Panama | Between Two Continents with Dr. Quint White

Upon arrival at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, meet your driver and travel approximately 30 minutes to the hotel, which is situated in the heart of the Casco Viejo historic district on the Plaza de la Independencia. Check-in begins at 3 pm. This is an international arrival day, with most flights arriving in the evening; therefore, no activities are planned today.

Start the day breakfast at the hotel followed by a Welcome Orientation with your guide. This morning, visit the BioMuseo, Panama City's strikingly colorful museum designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry that showcases the country's natural history and impact on the world's biodiversity. It represents the saga of the Isthmus of Panama, a land that united two continents, changed the world's biodiversity, and connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Inside, eight permanent exhibits tell the story in graphic detail. Then, visit Punta Culebra - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to explore a rocky intertidal zone and sandy beach at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal and learn about the work of the STRI staff during a talk. After lunch, check out the Panama Canal Museum, a space dedicated to the intricate history of the Canal. In the late afternoon, explore the historic district of Casco Viejo, or Casco Antiguo, built in 1671 after the destruction of Panamá Viejo by the English privateer Henry Morgan. Casco Viejo's parks and narrow streets are lined with colorful buildings representative of Spanish, French, and early American architectural styles. This eclectic collection of architectural styles reflects the city's role as an international trade center and cultural melting pot long before the building of the canal. Explore the Metropolitan Cathedral, Municipal Palace, National Theater, French Embassy, and France Square.

Visit Metropolitan Natural Park, a tropical dry forest in the center of Panama City. Perhaps the only forest reserve within a major capital city in Latin America, it boasts a rich variety of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles; it also affords visitors the chance to see Geoffroy's Tamarin. Take an easy walk to an overlook for a sweeping perspective of Panama City. In the afternoon, explore the Panama Bay Mudflats, designated a wetland of international importance or Ramsar site, as well as a site of hemispheric importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). The Bay of Panama is an important wintering habitat to thousands of shorebirds including Western Sandpiper, Semipalmated and Black-bellied Plovers, Willet, Whimbrel, and Short-billed Dowitcher.

Today, visit the Agua Clara Visitor Center to see the engineering feat of the Panama Canal locks. Then, depart for Lake Alajuela, with discussions en route about Indigenous cultures and their history in Panama. Upon arrival at the Chagres River, board dugout canoes (each canoe holds 10 to 12 people) for the journey through the dense jungle. Upriver, step out of the dugout canoes and experience a short hike (which could be a bit muddy) to a beautiful waterfall in the midst of the rainforest. Those who want to cool off can take a swim in the refreshing pool just beneath the waterfall. Continue to the village of the Emberá, one of seven Indigenous communities in Panama. The people of the Emberá community will provide a warm welcome and share about their life. The village Chief will explain the history of their people, their traditions, cultures, beliefs, and handicrafts. After a typical lunch of fish and plantains prepared by the Emberá women, experience a traditional dance and have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts. The sale of local products directly benefits the village and helps fund schooling for the children. There is also the opportunity to get "inked" with a temporary Emberá tattoo painting. Later this afternoon, return by boat to the dock and transfer by bus to Gamboa Rainforest Resort. Settle in and have dinner at the hotel.

Today, visit the Rainforest Discovery Center, located at the world-famous Pipeline Road. Begin at the visitor center, observing up to 14 species of hummingbirds that have been recorded at the feeders. Continue along the trails observing birds of the undergrowth, such as manakins and trogons. Ascend the 130-foot tower to observe birds in the canopy layer such as the Mealy and Red-lored Parrots, Keel-billed and Yellow-throated Toucans, Blue Cotinga, Masked Tityra, and Green and Red-legged Honeycreepers. Continue along Pipeline Road with our guide. Then, visit the Sloth Sanctuary and enjoy a presentation with the founder of the Panamerican Conservation Association (APPC). Learn about wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, their work to transition injured animals back into the wild, animal relocation during canal expansion, and meet their animal ambassadors. In the afternoon, take a ride on Gamboa's Aerial Tram, a journey of almost 2,000 feet aboard a gondola that rises above the rainforest, to appreciate viewpoints otherwise unachievable on the ground. At a height almost touching the treetops, you may see a wide variety of nesting birds, sloths, and several species of monkeys. At the end of the tram ride, find an impressive 100-foot-high observation tower with a 360-degree view of the Soberanía National Park, the Emberá Indigenous communities nearby, and the famous intersection where the Chagres River feeds the Panama Canal and subsequently fills Gatún Lake to ensure the passage of ships. After dinner, seek out and discover nocturnal species during a night walk.

This morning, visit Soberanía National Park. Created in 1980, it stands as one of Panama's natural jewels and is one of the country's most accessible tropical rainforests. Next, visit Summit Ponds for birding and Summit Botanical Gardens, which hosts a research center for development of tropical biology and horticulture. The botanical garden showcases a representation of plant species from tropical and subtropical countries around the world and from the native species of Panama. Afterwards, return to the resort for lunch. Next, head to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center to view the locks at work and enjoy the museum's interactive displays.

Today, venture into the historic town of Portobelo, located on the Caribbean coast of Panama. Portobelo was the busiest port in the Americas during colonial times and continues to hold historical significance due to its fortification ruins, which are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. These were built by the Spanish Crown in the 1590s as part of a network to defend transatlantic trade and protect Portobelo's harbor and the mouth of the Chagres River - the beginning of the transcontinental route across the Isthmus of Panama. Head to the harbor for a full-day boat trip and enjoy chances to dive and snorkel in the Bay of Portobelo. Snorkeling gear is provided and diving can be arranged at an additional cost.

Travel to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute dock in Gamboa for a 30- to 45-minute boat ride to Barro Colorado Island. This 3,855-acre island and reserve is considered an important hub for tropical biologists for its dense tropical forest and the breadth of flora and fauna that inhabit it; the island is home to almost 400 species of birds, 500 species of butterflies, and 500 species of trees, as well as one of the oldest tropical research stations in the world. The STRI has produced more than 13,000 scientific publications from the extensive research and innovative projects they have conducted in the 100 years that Barro Colorado has been a reserve. Take a guided walk through the forest on a relatively easy trail. Learn about the important research being done here and enjoy lunch in a cafeteria. Return to Gamboa at around 3:30 pm.

Today, board a ship in Gamboa to enjoy the unique experience of a partial, southbound transit through the Panama Canal, which takes about four hours to complete. Travel south through the Galliard Cut to the Pedro Miguel Locks, the first of two sets of locks on the Pacific side. Here, the ship is lowered 29.5 feet in one step. Then, pass through Miraflores Lake, an artificial body of freshwater that separates Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks. Passing through the Pedro Miguel Locks, the ship is lowered 59 feet in two steps to the Pacific Ocean and provides beautiful views of the Panama City skyline. Later, gather for a farewell dinner and a show featuring a folkloric performance in downtown Panama City.

Travel to the airport this morning for your flight(s) home. Check out is at 12 pm.