9 Days • 8 Nights
Luxury Panama: The Canal, Highlands & the Pearl Islands
Tour Includes
About the Trip
Trip Highlights
- A private experience of the great Panama Canal, in comfort and depth, is an awe-inspiring luxury highlight. The Panama Canal is one of the world's greatest wonders, and you experience it privately and in style. With an expert private guide you enjoy premium access at the Miraflores Locks, watching giant ships raised and lowered between the oceans from the finest vantage points, and dining overlooking the locks, and may take a private partial transit by boat, gliding through the great chambers past rainforest. The epic story of the canal's construction is brought vividly to life, without crowds or rush. The scale, history and refined access are awe-inspiring.
- The finest boutique hotels of colonial Casco Viejo offer elegance and romance on this journey. Casco Viejo, the beautiful colonial old town of Panama City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to some of the most stylish boutique hotels in the Americas, chic conversions of colonial mansions with rooftop pools, gorgeous design and superb restaurants. You stay amid its cobbled streets, leafy plazas and pastel buildings, savouring sunset cocktails on a rooftop terrace above the old town and glittering skyline, dining at the city's finest tables, and enjoying private tours of its churches, galleries and hidden corners. The elegance, design and atmosphere are wonderful.
- A luxury coffee lodge and the world's most prized Geisha coffee are a refined highlight of this journey. High in the Chiriqui highlands beneath Volcan Baru, you stay at a luxurious mountain lodge amid misty coffee slopes, cloud forest and flower gardens, the cool green heart of Panama's finest coffee country. You enjoy a private tour of an exclusive estate that produces Geisha, the most prized and expensive coffee in the world, walking the plantations and savouring an exquisite tasting of this legendary bean at its source. You walk private cloud forest trails alive with hummingbirds and quetzals, and indulge in spa treatments and fine highland cuisine.
- An elegant Pearl Islands resort with whale watching is an idyllic highlight of this journey. In the Pacific off Panama's coast lie the beautiful Pearl Islands, an archipelago of forested isles ringed by golden and white-sand beaches and turquoise water, where you relax at an elegant island resort. You laze on beautiful beaches, swim in the warm Pacific, indulge in spa treatments, and dine on fresh seafood in barefoot luxury. From July to October, the waters here host one of the world's great gatherings of humpback whales, and you take a boat trip to watch these giants breaching and playing, an unforgettable spectacle.
- Effortless luxury, private guiding and gastronomy make this a supremely refined journey. Throughout this journey, every detail is crafted for comfort and pleasure. You enjoy the finest boutique hotels and island resorts, private expert guides, seamless domestic flights and transfers, and premium access to the canal and coffee estates, so everything is effortless. You dine at Panama's best tables, from sophisticated Panama City restaurants blending global and local flavours to fresh seafood on the beach, savour the world's most prized coffee, and indulge in spa treatments in the highlands and by the Pacific. Every day blends beauty, exclusivity and ease.
- Above all, this journey offers a refined, effortless and deeply rewarding luxury experience of Panama. Panama rewards travelling in style, and this journey combines its most captivating experiences with the finest hotels and effortless luxury. Over nine days you enjoy a private canal experience and boutique nights in colonial Casco Viejo, a luxury lodge and the world's most prized coffee in the Boquete highlands, and an elegant island resort with whale watching in the Pacific Pearl Islands, guided with expertise and pampered throughout. The combination of great engineering, colonial elegance, highland refinement and island indulgence, all in effortless comfort, makes this luxury journey utterly captivating.
Day by Day
A detailed day-by-day plan for this 9-day journey.
Your luxury journey begins as your flight arrives at Panama City's Tocumen International Airport, where you are met and transferred in comfort to a chic boutique hotel in the beautiful colonial old town of Casco Viejo. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Casco Viejo is a beguiling maze of cobbled streets, leafy plazas and pastel colonial buildings, framed by the glittering skyline across the bay, and your stylish hotel, perhaps with a rooftop pool, sets the tone for the journey. Spend the rest of the day settling in and relaxing, perhaps strolling the old town, browsing its galleries, and sharing sunset cocktails on a rooftop terrace above the plazas and skyline. This evening, a fine welcome dinner introduces you to Panama's sophisticated cuisine and to the refined journey ahead. As you settle in, the elegance and warmth of Panama work their magic. Rest well, ready to experience the great canal in style tomorrow.
Today you experience the great canal privately and in style. With an expert private guide you enjoy premium access at the Miraflores Locks, watching giant container ships and cruise liners raised and lowered between the oceans from the finest vantage points, and learning the epic story of the canal's construction without crowds or rush, perhaps over a fine lunch overlooking the locks. You may take a private partial transit by boat, gliding through the great chambers past rainforest islands, or visit the expanded Agua Clara locks. The scale, history and refined access are awe-inspiring. As the day ends, you return to your boutique hotel. This evening, dine at one of Panama City's finest restaurants, blending global and local flavours. Rest well amid the elegance of the old town, for tomorrow you explore Casco Viejo and the city in style.
Today you savour the elegance and culture of Panama City at leisure. With your private guide you explore colonial Casco Viejo in depth, admiring its plazas, baroque churches, the golden altar of San Jose and rooftop views, browsing its galleries and boutiques for fine molas, Panama hats and Panamanian design, and pausing in its stylish cafes. You might visit the striking Biomuseo by Frank Gehry, take in the skyline from the causeway, or enjoy a private gastronomic experience or spa treatment. The afternoon is yours to relax at your boutique hotel's rooftop pool or shop at leisure. The elegance, culture and ease are wonderful. As the day ends, you dress for the evening. This evening, dine at another of the city's finest tables. Rest well amid the old town, for tomorrow you fly to the luxury of the coffee highlands.
Today you journey to the luxury of the cool coffee highlands of Boquete. You transfer to the airport for a short, scenic domestic flight west to David, then drive up into the misty mountains to a luxurious lodge amid coffee slopes, cloud forest and flower gardens beneath Volcan Baru. The fresh mountain air and refined comfort are a wonderful contrast to the tropical lowlands. You settle into your elegant lodge and, in the afternoon, take a private walk amid gardens and forest edge alive with jewel-like hummingbirds, indulge in a spa treatment, or simply relax by the fire with a cup of world-class coffee and sweeping mountain views. As the day ends, you savour the beauty and refinement of the highlands. This evening, enjoy exquisite highland cuisine and fine coffee. Rest well amid the misty mountains, for tomorrow you savour the world's most prized Geisha coffee and cloud forest.
Today you savour the refined pleasures of the highlands. You enjoy a private tour of an exclusive estate that produces Geisha, the most prized and expensive coffee in the world, walking the misty plantations, learning the extraordinary care behind each bean, and savouring an exquisite tasting of this legendary coffee at its source. You walk private cloud forest trails with an expert guide, alive with hummingbirds and the chance of the magnificent resplendent quetzal amid the mossy, orchid-hung trees, and visit beautiful waterfalls and gardens. You may indulge in a spa treatment or soak in volcanic hot springs. The coffee, beauty and refinement are wonderful. As the day ends, you return to your lodge. This evening, savour a final exquisite highland dinner and coffee. Rest well amid the mountains, for tomorrow you fly to the Pacific island indulgence of the Pearl Islands.
Today you journey to the Pacific island indulgence of the Pearl Islands. You fly back to Panama City and take a short scenic flight or boat transfer out to the Pearl Islands, a beautiful archipelago of forested isles ringed by golden and white-sand beaches and turquoise water in the warm Pacific. You settle into an elegant island resort, all barefoot luxury, beautiful beaches and fine dining, and spend the afternoon relaxing, swimming in the warm sea, lazing on a lovely beach, or indulging in a spa treatment. The beauty, warmth and indulgence are idyllic. As the day ends, you watch a spectacular sunset over the Pacific. This evening, dine on fresh seafood in refined comfort by the water. Rest well amid the islands, lulled by the sea, for tomorrow you relax on the beaches and, in season, watch the humpback whales.
Today you savour the beauty and indulgence of the Pearl Islands. You relax at your elegant resort, lazing on beautiful beaches, swimming in the warm Pacific, and indulging in spa treatments and fine dining in barefoot luxury. From July to October, you take a boat trip to watch humpback whales, which gather here in one of the world's great whale gatherings, breaching, tail-slapping and playing in the warm waters, an unforgettable spectacle; outside whale season, you enjoy snorkelling, island-hopping to deserted beaches, or a sunset cruise. The beaches, whales and indulgence are idyllic. As the day ends, you return to your resort. This evening, savour fresh seafood and cocktails by the water as the sun sets over the Pacific. Rest well amid the islands, for tomorrow you enjoy a final day of island indulgence.
Today you enjoy a final, indulgent day of Pacific island luxury in the Pearl Islands. With nothing to do but relax, you laze on beautiful beaches, swim in the warm sea, and indulge in spa treatments, or take an optional excursion, island-hopping by boat to secluded beaches, snorkelling over reefs, kayaking, or, in season, one more magical whale watching trip. You savour the barefoot luxury, fine dining and effortless calm of the resort, reflecting on the refined journey you have made through Panama, from the canal and colonial elegance to the coffee highlands and the Pacific. The beauty, indulgence and ease are wonderful. As the day ends, you watch a final glorious sunset over the Pacific. This evening, enjoy an exquisite farewell dinner of fresh seafood by the water. Rest well amid the islands, for tomorrow you begin your journey home.
This morning you savour a final swim and breakfast at your Pearl Islands resort before transferring by flight or boat back to Panama City, in time for your onward international departure (or a final elegant few hours in the capital). You leave having experienced Panama in style and comfort, a private experience of the great canal, boutique elegance in colonial Casco Viejo, a luxury lodge and the world's most prized Geisha coffee in the Boquete highlands, and Pacific island indulgence with whale watching in the Pearl Islands. The images stay vivid long after you land, the giant ships in the locks, the rooftop cocktails above the old town, the misty coffee slopes, and the humpback whales breaching in the warm Pacific. Panama offers great engineering, colonial elegance, highland refinement and island indulgence in abundance, and you depart pampered, relaxed and already dreaming of a return to the loveliest corners of the isthmus.
Where You Will Travel
What's inside the package?
Inclusions
- 8 nights accommodation, a welcome dinner and full board at the Pearl Islands resort
- Daily breakfast
- Airport and land transfers in air-conditioned private vehicles
- Touring and sightseeing as per itinerary with expert licensed local guides
- Entrance fees to sites, locks and reserves as per itinerary
- private touring with an expert guide, domestic flights to the Chiriqui highlands and the Pearl Islands, luxury boutique, lodge and resort accommodation, a private Panama Canal experience, a Casco Viejo tour, an exclusive Geisha coffee estate tour, private cloud forest walks, spa access, a Pearl Islands whale watching trip in season, and all entrance fees
Exclusions
- International airfare
- Visa or tourist card fees where applicable
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Premium wines, spirits and speciality spa treatments
- Optional excursions and tips for guides and drivers
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary or inclusions
- Drinks unless specifically stated
- Optional excursions and experiences
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything not specifically mentioned under Package Inclusions
Know when to go.
- Visa & entry: Most nationalities (including citizens of the UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia and many others) do not need a visa for tourism and may stay for up to 90 to 180 days; a passport valid for at least three to six months with onward or return travel is required. Requirements can change, so we confirm the exact process for your nationality before you travel
- Currency: Panama uses the US dollar as its everyday currency, officially alongside the Panamanian balboa, which is pegged one-to-one to the dollar and circulates as coins; bring US dollars in small denominations. Cards are widely accepted in Panama City hotels, restaurants and shops, but the San Blas (Guna Yala) islands, small villages and rural areas are cash only, so carry enough cash there. ATMs are common in towns and cities
- Best time to visit: The dry season from mid-December to April brings warm, sunny days ideal for the canal, Panama City, the Caribbean islands, the beaches and the highlands; the green season from May to November brings warm, wet afternoons, lush rainforests, fuller rivers and fewer crowds, and is also excellent, with mornings often bright and clear and whale watching in the Pearl Islands at its best from July to October
- Language & etiquette: Spanish is the official language, and English is widely spoken in Panama City, the canal area and tourism, so travel is easy and rewarding; Panamanians are warm, friendly and relaxed. Panama is richly multicultural, and when visiting the indigenous Guna of San Blas or the Embera of the rainforest, we follow their customs, ask before photographing people, and support their communities respectfully
- Getting around: Touring is by private air-conditioned vehicle with your own guide and driver, with short internal flights (to Bocas del Toro and the Chiriqui highlands) and scenic road and boat transfers between regions; the San Blas islands are reached by 4x4 and boat, and Bocas del Toro is an archipelago explored by water taxi. Roads are generally good, and we build in comfortable timings and the best routes
- Health & safety: Panama is one of the safest and most stable countries in Central America, and travel here is smooth and rewarding; we monitor conditions and follow official advice. Tap water is safe to drink in Panama City and most of the country; use insect repellent in the rainforest and islands, protect against the strong tropical sun, and consider routine travel vaccinations and advice from your doctor before you travel
- Culture & history: Panama sits at the crossroads of the Americas, and its culture blends indigenous (Guna and Embera), Afro-Caribbean (the Congo heritage of Portobelo), Spanish colonial and cosmopolitan canal-era influences. From the colonial old town of Casco Viejo and the ruins of Panama Viejo to the great engineering of the canal, understanding this rich history and diversity deepens any journey through the isthmus
- Power & practicalities: Power is 120V, with US-style type A and B flat-pin plugs, so bring an adapter if needed. Tipping is appreciated for good service, and small tips for guides and drivers are customary. Bring light, breathable clothing, a hat, sun cream, insect repellent, swimwear, comfortable walking shoes, a light rain jacket, and a warmer layer for the cool highlands and cloud forest of Boquete
Frequently Asked Questions
What standard of hotels can I expect on this luxury journey?
This journey uses the finest accommodation available in each region: chic boutique hotels in colonial Casco Viejo, often converted colonial mansions with rooftop pools and superb design, a luxurious mountain lodge amid the coffee slopes and cloud forest of Boquete, and an elegant beach resort in the Pearl Islands. All are chosen for their comfort, character, service and setting. We can further tailor the standard to your preferences, arranging suites, private villas and the very best rooms throughout for a truly indulgent experience of Panama.
When can I see humpback whales in the Pearl Islands?
The Pearl Islands, in the Pacific off Panama, host one of the world's great humpback whale gatherings from roughly July to October, when thousands of whales come to these warm waters to breed and calve, and boat trips offer superb, often close encounters of breaching and playful whales. If your journey falls in this season, whale watching is a highlight; outside it, we replace it with snorkelling, island-hopping and other indulgent island experiences, so the Pearl Islands reward a visit at any time of year.
What meals are included?
Daily breakfast is included, along with any meals named in the itinerary (typically a welcome dinner and selected lunches or dinners at special locations, such as fresh seafood on the San Blas islands or a meal with an Embera community). Panamanian cuisine is varied and delicious, from sancocho (a hearty chicken and root-vegetable soup) and ceviche to fresh Caribbean seafood, patacones (fried plantains), tropical fruit and superb highland coffee, and we usually leave other meals free so you can explore, recommending the best local restaurants at every stage of your journey.
Are the tours private or in a group?
Your journey is private by default, with your own expert licensed local guide and air-conditioned vehicle, giving you flexibility, depth and a pace tailored to you; small-group options can be arranged if you prefer. Panama's knowledgeable guides bring the canal, the colonial old town, the rainforests, the islands and the diverse cultures of the isthmus vividly to life, greatly enriching every visit, and a private guide is invaluable for weaving together the country's many highlights.
Do I need a visa for Panama?
Most nationalities, including citizens of the UK, EU, US, Canada and Australia, do not need a visa for tourism and may stay for up to 90 to 180 days. We confirm the exact, current requirements for your nationality and advise on the simple entry process, so arrival is smooth. A passport valid for at least three to six months with proof of onward or return travel is required.
Is Panama safe to visit?
Panama is one of the safest and most stable countries in Central America, with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and travel here is smooth and rewarding. We continuously monitor conditions, use trusted local guides and drivers, and follow official guidance at all times. As anywhere, we advise normal sensible precautions with valuables in busy city areas, and the genuine warmth and relaxed spirit of the Panamanian people are among the great joys of a visit.
When is the best time to visit?
The dry season from mid-December to April brings warm, sunny days ideal for the canal, Panama City, the Caribbean islands, the beaches and the highlands. The green season from May to November brings warm, wet afternoons, lush rainforests and fewer crowds, with excellent whale watching in the Pearl Islands from July to October. We advise on the best timing for your interests and the regions you wish to see, and tailor the pace to the season.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Absolutely. We can adjust the balance of Panama City and the canal, the San Blas islands, Bocas del Toro, the Boquete highlands, the Pearl Islands, Portobelo and the rainforests, add whale watching, coffee tours or an Embera village visit, upgrade to luxury boutique hotels and island lodges, and tailor the pace, comfort and focus to you. Every itinerary is a flexible starting point for your ideal journey through the landscapes and cultures of Panama.
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