PANAMA + COSTA RICA
Expedition to the Heart of Central America
13 DAYS
20 PEOPLE
- EURO
Two countries. Two oceans. Two weeks of unforgettable adventures!
We will begin our journey in modern Panama, where skyscrapers stand alongside colonial neighborhoods, and giant ships from all over the world pass through the legendary Panama Canal every day. We will visit the Embera indigenous village, sail down a river through tropical jungle, see the pirate fortress of Henry Morgan, and meet wild monkeys in their natural habitat.
Then Costa Rica awaits us - one of the most amazing countries in the world, where almost a quarter of the territory is under nature protection. This small country is considered a global example of environmental care and impresses with an incredible diversity of landscapes: active volcanoes here neighbor tropical forests, cloud jungles, and waterfalls.
Over several days we will look into the crater of an active volcano, see powerful waterfalls, cross hanging bridges through the cloud forest, and observe sloths and other exotic wildlife. Then we will head to the Pacific coast, where national parks, jungle, and wild beaches await us!
We will get to know sloths, toucans, hummingbirds, and bright butterflies, swim in thermal springs, find ourselves on the black volcanic beaches of the Pacific Ocean, and feel why Costa Rica is considered one of the most beautiful and nature-rich countries on our planet.
The highlight of the trip will be Corcovado National Park - a place that National Geographic calls one of the most biologically intense spots on the planet. Here the chance to encounter tapirs, anteaters, scarlet macaws, monkeys, and many other rainforest inhabitants is especially high.
And we also have the aroma of the finest Costa Rican coffee, ocean sunsets, and incredible nature ahead of us. This is a trip for those who want to see the real Central America - wild, vibrant, diverse, and remarkably beautiful.
- accommodation in hotels with breakfast
- travel by group bus
- guide in Panama
- visit to the Embera indigenous village
- ticket to the Panama Canal and a visit to the cathedral
- visit to the San Lorenzo fort and park
- boat tour to see monkeys in Gamboa, with lunch
- visit to a coffee plantation with lunch
- entrance tickets to the Poas volcano viewpoint
- walk with lunch at La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- walk through a hanging bridges park and sloth watching in Monteverde
- boat safari on the Tarcoles River with American crocodiles
- boat transfer to Corcovado National Park
- entrance tickets to the Sirena Corcovado reserve
- entrance tickets to Manuel Antonio Park
- tips for local guides and drivers included
- flight to Panama and return flight from Costa Rica
- airport transfer
- meals not specified in the program
- domestic flight ticket Panama - San Jose (approximately 250 usd)
- optional additional activities
- insurance for active recreation
- visa, if required
1. Our company operates as an international travel organizer, therefore groups are formed from travelers from Ukraine, the Baltic countries, the EU, Israel, North America, and other countries. The working languages of the trip are Ukrainian, Russian, and English, depending on the group composition and translation arrangements. Each guide speaks Ukrainian, and in personal communication we respond in the language of the inquiry. If a 100 percent Ukrainian-language trip is essential for you, please уточнюйте this before booking. The company does not cooperate with citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.
2. Due to the fact that our expeditions do not include international flights to the starting point of the program, we cannot be held responsible for changes in flight conditions by airlines or airport requirements. Since our travelers fly from many different countries and cities, we never participate in the purchase of air travel and limit ourselves exclusively to advisory services in the selection of flights. Air agents or airlines from which tickets were purchased are responsible for the purchase and technical support.
TRAVEL PROGRAMME
Day 1
27.01.27
Arrival in Panama
Arrival at Tocumen International Airport (PTY), independent transfer to the hotel, meeting with the Paganel expedition guide. Check-in and rest. Time to recover from the flight and get in the mood for the journey.
(Included: one night at the hotel)
Day 2
28.01.27
Panama City + the Embera Tribe
After breakfast, we head out by private bus with a local guide to visit the Embera tribe, who live on the banks of the Chagres River. The indigenous Embera people have lived here in the tropical forest for thousands of years. We will reach their village by boat and get to know their traditional way of life, crafts, music, and cuisine.
In the second half of the day - a sightseeing tour of Panama City. A walk through the historic colonial center: narrow streets, an old cathedral, and facades that remember the Spanish colonizers.
And nearby - traces of a much more recent history: what remains of the American military presence, a reminder of how closely the fates of Panama and the canal are intertwined with U.S. history. The contrast of this day is the essence of Panama: ancient traditions and a colonial past - just a walk apart from each other.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 3
29.01.27
Panama Canal + San Lorenzo Fort
An eventful day with three completely different highlights.
We will visit two locks of the Panama Canal, one of the greatest engineering feats in history. From the viewing platforms you can watch multi-ton ships from all over the world pass through this system, rising and falling by 26 meters. The scale is impressive even for those who have seen it in photographs.
Next we will visit the 17th-century Spanish fortress Castillo de San Lorenzo on a cliff above the Chagres River, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was built to defend against pirates, including Henry Morgan, who nevertheless captured it. The ruins of the fortress and the views of the river and surrounding jungle create a unique atmosphere.
We will end the day in the company of wild monkeys in their natural habitat. Capuchins, howler monkeys, and tamarins live in this area. It's a meeting you're sure to remember.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 4
30.01.27
Flight to San Jose, visit to a coffee plantation
Welcome to Costa Rica! After landing, we head to the legendary Doka Estate plantation - one of the oldest and largest coffee farms in the country, located on the slopes of the Poas volcano. Coffee has been grown here for more than 100 years.
The estate has preserved Costa Rica's oldest mill with 19th-century equipment, a site under UNESCO protection. The guide will walk you through the entire production process, from bean to cup, and of course invite you to taste the result. Lunch is included here.
Transfer and check-in at the hotel.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 5
31.01.27
Poas Volcano + La Paz Waterfall Gardens
In the morning we head to Poas Volcano - one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. A crater almost 2 kilometers in diameter and 300 meters deep is a sight that is hard to put into words.
After that - La Paz Waterfall Gardens: a system of five waterfalls in the tropical forest, with a trail running alongside them that passes through enclosures with toucans, hummingbirds, butterflies, and monkeys. Lunch of traditional Costa Rican dishes is included here.
We end the day with a transfer to La Fortuna - a town at the foot of the Arenal volcano.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 6
01.02.27
Free Day in La Fortuna
One of the few days when the schedule is entirely up to you. La Fortuna is an ideal base for active outdoor recreation.
Optional activities: zip-lining and canyoning above the tropical forest, horseback riding, a hike to a viewpoint with a panoramic view of the volcano.
In the evening - thermal springs warmed by volcanic heat. One of the most memorable moments of the trip.
(Included: breakfast, one night at a hotel with thermal springs)
Day 7
02.02.27
Monteverde + Transfer to the Coast
In the morning we head to the Monteverde cloud forest - one of the few preserved biological reserves of this scale in the world. It is home to around 400 bird species and thousands of plant species.
A walk across hanging bridges above the treetops offers a unique perspective: the forest not from below, but from within. Separately, we will visit a sloth rescue center: a tour with the chance to see these slow and charming animals up close.
In the afternoon we transfer to the Pacific coast.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 8
03.02.27
Crocodile Safari + Coastal Beaches
In the morning - the Jungle Crocodile Safari: a boat tour through mangrove thickets, home to one of the world's largest populations of American crocodiles. Some individuals reach 4 meters or more. In addition to crocodiles, there is bird watching: herons, ibises, parrots, and many other species that nest along the river. The guide will talk about the mangrove ecosystem and the life of these ancient reptiles.
After the safari we drive along the Pacific coast, stopping at several beaches along the way - each one is a little different: some wild and deserted, some with waves for surfing, some with scenic rocky cliffs.
One of the stops is Playa Hermosa, known for its distinctive black volcanic sand.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 9
04.02.27
Finca 6 + Transfer to Corcovado
On the way to Corcovado National Park we make a stop at Finca 6 - a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most mysterious places in Costa Rica.
In the 1930s, workers of the United Fruit banana company began coming across perfectly round stone spheres while clearing the jungle. Large and small, ranging from a few centimeters to two meters in diameter, the biggest ones weigh 16 tons.
Who created them, when, and why remains unknown to this day. There are many theories, ranging from astronomical maps to markers of chiefs' territorial boundaries. None has been proven.
It is precisely here, on the site of a former plantation on the plain of the Terraba River, that the spheres have survived in their original arrangement - a rarity, since most were removed or destroyed. In 2014, UNESCO added this site to the list of sites of global significance as evidence of a vanished civilization.
Next we arrive at a river port, board a boat, and travel through mangrove thickets and open ocean to Corcovado National Park - our base for the next few days.
We will stay at a small eco-lodge right on the ocean shore.
We will watch an unforgettable sunset to the sounds of wild nature.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the lodge)
Day 10
05.02.27
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park is one of the wildest and most untouched places not only in Costa Rica but in all of Central America. It is here that pristine tropical forests have survived, where nature follows its own laws and humans remain only rare visitors. In the morning we will travel by boat along the Pacific coast to one of the park entrances, then head deep into a true rainforest with a local guide.
Corcovado is called one of the most biologically rich spots on the planet. Several ecosystems coexist within its territory, from mangrove swamps and marshes to dense jungle and Pacific beaches. It is home to four species of monkeys, two species of sloths, tapirs, anteaters, scarlet macaws, toucans, caimans, and hundreds of other animals. With luck, you might even spot the tracks of a jaguar, the most elusive predator in Central America.
Corcovado's main value is the feeling of genuine wilderness. There are no roads, towns, restaurants, or souvenir shops here. Only narrow trails, the sound of the ocean, the calls of monkeys, birdsong, and enormous trees, some of which are centuries old. It is for this very atmosphere that people fly here from all over the world, and National Geographic has called Corcovado one of the most biologically intense places on Earth.
After lunch, a walk to the wild beaches, where we will watch the sunset.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the lodge)
Day 11
06.02.27
Snorkeling + Transfer to Manuel Antonio
In the morning there are two options: relax on the beach or go snorkeling in the waters of the Pacific Ocean off the Osa Peninsula: coral, colorful fish, and starfish.
After lunch we return by boat to Sierpe and head toward Manuel Antonio, one of the most famous national parks in Costa Rica.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 12
07.02.27
Manuel Antonio Park + Departure for San Jose
In the morning - a walk through Manuel Antonio Park: a cozy tropical forest that leads right down to the crystal-clear beaches of the Pacific Ocean.
White-faced capuchin monkeys here are so accustomed to people that they come right up close. Sloths, pelicans, iguanas - in just a couple of hours you can see more than in many zoos.
After lunch we head to San Jose and check in at the hotel.
(Included: breakfast, one night at the hotel)
Day 13
08.02.27
San Jose + Flight Home
In the morning, an optional walk through San Jose: the historic center, the National Theater, and the central market.
Flight home - with memories of a vibrant journey!
Since most of the expenses for the organization of the trip are air tickets and travel documents for other types of transport, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. are not refundable in case of your cancellation of the trip. We simply have no way to return it.
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