of the Chagres River.

 

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before you transfer to your hotel, the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve, located at the confluence of the southern leg of the Panama Canal and the Chagres River.

Relax and enjoy the many amenities of this resort property before dinner at the hotel.

 

Day 2 — Gamboa

 

After breakfast at the hotel, begin your day of exploration with a cruise on Gatun Lake. Before the construction of the Panama Canal, the area that is now a lake was jungle teeming with wildlife. But as the region was flooded to create the canal, animals took refuge in mountain peaks that are now the many islands that dot the lake. Leisurely cruise the channels, islands and bays of this unique ecosystem, gliding past lush rainforests to a secluded region of the lake, where you can experience nature up close. Exotic birds, monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and crocodiles are just some of the animals you might encounter in this beautiful tropical jungle.

 

Return to the hotel for an independent lunch followed by a leisurely walk to visit the Reserve's Sloth Sanctuary, where at-risk animals are monitored and treated so that they can be re-introduced to the wild; a Butterfly Garden, showcasing about 20 different species; an Orchidarium; and a protected Frog Pond, where the entire life cycle of these fascinating amphibians is on display. Later choose between a birding walk on the Pipeline Road to observe some of its 350 species or an aerial tram ride through the canopy of the rainforest aboard a gondola that traverses about half a mile of jungle at a height of 400 feet for views of nesting birds, sloths, and a variety of monkeys. The balance of the afternoon is at leisure, followed by an included dinner at the hotel.

 

Day 3 — Gamboa| Panama City

 

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City for your flight home.

 

Your hotel:

Located in the midst of Soberanía National Park on 340 acres overlooking the Panama Canal, Gamboa Rainforest Reserve Resort is a spectacular property that immerses you in the tropical jungle while providing comfortable rooms with views of the Chagres River and the Lake Gatun. Amenities include a swimming pool, fitness center, and two restaurants.

 

Your program includes:

·        2 nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve Resort

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the ship to the hotel on disembarkation day

·        Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the airport on the scheduled program departure day

·        Lunch on Day 1

·        Dinner on Days 1 and 2

·        Breakfast on Days 2 and 3

·        Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary

·        Local English-speaking guide

·        Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

 

Your program does not include:

·        Transfer from the hotel to the airport on any day other than the scheduled program departure day

·        Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

 

Please note:

·        It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the the hotel to the airport.

·        Early check-in and/or late check-out are available depending on availability and at a supplement. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.

·        The official currency is the Panamanian Balboa, which is on par with the US dollar. US dollars and credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.

·        This post-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.

·        Program is offered on a space available basis.

·        Program is subject to change without notice.

 

Hotel contact information:

Gamboa Rainforest Reserve

Corregimiento de Cristobal, Colon, IA 5

Panama, Panama 7338

Phone: (507) 314 5000

WhatsApp: (507) 6672 3083