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Panama & Costa Rica

Group Information

Departing From:
Los Angeles
Departing:
June 8, 2027
Returning:
June 17, 2027
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Hi There! I've been teaching for 18 years and bee traveling with kids since 2011 where myHigh school travel club started out as a once every two years trip then turned into twice a year. I've led 17 tours in that span of time. We've been to Uk, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, western Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Lichtenstein, Morocco, Ecuador, Peru, Japan and the US east coast.
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Tour Itinerary (Detailed)

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Day 1 Buenas Panama City (groups flying from the west coast may be required to depart day 0)
Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Day 2 Panama City
Panama City guided sightseeing tour
Casco Viejo, The National Handicraft Market visit, Biomuseo visit
Miraflores Visitors Center visit
Interactive exhibits, Panama Canal observation deck, IMAX theatre film
Details: The National Handicraft Market visit
Explore and purchase beautiful handmade crafts, textiles, and souvenirs that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Panama.
Details: Biomuseo visit
Visit Panama’s newest museum dedicated to biodiversity, designed by distinguished architect Frank Gehry.
Details: Miraflores Visitors Center visit
Discover the fascinating history and global significance of the Panama Canal at the Miraflores Visitor Center. Enjoy interactive exhibits, an engaging short film, and observation decks where you can watch ships navigate the locks.
Day 3 Panama City
Gatun Lake boat tour
Chagres National Park and Emberá village excursion
Rio Chagres boat ride, Waterfall hike, Emberá Village visit
Details: Gatun Lake boat tour
Lake Gatun is situated in the heart of the Isthmus of Panama. It was constructed between 1910-14 to make the Panama Canal possible. From the lake's shore you will board a fast panga style boat for a voyage of discovery. Navigate ancient routes that crossed the isthmus long before the lake’s creation. Huge ships can be seen transiting across the ocean, the canal is a water bridge that links the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Go past the rainforest to a scenic region of the lake and witness firsthand the splendor and excitement of the jungle. Exotic birds, monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and crocodiles are just a few of the animals that you can view in their native surroundings.
Details: Chagres National Park and Emberá village excursion
Sail down the Chagres River to meet the community of an Embera indigenous village nestled within the lush tropical rainforest of the protected Chagres National Park.
Details: Rio Chagres boat ride
Sail on traditional piragua canoe-style boats down the Rio Chagres through the lush Chagres National Park.
Details: Waterfall hike
Follow your local guide on this easy 30-minute hike through the Chagres National Park. This tropical rainforest is teeming with natural beauty, stunning vistas, abundant tropical flora and wildlife. With over 900 endemic plant species, 100 mammals and 400 bird species, scientists are still working on identifying and naming them. Enjoy a dip in the waterfall at the end of your hike.
Details: Emberá Village visit
You will be warmly greeted by members of the Emberá community as you approach the shores of the Rio Chagres and discover a village nestled within the national park. Enjoy lunch spending time with the indigenous Emberá community and learn about their culture, traditions and crafts.
Day 4 Panama City--Bocas del Toro
Fly to Bocas del Toro
Bocas Town city walk
Details: Fly to Bocas del Toro
Representing Panama’s vibrant Caribbean culture, the Bocas Del Toro province comprises part of Panama’s mainland, as well as a chain of islands in the Caribbean Sea. In Bocas, expect to find a relatively undeveloped landscape, and a friendly, laid-back vibe. Bocas is also home to a tropical rainforest, some of the area’s indigenous cultures, like the Ngäbe and NasoTjerdi, as well as many of the country’s most popular beaches. There are three main islands in Bocas Del Toro: The main island, Isla Colon; Isla Bastimentos, which is one of the largest islands in Panama; and the small island of Isla Carenero.
Details: Bocas Town city walk
Follow you Tour Director on a walking tour of the small town of Bocas, a resort located on the southern tip of Colón Island in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea.
Day 5 Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro islands excursion
Snorkel in Coral Cay, Dolphin Bay Preserve, Zapatilla Island
Details: Bocas del Toro islands excursion
Sail along the mangrove shores of the Archipelago into the calm waters of Dolphin Bay, explore coral reefs and marine life in Coral Cay and end your day on the idyllic beaches of the uninhabited island of Zapatilla.
Details: Snorkel in Coral Cay
Located amongst the small islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago, Coral Cay island offers perfect shallow snorkeling conditions. Snorkel through calm and clear waters to spot abundant marine life and vibrant coral reefs.
Details: Dolphin Bay Preserve
Enjoy a boat ride in the idyllic Dolphin Bay where dolphins will greet you with a splash along the way.
Day 6 Bocas del Toro--Puerto Viejo
Ferry to Almirante
Cross the Panama border into Costa Rica
Travel to Puerto Viejo
Punta Uva beach time
Details: Cross the Panama border into Costa Rica
You will be dropped off at the border in Panama to cross customs by foot and board a new bus on the Costa Rica side. Border crossing taxes are included in your tour fee.
Day 7 Puerto Viejo
Cahuita National Park visit
Sloth Rescue Center visit
Details: Cahuita National Park visit
Cahuita National Park encompasses both land and sea to offer visitors an up-close look into Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity. Situated on an undeveloped beach, Cahuita is home to a coral reef full of sea turtles, eels, sharks, and more than 30 species of coral — plus an 18th century shipwreck. On land, Cahuita’s rainforest jungle houses colorful birds, thousands of plants and a wide variety of mammals like howlers and sloths.
Details: Sloth Rescue Center visit
Enjoy a fun, informative introduction to the world of sloths (and maybe meet our mascot, Tico, along the way!). Visit sloth enclosures in the Learning Center before boarding a fiberglass canoe to experience the animal’s natural habitat. Learn about the rescue, rehabilitation, research and release of Costa Rican sloths at this family-run sanctuary. *Though you will see sloths up close, only sanctuary staff can handle sloths.
Day 8 Puerto Viejo--Arenal
Travel to Arenal
Canopy zipline tour in Braulio Carrillo National Park
Hot springs visit
Details: Canopy zipline tour in Braulio Carrillo National Park
Harness in and soar above the jungle canopy on a thrilling zipline tour that takes you through the Costa Rican rainforest. For safety reasons, weight restrictions apply to this activity.
Details: Hot springs visit
Let the volcanoes take you away. At Arenal’s hot springs, bubbling lava fields heat the waters to make nature’s own jacuzzi.
Day 9 Arenal--San José
Arenal Volcano and 1968 lava trails hike
Lake Arenal kayaking tour
Travel to San José
Optional  Folklore evening  $40
Details: Arenal Volcano and 1968 lava trails hike
Hike through historical lava trails from the 1968 Arenal Volcano eruption that covered most of the surrounding rainforest. Enjoy impressive views of the volcano along the way.
Details: Lake Arenal kayaking tour
Glide along the still waters reflecting the perfect cone of Arenal Volcano and the surrounding rolling hills. Lake Arenal, the country's largest, is also among its most scenic, and the area has become popular area to kayak, windsurf, sail, fish, and hike. For safety reasons, weight restrictions apply to this activity.
Day 10 Flight home from San José
Total Fee:* $4,177.00
Tour Quote Breakdown
The following fees apply to your full-paying participants:
Tour Fee* $4,377.00
** 2027EarlySavings $ -200.00
 
Total Fee* $4,177.00
OR 12 monthly payments of $343.92
After initial payment of $50.00

* Last day for this Tour Fee is Mar 26, 2026.
** Only valid with voucher code 2027EarlySavings
Additional Adult Fees
The following additional fees apply only to full-paying participants 23 and older and are not included in the total price listed above.
Adult Supplement $125.00
Twin Room Upgrade $405.00
 
Additional Adult Fee $530.00

Tour Fee Includes:

  • Round-trip airfare
  • 9 overnight stays (11 on extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
  • Full-time services of a professional tour director
  • Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
  • Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
  • Tour Diary™
  • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
  • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
  • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.