Dear Vacation Traveler, Welcome to a great vacation at an affordable price. Your Panama Canal tour is all inclusive with all meals, all activities, all hotels, a great itinerary, all airport transfers, all transportation and excursions. A professional Tour Director accompanies you for the entire Panama Canal vacation. Our travel packages also offer purified water at meals and on the motor coach. Join the smart shoppers and experienced travelers who have chosen us for their vacations.
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Panama Canal Cruise, Rainforests & Beaches
Duration: 8 Days
Accommodation: Ship Cabin & Hotels
Meals: All meals included
Travel Dates: Jan. - Dec., 2012
Price from (land only): USD$995pp + Taxes $219
based on two sharing. Call us for the lowest airfares.
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1-800-663-9787
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2012 Departure Dates
Apr |
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 |
May |
5, 12, 19, 26 |
Jun |
9, 16, 23 |
Jul |
7, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 |
Aug |
4, 11, 18 |
Sep |
8, 15, 22, 29 |
Oct |
6, 13, 20, 27 |
Nov |
2, 3, 9, 10, 17, 24 |
Dec |
1, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 |
*indicates Super Value date
Call For Latest Availability
Tours sell out fast! Please call 1-800-663-9787 before confirming other travel arrangements to verify availability and place a complimentary hold on your preferred departure date. Other dates may be available.
2012 Price Per Person - $U.S.
| Room Type |
Super Value |
Great Value |
| Double |
$ 995 |
$ 1,095 |
| Triple |
975 |
1,075 |
| Single |
1,395 |
1,495 |
Plus Taxes and Fees:
Double $219; Triple $199; Single $249
How to Reserve Space
Call 1-800-663-9787. You can reserve space free for up to 3 days, then a $300 deposit per person is due. Full payment due 60 days prior to departure.
In Latin America, we'll transfer you between the airport and hotel on the starting and ending dates of your tour..
All Meals Included
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Hotels - listed by day
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Begins and Ends: Panama City, Panama
Itinerary
Day 1 – Panama City, Panama
Welcome to fun, vibrant Panama, home to the Panama Canal, the most important waterway in the world. Take two daytime cruises on the Panama Canal: one through the canal locks and another cruise on Gatun Lake. The Isthmus of Panama links North and South America. See both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. With Hume Travel you explore rainforests and sandy beaches. Meet friendly native Indians living in the jungle. Hume Travel provides transfers from Panama’s Tocumen Airport to your hotel for a two night stay. Rooms are available for check in after 4:00 p.m. Join us for an 8:00 p.m. welcome briefing. Dinner is at your hotel. D
Day 2 – Panama Viejo, Miraflores Locks
Morning visit to the ruins of Panama Viejo (Old Panama), the city founded by the Spanish in 1519, as a gateway for gold from the Inca Empire. Next, drive into Casco Viejo for a photo stop at San Jose Church. See the famous Gold Altar, saved from the pirate, Henry Morgan. Both Panama Viejo and Casco Viejo are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Lunch overlooking the Panama Canal Locks. Visit Miraflores Locks and the Canal Museum. Learn about the Canal construction and operation. From Pre-Columbian times to the present day, Panama had a prominent role as the major transit route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Drive along Panama City’s bay front. See the statue of Vasco Balboa, the first European explorer to cross the Isthmus and view the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy dinner. BLD
Day 3 – Panama Canal Cruise - Gatun Lake
This morning cross the Isthmus to Colon, the Caribbean port at the north end of the Panama Canal. Your short drive of Colon goes by the Free Trade Zone, the largest in the Americas and the Panama Canal Railway Station. Visit Gatun Locks. Gatun is the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. At the visitor center you will learn about the three adjoining locks which raise ships 87 feet above the Caribbean Sea on to the Panama Canal. Lunch. This afternoon enjoy a boat ride on Gatun Lake, the artificial lake which forms part of the Panama Canal. See the lush jungle watershed region of the Panama Canal. Cruise through jungle canals and by hilltop islands, home to a variety of wildlife. See Monkey Island. Enjoy a relaxing two night stay at your resort located in the rainforest. Dinner. BLD
Day 4 – Panama Canal Cruise - Locks Transit
Today an unforgettable adventure as you cruise another portion of the Panama Canal. Cruise by the Bridge of the Americas, pass through Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, cross the Continental Divide. Then wind through the Gaillard Cut to the town of Gamboa. Your small passenger vessel allows for close-up views of the opening and closing of the huge six foot thick steel gates of both the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. See, at eye-level, how transiting vessels are guided by tugboats and pulled by small trains. (Please note: route may be reversed.) Return to your rainforest resort. This afternoon enjoy a short rainforest hike. Dinner. BLD
Day 5 – Embera Indians, Playa Blanca
This morning, cruise on the Chagres River to visit an Embera Indian village. The Embera inhabit the rainforests of Panama. Look for exotic Embera handicrafts, such as tightly woven palm fiber baskets and carvings made form tagua nuts and the cocobolo tree. Next, cross over the Panama Canal on the Centenario Bridge en route to Playa Blanca. Lunch. Then, a relaxing two night stay on the Pacific Coast. Dinner. BLD
Day 6 – Playa Blanca, El Valle
Morning visit to picturesque El Valle, a town situated in the crater of an immense dormant volcano. Scenic drive of the village’s charming homes. Next, visit a tropical zoo, home to a variety of exotic birds and wildlife. including Panama’s golden frog. Then stop at the local artisan marketplace. Return to your resort for lunch. Afternoon at leisure, enjoy the resort’s sandy beach and swimming pools. Dinner. BLD
Day 7 – Handicrafts, Panama City
This morning return to Panama City via the Bridge of the Americas. Drive the spectacular Amador Causeway which connects Perico, Naos and Flamenco Islands. Enjoy views of Casco Viejo and the stunningly modern Panama City skyline. Panama City is a combination of Manhattan, Miami, and Las Vegas blended with Latin American flavor and style. Lunch on the Causeway. This afternoon visit a Kuna Indian marketplace. Shop for colorful Kuna mola embroidery depicting rainforest animals and marine life. Enjoy a farewell dinner. BLD
Day 8 – Panama City
Your tour ends after breakfast this morning at your hotel. Breakfast begins at 7:00 a.m. We'll provide transfers to Panama’s Tocumen airport, arriving at 5:30 a.m., 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Thanks for vacationing with Hume Travel. ¡Hasta la vista! B
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Hotels
Accommodations in the hotels and lodges are rooms with two beds and private bath or shower. A limited number of single rooms are available. Triple rooms are usually two beds, sometimes with a cot or rollaway.
Days 1, 2, 7 – Panama City
Courtyard by Marriott
The Courtyard by Marriott Panama City hotel is centrally located in Panama City, Panama. This modern hotel is near the business district and is located approximately 30-60 minutes from the Panama City Airport, depending on traffic. The hotel is adjacent to the Multi Plaza Pacific Mall, a large, upscale shopping mall featuring a movie theatre, many restaurants and over 200 stores. The Courtyard by Marriott Panama City amenities include a 24-hour business center, small fitness center, small outdoor plunge pool, restaurant, bar/lounge and a washer/dryer for guest use. All guest rooms are air-conditioned and feature a flat screen TV, complimentary wired and WiFi internet, dual line phones, large work desk with ergonomic chair, laptop sized in-room safe, hair dryer, iron/ironing board and a coffee/tea maker.
Days 3, 4 – Paraiso
Radisson Rainforest Summit Hotel & Golf Course
The Radisson Summit Hotel & Golf Course is located on 160 acres in a rainforest area, between the Soberania and Metropolitan National Parks. Resort amenities include a championship 18-hole golf course, fitness center, and an outdoor pool. Guest rooms are air-conditioned and feature a flat screen TV, complimentary wireless internet access, hair dryer, iron/ironing board, coffee maker and a safe deposit box. All guest rooms are non-smoking.
Days 5,6 – Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca Resort
Playa Blanca Resort is located on the beach on Panama's Pacific coast. Hotel amenities include an active pool, a quiet pool, a swim-up bar, two Jacuzzis, a game area and a mini-golf putting area. Internet access is available for a fee in the lobby. Guest rooms are air-conditioned and have cable TV and a hair dryer.
Airport Transfer Information
Arrival Transfers
H ume Travel's vacation packages include arrival transfers from Tocumen Panama International Airport (PTY) in Panama City, Panama to the Courtyard by Marriott in Panama City on the day the tour begins. After you clear customs and exit the baggage claim area, a representative with a sign will meet you. Please use your luggage tags to help your representative identify you. If you do not see your airport representative, please wait a few minutes as he or she may be assisting other passengers. The representative will arrange a transfer to your hotel, where you will spend the next two nights. When you arrive at your hotel, please identify yourself as a tour member to the front desk personnel. If your flight is delayed, there is no need to call us, since your transfer representative will wait for you, no matter how late your arrival on the day the tour begins. However, if your flight is delayed to the following day, or your flight is cancelled, or your flight number is changed, please advise us. Hume Travel transfers are included only on the day your tour begins. If you are arriving a day or two early, or later, you will need to transfer on your own, at your own expense. Taxi fares from Tocumen Airport to the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Panama City run approximately $30.00 USD. The driving time from the airport to the hotel is approximately 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. To enter Panama, you will need a U.S. passport valid for 6 additional months after the date of your arrival into Panama. Non U.S. citizens, please check passport and visa requirements. Note: It is recommended that children under 18 years traveling internationally without both parents or legal guardians, carry a notarized letter of authorization signed by the missing parent(s) or guardian(s). A notarized birth certificate showing only one parent, a parent's death certificate, or a court order of child custody may also be permissible. Failure to have proper documentation could result in denial of boarding by the airline, due to international child protection laws.
Departure Transfers
Caravan's vacation packages include departure transfers from the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Panama City to Tocumen Panama International Airport (PTY) in Panama City, Panama arriving at 5:30 am, 8:00 am and 11:00 am. on the day the tour ends. If you wish to leave at another time, you will need to transfer on your own, at your own expense. Taxi fares from your hotel to Tocumen Airport cost about $30.00 USD. The driving time from the hotel to the airport is approximately 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic. Please advise the Tour Director if you will be taking your own taxi separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in the tour price?
Virtually everything! Hotels, all meals, all of the activities described in the itinerary pages, airport transfers, gratuities to hotel porters, restaurant staff and local guides. Caravan’s professional Tour Directors conduct every land tour from start to finish. They are fluent in English, experienced and fun, ensuring a worry free vacation.
What is not included in the tour price?
Prices do not include air travel, country entry or departure fees, airport porters, visas, phone calls, valet, laundry, all items of a personal nature, extra food and beverages not on the regular menu, and tips to the Caravan Tour Director and Driver. General fees and taxes are additional and listed separately beneath each tour’s price.
Can your tours be enjoyed by all age groups?
Usually, you find a mix of different age adult travelers on a Caravan Tour. Most tours will be joined by adults of all ages. Children age five (5) and over are welcome, and children usually join tours offered during Christmas holidays, summer vacation and spring break vacation.
How long will each day be?
A well paced and unhurried itinerary is our goal, after all, you are on vacation! Touring days begin and end at reasonable hours and include frequent stops. While the occasional early morning departure is necessary, we do our best to ensure a leisurely vacation and you will arrive at your hotels between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. each day.
How large will my group be?
Group sizes will vary depending on the reserved rooms at the hotels and lodges and the capacity of the boats and motorcoaches used. Usually, group sizes range from 30 to 44 passengers.
Are meals included?
All meals are included on your Panama tour. Included meals for each tour are listed at the end of each day. Meals are shown by B (breakfast), L (lunch) and D (dinner). Full, buffet, or deluxe continental breakfasts are included everywhere. Bottled water is provided free on the motorcoach and purified water is provided at the meals. Alcoholic beverages are not included unless specified.
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