Author's tour "Panama City-Chagres National Park-Soberania National Park"

Founded by conquistadors in the 16th century, Panama City was the first Spanish city and port on the Pacific Coast. Today there are two cities in the country: Old Panama (Panama Viejo) and New Panama. In Old Panama there are continuous ruins of cathedrals from the early 17th century, monasteries, and bridges. New Panama is a beautiful modern city, a special part of which is the well-preserved Colonial part (Casco Antiguo), where there are many buildings from that era. This part of New Panama is declared a historical heritage of humanity and is under the protection of UNESCO. A 6-hour sightseeing tour of the city includes: the Miraflores locks, observation of their management and the movement of ships through them. At the Miraflores Visitor Center, you will learn about the work of this magnificent 20th century engineering structure, called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Also visit the IMAX theater, where they are showing a 45-minute film about the channel, narrated by Morgan Freeman. The film is shown in English with Spanish subtitles. We will also visit ancient and modern parts of the city. We will visit the residential area of the canal - the former zone where the Americans lived who were engaged in the construction of the canal, and one of the most beautiful streets of the capital - Balboa Boulevard, stretching along the coast of the Gulf of Panama. Casco Antiguo is a colorful area of the city with narrow streets, squares and parks, where much of the history of the country has been preserved to this day, experiencing once again revival and reconstruction. We will visit the National Theater - one of the most expressive examples of neoclassicism in Panama. We will walk along Plaza de France, visit the Church of San Jose and learn about the history of the salvation of its unique Golden Altar, and we will be able to look at the wonderful composition about the birth of Christ, installed for Christmas 2017. On Bolivar Square stands a monument to the Liberator Simon Bolivar, a national hero of many countries in Central and South America. Next, our route goes to Cathedral Square, where the Cathedral stands, opened after restoration in 2019, the Panama Canal Museum and the Municipal Palace are located. Next we will proceed to Amador Spit - the most amazing area of Panama City, which was previously three separate islands in the ocean: Naos, Perico and Flamenco.

Breakfast in the hotel. Departure on an excursion An exciting journey to the Chagres National Park, to the village of Tusipono, where the Embera Indians live, to the origins of Panamanian culture, to where man peacefully coexists with nature, and where nature can be so unpredictable. You will learn about the pre-Columbian history of Panama and Mesamerica, the origin of the Embera tribe, their traditions, crafts and way of life. The Indians make wicker baskets of amazing beauty and complexity, sculptures from mahogany Coco-Bolo wood, figurines from the tawa fruit, beads, bracelets and much more. You will see Indian dances and even take part in them. The most enjoyable part of this trip is a walk along the full-flowing Chagres River on an Indian pirogue and swimming in the Chorro del Mono waterfall, to which capuchin monkeys and howler monkeys sometimes descend. Traditional dances, a traditional Indian lunch - fried tilapia and fried bananas, fruits. For this excursion, we recommend sports shoes/lace-ups/with backs that you don’t mind getting wet. Depending on the time of year, sometimes you need to get to the waterfall along a path in the jungle, fording a river. The water can be up to your knees.

Breakfast in the hotel. Excursions to Soberania National Park and Lake Gatun are a small but unforgettable and very interesting adventure in the tropics! At 07.30 departure from the hotel to the Soberania National Park, where the village of Gamboa is located. First we sail on a boat along the Chagres River, then we go out into the Panama Canal, where ocean-going ships pass nearby, and we sail to the islands where you can see wild animals in nature. These are capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, tamarins, and there are crocodiles and turtles. And if you're lucky, you can even see manatees. After this excursion, we return to the lobby of the Gamboa Resort hotel, then take the funicular to the observation deck, which offers beautiful views of the Canal, then on the way back we visit the animal rescue center, orchidearium, paddling pool, and butterfly exhibition. The funicular is closed on Mondays. At the end of the tour, transfer to the airport