Panama Family Vacation Adventure

Destination:   |  Duration: 10 days  |  Call to Customize and Get Pricing

This amazing Panama Family Vacation offers a family-friendly travel experience revealing the highlights of Panama. You will start in Panama City exploring the historic center and experience the Panama Canal on the Pacific Coast. Fly to the Western Highlands and Panama’s adventure capital of Boquete. Then discover the rugged Caribbean Coast. Along the way, you will experience the thrill of whitewater rafting, soaring through the air on an exhilarating canopy adventure zipline tour , and having a private captain and boat for snorkeling the clear waters of the Caribbean. This is the ultimate Family Vacation to Panama!

Day 1: Welcome to Panama City and the Panama Hilton Hotel!

The Hilton Panama Hotel boasts one of the most spectacular locations in all of Panama City situated across the street from the Cinta Costera with postcard perfect views of the skyscrapers of Panama City in one direction and colonial Casco Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in another direction. The Panama Hilton offers super comfortable rooms, some with balconies and ocean view. It also boasts having the best rooftop pool in all of Panama City and is complemented by a tiki bar and poolside restaurant.

The Panama Hilton Hotel is the perfect place to base your family as you discover Panama City and all of the exciting attractions and things to do in the surrounding area!

Night at Panama Hilton Hotel – Deluxe Ocean View Room

Panama monkey

Day 2: Canal and Jungle Adventure

Enjoy a wildlife adventure on one of the world’s most famous man-made lakes. Located on the Isthmus of Panama, Lake Gatun was constructed between 1906 and 1914 and is a major part of the Panama Canal. Take a speed boat ride around the lake and see the enormous ocean-going ships transiting across the water bridge that links the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Marvel at the huge expansion project and you will see why the canal is even more impressive than imagined. Glide past verdant tropical rainforests keeping an eye out for sloths, monkeys, exotic birds, crocodiles and iguanas. After the boat ride, you’ll have a chance to explore the rainforest on your own while swimming, fishing and kayaking. Or just relax in a hammock and enjoy the slow pace of jungle life.

Night at Panama Hilton Hotel – Deluxe Ocean View Room

Embera Indigenous Panama

Day 3: Chagres River Adventure

Get an early start today as you are transferred to El Corotu on the shores of Madden Lake. This enormous lake supplies the drinking water for the cities of Colon and Panama and supplies 40% of the water for the Panama Canal. Take a motorized dugout canoe ride up the Chagres River and visit the Embera indigenous village. This boat journey will take you through a lush tropical rainforest in Chagres National Park, the largest of the National Parks protecting the Panama Canal Watershed. Keep a lookout for exotic birds including the Great Egret, the Ringed, Green and Amazon Kingfisher, the Keel-billed Toucan and even the Osprey. When you arrive at the village you will enjoy traditional music and dancing, then take a dip in the crystal-clear Chagres River.

Night at Panama Hilton Hotel – Deluxe Ocean View Room

Casco Antigua Panama City

Day 4: Panama City and Miraflores Locks Visitors Center

Explore vibrant and exciting Panama City, founded in 1519 and considered one of the most important cities in the Americas. Take a historic walking tour around the Casco Antigua. Admire the impressive San Jose Church, the National Cathedral, the Presidential Palace and other beautiful historic buildings and monuments. The next stop is the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal where you will be amazed at the construction of this engineering marvel.

Fly to David in Chiriqui province later in the day. This area is known for it’s gorgeous, lush and green highland scenery. You will stay near the lovely and quaint town of Boquete, surrounded by farms, coffee plantations, flowers and lush cloud forests.

Night at Valle Escondido Resort & Spa – Jr. Suite

Panama zipline adventure

Day 5: Boquete Zip Line & Hanging Bridges Adventures

Experience the thrill of taking a canopy tree trek on a zipline. You’ll soar high above the forest and see wildlife from a different perspective as well as a variety of trees, orchids and wildflowers.

If zipping through the treetops isn’t enough of an adventure for you, why not also try river rafting on the Rio Chiriqui? This thrilling river meanders along the Panamanian and Costa Rican borders and offers a heart-pounding ride.

Whether you want to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the natural surroundings, are looking for a soft adventure or seeking and adrenaline rush, Boquete has activities for all types of travelers.

Night at Valle Escondido Resort & Spa – Jr. Suite

Bocas del Toro Panama

Day 6: Transfer from Boquete to Bocas del Toro

After a good night’s rest, pack your belongings and get ready for the 4-hour drive to the pristine archipelago of Bocas del Toro. You will be literally traveling from the cloud forests, over the continental divide, to the coral reefs of the Caribbean.

Upon arrival at Almirante on the Caribbean coast, you will take a water taxi to Isla Colon (Colon Island) and then you will be transferred to your beach resort. The afternoon is free to relax, enjoy the amenities of the resort, or take a boat trip to find your own private island.  The time is yours to enjoy as you like.

Night on Bastimentos Island in a Private Villa with a Personal Pool

Day 7: Private Island Hopping and Snorkeling Tour

Take a beautiful hour and a half boat ride through Bastimentos National Marine Park to Zapatilla Island. This gorgeous park includes coral reefs, mangroves, wetlands and white sand beaches and it is home to more than 200 species of tropical fish. The two small islands of the Zapatilla Islands (Cayo Zapatilla Sur and Norte) are located just off the coast of Bastimentos. With a bit of imagination, the islands look like small shoes, which is what gives them their names.

Beautiful Coral Cay is a mere 20 minutes from Bocas town, located on the southeastern side of Bastimentos Island. See the thatch roof huts built on sturdy stilts on wooden piers over the calm and clear tropical water.

Night on Bastimentos Island in a Private Villa with a Personal Pool

Panama Bridge of the Americas

Day 8: Caribbean Leisure Day & Transfer to Panama City

Today you will have free time to enjoy this unspoiled Caribbean paradise. Grab a kayak and snorkeling gear to explore the peaceful Caribbean waters of Isla Colón. Hop aboard the free shuttle to the colorful capital of Bocas Town, just five minutes away, for some last minute shopping. Or keep it simple – grab a lounge chair to soak up some Vitamin D while you listen to the swaying palms.

In the afternoon, a short flight takes you back to Panama City for the remainder of your time in this diverse country. Here you see that Panama not only offers wildlife and nature, it also has a bustling city with thriving financial and beautiful historical and cultural centers. You likely arrive in time to watch the sunset over the iconic Bridge of Americas from your balcony overlooking the Panama Canal.

Night at Intercontinental Miramar Panama – Deluxe Ocean View Room

Day 9: Panama Canal Partial Transit Tour

Start your tour at the Flamenco Resort and Marina, where you will board the coach for a 45-minute ride to the town of Gamboa. Board the Pacific Queen and enter the canal on the north end of the Gaillard Cut, also known as the Culebra Cut because its curves resemble a snake. Check out the large-scale work for the Panama Canal expansion project.

Next, the Pacific Queen will enter Pedro Miguel Locks, one of the two sets of locks on the Pacific side. The vessel will be lowered 9 meters into Miraflores Lake where it will be lowered another 18 meters in two distinct steps. Once in the Pacific Ocean we will sail to the beautiful Flamenco Marina, passing under the Bridge of the Americas and admiring the Bay of Panama.

Night at Intercontinental Miramar Panama – Deluxe Ocean View Room

San Blas Islands Panama

Day 10: Depart Panama

The morning is yours to hang out at the hotel or nearby. Depending on how much time you have, you might enjoy a swim in the pool or take a cab to explore more of Panama City.

You will be picked up in the lobby of your hotel three hours before your scheduled departure flight. Transfer to Tocumen International Airport to catch your international flight back home with many amazing stories of your adventures in Panama to share.

San Blas Islands Extension – Extend your trip with a relaxing stay on the San Blas Islands. The water is impossibly blue, the sand is as white as sugar, the Caribbean sun shines down and the gentle sea breezes sway in the leaves of the palm trees. You won’t be sorry to come home a little less stressed.