Costa Rica & Panama: Canal, Coffee & Volcanoes
Group Tour
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Overview
Connected by rich rainforests, Costa Rica and Panama undoubtedly share attributes including their pristine beaches, quality coffee and abolition of their armies. On this 12-day overland adventure we’ll also explore their contrasts, journeying from the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal to the volcanic landscapes of Costa Rica.
The adventure begins in Panama City, comparing old and new during a visit to the UNESCO colonial old town of Casco Viejo and the world-famous waterway of ...
Connected by rich rainforests, Costa Rica and Panama undoubtedly share attributes including their pristine beaches, quality coffee and abolition of their armies. On this 12-day overland adventure we’ll also explore their contrasts, journeying from the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal to the volcanic landscapes of Costa Rica.
The adventure begins in Panama City, comparing old and new during a visit to the UNESCO colonial old town of Casco Viejo and the world-famous waterway of the Panama Canal. We’ll then enjoy an immersion into Panama’s cultural and folkloric heritage on the Azuero Peninsula, before ending in the coffee capital of Boquete to taste the world’s most expensive geisha coffee. Crossing into Costa Rica’s far-flung southwestern corner, there’ll be time for hiking and wildlife spotting amidst the coastal rainforests of Corcovado National Park and the steamy cloud forests around Monteverde, before finishing up in the hanging bridges and hot springs of Arenal Volcano and the bubbling caldera of Poas Volcano.
A comprehensive tour of each of these popular Central American countries provides the perfect opportunity to combine their must-see destinations with some lesser-explored experiences across this section of the Pan-American Highway.
HIGHLIGHTS
At a glance
MEALS
TRANSPORT
Minibuses and a motorised boat.
GROUP SIZE
EXPERT TEAM
ACCOMMODATION
ENTRANCE FEES
FITNESS RATING
WILD MILES
ACCOMMODATION
Wherever possible we aim to use characterful accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience. On this particular trip we will be in hotels and eco-lodges. Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only and is always subject to availability.FITNESS RATING
LOW: You should be comfortable walking around towns and cultural sites. May include some optional walks (typically 1-2hrs).LOW/MODERATE: May be of a long duration and/or involve numerous border-crossings. May include easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-3hrs/day). You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle.
MODERATE: May include several easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-5hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle. Previous experience of similar trips helpful.
MODERATE/HIGH: May involve several days of moderate hiking (up to 3-6 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
HIGH: May involve several days of moderate/strenuous trekking (up to 4-7 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a very fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
Wild Miles Club
When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:
| Blue | More than 10,000 points | 2.5% discount |
| Bronze | More than 30,000 points | 5% discount |
| Silver | More than 45,000 points | 7.5% discount |
| Gold | More than 60,000 points | 10% discount |
Map & Itinerary
Individual departures may vary so please refer to the information in the tour specific links in the Dates and Prices section below
Day 1 Arrive Panama City (Panama)
Day 1 Arrive Panama City (Panama)
Our journey begins in Panama City, the country’s capital and Central America’s commerce and transport hub. Undeniably important to today’s global trade, it continues this legacy having originally been at the heart of one of the Spanish Empire’s ‘New World’ trade routes, after being conquered in 1519 as the first European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the Americas. On arrival we will transfer to our hotel in the city’s financial district in the heart of the concrete jungle that is modern-day Panama City.
Day 2 Panama City: Casco Viejo Old Town & Panama Canal Locks
Day 2 Panama City: Casco Viejo Old Town & Panama Canal Locks
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean in front and the city’s high-rises as a backdrop, the historic quarter - affectionately known as ‘Casco Viejo’ - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose collection of Spanish colonial buildings and French and Antillean townhouses we’ll explore via a walking tour this morning. Following a break for lunch, you’ll head inland to the grand locks at the famous feat of engineering that is the Panama Canal. Begun by the French in 1881 and later revived by the United States, it was built to avoid the hazardous journey around Cape Horn and opened on August 15, 1914. It remains to this day one of the world’s most spectacular technological undertakings.
Day 3 Panama City - Chitré
Day 3 Panama City - Chitré
Heading up the Pan-American Highway, this morning we’ll leave the capital for the country’s cultural capital, Chitré, found on the Azuero Peninsula. These rural ranching heartlands are famed for their carnival celebrations, believed to date back to the mid-16th century, and are largely overlooked by international visitors in a hurry to fly up north. Filled with fascinating folklore and smiling faces, it provides an ideal stopover to discover a little something of the region’s vibrant Azuero culture.
Day 4 Chitré Cultural Tour - Boquete
Day 4 Chitré Cultural Tour - Boquete
Many of the villages and countryside towns dotting the Azuero Peninsula are known for a distinct trade and artisan skill mastered by their residents. We’ll spend the morning visiting a few artisans in neighbouring towns to learn how the local, leather ‘cutarras’ sandals are made; understand how handmade pottery is produced in the region; and to see the intricate details that go into the traditional ‘pollera’ dresses before the annual Parade of a Thousand Skirts. After lunch, we’ll hit the highway and drive up to the town of Boquete, stunningly located within a lush highland valley close to the northern border with Costa Rica.
Day 5 Boquete: Coffee Tour & Tasting
Day 5 Boquete: Coffee Tour & Tasting
Lying at around 900m, in a region known locally as ‘The Valley of Flowers’, Boquete offers up a wonderful mix of mountain peaks, cloud forest, coffee plantations and small farms. This morning we’ll drive through the verdant hills of the valley to one of the town’s beloved coffee fincas for a tour and tasting, including the chance to sip the award-winning geisha coffee that recently won the accolade of the world’s most expensive coffee. Later, there’ll be a chance to stop in town for some fresh strawberries as you learn about the importance of vegetable and fruit farms in the area.
Day 6 Boquete - Border Crossing – Dominical (Costa Rica)
Day 6 Boquete - Border Crossing – Dominical (Costa Rica)
Setting off this morning, we’ll pick the Pan-American Highway back up following it over the border and to the beach town of Dominical in neighbouring Costa Rica. Sandwiched between lush rainforest and the rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean, Dominical will be our base for the next couple of nights. Depending on our arrival time after the border crossing, there should hopefully be the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon lazing by the pool or a walk down into the coastal village.
Day 7 Dominical: Corcovado National Park Boat & Hike
Day 7 Dominical: Corcovado National Park Boat & Hike
Setting off from the hotel early this morning we’ll drive over to a neighbouring village along the Costa Ballena (Whale Coast) to board our boat across the Pacific waters. During the migration season (Dec – Mar), it’s sometimes possible to spot humpbacks teaching their calves in the water during the crossing. After landing on the protected Osa Peninsula, we’ll begin our first hike into the rainforests of the Corcovado National Park in search of the tapirs, sloths, monkeys, macaws and other wildlife that roam undisturbed here. Making our way back in time for our picnic lunch set up on the beach, we’ll later head off on a coastal walk along the undeveloped stretches of the peninsula’s beaches in the afternoon, before taking the boat and our transfer back to the hotel.
Day 8 Dominical - Monteverde
Day 8 Dominical - Monteverde
Turning our back on the coast, we’ll make our way inland this morning up towards the cloud forest-covered highlands of Monteverde. One of the country’s major ecotourism destinations, Monteverde was once described as “the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves” by National Geographic. Upon arrival, we’ll settle into our hotel around the small highland town of Santa Elena, the entry to Monteverde.
Day 9 Monteverde – Arenal: Hiking in the Cloud Forest
Day 9 Monteverde – Arenal: Hiking in the Cloud Forest
Luckily for those wanting to escape the crowds, the rich forests of the ever-popular Monteverde Cloud Forest expand beyond the reserve’s boundaries. So today, we’ll be heading to one of the adjacent reserves, also run by the not-for-profit Monteverde Conservation Association. One of the most biodiverse areas on earth, its 23,000 hectares play host to one of the world’s largest numbers of orchid species in a single location and 450 species of birds, including the resplendent quetzal, some of which we’ll be hoping to spot as we explore the quieter trails on this side of the cloud forest. After lunch, we’ll begin the transfer through stunning scenes of the steamy highlands and around Arenal Lake to reach our next hotel below Arenal Volcano’s imposing gaze.
Day 10 Arenal: Hanging Bridges & Hot Springs
Day 10 Arenal: Hanging Bridges & Hot Springs
The mornings are usually the best time to see Arenal Volcano’s conical top rising to 1,633m, so this morning we’ll head over to the hanging bridges suspended over its surrounding forests for a fun way to enjoy views of the volcano. After a morning exploring the trails and seven hanging bridges, suspended some 600m above the forest floor, the afternoon has been set aside to soak in idyllic nearby volcanic thermal springs – a must while in Arenal – and take some time to unwind before dinner.
Day 11 Arenal – Central Highlands
Day 11 Arenal – Central Highlands
The final leg of our journey sees us crossing through the cloud-forest covered landscapes of the Central Mountain Range near Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose. Above the Central Valley the capital is nestled in is one of the country’s natural treasures, Poas Volcano National Park, covering approximately 65 square kilometres and dominated by the smoldering Poás Volcano - a 2,700m giant that has erupted some 40 times in the past 200 years. Our final hotel sits at the heart of this region that contains no fewer than six national parks and provides a spectacular setting for our farewell dinner this evening.
Day 12 Central Highlands – Poás Volcano Tour – Depart San José
Day 12 Central Highlands – Poás Volcano Tour – Depart San José
Making use of the often-clearer morning skies, we’ll head to Poás Volcano National Park after breakfast for a chance to peek into the volcano’s turquoise crater lake. Established in 1971, the wider national park is home to an array of plant and animal life including coyotes, marmots, varieties of hummingbird as well as the rare resplendent quetzal. A panoramic view over the natural landmark’s bubbling caldera and surrounding biodiverse forests provides an ideal final shot of these volcanic lands. The adventure ends in San Jose where those on the group tour flight can be taken to the airport for their afternoon flight.
ACCOMMODATION USED ON THIS TOUR
Riande Urban, Panama City
Amongst the high-rise buildings in the city’s nearby financial district, erected during the city’s building boom around 20 years ago, the mid-size Riande Urban is surprisingly owned by the its founding family. Competing with the modern competition around it, it later developed transformed into its current trendy offering – including a gym, outdoor pool, three bar areas and a restaurant serving international favourites - from its humble founding 50-odd years ago. The 109 rooms come in Standard, Executive and Suite each offering air-con and standard hotel amenities.
Cubita, Chitre
Charming Hotel Cubita is a well-loved hotel in Chitre, having opened with a purpose built chapel in the centre of its courtyard to service religious events including Sunday morning mass for the locals. Although the open-air architecture feels almost like a Hispanic hacienda-style ranch, the hotel pays homeage the area’s indigenous roots, using a traditional stucco-style design and being named after a nearby pre-colonial town. The grounds offer an outdoor pool; a spa; a restaurant offering up lots of local and regional menu options; and 96 rooms split over just two floors creating a more boutique feeling. Rooms are almost entirely identical with tiled flooring and classic, dark-wood décor.
Poas Volcano Lodge, Poas Volcano
Located on the edge of a protected cloud forest, Poas Volcano Lodge offers stunning views of the volcano. This is a small hotel with 12 stylish rooms, a bar-restaurant and a cozy living room. The lodge is just 20 miles away from San Jose airport.
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. *Please refer to the Detailed Itinerary of your individual departure for more information.
PRIVATE HOLIDAYS: DATES DON’T FIT?
All group tours can be taken on a private basis.
Additional Details
Responsible Travel
With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.
When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats.
Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.
Reducing Single Use Plastic
We recognise the environmental issues and challenges around single-use plastic in many countries we visit and are actively working with our partners on the ground to reduce plastic waste on our tours and within the hotels and restaurants we visit. You can help to reduce your personal plastic waste by taking a refillable, filtered water bottle with you on your trip. Filtered water bottles can be refilled from water sources including your hotel room and restaurant taps, drinking fountains and refill stations. Every time you refill your bottle without the use of single-use plastic, you will be helping to reduce waste and protect the environment. Filtered Water Bottles | Wild Frontiers (wildfrontierstravel.com)
Getting There
If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from the UK (subject to change) are shown below.
If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
| Flight Code | Departing | Arriving |
|---|---|---|
| IB 3641 | London Heathrow (LHR) 06:20 | Madrid Airport (MAD) 09:50 |
| IB 257 | Madrid Airport (MAD) 11:45 | Panama City Airport (PTY) 16:50 |
| IB 244 | San Jose Costa Rica Airport (SJO) 18:10 | Madrid Airport (MAD) 11:30 |
| IB 3652 | Madrid Airport (MAD) 12:50 | London Heathrow (LHR) 14:20 |
Visas & Vaccinations
VISAS
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact a reputable visa agency. More details can be found here - https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/visa
For this tour UK passport holders currently do not require a visa for Costa Rica or Panama. However, those who choose to transit in the USA will require a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver. If travelling on a British passport, you will usually just need an ESTA.
NB. Please note that as of January 2016 US policy (subject to change) has stated that anyone wishing to travel to or via the USA must have a biometric passport. In addition, anyone who has travelled to several countries including Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Cuba, Yemen or Somalia since March 2011, is required to apply for a US visa (rather than just an ESTA). If you are affected by this, the process is fairly straightforward and you can read more about it here - www.wildfrontierstravel.com/us-visa .
Passports should ideally be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the end of your tour.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
VACCINATIONS & ADDITIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers to Costa Rica or Panama unless entering from a Yellow Fever risk country, in which case a Yellow Fever Vaccination will need to be shown.
For all destinations, please make sure you are up-to-date with any standard vaccinations (e.g. MMR, Hepatitis A, Tetanus) as recommended by your local health care provider.
For the most up-to-date information on all vaccination requirements and the most suitable anti-malarial tablets, we strongly suggest that you seek advice from your local travel centre or consult an official travel health website such as www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
Covid Testing: No mandatory testing is currently required for vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers.
If necessary further details will be sent out to you upon booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas & vaccinations are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Extensions
If you have more time available, why not arrive early to adjust to a new time zone or just to get a feel for the country before your tour starts? Alternatively, you might choose to allow a few extra days after the tour to relax or to undertake some further exploration.
The choice is completely yours and we can usually arrange anything from simply additional accommodation and transfers to full tailor-made itineraries*. Please contact the office for more details and to discuss your requirements.
*Please note bespoke, tailor-made itineraries need to be a minimum of 7 days and we can only offer them in countries where we have a tailor-made expert
Governmental Travel Advice
Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.
Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.
Key Information
CLIMATE
Costa Rica and Panama both have typical tropical climates with a high season from December to April. The rainiest months tend to be September and October, although the Caribbean Coast benefits from a microclimate, experiencing less rain over the turtle spotting season (July to September).
IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?
It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. All our tours have a fitness rating as a guideline but you should check the day-by-day itinerary carefully. In certain instances we may ask you to complete a travel questionnaire before confirming your booking in order to ensure your suitability. Should you have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the office.
KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER
Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour, however please note there are a few hiking excursions which, although not strenuous, are in undeveloped forests with uneven floors and last around two hours long each, so would require an above-average level of fitness and the ability to navigate this type of terrain. Travellers should also be aware that there are a number of boat tours which require climbing in and out, sometimes in the sea. The roads in both countries will generally be well paved and in good condition, however it should be noted that there are a number of long driving days of around five to six hours.
RECCE TOURS
As we all know, the world is a constantly changing place - destinations & routes that were once cutting-edge now regularly find themselves appearing in mainstream brochures. Coming up with truly original tour ideas is a constant challenge but at Wild Frontiers we are committed to offering you a real alternative to the mainstream and each year we run a handful of new and original adventures. These are our so-called Recce Tours and since the very beginning have proven incredibly popular with those of you who like to act as our “guinea pigs” and join us on these tours. Fantastic fun and highly rewarding, Recce Tours will assuredly not go 100% to plan and it is not uncommon for clients to take an active role in tweaking the itineraries along the way. More challenging than our normal tours, these will often require a greater degree of flexibility...they will not be for everyone.
TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip. On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour.
Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.
INSURANCE
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.
General Information
TOUR PRICE
All our tours are priced on a land-only basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour.
DEPOSIT
A 10% deposit is required to confirm your booking.
PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY
For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page
WILD MILES
This tour will earn you 10560 Wild Miles
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.
Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY
If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events.
WHY WILD FRONTIERS?
We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.