PANAMÁ B FIELD COURSE

LENGTH: 9 Days/8 Nights

FIXED DEPARTURE DATES 2007: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for available dates by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.
*Other dates for individuals, families and groups, including WINTER INTERIM BREAK and SPRING BREAK, available upon request.

*Our standard PANAMÁ B FIELD COURSE itinerary can be modified in content and length for SPECIAL INTERESTS and NEEDS.

*An affordable extension to PANAMA’S DARIEN is available before or after our PANAMÁ B FIELD COURSE upon request.

*Affordable PARTIAL and COMPLETE PANAMA CANAL TRANSITS are available to individuals and groups upon request. Descriptions for both are included below. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing.

*WHITE-WATER RAFTING in Panamá is also available upon request.

*FIELD COURSES for those with SPECIAL INTERESTS, such as BIRDING and GARDEN GROUPS are available upon request. Sample itineraries can be seen at http://www.birdingtours.org (being updated), http://www.gardentours.org (being updated) and also http://www.rainforestandreef.org. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAMS for individuals/groups are also available in Panamá. A sample itinerary can be seen at http://www.iwanttolearnspanish.org (being updated) and also http://www.rainforestandreef.org. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

FIELD COURSE COST: Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

Notes: Group Leaders, please contact Rainforest and Reef for details about STIPENDS and GROUP RATES.

Includes: All INSTRUCTION and BI-LINGUAL GUIDE SERVICES; all MEALS and LODGING as stated in the itinerary; all GROUND and WATER TRANSPORTATION within; all ENTRANCE FEES to NATIONAL PARKS and OTHER SITES.

Does Not Include: ROUND-TRIP INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE to Panamá; PANAMÁ TOURIST CARD (5.00USD) INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX (20.00USD per person); GRATUITIES and PERSONAL ITEMS.

INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE: Rainforest and Reef uses consolidators/wholesalers for all of our GROUP and INDIVIDUAL airfares. We are therefore able to offer the LOWEST RATES available. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

ITINERARY:

MEAL CODES: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner

Note: On the MEDICAL INFORMATION FORM that you will be receiving shortly after registration, please make us aware of any special meal requests and/or dietary restrictions….vegan, vegetarian, etc., that you or members of your group may have. We will be pleased to fulfill your requests/needs.

DAY 1 ARRIVAL-SOBERANÍA RESEARCH STATION-FIELD COURSE ORIENTATION. Following your arrival at Tocumen International Airport, northeast of Panamá City, you will be met by our Panamá Field Course Staff and transferred to the Soberanía Research Station in Gamboa. After dinner, there will be an orientation session to our Panamá B Field Course. Overnight Soberanía Research Station.

Note: You will be met outside of Immigration and Customs by Rainforest and Reef Staff. They will be holding a sign that says:

Soberanía Research Station

Located in the small town of Gamboa, part of the buffer zone of the Soberanía National Park, the Soberania Research Station offers outstanding opportunities for wildlife observation and research in the adjacent rainforest. It is a preferred location for Biologists from around the world that come to this site to conduct various research projects including bird and mammal ecology, biodiversity, a variety of behavioral and herbivory studies and much more. We normally host scientists working with the Smithsonian Institute coming from all over the United States, as well as Poland, South Korea, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and other parts of the world. They come to this site to learn about our tropical rainforests and the vast array of organisms found here. Our facilities are basic, yet clean and functional, and most importantly they provide easy access to the rainforest and various study projects. Our visitors especiallyenjoy talking to our resident Biologist to learn about their research work, and most recent findings. Seeing science in the making is a truly enriching experience.

DAY 2 SOBERANÍA NATIONAL PARK-PIPELINE ROAD-SUMMIT GARDENS-ZOO and HARPY EAGLE AVIARY. Early this morning, we will depart for Soberanía National Park. At 54,600 acres in total area, it offers one of the most accessible tropical rainforests in Panamá. The Park has numerous hiking trails and also included within its boundaries are part of the Chagres River, Lake Gatún, as well as a spectacular variety of flora and fauna. Here, participants will hike along Pipeline Road, considered one of the top birding sites in the world. Biologists have recorded 525 species of birds and 105 different types of mammals here, including the jaguar. Our group will then visit Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo. The Botanical Gardens were founded in 1923, with the goal of culturing tropical plants from around the world. Today, more than 15,000 plant species can be seen here. At the Zoo, we will get to see animals that are, for the most part, native to Central America. The biggest attraction is the enormous harpy eagle aviary and education center. It opened in 1998 and there are hopes that a captive-breeding program will be established at some point. The harpy eagle, aside from being the National Bird of Panamá, is considered by many to be the most powerful bird-of-prey on Earth. In the late afternoon, we will return to Soberanía Research Station for dinner and overnight. B L D

DAY 3 MEET with RAINFOREST RESEARCHERS-PANAMA CANAL-MARINE EXHIBIT CENTER-NIGHT HIKE. Today, we will visit another rainforest trail in Soberanía National Park where we will have excellent opportunities to observe antbirds, manakins, trogons and motmots, as well as mammals like howler and capuchin monkeys. We will also get together with visiting scientists to learn about their research in tropical ecology. You will learn first hand what it is like to be a Tropical Biologist. Later we will visit the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World, the Panamá Canal. At the Miraflores Locks we will learn about the monumental task of building this incredible feat of engineering, as well as interesting details of the operation of this important waterway. Late this afternoon, our group will visit the Smithsonian´s Punta Culebra Marine Exhibit Center, where you will learn about the various marine ecosystems found in Panama, multiple colorful tropical fishes, and sea turtles. Dinner and overnight Soberanía Research Station. This evening participants will explore the water’s edge around Gamboa in search of frogs, caimans and even the elusive Capybara, the largest rodent in the world. B L D

DAY 4 PORTOBELLO NATIONAL PARK-SNORKELING in the CARIBBEAN. The bullion Conquistadors took from the Inca Empire in Peru had one main destination: Spain. The natural choice to do this passage from the Pacific coast of South America to the Atlantic Ocean was Panama. The increasing presence of Spanish galleons filled with gold and silver in Panamanian ports sparked the interest of many privateers, corsairs and pirates who constantly raided these waters between the 16th and 17th centuries. We will start our journey to the Caribbean Sea by driving some 60 miles along the Trans-Isthmian Highway to the town of Portobello. Here we will observe the remains of Spanish Forts established to protect their interests in the region. Weather permitting we would travel by boat to the nearby Caribbean and spend part of the day exploring coral formations, many of the common species of reef fishes, including damselfish, wrasses, hogfishes and angelfishes, to name a few. Dinner and overnight Portobello. B L D

DAY 5 METROPOLITAN NATURE PARK–CITY TOUR-CRAFT MAREKT. After breakfast this morning, we will drive back across the Continental Divide towards Panama City on the Pacific side of the Isthmus to visit the Metropolitan Nature Park. This is perhaps the only rainforest close to a major capital city in Latin America. Despite its proximity to cosmopolitan Panama City, it boasts a great variety of flora and fauna. We hope to see a variety of birds, including flycatchers, antwrens, tanagers and woodpeckers. In addition, we may also find other wildlife, including tamarins, sloths and coati mundis. Following lunch, we will depart for a tour of Panama City. Our group will first visit "Panamá Viejo", Old Panama City, founded August 15, 1519. It was the first city established by the Spaniards on the Pacific coast. Historically, it is very important because the Camino Real and Las Cruces trails originated here. Panama Viejo was burned and destroyed by British pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. Here, we will see a topographical model of the original city, visit the ruins and shop at a local handicrafts market. Next, we will drive through modern-day Panama City to the colonial city, Casco Viejo, which was constructed in 1673. In the colonial section of Panama City, our first stop will be at the San José Church where the famed golden altar is located. We will then visit the French, Simón Bolívar and Independence Plazas. At this site we will also have the opportunity to buy some souvenirs and craft at a local market. Dinner and overnight Soberanía Research Station. B L D

DAY 6 MONTANE CLOUDFOREST-EL VALLE CRAFT MARKET. Following a scenic drive along the Pan-American Highway, we will spend the day at the bottom of the crater of an extinct El Valle Volcano. This place is best known for its picturesque Craft Markets, where natives bring their crafts as well as produce and flowers to sell to other villagers and visitors as well. Participants will be able to immerse themselves in the local culture, taste many different exotic fruits and buy souvenirs. Later we will have the opportunity to hike up through the mountains to discover the mysterious cloudforest. This ecosystem is characterized by cooler temperatures and a constant mist bathing the trees. Participants will observe trees covered by moss, and their branches completely laden with orchids and other epiphytes. Time permitting we will visit a nearby beach to bathe in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Late this afternoon, we will return to Soberanía Research Station for dinner and overnight. B L D

DAY 7 BOAT TRIP-RAINFORESTS ALONG THE PANAMA CANAL. After breakfast today, our group will depart for a boat trip, exploring rainforests along the Panama Canal. Participants will observe a variety of vessels, ranging in size from small sailboats to gigantic Along the way we will see different vessels ranging from small sailboats to gigantic car carriers transiting the Canal. We will be able to learn about various aspects of the operation of the Panama Canal, including navigation, dredging and protection. We also hope to observe a variety of flora and fauna during our excursion, including howler and capuchin monkeys, tamarins, sloths, crocodiles, turtles and even the elusive capybara, considered the largest rodent in the world. It is found primarily in South America, but does range as far north as Panama. Late this afternoon, we will return to Soberanía Research Station for dinner and overnight. B L D

DAY 8 EMBERA INDIAN VILLAGE-FAREWELL DINNER. Today we will travel into the Chagres National Park for a journey back in time. Participants will visit an Embera Indian village that has managed to preserve many of their traditional ways, even today. Comprised of over 315,000 acres, Chagres National Park is the largest protected area in the Panama Canal Watershed. The park provides nearly half of all the water needed for the operation of the Panama Canal, as well as most of the drinking water used in the cities of Panamá and Colón. In the morning, while our boat cruises up the Chagres River, we will appreciate the forests along the way searching for birds like herons, toucans and kingfishers. We will also learn about the local flora, not to mention the spectacular scenery. Once at the village, our hosts will tell us about the history of the Embera people and how they go about their daily lives. At noon we will have lunch atop a native "tambo" hut. There we will taste the same type of meal that the natives normally have: fresh fish and plantains. Later you will have an opportunity to buy some hand crafts created by the Embera, including wood and nut carvings, as well as gorgeous baskets with bright colors. In the evening we will go into Panamá City for a our “Farewell Dinner”. Overnight at the Soberanía Research Station. B L

DAY 9 DEPARTURE. After an early breakfast and farewells to our Panamá Field Course Staff, you will be transferred to Tocumen International Airport for your return flight home. B

Note: Due to weather conditions and circumstances beyond the control of Field Course Staff, certain activities may be changed or done on different days in the best interest of the group.

EXTENSION: PARTIAL PANAMÁ CANAL TRANSIT

Note: PARTIAL CANAL TRANSITS following one of our PANAMÁ FIELD COURSES typically require two additional overnights in Panamá City, one on the Friday following the FIELD COURSE and one on the Saturday following the CANAL TRANSIT. On Saturdays when a COMPLETE CANAL TRANSIT is scheduled there are no PARTIAL TRANSITS.

COST: Please contact Rainforest and Reef by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

AVAILABLE DATES: Before or after any of our Field Courses in Panamá or Costa Rica.

DESCRIPTION: Your vessel will depart from Pier 17 at Balboa on the Pacific at 7:30 am. The trip includes locking up and down through Miraflores Lock’s two chambers, proceeding through Miraflores Lake up to Pedro Miguel locks, which we will not enter. We will then turn around and travel down the Pacific breakwater to view the Pacific Anchorage, taking in the best view of Panamá City’s skyline before returning to Balboa at approximately 12:00 noon.

EXTENSION: COMPLETE PANAMÁ CANAL TRANSIT (Pacific to Atlantic)

COST: Please contact Rainforest and Reef by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

AVAILABLE DATES: Before or after any of our Field Courses in Panamá or Costa Rica.

DESCRIPTION: Our vessel will depart from Pier 17 at Balboa on the Pacific at 7:30 am and travel through Miraflores Locks, Pedro Miguel Locks, Galliard Cut, Gatun Lake and Gatun Locks. At approximately 5:30 pm we will arrive in Cristóbal on the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean). Chartered buses will then transport us back to Balboa on the Pacific again.