Tours en Ciudad de Panamá
El Canal de Panamá por el río Chagres
5
El Canal de Panamá por el río Chagres
De Adventures Panama
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El precio más bajo garantizadoCancelación gratuita
Edades: de 16 a 65, máx. de 12 por grupo
Duración: 8 días
Horario de inicio: consultar disponibilidad
Entrada para dispositivos móviles
Guía en vivo: inglés, Español
Más
Guía escrita: inglés, Español
Material de lectura impreso o digital, como una guía, un mapa, un folleto, etc.
Más
- Almuerzo
- Todos los traslados mencionados.
- Cena
- Cena
- Desayuno
- Desayuno
- Desayuno
- Desayuno
- Desayuno
- Cena
- Almuerzo
- Almuerzo
- Desayuno
- Almuerzo
- Desayuno
- Almuerzo
- Cena
- balsas o duckies, piraguas de mar (en tándem o individuales) y el equipo correspondiente.
- equipo de acampada.
- guías (nuestros guías están cualificados con habilidades de navegación en piragua, primeros auxilios y RCP).
- comidas del viaje.
- Alojamiento y alimentos:
- 3 noches en el hotel de Marbella** en la ciudad de Panamá.
- 2 noches en las chozas de las aldeas indígenas emberá.
- 2 noches en una tienda de campaña en las orillas del lago Gatún.
- 8 desayunos, 5 almuerzos y 4 cenas.
- Se incluyen todos los traslados por tierra y mar mencionados dentro de Panamá.
- Ingreso/entrada: Adventures Panama
- Ingreso/entrada: Canal de Panamá
- Ingreso/entrada: Ciudad de Panamá
- Ingreso/entrada: Casco Viejo
- Ingreso/entrada: Calzada de Amador
- Ingreso/entrada: Panamá Viejo
- Ingreso/entrada: Chagres National Park
- Ingreso/entrada: Ciudad de Panamá
- Ingreso/entrada: Gatun Lake
- Ingreso/entrada: Gatun Lake
- Ingreso/entrada: Fuerte de San Lorenzo
- Ingreso/entrada: Agua Clara Locks
- Ingreso/entrada: Ciudad de Panamá
Qué no está incluido- Vuelo internacional, impuesto del aeropuerto (20 $ por persona).
- gastos personales
- Propinas
- comidas no especificadas en el itinerario.
- adicionales en los hoteles (lavandería, servicio a la habitación y llamadas telefónicas).
- Ingreso/entrada: Cerro Azul
- Inicio:Se ofrece servicio de recogida.Detalles del servicio de recogida
- Si en el aeropuerto mostraremos un saludo con su nombre a su salida de la aduana
Se ofrece servicio de recogida por el aeropuertoDurante el proceso de compra, podrás seleccionar de la lista de aeropuertos incluidos.- Tocumen Intl Airport, Panama City Panama
Finalización:Esta actividad finaliza en el punto de encuentro. - No se cuenta con acceso para silla de ruedas
Si tienes alguna pregunta sobre accesibilidad, estaremos encantados de ayudarte. Simplemente llama al siguiente número y diles el siguiente código de producto: 34942P8- Este paquete de salidas desde tierra está diseñado para parejas, amigos o personas que viajes solas mayores de 18 años que disfruten de remar en equipo en el exterior. El alojamiento ha sido elegido considerando el estilo local; alojamientos cómodos y básicos sin lujo.
- Sin embargo, cualquier persona de 12 a 65 años con buena salud, que esté listo para caminar durante dos horas y media a través de un terreno irregular y con barro, podría hacerlo con pequeñas modificaciones (los menores deben viajar con un adulto que se haga responsable).
- Se pueden organizar grupos privados personalizados.
- Artículos de uso diario: Bañador o un par de pantalones cortos para navegar, zapatillas deportivas o botas ligeras con buenas suelas, una gorra, protector solar, una chaqueta ligera o cortavientos (en caso de que haga frío), una toalla y una muda de ropa seca para después de la escapada de un día. Sábana, linterna y artículos de higiene personal.
- En las excursiones de día, deje cualquier objeto que pueda dañarse con el agua u objetos de valor como joyas, dinero, tarjetas de crédito, etc.
- 2-3 personas 1850 $.
- Entre 4 y 5 personas: 1550 $.
- 6 personas o más: 1450 $.
- Este paquete es un bueno durante todo el año.
- No es recomendable para viajeros con problemas de espalda
- La temporada de lluvias en Panamá comienza entre abril y mayo y termina entre noviembre y diciembre. Debido al cambiante nivel del río, no puede definirse con antelación donde podrá pasar la noche en la orilla del río.
- De enero a marzo, hay a un ritmo constante del viento del norte, que provoca que sea complicado remar y que puede ocasionar algunos cambios necesarios en el itinerario.
- No es recomendado para viajeras embarazadas
- No apto para personas con problemas cardíacos o afecciones médicas graves
- Viajeros deben tener un estado físico moderado
- Este tour/Esta actividad puede tener 12 viajeros como máximo
- Si cancelas al menos 7 días antes de la salida programada, no hay un cargo por cancelación.
- Si cancelas con una anticipación de entre 3 y 6 día(s) a la fecha de partida programada, se aplicará una tarifa de cancelación del 50 por ciento.
- Si cancelas en un plazo de 2 días antes de la salida programada, deberás pagar un cargo por cancelación del 100 por ciento.
- Si tienes alguna pregunta sobre este tour o necesitas ayuda para hacer una reservación, estaremos encantados de ayudarte. Simplemente llama al siguiente número y diles el siguiente código de producto: 34942P8
Desde
$1.902.983
por adulto (el precio varía según el tamaño del grupo)
Seleccionar fecha y viajeros
Experiencias similares
Itinerario
Resumen general
Mapa completo
15 escalas
Día 1
Llegada a la ciudad de Panamá.
Día 2
Esclusas de Miraflores en el...
Día 3
El desafío del Chagres.
Día 4
Aldea indígena emberá por el río...
Día 5
Reme por el lago Gatún a lo...
Día 6
Reme por el norte del lago Gatún.
Día 7
Fuerte de San Lorenzo.
Día 8
Salida
Acerca del operador
No nos hagas caso a nosotros; esto es lo que las personas tienen para decir sobre este operador:
- E7570VEcarolinaf0 aportesExperiencia en el chagresDivertidisimo la pasamos increíbles desde el hiking hasta los rápidos . Fue una súper experiencia , la recomendamos 1000%Escrita el 27 de octubre de 2024
- 169iv_ne0 aportesExcelente experiencia de rafting en la selva virgen del Parque Nacional ChagresExcelente experiencia en la selva virgen de Panamá, con un manejo muy profesional y seguro por parte de la empresa, demostrando gran experiencia.Escrita el 29 de julio de 2024
- Btorrezpty0 aportesUna experiencia insuperable!El recorrido inicia temprano en la mañana, por lo cual es recomendable desayunar algo ligero y llevar barritas energéticas. El amanecer en la montaña es simplemente espectacular. El guía siempre te da una reseña del lugar donde estas y siempre es informacion que no se encuentra facilmente en libros. Antes de empezar la caminata te brindan un desayuno para aguantar la caminata de 2hrs, en ritmo suave, pasas rios, una hermosa selva, vez y escuchas animales típicos de una selva tropical. Cuando menos lo esperas llegas al majestuoso Chagres! Y todo por lo que viniste, empieza!!!! Rafting por el chagres, es un paseo de aventura bastante seguro, y lleno de adrenalina. Mi experiencia fue una de las más inolvidables que he tenido. Rete mis Miedos y disfruté cada momento. Después de 5 horas por el Rio Chagres nos buscaron en unos cayucos (Lanchas de madera, tipica de la region) donde todo fue mas espectacular aun. Y lastimosamente el paseo aventura terminó. Una maravilla poder vivir una experiencia de este tipo, inigualable por el hecho de navegar por el majestuoso Rio Chagres que alimenta el Iconico Canal de Panamá. Es una de las cosas que todo aventurero debe tener en su lista de "Things to Do", pero solamente se debe hacer con gente capacitada para esto; como en este caso fué Adventures Panama.Escrita el 20 de abril de 2019
- Brenda A0 aportesExcelente!!!!El excelente grupo de guías (José, Fabian y Antonio) hicieron que nuestra experiencia a través del Rio Mamoní fuera única y especial. Hermoso recorrido lleno de fauna y flora. Recomendado 100%!!!! An excelent group of leaders (José, Fabian and Antonio) made our experience through the Mamoní River unique and special. Beautiful path full of flora and fauna. Recommended 100%.Escrita el 18 de agosto de 2017
- juancorrego0 aportesExcelente aventura, muy profesional, segura y con hermoso paisajeFue una aventura mejor de lo esperado. Es muy organizado el itinerario, el transporte, la logística y sobre todo el cuidado por la seguridad. Muy recomendado para vivir un día de aventura en manos de unos grandes profesionales.Escrita el 10 de agosto de 2017
- MaqrollT0 aportesExcelente plan, diferente y lleno de buenos momentosNos recogieron puntualmente en nuestro hotel y nos llevaron al punto de partida donde nos dieron una buena introducción. El recorrido por el río estuvo lleno de buenos momentos. Vimos perezosos, monos, aves y serpientes. Había momentos tranquilos y de adrenalina en algunos rápidos. El almuerzo fue generoso y los guías muy profesionales y con una excelente actitud. Muy, muy recomendado.Escrita el 10 de agosto de 2017
- Juan T0 aportesMagnificaMuy buen bote con una tripulación insuperable, esmerada por brindar ma mejor experiencia y disfrute.Escrita el 10 de agosto de 2017
- debbief6350 aportesEspectacular!! 100% recomendableEl rafting en el rio mamoni con los guias de adventures panama es toda una espectacular experiencia.Escrita el 28 de agosto de 2016
- MiguelMVP0 aportesToda una Aventura!!!Una de las mejores experiencias que he vivido!!! Aventura, adrenalina, naturaleza, etc!!! Los instructores muy atentos. Los equipos en muy buen estado. Todos muy profesionales y muy seguro. Espero regresar pronto porque la experiencia fue unica. Estuve con 3 amigos y la pasamos todos super bien!! Si van a Panama no dejen pasar esta experiencia!!!Escrita el 29 de junio de 2016
- Midsy M0 aportesPlayita ResortPlayita Resort es un excelente lugar en el distrito de Pedasí, Provincia de Los Santos en Panamá, para disfrutar en familia, cómodo, seguro, con una playa de aguas cristalinas estupenda. Ideal para pasarlo en familia.Escrita el 17 de marzo de 2015
- Alexis O0 aportesAventura EntretenidaMuy buen trip, el lugar espectacular, buenos guias, rica comida, aventura asegurada de punta a cabo, vale 100% la levantada temprano, atrevete a la aventura "Atrevete a vivir"Escrita el 15 de diciembre de 2014
- Marcelo26940 aportesMamoni White WaterExcelente el rafting en el Rio Mamoni. No hay mas que buscar lo mejor para hacer rafting en Panama es hacerlo con Aventuras Panama.Escrita el 25 de septiembre de 2014
- Adil B0 aportesRafting Rio mamoni & Rio Grandefuimos con mis migos al rio mamoni y rio grande,, los guias son buena onda , cuando fuimos el rio no estaba tan alto, pero fue muy divertido , por mas de 3 horas en rio es una locura, estubo super hacer rafting con aventuras panama. les invito q que hagan rafting con Aventuras panamaEscrita el 8 de septiembre de 2014
- Nirvana-Emma0 aportesExperiencia únicaEstoy muy contenta y agradecida con Aventuras Panamá por la guía y acompañamiento en la Primera Expedición realizada por el Rio Chagres hasta el Canal de Panamá .... Desde el recorrido por la Selva ... los rápidos y el recorrido en Kayak, tuvimos la atención y el apoyo de los Guías en todo momento, su puntualidad a la hora de los alimentos .... Claro está que quien quiera vivir la EXPERIENCIA ... debe vestirse de ACTITUD y sobre todo de DESEOS DE AVENTURA.... una EXPERIENCIA ÚNICA !!! GRACIAS A AVENTURAS PANAMA !!! Y Saludos a los guías. Espero regresar.Escrita el 24 de agosto de 2014
- Memoaceves0 aportesExpedicion a Panama excelente!!En días pasados fuimos un grupo de 12 amigos a recorrer el rio Chagres de principio a fin en una expedición de 5 días donde iniciamos con balsa y después del 2o día cambiamos a kayaks de travesía para conectarnos con el Canal de Panama y terminar en el Caribe. Solo puedo decir que esta experiencia supero mis expectativas al recorrer esta gran belleza natural, adentrarnos con la cultura al acampar 2 noches en la tribu Embera, realizar un reto físico donde me sentí seguro todo el tiempo al ir acompañado y apoyado de experimentados guías de Aventuras Panama. Una aventura muy recomendable!Escrita el 6 de agosto de 2014
Estas opiniones son las opiniones subjetivas de los miembros de Tripadvisor, no de Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor les hace verificaciones a las opiniones como parte de nuestros estándares de confianza y seguridad líderes del sector. Lee nuestro informe de transparencia para obtener más información.
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Bob M
17 aportes
ene de 2018 • Amigos
My son and I signed up for the Mountain to Sea five day tour, which starts with a whitewater rafting adventure on the Piedras River to the Chagres River followed by a kayak adventure all the way across Panama for the next four days. I made this decision after some email dialog and telephone conversation with Javier, the owner of Aventuras Panama, who said that this was his favorite trip because it crosses almost the entire isthmus and the Chagres River was the key to a deep understanding of the entire Canal project.
I’ll speak for myself here, but we were both DELIGHTED with this tour. I have been recommending this trip to all my friends whole-heartedly. One friend became so fired up about MY trip that he called the local newspaper and asked them to come interview me, as he thought the whole town should know about Panama!
Coming from New England in January, what I wanted was some warm weather, unspoiled nature, good water for paddling, a fun adventure, a somewhat comfortable back country camping experience, decent equipment, and someone to make ALL the arrangements. And if I could wish for something I did not want, it would be mosquitos.
I've been back a week now and I’m still smiling because I got all that and more. Panama is a hidden gem!
We started our raft trip in an area so remote it took a couple of hours of extreme 4WD driving with an expert driver followed by a two hour hike to get to the water. After the 4WD vehicles could go no further, and despite being so remote, Aventuras Panama had local indigenous people waiting with horses at the trailhead to carry our boats and gear so we could hike without carrying gear. I was impressed – people waiting for us with horses deep in the jungle. How did they manage that?
The rafting was through an area so unspoiled you could feel you were back in the 16th century. The jungle on both sides of the river was so abundant with life, color, and noises. For hours, we did not see a structure, wire, road, or sign of any person. Great moving water (Class II-III) almost continuously for 4 hours with expert guides, one to a boat. Our group had two boats. We stopped several times for snacks and photos. Javier was right: by starting in the mountains, one really came to understand a lot about the Canal project by experiencing the river - it’s essential water, it’s variability, and its power. It was a dimension to understanding the Canal project that most people never get, which was both fun and fascinating.
At the end of the whitewater at a bend in the river, some Embera indigenous people were waiting for us with a 30’ long canoe that they had made by hand from a tree. We loaded our gear into their boat and they took us several miles downriver to their village, where my son and I disembarked to spend the night to begin the next, kayaking leg of the trip. I note again that Aventuras Panama worked magic to keep things on schedule, even in the jungle.
We stayed that night and the next night in two different Indian villages, and the next two nights bushwhacking in tents. Our guide, Orlando, was fabulous - thoroughly knowledgeable and delightful to be with for four days (this is important with a group of only three people!). Orlando is a professional cook, so boy did we EAT! Never did I expect to be enjoying flank steak with grilled onions and fried yucca and fresh vegetables, wine and beer, cheese and stuffed olive appetizers, and fresh pineapple for dessert in the jungle. Orlando laid out a menu each night that was varied, fresh, and delicious, a rich reward to top off each glorious day of paddling. Breakfasts were also hot and hearty – often sausage, pancakes, rice pilaf, and of course fresh fruit. We prepared lunches to pack in the kayaks.
Some of our camp sites were accessible by truck, so all our gear was delivered when we arrived ashore and then picked up the next morning; other sites were accessible only by boat, so we had a chase boat for a day (I think this was also required to pass that part of the Canal). We carried only the personal items we needed for the day in the kayaks. This was a very nice arrangement because the boats remained light. The drivers were steadfastly punctual and very helpful getting our camp set up and broken down. Our chase boat driver had relatives in a village near where we camped one night, so it was fun dropping by to say hello to the family. Some family members came by to help us set up camp and we got to know them a little bit with our limited Spanish. This connection with the people and the land was just what we were looking for.
Kayaking across Panama is mostly a trip across the huge Gatun lake, and one might wonder how this works with the large ships passing through. We stayed several miles away from these big boys; Gatun houses many islands and Orlando guided us between one island to the next so that we felt like we were on a river without any consciousness of the large boat traffic a few miles away. At all times, safety was the top consideration and we respected how much effort Aventuras Panama put into tracking the weather, tracking us through GPS, planning our course, making sure we had the chase boat in the proper places, and making sure all our equipment was in good order. Orlando carried a GPS that allowed the home office to know our exact position at all times. If there was ever an emergency, this device allowed him to beckon help at once. We knew we were in professional hands so we could relax and enjoy the scenery.
Most days we paddled 5-6 hours, arriving at our camp for the day around 3pm so we had time to get cleaned up and of course dig into the appetizers that Orlando was preparing almost as soon as the coolers were unpacked. We had some light headwinds a few hours a day, but nothing major. For the most part the water was dead flat. Since we were so far from the ship traffic, wakes were not something to worry about. Our drivers were waiting for us when we had to portage around two dams because in each case we had to go a a few miles downstream to the put-in spot. Everything was like clockwork, but we in the boats had no consciousness of clocks, time, or schedules – the tour company took care of everything.
Panama is truly a hidden gem in plain view: we did not see another boater, fisherman, or tourist the entire five days we were on the river. We did see some indigenous people in a couple of places, but there was a two day period where we saw nobody – and this in one of the busiest waterways in the world! The route we took was lined with jungle, so our companions were birds, monkeys, an occasional flying fish, and other animals that we could see rustling near the waterline, but could not see the animal itself. It was great to have flat water and only the sounds of nature; for hours each day we quietly paddled our kayaks, scanning the jungle for animal sightings. It was one of the most relaxing things I’ve ever done.
Some in the tourist industry we met lamented that ‘tourists don’t come to Panama’, but for the reader of this review, this is the opportunity – Panama is a relatively short plane flight from the US and until it catches on, it is a paradise of nature without people. We learned much from our guide about the local peoples, how the terrain changed when the lake was created, and how the country is doing today. Panama is a financial capital, but just a few miles outside of Panama City, it is a wilderness known and enjoyed by very few from outside the region.
The last day was out of a movie. The three of us were padding through flat, clear water on the Chagres river, downstream from the dam, noticing that the river was getting incrementally darker. This meant it was getting more brackish; the end was drawing near. We inhaled the last few hours of the jungle on both sides, stopped to watch howler monkeys in their trees, tried to pick out the various trees Orlando had taught us to identify, and even pulled ashore to see if we could walk 100 yards into the jungle to get a feeling of what Henry Morgan’s pirates went through when they hacked through the jungle on their way to sacking Panama City in 1671. Despite our efforts and several attempted routes, we couldn’t do it. It was just too thick.
Then we turned a bend in the river and there it was – our green river spilled out into the blue Caribbean Sea with gentle whitecaps rolling in. We paddled into the waves, turned around, and surfed onto a white sandy beach framed by coconut palms. We could see the arc of the beach for miles and there wasn’t a single person on any of it – except for our faithful support truck driver, waiting to offer us two cold Panama beers. It was as idyllic as could be.
To conclude, I got everything I wanted. The weather was in the mid-80’s by day and low 70’s by night, and we were lucky to only get a few sprinkles of rain late at night. Aventuras Panama had their eyes glued to the weather so we didn’t have to worry about it – should a storm have come through, they had the support to get us out of the water easily. The nature was as unspoiled as it could get; I tend to pick up floating trash when I kayak, and in five days I picked up exactly two items. The backcountry camping was great with all the gear delivered and meals that were out of this world. My only complaint to Orlando the entire trip was that the PFD’s (lifejackets) were shrinking – every day I had to let mine out a little bit!
The icing on the cake is that even in the areas where we were bushwacking, there were very few mosquitos. Your experience may be different, but all I did was put on long pants and do a light spray with OFF at dusk, and I think I picked up fewer than 30 bites over five days. You could get that many in ten minutes in my New England backyard in the summertime. I think this was because it was cooler at night and there was a constant breeze over the water. Or maybe we just got lucky…
On a scale of one to five, where five is that all my expectations were perfectly satisfied, I’d give this trip a five. If there were a special category, though, for where most of what I got was beyond my expectations, I would not hesitate to give this trip that special category. The planning, logistic support, equipment, guides, friendliness, support, and packaging that Aventuras Panama provided was just fantastic. This was a trip of a lifetime and I’ll definitely be back to Panama, hopefully before everyone else discovers it.
I’ll speak for myself here, but we were both DELIGHTED with this tour. I have been recommending this trip to all my friends whole-heartedly. One friend became so fired up about MY trip that he called the local newspaper and asked them to come interview me, as he thought the whole town should know about Panama!
Coming from New England in January, what I wanted was some warm weather, unspoiled nature, good water for paddling, a fun adventure, a somewhat comfortable back country camping experience, decent equipment, and someone to make ALL the arrangements. And if I could wish for something I did not want, it would be mosquitos.
I've been back a week now and I’m still smiling because I got all that and more. Panama is a hidden gem!
We started our raft trip in an area so remote it took a couple of hours of extreme 4WD driving with an expert driver followed by a two hour hike to get to the water. After the 4WD vehicles could go no further, and despite being so remote, Aventuras Panama had local indigenous people waiting with horses at the trailhead to carry our boats and gear so we could hike without carrying gear. I was impressed – people waiting for us with horses deep in the jungle. How did they manage that?
The rafting was through an area so unspoiled you could feel you were back in the 16th century. The jungle on both sides of the river was so abundant with life, color, and noises. For hours, we did not see a structure, wire, road, or sign of any person. Great moving water (Class II-III) almost continuously for 4 hours with expert guides, one to a boat. Our group had two boats. We stopped several times for snacks and photos. Javier was right: by starting in the mountains, one really came to understand a lot about the Canal project by experiencing the river - it’s essential water, it’s variability, and its power. It was a dimension to understanding the Canal project that most people never get, which was both fun and fascinating.
At the end of the whitewater at a bend in the river, some Embera indigenous people were waiting for us with a 30’ long canoe that they had made by hand from a tree. We loaded our gear into their boat and they took us several miles downriver to their village, where my son and I disembarked to spend the night to begin the next, kayaking leg of the trip. I note again that Aventuras Panama worked magic to keep things on schedule, even in the jungle.
We stayed that night and the next night in two different Indian villages, and the next two nights bushwhacking in tents. Our guide, Orlando, was fabulous - thoroughly knowledgeable and delightful to be with for four days (this is important with a group of only three people!). Orlando is a professional cook, so boy did we EAT! Never did I expect to be enjoying flank steak with grilled onions and fried yucca and fresh vegetables, wine and beer, cheese and stuffed olive appetizers, and fresh pineapple for dessert in the jungle. Orlando laid out a menu each night that was varied, fresh, and delicious, a rich reward to top off each glorious day of paddling. Breakfasts were also hot and hearty – often sausage, pancakes, rice pilaf, and of course fresh fruit. We prepared lunches to pack in the kayaks.
Some of our camp sites were accessible by truck, so all our gear was delivered when we arrived ashore and then picked up the next morning; other sites were accessible only by boat, so we had a chase boat for a day (I think this was also required to pass that part of the Canal). We carried only the personal items we needed for the day in the kayaks. This was a very nice arrangement because the boats remained light. The drivers were steadfastly punctual and very helpful getting our camp set up and broken down. Our chase boat driver had relatives in a village near where we camped one night, so it was fun dropping by to say hello to the family. Some family members came by to help us set up camp and we got to know them a little bit with our limited Spanish. This connection with the people and the land was just what we were looking for.
Kayaking across Panama is mostly a trip across the huge Gatun lake, and one might wonder how this works with the large ships passing through. We stayed several miles away from these big boys; Gatun houses many islands and Orlando guided us between one island to the next so that we felt like we were on a river without any consciousness of the large boat traffic a few miles away. At all times, safety was the top consideration and we respected how much effort Aventuras Panama put into tracking the weather, tracking us through GPS, planning our course, making sure we had the chase boat in the proper places, and making sure all our equipment was in good order. Orlando carried a GPS that allowed the home office to know our exact position at all times. If there was ever an emergency, this device allowed him to beckon help at once. We knew we were in professional hands so we could relax and enjoy the scenery.
Most days we paddled 5-6 hours, arriving at our camp for the day around 3pm so we had time to get cleaned up and of course dig into the appetizers that Orlando was preparing almost as soon as the coolers were unpacked. We had some light headwinds a few hours a day, but nothing major. For the most part the water was dead flat. Since we were so far from the ship traffic, wakes were not something to worry about. Our drivers were waiting for us when we had to portage around two dams because in each case we had to go a a few miles downstream to the put-in spot. Everything was like clockwork, but we in the boats had no consciousness of clocks, time, or schedules – the tour company took care of everything.
Panama is truly a hidden gem in plain view: we did not see another boater, fisherman, or tourist the entire five days we were on the river. We did see some indigenous people in a couple of places, but there was a two day period where we saw nobody – and this in one of the busiest waterways in the world! The route we took was lined with jungle, so our companions were birds, monkeys, an occasional flying fish, and other animals that we could see rustling near the waterline, but could not see the animal itself. It was great to have flat water and only the sounds of nature; for hours each day we quietly paddled our kayaks, scanning the jungle for animal sightings. It was one of the most relaxing things I’ve ever done.
Some in the tourist industry we met lamented that ‘tourists don’t come to Panama’, but for the reader of this review, this is the opportunity – Panama is a relatively short plane flight from the US and until it catches on, it is a paradise of nature without people. We learned much from our guide about the local peoples, how the terrain changed when the lake was created, and how the country is doing today. Panama is a financial capital, but just a few miles outside of Panama City, it is a wilderness known and enjoyed by very few from outside the region.
The last day was out of a movie. The three of us were padding through flat, clear water on the Chagres river, downstream from the dam, noticing that the river was getting incrementally darker. This meant it was getting more brackish; the end was drawing near. We inhaled the last few hours of the jungle on both sides, stopped to watch howler monkeys in their trees, tried to pick out the various trees Orlando had taught us to identify, and even pulled ashore to see if we could walk 100 yards into the jungle to get a feeling of what Henry Morgan’s pirates went through when they hacked through the jungle on their way to sacking Panama City in 1671. Despite our efforts and several attempted routes, we couldn’t do it. It was just too thick.
Then we turned a bend in the river and there it was – our green river spilled out into the blue Caribbean Sea with gentle whitecaps rolling in. We paddled into the waves, turned around, and surfed onto a white sandy beach framed by coconut palms. We could see the arc of the beach for miles and there wasn’t a single person on any of it – except for our faithful support truck driver, waiting to offer us two cold Panama beers. It was as idyllic as could be.
To conclude, I got everything I wanted. The weather was in the mid-80’s by day and low 70’s by night, and we were lucky to only get a few sprinkles of rain late at night. Aventuras Panama had their eyes glued to the weather so we didn’t have to worry about it – should a storm have come through, they had the support to get us out of the water easily. The nature was as unspoiled as it could get; I tend to pick up floating trash when I kayak, and in five days I picked up exactly two items. The backcountry camping was great with all the gear delivered and meals that were out of this world. My only complaint to Orlando the entire trip was that the PFD’s (lifejackets) were shrinking – every day I had to let mine out a little bit!
The icing on the cake is that even in the areas where we were bushwacking, there were very few mosquitos. Your experience may be different, but all I did was put on long pants and do a light spray with OFF at dusk, and I think I picked up fewer than 30 bites over five days. You could get that many in ten minutes in my New England backyard in the summertime. I think this was because it was cooler at night and there was a constant breeze over the water. Or maybe we just got lucky…
On a scale of one to five, where five is that all my expectations were perfectly satisfied, I’d give this trip a five. If there were a special category, though, for where most of what I got was beyond my expectations, I would not hesitate to give this trip that special category. The planning, logistic support, equipment, guides, friendliness, support, and packaging that Aventuras Panama provided was just fantastic. This was a trip of a lifetime and I’ll definitely be back to Panama, hopefully before everyone else discovers it.
Escrita el 27 de enero de 2018
Esta opinión es la opinión subjetiva de un miembro de Tripadvisor, no de Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor les hace controles a todas las opiniones.
Thank you very much for your Excellent Review on our 7 days trip 'The Panama Canal through the Chagres River'
It was a pleasure sharing with you before and after your journey. Outdoor adventures such as this makes it perfect for bonding as you did with your son.
I could not agree with you more, Panama is totally overlooked. As you put it, it is a gem in plain view; but, it takes some adventurous eyes to spot it.
I am looking forward to your next visit.
Best regards,
Escrita el 20 de febrero de 2018
Esta respuesta es la opinión subjetiva del representante de la gerencia, no de Tripadvisor LLC.
Tim M
1 aporte
ene de 2018 • Amigos
Honestly, I didn't do a ton of research for this trip—my dad asked if I wanted to go join him in Panama, I said sure, and a few weeks later I landed at the airport. But nothing else was necessary: every important detail and logistic was already figured out, and there couldn't have been a better itinerary planned for the next seven days. We hiked, we rafted, we kayaked, we ATE, we explored, we camped, we met indians and locals, we fished—we did it all!
I'll admit that the price struck me as a bit steep at first, but by the second day of the trip any of my reservations were completely dispelled. The amount of people involved to make this possible was truly extraordinary: there was Jorge, who coordinated airport dropoffs, pickups, and city tours. There was Benito, the fearless AWD driver who drove our motley crew overs steep, rutty hills heaped with red mud on treacherous jungle roads. There were two horses and a contingent of locals who schlepped our rafting equipment through the forest to the mouth of the Rio des Piedras. Fabian and Javier, our seasoned rafting guides; the Emberra tribe, who picked us up in their motorized canoes and hosted us in their village; Orlando, who was our kayaking captain through Gatun Lake; Jose, our motorboat escort, and a handful of other people who met us along the way to help us portage around dams, locks, and isthmuses. By the end of the trip, I was amazed by how many people we had met and how much we had done.
To the avid adventurer: I can't recommend this trip enough!
I'll admit that the price struck me as a bit steep at first, but by the second day of the trip any of my reservations were completely dispelled. The amount of people involved to make this possible was truly extraordinary: there was Jorge, who coordinated airport dropoffs, pickups, and city tours. There was Benito, the fearless AWD driver who drove our motley crew overs steep, rutty hills heaped with red mud on treacherous jungle roads. There were two horses and a contingent of locals who schlepped our rafting equipment through the forest to the mouth of the Rio des Piedras. Fabian and Javier, our seasoned rafting guides; the Emberra tribe, who picked us up in their motorized canoes and hosted us in their village; Orlando, who was our kayaking captain through Gatun Lake; Jose, our motorboat escort, and a handful of other people who met us along the way to help us portage around dams, locks, and isthmuses. By the end of the trip, I was amazed by how many people we had met and how much we had done.
To the avid adventurer: I can't recommend this trip enough!
Escrita el 27 de enero de 2018
Esta opinión es la opinión subjetiva de un miembro de Tripadvisor, no de Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor les hace controles a todas las opiniones.
Thank you very much for your Excellent Review on our seven days trip 'The Panama Canal Through the Chagres River.´
I enjoyed it very much hearing how exciting you were with this expedition. You and your Dad were the perfect guests... open to whatever comes with the right attitude.
I hope to share with you again. I am sure that you will also bring your own son sometime in the future to maybe paddle with my son (-:
Escrita el 20 de febrero de 2018
Esta respuesta es la opinión subjetiva del representante de la gerencia, no de Tripadvisor LLC.
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