Join Kosher X Tours as we travel on The Discovery – a private 24 person, 12 cabin catamaran, as we explore the wonders of the Panama Canal.  Experience a unique and in-depth travel & cruise adventure exploring the regions locks, lakes, indigenous cultures and surrounding rainforests.

 

Panama: Three million years ago a thin strip of land emerged from the sea, uniting the Americas. The recently formed bridge turned into the path of an ongoing natural pilgrimage. At that moment, Panama defined its vocation to be a place of transit and travel. Thousands of years later, other men arrived by sea and crossed the narrow strip from one ocean to the other. Centuries later, the same path was covered by the natives, the Conquistadors, the Inca gold followers, pirates, slaves, the railway builders, the California gold hunters and the incoming ships from coasts and seas all over the world.  Today, the Panama Canal stands as a living monument to this land of transit, this crossroads, stretching over a historic path trodden by those who opened the way and by the footsteps of those who remained.

Itinerary

 

Day 1 Sunday – Arrive Panama City / transfer to Flamenco Marina to meet your ship

Sail the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean towards Contadora Island, where the Discovery will stay the first night before navigating to the Darien Jungle. Take this opportunity to meet your expedition leaders, the crew and your fellow travelers while you savor our tempting native cuisine.

 

3:00 p.m. – Embarkation time in Flamenco Marina.

 

Discovery sails for Contadora Island.

 

Welcome cocktail, a safety briefing, and an introduction to the crew and guides. The guides will give a full presentation of the sites to be visited during your 8-day program, including the next day’s activities to Mogue River in Darien.

Safety drill.

 

 7:30 p.m. – Dinner

 

Day 2 Monday - Darien Jungle.

Step aboard a time machine and travel back more than 600 years to a place that not many have had the privilege of experiencing. More than an excursion, this is a journey into the lives of the Embera Indians. A proud people who have been able to maintain their traditions and lifestyle as they were before the Spaniards colonized the region. These natives are also master crafters of cocobolo wood carvings and basketry. After motoring up river you will see the village emerging from the jungle, as if by magic.  Keep your eyes open along the way as the region offers abundant wildlife that is particularly active along the rivers edge.

Discovery starts its repositioning towards Darien (approximate sailing time is 4 hours and 30 minutes).

 

Passengers arrive and wake up at the mouth of the Mogue River in Darien.

 

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast

 

Zodiac cruise around the Quebrada Honda/Punta Alegre area.

 

12:00 p.m. – Lunch

 

Passengers will be taken to visit the Embera Village to interact with the native Indians.

 

6:30 p.m. – Guides will give you a recap of what was done during the day and will give an explanation of next day’s activities.

 

7:00 p.m. – Dinner

 

Day 3 Tuesday - Pearl Islands / San Telmo.

Snorkel and swim in the waters of the Pearl Islands. The archipelago owes its name to the abundance of pearl oysters which supported a substantial fishery in the early 1900’s. On the outer portion of the archipelago, the islands of San Telmo and Galera are home to some pristine beaches and fertile fishing grounds. View the remains of the submarine Explorer built in 1865 during the Civil War and which sunk off the coast of San Telmo during the oyster fishery of the late 1800´s.

 

The Discovery repositions towards San Telmo, located in the Pearl Islands.

 

6:30 a.m. – Early risers coffee station in the bar area.

 

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast

 

Snorkeling briefing.

 

Activities start with a visit to the sunken Civil War submarine. Passengers will also be able to do  snorkeling around the area.

 

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

 

The Discovery will be moving to Mogo Mogo Island. On the way, be on the lookout for whales and dolphins. When Discovery arrives at Mogo Mogo, you will spend the afternoon on the beach swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or just enjoying the beautiful scenery of the crystal clear waters and golden sand.

 

6:30 p.m. – Guides will give you a recap of what was done during the day and will give an explanation of next day’s activities (including a brief explanation on the Panama Canal).

 

7:00 p.m. – Dinner

 

Day 4 Wednesday - Panama Canal Transit / Limon Bay

Wake up at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal and join the morning’s ship convoy for our northbound canal passage traversing Miraflores Locks, Pedro Miguel Locks and Gatun Locks. The Discovery will be raised 85 feet above sea level to Gatun Lake. You will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience up close the history and operation of this engineering marvel. Navigate the Gaillard Cut, the narrowest section of the Panama Canal, bisecting the Continental Divide. This section of the canal is full of history and geological value and you will be able to appreciate the continuous maintenance that this area requires, because it is very susceptible to landslides. Later in the afternoon, the Discovery will complete its full Panama Canal transit on its way to the Caribbean Sea and the mouth of the Chagres River.

 

Discovery starts sailing on its way to transit the Panama Canal.

 

6:30 a.m. – Early risers coffee station in the bar area.

 

8:00 a.m. – Breakfast

 

Discovery will do a daylight transit through the Panama Canal crossing the first two sets of locks, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks.

 

12:30 p.m. – BBQ lunch during the Panama Canal transit.

 

Discovery will complete its full Panama Canal transit in the afternoon reaching up to Limon Bay, outside of the Gatun Locks.

 

6:30 p.m – Guides will give you a recap of what was done during the day and will give an explanation of next day’s activities.

 

7:00 p.m. – Dinner

 

* Times and schedules are upon confirmation by the Panama Canal.

 

Day 5 Thursday - Chagres River / Fort San Lorenzo

Experience the magnificent Chagres River which was used by the conquistadors to move their gold across the Isthmus of Panama en-route from Peru to Spain and by the gold prospectors who attempted a "short cut" from the US East coast to the gold fields of California. The river was the centerpiece of the colonial inter-oceanic route and is now the lifeline of the Panama Canal full of wildlife and tropical jungle. Explore Fort San Lorenzo which is located on a cliff at the mouth of the Chagres on the Atlantic side where your leader will offer details of the immense amount of history found on this area. The fort was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century to defend their well known gold trail.

 

Discovery will sail towards the mouth of the Chagres River.

 

6:30 a.m. – Early risers coffee station in the bar area.

 

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast

 

Exploration on the Chagres River.

 

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

 

Depart on a nature walk and exploration to Fort San Lorenzo.

 

6:30 p.m – Guides will give you a recap of what was done during the day and will give an explanation of next day’s activities.

 

7:00 p.m. – Dinner

 

Day 6 Friday - Portobelo – Caribbean / Disembark

Enjoy the town of Portobelo on Caribbean waters which was founded by Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage to the new continent in 1597. This quaint town is rich in history as it was the site of many sea and land battles between the Spanish colonials and the pirates and corsairs raiding the Spanish Main. Explore the fortifications built by the Spaniards to protect their treasures. After lunch, be ready to disembark the Discovery. Travel by motor coach to Panama City for a memorable Shabbat with the Jewish community of Panama. This two hour trip will allow you to traverse the trans-isthmian highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

 

Discovery leaves the Chagres River area and repositions towards Portobelo.

 

6:30 a.m. – Early risers coffee station in the bar area.

 

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast

 

You will disembark the Discovery for a tour to the town of Portobelo to interact with the locals, buy beautiful crafts, and vist the fortifications built by the Spaniards. After the tour, you will immediately board the bus that will take you back to Panama City for a 2 hour ride.

 

12:30 p.m. – Lunch on board

 

1:30 p.m. – Depart for Panama City

 

3:30 p.m.  – Arrive Panama City, hotel check-in

 

5:30 p.m. – Shabbat services at local synagogue

 

7:30 p.m. – Shabbat dinner

 

Day 7 Saturday – Shabbat in Panama / Day at leisure

 

Shabbat is at leisure with the Jewish community of Panama City.  Morning service followed by Kiddush and afternoon at leisure.  Havdallah and farewell dinner where we say goodbye and share stories of the past weeks adventure with old and new friends.

 

Day 8 Sunday - Depart