Panama & Colombia: The Andes to Two Oceans
Introduction
All of our journeys can be completely personalized and curated with our commitment to sustainable tourism.
Journey Overview
Begin in Bogotá, set high in the Andes, where lively markets, historic neighborhoods, pre-Columbian treasures, and contemporary art provide an engaging introduction to Colombia. From the capital, continue into Coffee Country for three nights among working farms, mountain villages, and the wax palms of the Cocora Valley. At La Palma y El Tucán, the story of Colombian coffee becomes more tangible through the cultivation, processing, growers, and communities behind it.
Medellín offers a very different perspective. Time in Comuna 13 and a community-based culinary experience look beyond the city’s well-known past to the people, creativity, and neighborhood initiatives shaping Medellín today. In Cartagena, spend three nights in the historic walled city, with experiences centered on its fortifications, Afro-Caribbean culture, Gabriel García Márquez, and the maritime connections that have long linked this coast with Panama.
The final five nights are based in Panama City, but the experience reaches far beyond the capital. Visit the Panama Canal and surrounding rainforest, cross the isthmus to Portobelo for Caribbean history and active coral restoration, and spend time at the Biomuseo, where the formation of Panama and its impact on the natural history of the Americas are brought into focus.
The journey concludes in San Blas with a full day among the islands and Guna communities. When conditions permit, return to Panama City by air, with views over the forest, coastline, Canal, and the narrow isthmus between the Caribbean and Pacific.
Begin with five nights in Panama City, allowing the capital to serve as a base for experiences extending well beyond its skyline. Walk through the restored streets and plazas of Casco Viejo before considering the Panama Canal from both an engineering and environmental perspective. At Miraflores, watch vessels negotiate one of the world's great transportation corridors, then enter the forests and waterways surrounding the canal, where tropical wildlife exists remarkably close to the city.
On the Caribbean coast, Portobelo tells another side of Panama's history. Once one of Spain's most important ports in the Americas, its forts and harbor are intertwined with colonial trade, piracy and the enduring Afro-Panamanian Congo culture of the region.
A very different Panama awaits in Guna Yala. Travel into the autonomous Indigenous territory for time with Guna hosts, including an encounter with a master mola artisan, then spend the day moving among small Caribbean islands surrounded by clear turquoise water, white-sand beaches and palm-fringed shores. The return to Panama City by air provides a striking perspective across the isthmus.
Continue west to Boquete and the volcanic highlands of Chiriquí. Cooler elevations, cloud forest and some of the world's most sought-after coffee provide a distinct contrast to the capital and Caribbean coast. Walk forest trails in search of resplendent quetzals and visit a leading coffee estate to follow the cultivation and preparation of Panama's celebrated Geisha varieties.
The journey concludes on Isla Palenque in the Gulf of Chiriquí, surrounded by Pacific beaches, tropical forest and protected waters. Days can include nature walks, kayaking, snorkeling and island excursions, or simply time to enjoy the setting at leisure. It is a fitting close to a journey that has crossed Panama through historic cities, Caribbean islands, rainforest and mountain country.
Highlights
Wander Bogotá’s Paloquemao Market and La Candelaria, then see extraordinary pre-Columbian works at the Gold Museum and Botero’s distinctive collection.
Go behind the Colombian coffee culture at La Palma y El Tucán, meeting the people and seeing the cultivation and processing behind some of Colombia’s finest specialty coffee.
Walk beneath the towering wax palms of the Cocora Valley, with time for the villages and mountain landscapes of Colombia’s central Andes.
Trace Medellín’s transformation through Comuna 13, where public art, neighborhood initiatives, and local voices tell a far more complex story of the city.
Cook alongside local women in Medellín, connecting Colombian food traditions with family, community, and everyday life.
Enter García Márquez’s Cartagena, linking the walled city and its literary history with the Afro-Caribbean culture that continues to shape it.
Follow the Panama Canal into the rainforest, pairing one of the world’s great engineering achievements with the wildlife and tropical ecosystems surrounding it.
Cross to Portobelo on Panama’s Caribbean coast, combining its colonial history with hands-on coral restoration alongside marine specialists.
TSee why Panama changed the natural history of the Americas at the Biomuseo, where the formation of the isthmus connects geology, oceans, wildlife, and two continents.
Spend the final full day among the islands of San Blas, experiencing Guna culture and Caribbean waters before returning by air for an aerial view of the isthmus and Panama Canal (conditions permitting).t.
Dates & Rates
Price From:
$
13,500
Departure Time:
Duration:
Guests:
Sustainable Contribution
Environmental Impact:
Measures have been taken to positively impact our environment
Community Impact:
This journey positively affects the local communities visited.
Cultural Engagement:
Experiences on this journey provide authentic cultural interaction and connection
Wildlife Conservation:
Wildlife encounters included in this journey are conducted with the intent of providing the highest level of protection to the animals and their natural habitat.
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“The evolved traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.”
Please Note: If the journey above does not fit your needs, we would be happy to help you compose one that perfectly fits your lifestyle.
