Central Panama with alumni UBC
Mar 14-22, 2025
9 days | Panama | alumni UBC Travel Club
We are thrilled to visit Panama for fascinating wildlife discoveries. Here, we find what may be the most accessible way to observe nature in the New World tropics, allowing us to enjoy a wonderful immersive experience of diverse habitats and wildlife. In particular, the tour serves as a fantastic introduction to the birds and mammals of Central America — the most visible actors in the natural habitats — but also other wildlife and a tremendous flora is revealed as we explore at our easy pace.
Our tour begins in the heart of the Canal Zone a stone’s throw from Panama City. We plan to visit national parks and reserves as well as other points of interest by foot and by water, allowing us to have a variety of experiences. See the famous Panama Canal up close and get some insights into its construction and the operation of its locks. While in the region, we also get a sense of the remoteness as we visit the Emberá people in one of their villages.
After our initiation to Panama, we travel west and into the hills near Valle de Antón, whose idyllic landscape is defined by volcanic activity that took place here long ago and is home today to mountain forests, waterfalls, and great views. Later we return to Panama City itself, where we visit a different forest type within the city limits and have a chance to enjoy the alluring beauty and history of the old city.
Join us for this interesting and enjoyable exploration of central Panama!
Tour Cost (per person):
US$4995 including all taxes and gratuities
Group Size:
10 - 12 participants
What’s included: Accommodations based on double occupancy; gratuities for services provided by Quest; ground transportation; activities as described in the detailed itinerary; entrance fees; meals as described in the itinerary; gratuities for guides, driver, and included meals; all taxes; services of your alumni UBC Study Leader, and an expert Panamanian naturalist
Itinerary at a Glance
Day | Activity |
1 | Arrive in Panama |
2 | Soberanía National Park, Rainforest Discovery Center, and Panama Canal Rainforest |
3 | Meet the Emberá, to San Lorenzo |
4 | Miraflores Locks, to El Valle de Antón |
5 | Exploring the Valle de Antón area |
6 | El Caño archaeology and La Pintada |
7 | El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, Pacific Coast, to Panama City |
8 | Metropolitan Park, Biomuseo, and historic Casco Viejo |
9 | Depart Panama |
Optional post-tour extension: Mount Totumas Cloud Forest |
Download Itinerary
Your Tour Leader
Liron Gertsman is an expert naturalist and guide as well as an award-winning photographer. A graduate of the University of British Columbia’s biology program, Liron is based in BC and has explored and guided across all corners of this magnificent province.