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The province of Chiriqui is located on the southewestern extreme of the country and borders Bocas del Toro to the North, Vergaguas to the east, Costa Rica to the West and the Pacific Ocean to the South. Chiriqui has a variety of contrasts from its beautiful coast to the highlands of volcanic origin that occupies most of its territory. Its favorable climate makes the region a perfect environment for agricultural activity as well as for cattle and products. Volcan is a very popular town, also called "little Switzerland" due to the Swiss architectural influence of its founders. The main attraction is Volcan Baru with its 3475 meters. To the north you find Cerro Punta, a small but famous town due to its wonderful climate, beautiful landscapes and flowers.
The Itinerary
Day 1: PANAMA CITY - BOQUETE, CHIRIQUI
This afternoon, we are picked up at our Panama City hotel and transferred to Panama City's Albrook domestic airport where we board the scheduled flight to David in the province of Chiriqui. A transfer vehicle is waiting to take us to the mountain town of Boquete and the quaint Hotel Panamonte. En route, we will stop at a scenic overlook of the valley of Boquete. The western highlands of Panama are some of the most picturesque in Central America. The cool, humid cloud forests of this region are home to a variety of birds, including Quetzals, Bellbirds, Solitaires and Redstarts and the countryside is dotted with flower, fruit and vegetable farms and coffee plantations.
HOTEL PANAMONTE (D).
Day 2: OPTIONAL WHITE WATER RAFTING OR BARU VOLCANO
This morning, we are picked up by Chiriqui River Rafting for our approximate 2-hour drive to the river put-in. Our 2 to 4 hour river experience will likely include Class III or IV sections of the Rio Chiriqui. Drive time to and from the river as well as the length and difficulty of the rafting will depend upon which section of the Rio Chiriqui is being run. A picnic lunch will be served on the river bank. Road conditions permitting*, those who choose not to go rafting depart in the early morning to make the approximate 1-1/2 hour journey to the summit of Baru Volcano. If visibility is good, it is possible to see the sunrise over both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans at the same time from this vista. Temperatures at this altitude can be below freezing before sunrise making warm clothing essential. *Note: if road conditions are poor, another nature-oriented excursion will be substituted.
HOTEL PANAMONTE (BLD).
Day 3: FINCA LERIDA - CERRO PUNTA.
This morning, explore Finca Lerida, located just outside Baru Volcano National Park. At an elevation of 7,500 feet, it is possible to see the elusive Resplendent Quetzal, Three Wattled Bellbird, Black faced Solitaire, Volcano Hummingbird, Long tailed Silky Flycatcher and Prong billed Barbet, among others. After a picnic lunch in the cloud forest, stop at a private flower garden and a coffee roasting facility.This afternoon, drive to the western side of the volcano to the town of Cerro Punta.
HOTEL LOS QUETZALES (BLD).
Day 4: LA AMISTAD INTERNATIONAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE.
Spanning across the international border into neighboring Costa Rica, La Amistad Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site is located at a point on the Central American isthmus where flora and fauna from both North and South America reach their maximum species mix, with great ranges in altitude, precipitation, soils and temperature. Spend the morning hiking and exploring La Amistad in the area of Los Quetzales trails. From mid-February to mid-April, it is often possible to see Resplendent Quetzals in great numbers - literally a dozen or more in one area. This afternoon, we drive back to David where we board the scheduled flight to Panama City. A transfer vehicle will be waiting at the domestic airport to take us to our Panama City hotel.
(BL).
General Information
Rated: Easy
| Private departure per person with naturalist guide | |||||||||
| Number of passengers | 2/3 | 4/5 | 6/7 | 8+ | Optional rafting | ||||
| USD | $ 1180 | $ 907 | $ 832 | $ 794 | $ 65 | ||||
| EUR | € 979 | € 752 | € 690 | € 659 | € 53 | ||||
| GBP | £ 660 | £ 507 | £ 465 | £ 444 | £ 36 | ||||
| Private departure per person w/o naturalist guide | |||||||||
| Number of passengers | 2/3 | 4/5 | 6/7 | 8+ | Optional rafting | ||||
| USD | $ 830 | $ 730 | $ 714 | $ 705 | $ 65 | ||||
| EUR | € 688 | € 605 | € 592 | € 585 | € 53 | ||||
| GBP | £ 464 | £ 408 | £ 399 | £ 394 | £ 36 | ||||
Included:
Lodging, land and air transportation within Panama, all airport/hotel transfers, meals as specified in the itinerary, entrance fees, guides' services and expenses except on the optional White Water Rafting excursion (guides provided through the sub-contracted companies providing the services, but not through Ancon Expeditions of Panama, and services of an in-bound land operator for airline re-confirmations and tour operations.
Not included:
International airfare, airport departure taxes ($20 per person), tourist card ($5 per person), Panama City hotel, meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras at hotels (laundry, telephone calls, room service, etc.), gratuities.
Note:
Weight restrictions apply to luggage in both commercial and chartered flights within Panama. A maximum of 25 lbs. per person is allowed. Arrangements can be made at the hotel to store luggage that will not be needed. Excess baggage charges assessed by commercial carriers are the responsibility of the passenger.
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