Panama Bristol Tour

Day 1:  Upon arrival into Panama City, Panama you will be met and transferred to The Bristol Hotel, for overnight.  The Bristol is a boutique hotel with a standard of luxury and attention to detail. Set in the heart of the bustling financial center, minutes from shopping, cultural attractions and nightlife, The Bristol is a rare jewel where luxurious accommodations and sumptuous dining are blended to create uncompromising quality.   Demanding travelers will discover inviting luxury, absolute privacy and unobtrusive security at The Bristol. Each room is elegantly decorated with custom fabrics and prints by noted Latin-American and Panamanian artists. The rooms are all equipped with an entertainment center with 29’’ Plasma TV, DVD player, CD player, fax machine, wall-to-wall marble bathrooms with separate glass-enclosed showers, sumptuous baths and luxurious personal amenities, high-speed wired and wireless internet access.  The rest of the evening is free to explore the city or to get in some last minute shopping. 

Day 2:   Panama City & Canal Tour (half day):  Your English speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a private tour to Panama City and the Miraflores Locks. You will start the tour with a 30 minutes drive to the Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal where you will be able to see ships getting lifted or lowered 18 meters in two distinct steps. You will enjoy the view on the Locks from a sheltered terrace and listen to the explanations of your guide. To complete the visit of the Canal you will visit the Museum and Visitor Center at Miraflores which gives you a good idea on the construction of the Canal, the entire world trade, as well as on the current expansion project. After the visit to the Canal you continue with your guide to the Amador Causeway, a road that connects three Islands in the Pacific Ocean and offers magnificent views of the Canal on one side and of the Panama City skyline on the other side. The tour continues to the Casco Viejo, Panama City’s colonial quarter. At Casco Viejo you feel set back in time as you admire the lovely colonial houses, the narrow roads and the impressive churches. You will get a good idea about Panama’s history by driving or walking through the main attractions of this quarter.  The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the city.  Overnight The Bristol Hotel. 

Day 3:  Embera Indigenous Village Tour:  In the morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you up north towards Lake Alajuela. There you will step into small boats, which will carry you up the Rio Chagres. A fascinating and dense jungle will accompany you on your boat trip. Upriver, you will step out of the dugout canoes and enjoy a short hike (can be a bit muddy) to a beautiful waterfall in midst of the rain forest. Enjoy this tropical paradise far away from any civilization, take a swim in the refreshing pool just beneath the waterfall and submerge in this true tropical getaway. Now you are ready to visit the village of the Embera Indians, one of seven indigenous tribes in Panama.  The people of the Embera tribe will welcome you at the pier and gladly give you an idea on how they still live today. The villages chief will give you a brief explication on the history of the tribe, its traditions, cultures, believes and handicrafts. Then, a traditional lunch of fish and plantains prepared by the Embera women will be served to you. In the afternoon you will experience a traditional Embera dance and have the opportunity to shop for handicrafts. The sale of local products directly benefits the village and helps to pay the school fees for the children. You can also get a temporary Embera tattoo painted on your arm or leg.  Overnight The Bristol Hotel. 

Day 4:  This morning you will be met and transferred approximately 1 and ½ - 2 hours to the Bristol Buenaventura nestled between lush vegetation, lakes and the deep-blue waters of the Pacific Coast for overnight.  At Bristol Buenaventura you will be impressed by the refined elegance, impeccable service, comfort of the rooms and the infinite possibilities once you get outside.  The resort offers 126 luxurious rooms including two handicap accessible rooms and eighteen connecting rooms. Aside from the main building rooms there are eight hotel villas. Four villas with 4 rooms, and the other four, with an optional fifth room.  All of the rooms have wrought iron balconies with views of the lake and those in the higher floors can see the ocean horizon.  The rooms are complete with a sitting and a work desk area equipped with internet access. 

The Bristol Buenaventura offers a spa, fitness center, business center, 18-hole Nicklaus Design par-72 championship golf course (opening August 2011), El Faro club house, child services, laundry service, valet parking, wired and wireless internet.  Savour the award winning chef’s imaginative artwork, with the freshness and uniqueness of local ingredients. Bristol Buenaventura provides guests with infinite dining options accented by settings designed to inspire. Find five distinctive restaurants with gourmet and casual dining meticulously designed by the award winning chef Cuquita Arias.   Two bars complete the offer of Bristol Buenaventura

Day 5 – 7:  Free days to relax at the beach or to plan day activities.  Whether it's sailing the beautiful Pacific Coast of Buenaventura, sport fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, lounging on the beach, trail walking or playing tennis, Bristol Buenaventura is the ultimate destination to discover.  Eco-Tours are available in the nearby town of El Valle de Antón 45 minutes away. Activities such as canopy, river rafting, bird watching, thermal springs, rappelling, or hiking can be done throughout the dense rainforest, river and mountains. Overnight Bristol Buenaventura. 

Day 8:   This morning transfer about 1 and ½ - 2 hours to the international airport in Panama City for your return flight home. 

INCLUDES:
-One way Panama City international airport transfer. 
-3 nights The Bristol Hotel, deluxe room.  Breakfast daily included. 
-Panama City & Canal Tour (half day).  Includes:  transfers, guide and entrance fees. 
-Embera Indigenous Village Tour.  Includes:  transfers, guide and lunch. 
-Roundtrip private ground transfers Panama City / Buenaventura. 
-4 nights Bristol Buenaventura, deluxe mountain view room.  Breakfast daily included. 
-ALL HOTEL TAX INCLUDED. 

Price valid through October 31, 2010