Chagres and San Blas Adventure ( 7 Nights)

  Panama

Panama City

Term: Throughout the year 
Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Year Around

Description: Panama City Chagres National Park San Blas Archipelago

The Chagres River is virtually unseen in the trek through the Chagres National Park due to the lack of access roads, protection against settlers, and the previous non-existence of Aventuras Panamá. This part of the river, characterized by currents alternating with backwaters, is considered as Class II, although several rapids are considered Class III by the International Classification of River Navigation.

As a result of dense tropical forest that covers the basin of the river, sedimentation is minimum; therefore, clear water can be expected very often. The flora is typical of the tropical rain forest, with more than three hundred species per hectarea. Although it is the natural habitat of big mammals such as tapir and jaguar, tropical rainforest animals , they are very seldom encountered. It is much easier to spot several others samples of the fauna, such as monkeys of the rainforest(spider, howler, whiteface capuchin , Geoffrey's Tamarin), sloth, river otter, iguana, tucan, and plenty of fish.

The Chagres National Park is also the habitat of Embera Rainforest Tribes. Natives that have adapted to live in jungles by the river.    We will visit them.

The San Blas Archipelago, with more than 350 islands spreading out along the isthmus, together with the northeast of Panama from Colon to Colombia, from the Caribbean Ocean up to the continental divide at the isthmus mountain range defines San Blas or Kuna Yala, the homeland of Kuna Natives.

Kunas are well known by their molas, a bright and colorful fabric they manufacture and wear in their female dress.

They are politically a nation within Panama with their own language, culture, laws and territory. However, they are also Panamanians.

There wasn´t a single road(not until 2007) connecting Kuna Yala with the rest of Panama. Kuna´s efforts to preserve their own identity, and control over San Blas has made it possible to keep this region as the pristine paradise it is today.

ITINERARY
1st day: Arrival to Panama City
You will be welcome by us at Tocumen International Airport, nearby Panama City, and transferred to a Panama City Hotel. We will have a welcome meeting for the group at 07:00 pm in the hotel lobby.
Lodging at Hotel Marbella**

2th day: The Chagres Challenge
Get ready for an early start at 7 am when you will be picked and taken in an all-terrain vehicle to the remote village of San Cristobal, which is past the mountains of Cerro Azul, northeast of Panama City.

After a wild 4x4 drive through our own made highway, you will hike for about 2-3 hours on a trail within Chagres National Park up to Rio Piedras, a Chagres River tributary. Here you will get into rafts to float downstream (Class II-III rapids) into the untouched jungles of the upper basin of the Chagres River.

We will set up camp in a river shore around 4 p.m. Tales around a cozy campfire are a sure thing.

Lodging at Tent Camp breakfast, lunch, dinner

3rd day: Embera Indian Village
After breakfast you will help to take down our camp and leave no trace behind. Then, you will continue rafting further downstream passing an impressive granite canyon with some white water rapid action, and ending just before encountering Madden Lake.

There you will be expected by a "piragua" (native wooden canoe equipped with outboard motor) that will take you to their Embera Indian Village.

These Embera Natives migrated to Chagres National Park more than 20 years ago, where they found here the same habitat that they were so familiar with in the Darien Jungles, by Colombia..

After sharing the kind hospitality of Embera Natives we will get back to our "piragua" that will take us to the nearest road. A driver will be expecting to bring you back to civilization, and back to City Hotel.

Lodging Hotel Marbella* breakfast, lunch

4th day: San Blas Archipelago - Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling
Take off at 06:00 am from Domestic Airport at Panama City and arriving at El Porvenir around 06:20 for breakfast. Campsite transfer. Sea kayak familiarization

Lodging at camp breakfast, lunch, dinner

5th - 6th days: Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling
Explore near by island and reefs
Lodging at camp breakfast, lunch, dinner

7th day: Sea Kayaking and Snorkeling
Explore near by island and reefs
Lodging at Ukuptupu Lodge breakfast, lunch, dinner

8th day: Departure
Take off at 07:00 am from El Porvenir. Arrive to Panama City around 07:30 pm and then breakfast.

Highlights: In one week meet two indigenous cultures(Embera and Kuna), explore pristine rain forest jungles(Chagres National Park) and Caribbean Archipelago(San Blas), paddle in rafts(Chagres River) and expedition kayaks(Kuna Yala)

Qualifications:
* Passion for the outdoors
* Desire to share with different cultures
* Preferably with experience in paddling sports

Cost in US$: 1,630.00

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Interested in obtaining working experience in an organization focused on adventure tourism. He/She has initiative to be productive. With basic to intermedia knowledge of spanish and looking for opportunities to improve on it. Passion for adventure and outdoors

Age Range: 20-25

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel to Panama Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Aventuras Panama's Mission Statement: To provide quality adventure tours pioneered by us. To provide people, logistics and knowledge required to enjoy nature in a safe way. To involve local people of remote areas we incursion with our activities, providing them an alternative to improve their living standard while protecting nature.

Year Founded: 1994