The Panama Canal and Costa Rica

An 11-Day Tauck Tours tour starting from $5,790

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Starting Price: $5,790 Printer Friendly Page
Tour Length: 11 Days
Countries Visited: Bolivia, Panama
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  • Special Savings for Single Travelers
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More Information About This Tour:
Tour Type:
 Tour and Cruise
Tour Category: NULL
Tour Operator: Tauck Tours
Tour Code: Tauck-PCW2012
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Cities Visited:
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Tauck’s 11-day journey, The Panama Canal & Costa Rica, offers the delightful combination of a memorable Panama Canal cruise and up-close discoveries of amazing wildlife, fascinating centuries-old cultures and man-made marvels. A 6-day voyage aboard the sporty yacht, Le Levant, includes a complete transit of the Panama Canal, as well as encounters with the Kuna and Choco peoples who live in tropical villages in the Darien Province and San Blas Islands much as they have for centuries. Cast anchor near sun-kissed beaches along the Pacific Ocean, explore a rainforest jungle on the Osa Peninsula and spend two nights in San José, Costa Rica, discovering national treasures, from coffee beans to volcanic landscapes to golden artifacts to architectural gems.

 
Itinerary
 
 
Sightseeing
 
 
•   All gratuities to Tauck Directors, local guides, naturalists and ship staff
 
Day 1: Arrive Panama City
You will be met upon arrival at Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport and transferred to the InterContinental Miramar Panama. Join us for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening as you meet your fellow travelers.
Overnight: InterContinental Miramar Panama, Panama City
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Adventures in the Gamboa Rainforest
Cultural riches notwithstanding, tropical landscapes in and around the city entice with a wealth of delightful discoveries. Explore the former US command headquarters at Ancon Hill en route to Gamboa Rainforest Resort. After a lunch featuring Panamanian food, you'll discover the amazing rainforest up close with expert naturalists on an aerial tram ride or a boat cruise along the canal.
Overnight: InterContinental Miramar Panama, Panama City
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Panama City Sights / Embark Le Levant
Sightseeing this morning includes visits to Panama Viejo (Old Panama) and a walking tour of cobblestoned Casco Viejo. See the French Embassy, the Cathedral and the Teatro Nacional and stroll along the waterfront promenade, Las Bóredas. Drive to the Miraflores Locks and have lunch overlooking the Panama Canal. Continue on to Colón to board Tauck’s yacht, Le Levant, for your six-night cruise transiting the Panama Canal and to tropical ports in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Discover the San Blas Islands
Drop anchor along the Panama coast at one of the 365 small islands of the San Blas Archipelago. Explore a local Kuna village on Achutupo Island to experience a glimpse of tribal life; go inside a private home and view artisans at work on their beautiful handcrafted molas. Spend the afternoon in tropical bliss as you swim and snorkel off a sugar-sand beach along the Caribbean Sea. Le Levant charts a course for the Panama Canal tonight.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Transit the Panama Canal
Opened in 1914, the Panama Canal is one of mankind’s most incredible engineering endeavors. You’ll be able to fully appreciate it aboard Le Levant, where you are free to view the canal crossing from your small yacht’s open decks. It’s approximately a ten-hour journey from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, during which time Le Levant enters three sets of locks – Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and the Gatún locks – and is raised and lowered a total of 85 ft. A local Panama Canal guide will provide insider commentary as the ship makes its way through the canal, regaling you with stories about this important shipping route. While a daylight transit time through this 51-mile-long canal cannot be guaranteed, your crossing is sure to be a treasured highlight whether you see it by day or illuminated at night.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Explore the Darien Province
Discover Panama’s remote Darien Province today – one of the most ecologically diverse regions of Central America – for a most unique cultural experience in a Choco village nestled on the banks of the Mogue River. Glimpse the cultural traditions of local villagers, including their traditional dance, and view their distinctive cocobolo wood and tagua vegetable ivory carvings. Return to Le Levant, and chart a course for Granito de Oro, Coiba Island.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Coiba Island National Park
Snorkel this morning at the tiny island of Granito de Oro and spend the afternoon on Coiba Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that remains pristine and virtually untouched by visitors. Le Levant anchors off a secluded white-sand beach and launches Zodiac crafts to take you ashore. We’ll treat you to a beachfront barbecue for lunch before cruising to yet another Pacific Ocean jewel at our next destination – Costa Rica.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Hiking in a National Wildlife Refuge
Enjoy a nature excursion to Punta Rio Claro National Wildlife Refuge on Punta Marenco. Join a naturalist guide for a hike followed by a refreshing swim in Rio Claro.
Overnight: Aboard Le Levant
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Sarchi and San José
Disembark ship in Puerto Caldera this morning and travel to the village of Sarchi en route to San José. This artisan town is known for the production and painting of the traditional ox carts seen all over Costa Rica. A city sightseeing tour welcomes you to San José this afternoon, including visits to the National Theater and the Gold Museum, showcasing pre-Columbian gold artifacts.
Overnight: Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 10: Coffee and La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Near-perfect growing conditions, from climate to soil, have made coffee one of Costa Rica’s most important exports. Visit Doka Coffee Plantation to discover how the beans are harvested and roasted. Nature takes center stage at La Paz Waterfall Gardens with a chance to see beautiful Quetzals up close. Join us for a farewell dinner this evening.
Overnight: Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: Journey Home
Tour ends: San José, Costa Rica. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the Real InterContinental Hotel to San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport is included. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

 
         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)


No Departure Date Information was found for this Tour. This could be due
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Please call a tour specialist at 1-800-942-3301 for personalized assistance.

 
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
         

Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.
 

 
 
 
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All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.