Panama City & San Lorenzo Post-Extension

Day 1 - San Lorenzo Protected Area / Panama City

This morning, we disembark National Geographic Quest and set out for the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center. Experience history in the making with a firsthand look at the newest, operational locks. At 70 feet wider than the original locks, Panamax-size vessels start or finish their ocean-to-ocean transit here.

Following our visit, we turn toward fabled Fort San Lorenzo, where Punta Toro juts into the ocean and where the Chagres River meets the Caribbean. Dating back to the early 1600s, this iconic fort, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, stands sentinel perched on a cliff above the river. The fort was later converted to a prison after the Spanish abandoned the Chagres trading route, opting to travel overland via the isthmus. On walks through the San Lorenzo Protected Area, among the verdant green of the forest, we experience the dazzling biodiversity of one of Panama’s little-known and more rarely explored natural gems. We listen for mantled howler monkeys and watch for the movement and color of tropical birds in the canopy including yellow-throated toucans and slaty-tailed trogons. On the ground and lower down may be poison dart frogs and blue morpho butterflies. Although much less commonly seen, northern tamandua anteaters are here. As we explore, we may be watched by ocelots or even the legendary jaguar, remaining hidden from view in the thick vegetation of the tropical forest.

Making our way across the isthmus to Panama’s capital, after enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, we tour the Frank Gehry-designed BioMuseo. This is Gehry’s first and only design in Central America and features over 30,000 feet of gallery space with eight exhibits dedicated to the history of the isthmus and its extraordinary biodiversity. The U.S. Army Fort Amador is our next stop; it's nearby to the museum and is positioned strategically to protect the southern terminus of the Panama Canal at Panama Bay. the U.S. Army Fort Amador is our next stop. Named for the first president of Panama, Manuel Amador Guerrero, the fort served as a U.S. Army base until 1999 when it was turned over to Panama. After checking into our hotel, we look back on our day of adventure and exploration over a cool drink and dinner before settling in for the evening. (B,L,D)

Day 2 - Panama City/Miraflores

After breakfast, we enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Miraflores Locks followed by a private VIP tour of the Panama Canal Museum with lunch at the on-site restaurant, Atlantic & Pacific Co. Dine in the restaurant's private dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and an unparalleled view of the canal.

In the evening, we visit the second of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the extension, the Casco Viejo neighborhood of Panama City. Walking the Old Town, experience the color and ambiance of the historic core of the city. Set on a peninsula and walled for protection, with cathedral spires overhead, narrow streets, and small shops, Casco Viejo offers us a look into Panama’s colonial past. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the evening. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - Panama City/Home

This morning we say good-bye to Panama and transfer to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport for our flights home. (B)

Cost Includes:

2 nights hotel accommodations, meals indicated, transfers, sightseeing, and entrance fees.

Not included:

All airfare, personal items, and immigration fees.