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1st Day: Arrival to Panama City

You will be welcome by us at Tocumen International Airport , nearby Panama City , and transferred to a Panama City Hotel. We will have a welcome meeting for the group at 07:00 pm in the hotel lobby. Lodging at Hotel Marbella.

2th Day: The Chagres Challenge

Get ready for an early start at 7 am when you will be picked and taken in an all-terrain vehicle to the remote village of San Cristobal , which is past the mountains of Cerro Azul, northeast of Panama City.

After a wild 4x4 drive through our own made highway, you will hike for about 2-3 hours on a trail within Chagres National Park up to Rio Piedras, a Chagres River tributary. Here you will get into rafts to float downstream (Class II-III rapids) into the untouched jungles of the upper basin of the Chagres River.

We will set up camp in a river shore around 4 p.m. Tales around a cozy campfire are a sure thing. Lodging at Tent Camp (B,L,D).

3rd Day: Embera Indian Village

After breakfast you will help to take down our camp and leave no trace behind. Then, you will continue rafting further downstream passing an impressive granite canyon with some white water rapid action, and ending just before encountering Madden Lake .

There you will be expected by a “piragua” (native wooden canoe equipped with outboard motor) that will take you to their Embera Indian Village .

These Embera Natives migrated to Chagres National Park more than 20 years ago, where they found here the same habitat that they were so familiar with in the Darien Jungles, by Colombia .

After sharing the kind hospitality of Embera Natives we will get back to our “piragua” that will take us to the nearest road. A driver will be expecting to bring you back to civilization, and to your new destination, Santa Clara Beach, about 2 hours drive, to the southwest of Panama City. Here you will be pampered by the sound of the breaking waves of the Pacific Ocean for a good night sleep. Lodging Hotel Veraneras (B,L).

4th Day: Rio Grande White Water, Class III

After an early breakfast we will head northwest, about 1.5 hour drive, toward Rio Grande where depending on river water level we might raft or kayak it. And then hit the road further west and up to Boquete in the mountain region of Chiriqui Province , where a cooler climate will surprise you. Around dinner time you will reach your hotel. The rest of the evening you can walk around enjoying the fresh and cool air. Lodging Hotel Panamonte (L).

5th Day: White Water River Rafting, Chiriqui

After an early breakfast, you will head toward the border with Costa Rica , at Paso Canoas. Close by, you will put in on a breathtaking, adrenaline rush, rafting tour on the Chiriqui Viejo River with most rapids being Class III-IV. The river passes through a canyon and spectacular waterfalls characterize it. Depending on the water level and section used it you will be rafting about 3-4 hours. Lodging Hotel Panamonte**– lunch.

6th Day: “Los Quetzales” Trail, Chiriqui

After breakfast you will be taken to hike “Los Quetzales” trail from Cerro Punta to Boquete crossing Volcan Baru National Park . With luck, you will see the magnificent Quetzal, a bird only found in cloud forests of Central America . This hike will last 4-5 hours and ends in Boquete where a driver is waiting to take you to David Airport in time to take the last flight to Panama City. Lodging at Hotel Marbella.

7th Day: Mamoni (Class III-IV) or Pacora(Class III) in duckies

By now we had paddle all river worth running in Panama except Mamoni, only within 1.5 hour drive from Panama City toward the north east. If by any chance it is flooded we might choose smaller Pacora River but our objective will be to paddle in duckies. Lodging Hotel Marbella (B,L).

8th Day: Departure

After your breakfast you will be transferred to Tocumen International Airport (depending on departure time). If time allows it you can search for great buying deals at Los Pueblos Mall or visit ethnic cultural exhibition at Los Pueblitos, or visit Panama Canal Miraflores Locks. It is up to you !.(Activities not included).