Panama food and culture tour

Welcome to Panama and the start of your journey. After clearing immigration and customs in Panama City, meet our local representative for a private transfer to your hotel.

Settle in, then ease into your Panama travel experience with your first impressions of the capital, from its skyline and canal zone to its historic quarters.

In the evening, enjoy time at leisure to sample local flavors and feel the rhythm of daily life.

Begin your day among the ruins of Old Panama, where you can climb the cathedral tower and uncover the city’s early history at the Old Panama Museum.

Continue to Casco Viejo, strolling its cobblestone streets and visiting the French Plaza, where statues honor Ferdinand de Lesseps and the pioneers of the first canal attempt.

In the afternoon, visit the Miraflores Locks to watch ships navigate the Panama Canal, then explore four floors of engaging exhibits about its history and engineering.

Enjoy Panamanian cuisine at a local restaurant before continuing through the historic Canal area and Balboa town on your way back to your Panama City hotel.

Begin your day with an early pickup from your hotel and travel to El Corotú on Madden Lake. From here, continue by motorized piragua along the Chagres River, passing through the lush landscapes of Chagres National Park.

As you travel, watch for birdlife such as herons, egrets, anhingas, cormorants, kingfishers, and ospreys along the riverbanks.

Arrive at an Emberá village, where traditional music, dance, and storytelling offer insight into the community’s close connection with nature. Browse handmade baskets, masks, cocobolo carvings, and tagua crafts, and try jagua body painting.

Enjoy an authentic Emberá lunch, with the option to take a short botanical trail walk before returning to Panama City.

This morning, take a private transfer to the airport for your short domestic flight to Chitre.

On arrival in the Azuero Peninsula, one of the best places to visit in Panama for traditional culture, you will step into a region often described as the heartland of Panamanian identity.

Begin discovering rural communities, colorful folklore, and time-honored customs that shape the country’s cuisine and culture, setting the scene for hands-on local experiences in the days ahead.

Dive into the heart of Panamanian culture in La Enea de Guararé, a small town near Chitré, where Belkis and William welcome you into their home.

Learn how the iconic Panamanian pollera is hand-stitched, then try a few techniques yourself before experiencing what it means to be empollerada in this national dress.

Afterward, move to their backyard kitchen for a hands-on cooking session. Prepare and taste traditional dishes such as arroz con pollo, ensalada de papa, and patacones, learning the stories behind each recipe as you cook.

From your hotel in Chitré, travel to a traditional farm in La Villa de Los Santos, shaded by trees beside the La Villa River.

Here, a local artisan will guide you through the process of crafting your own Diablico Sucio mask, an iconic symbol of Panamanian folklore.

Afterward, sit down to a firewood-cooked sancocho served with sweet corn tortillas, local cheese, and refreshing fruit drinks.

You will also watch expert craftsmen create custom cutarras, handwoven leather sandals shaped to your feet. Return to your hotel with a distinctive Azuero souvenir and a deeper understanding of Panama’s cuisine and culture.

Enjoy a relaxed day shaped around your own pace as you explore more of the cuisine and culture woven through your Panama itinerary.

Stroll through lively neighborhoods, browse local markets, and pause at cafes serving traditional dishes and fresh seafood.

You might join a casual cooking class, sample street food favorites, or visit artisan shops to meet local makers and learn the stories behind their work.

Fly from Chitré back to Panama City and enjoy a smooth transfer to your hotel.

On arrival, unwind at your boutique stay or explore at your own pace, strolling through neighborhoods full of local life, familiar flavors, and everyday rhythms.

Your travel designer can arrange a sunset walk through historic streets, a visit to a favorite café, or a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant, giving your tailor-made journey one final taste of Panama.

Spend the day at your own pace, with time to relax or explore Panama City independently.

In the evening, meet your host in the hotel lobby for a transfer to a traditional Panamanian restaurant. Sit down to an authentic feast featuring corn, plantains, yucca, fresh fish, tamales, sancocho chicken soup, pork, seafood, and beef.

After dinner, enjoy a colorful folkloric show with national dancers in elegant costumes. Watch traditional performances such as Punta, Travesado, and Diablos Sucios, accompanied by live music and typical Panamanian instruments, before returning to your hotel.

It is time to say goodbye to Panama, carrying home the flavors, colors, and stories that shaped your journey.

At the appropriate time, usually around three hours before departure, your private transfer will take you from your hotel to Tocumen International Airport.

Enjoy space for one last coffee, a final look at the skyline, and thoughts of your next tailor-made Panama trip.