Highlands

Chiriqui Viejo River Whitewater Rafting Tour

Enjoy a whitewater rafting day of adventure after meeting at the office at 8:15am to get properly prepared and briefed. Despite whether it is raining anywhere else in the country, the year-round sunny skies and lower elevation on the Chiriqui Viejo River allows you to maximize your sun time during your vacation. The comfortable air-conditioned transport vehicle will take you to the river where the guides will be waiting to suit you up in a life jacket, water shoes, helmet, and a paddle. The brief safety demonstration will highlight proper paddling techniques, review guide commands such as "forward" "back" and "stop," and give tips of how best to stay in the raft. Wet suits are not needed for this tropical warm water river run.  The journey through the jungle will start with some excellent high-volume first rapids to get the heart racing. The expert local guides' experience and steering techniques, as well as their sense of humor, will add to the excitement of the ride. Be prepared to see interesting wildlife such as squirrel monkeys, herons, kingfishers, and egrets around every bend of the river, as well as enjoy passing by local countryside farms with cattle, horses, farmers and cowboys.The day will pause around noon for a buffet lunch riverside when the guides will cut up fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as provide assemble-your-own sandwiches with the best local ingredients. All personal dietary restrictions can be easily accommodated. Once the fresh food has settled and break time is finished, you will load back into the rafts to continue the day's excitement. At approximately 2pm, after around 8.5 miles (14 km) the trip will finish up at the take-out with beers and sodas to celebrate with the guides. Take a group or raft team photo with your raft guide to take the memories home. Your vehicle will be waiting to return you to Boquete around 3:30pm. Don't forget to look up your free photos after the trip.

Island Tour and Snorkeling in the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park

From the mountain town of Boquete, you will drive 1.5 hours, in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, to Boca Chica, a small fishing village on the Pacific Coast. After getting into the boat, you will pass through the mangrove forested volcanic islands of the Chiriqui lagoon and harbor toward the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park, a 14,740 hectare marine park with around 25 uninhabited islands and serves as a refuge for howler monkeys, leatherback and hawksbill turtles, tiger herons, and exotic fish. This area is also a haven for humpback whales during the months of July to October. There are no mammals on Isla Bolaños due to no fresh water, but you can catch a glimpse of iguanas and sea birds such as magnificent frigatebirds, pelicans, cormorants, and hawks. The sun tends to shine over the white sand, palm-lined beaches in the Gulf of Chiriqui even when it’s raining everywhere else! Depending on visibility and climate, you will snorkel at your own leisure around one of the beautiful islands and pass the late morning and better part of the afternoon lunching, exploring, swimming, relaxing in a hammock, and playing on the white sand beaches of Isla Gamez or Isla Bolaños.Lunch is a healthy smorgasbord of fresh fruit and vegetables, assemble-your-own sandwiches, chips and salsa, cookies and crackers, and fresh coconut from the island. Drinks are also included with options varying between rum and pineapple cocktails, rum and cokes, national beer, or white wine, as well as sodas, juice, iced tea, and fresh ice water. After lunch, feel free to take a short hike to another uninhabited and pristine beach where you will hardly find another person. After a few more hours enjoying the sun, sand, and sea, you will return on the boat ride through the national park, and return to Boquete.

Gulf of Chiriqui Whale Watching and Islands Tour

Between the dates between July 15 to October 15, the humpback whales from the southern hemisphere visit Panama. With your professional guide, begin your day around 7am, from the mountain town of Boquete, you will drive 1.5 hours, in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, to Boca Chica, a small fishing village on the Pacific Coast. After getting into the boat, you will pass through the mangrove forested volcanic islands of the Chiriqui lagoon and harbor toward the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park, a 14,740 hectare marine park with around 25 uninhabited islands and serves as a refuge for howler monkeys, leatherback and hawksbill turtles, tiger herons, and exotic fish. This area is also a haven for Humpback Whales during the months of July to October. You will spend some extra time in the boat looking for these majestic creatures as they nurse their young. Glimpses of newborn calves, as well as breaching males is very common to see. If you haven't had a chance to get up close and personal with a Humpback Whale, this is your best chance. You can also catch a glimpse of iguanas and sea birds such as magnificent frigatebirds, pelicans, cormorants, and hawks. The sun tends to shine over the white sand, palm-lined beaches in the Gulf of Chiriqui even when it’s raining everywhere else! Depending on visibility and climate, you will snorkel at your own leisure around one of the beautiful islands and pass the late morning and better part of the afternoon lunching, exploring, swimming, relaxing in a hammock, and playing on the white sand beaches of Isla Gamez or Isla Bolaños. Views from the beach can often provide more Humpback Whales breaching just on the horizon. Lunch is a healthy smorgasbord of fresh fruit and vegetables, assemble-your-own sandwiches, chips and salsa, cookies and crackers, and fresh coconut from the island. Drinks are also included with options varying between rum and pineapple cocktails, rum and cokes, national beer, or white wine, as well as sodas, juice, iced tea, and fresh ice water. After lunch, feel free to take a short hike to another uninhabited and pristine beach where you will hardly find another person. After a few more hours enjoying the sun, sand, and sea, you will return on the boat ride through the national park, and return to Boquete.

Cloud Forest Wildlife Hike

We meet in the office at 8:15am (or 1:30pm during the dry season) to start the half day adventure. The comfortable and scenic drive through the flower-filled valley of Boquete takes only 25 minutes to arrive at the trail head. Our knowledgeable local bilingual guide explains the "rules" of the forest such as please do not touch anything if you do not know what it is and feel free to ask as many questions as you would like. The Pipeline Trail is well-maintained making for an easier walk in the forest for all ages.The trail is an up-and-back trail at around 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers) round trip. It features gorgeous old-growth trees, abundant flora and fauna, and a few bridges to cross over the meandering creek. The guide is a wealth of information to describe the unique features of the local area. After hopefully catching a glimpse of a rare Resplendent Quetzal or a Three-Toed Sloth, you will return to Boquete after the 4-hour tour is complete.

Specialty Coffee 101, History - Processing - Professional Cupping and More!

The tour starts at your hotel, transportation from and to your hotel is included. Start time is at 9:30 am and you will be picked up in a comfortable vehicle. The total duration of the tour is between 2.5 to 3 Hours. Upon your arrival you will be welcomed and the order of the activities will be established: 1) Short hike through the coffee plantations: Your guide will enlighten you about the origins, history, varieties and structure of the coffee fruit most likely you will also be able to taste this intriguing and delicious unexpected flavors. Bring comfortable closed / hiking shoes, long pants and rain jacket is preferred. 2) Processing station: From the moment the harvest is delivered to the main building to the drying facilities and the methods used, you will be able to comprehend the effects of proper handling of the coffee before the roasting moment. A walk-through the equipment and the workers in action will show you how much work is needed to make a great cup of the elixir of the wise. 3) Professional coffee tasting session: At this point we will enter the cupping room, whereas with the proper instruments and techniques we will follow the steps for evaluating and scoring specialty coffee. The owner of the farm is the president of the SCAP (Specialty Coffee Association of Panama), Therefore we go by the book on this, no shortcuts or made up schemes!  4) Specialty coffee shopping: At the end of the tour you will have access to some of our special stash, from the most common to the most exclusive coffee on a medium roast profile and even some coffee silver skin tea will be available for purchase.  Our goal is to share our passion for coffee with you and help you get familiar with the specialty coffee world basics, as you become a more educated consumer you will make better choices next time you visit your local coffee bar or specialty coffee shop. Share the Love!

Panama Experience

From San José, hit the beach and mountain retreats on your way to the locks of the world-famous Panama Canal at the centre of the Americas. Visit gorgeous islands and chill to reggae beats on Caribbean beaches. Search for the quetzal bird in cloud forests and shake your tailfeather in the clubs of Panama City. With your hotel and transport arranged by our CEOs, you can concentrate on choosing your own adventure.