| Advertise on this Site |
 |
| Bookmark this page |
| Email this page to a friend |
|
Cruise West Cruises,Between Two Seas , Cruise Vacation Package
 Itinerary Day 1 - Arrive In Panama Step ashore at a Kuna Indian village. Living much as their ancestors did, with beautiful golden-sand beaches and turquoise waters, the Kuna Indians pass on their customs through dances and chants, and crafts which include their richly embroidered molas. For island-to-island travel the Kuna use dugout canoes made from wild cashew trees. The women dress as their ancestors did with brilliant shawls, strands of beads wrapping their legs and gold rings through their noses. There is no fresh water supply on the San Blas Islands so the Kuna have the daily task of traveling up the rivers of Panama to collect water. The remaining uninhabited islands are left to coconut trees, sea turtles and iguanas. Though the islands barely rise above the blue-green waters of the Caribbean, about two feet above sea level, protective reefs to the north and east soften the force of the wind and waves. At an uninhabited island nearby, crystal-clear waters tempt you in for snorkeling.. Our naturalists will lead a tour through Portobelo pointing out some of its historic sights. See a dance performance by Portobelo locals. After lunch and tides permitting, explore a mangrove forest by inflatable excursion craft, looking for sloth, monkeys and snowy egrets BLD Transiting the Panama Canal is an unforgettable experience, especially aboard a small ship like the Pacific Explorer. The Canal has three sets of double locks: Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks on the Pacific side and Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side. A series of locks act as aquatic elevators by opening doors that let the lock either fill with water or drain. As the water level rises, a ship is raised. Each door of each lock weighs 80 tons, yet they float and thus require only about 40 watts of power to open and close. Gravity does all the necessary water transfer, so the lock process uses no pumps. During our transit, we will have a Panama Canal Authority pilot onboard, who will guide our captain throughout the whole trip. Average transit time is 8-10 hours. Also during transit there will be line handlers who come onboard to connect our ship to locomotives called mules to pull us through the 1,000-foot long and 110-foot wide lock chambers. International maritime law gives priority to commercial freighters and the Pacific Explorer will likely transit the Canal in the late afternoon or evening. Cruise West has included a daytime visit to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, only steps away from the Canal. The Center tells the ongoing Panama Canal story through up-close observation of transiting vessels, details about canal operations, a collection of historic artifacts, and information about the biodiversity of the region. The schedule for this visit varies. BLD The Darién Jungle represents five ecological zones of tropical forest from the high elevations to lowlands, with about 10,000 known species of plants. Of the over 900 resident species of Panamanian land birds, the majority are found in the Darién. Listen for the roars of howler monkeys, the screeches of parrots and macaws and look for black mangrove hawks soaring above. The jungle is also home of the harpy eagle, the national bird of Panama. Visit a remote Emberá village tucked away on the southwest coast of the Darién Jungle. The Emberá people open their homes and hearts to welcome Cruise West friends. They will perform native dancing with traditional music. The women will show the baskets they make, tightly woven, exquisitely shaped and adorned with traditional patterns. The men will pull out a piece of rag wrapped around delicately carved animals cut in Tagua, a palm fruit sometimes called vegetable ivory for its resemblance to polished horn material. BLD A preliminary study of the marine life here during 1997 identified 69 species of fish, like white-tipped reef sharks, manta rays and the comical puffer fish. To date, 147 species of birds have been identified, including scarlet macaws. The Coiba Spinetail, a little brown-and-white bird, is found only on the islands in Coiba National Park. Coiba Spinetails are mainly arboreal and prefer dense tangles of vines and leaves where they forage, climbing through the denser cover rather than over the more open branches. Coiba Park's marine animals include 23 species of whales and dolphins, including humpback, sperm and killer whales, which inhabit its waters year round. This UNESCO World Heritage Site of pristine waters and abundant sea life makes this one of the top 10 diving locations in the world. Enjoy a day of island snorkeling and kayaking. Please keep in mind that the underwater world is a very sensitive marine environment. Coiba National Park has the second largest coral reef in the Central-Eastern Pacific Ocean. Coral is actually an animal and grows very slowly. Stepping on coral can kill what has taken literally years to grow. Coral can also give you a painful, slow-healing cut, so it is best to avoid contact with it. BLD In the afternoon take a walk in search of wildlife. Look for toucans, monkeys and maybe even a snake. Visit Caña Blanca, a private reserve and rehabilitation center for scarlet macaws. They work to rehabilitate birds that have been taken illegally and return them to the wild. Some birds will never be able to be returned and they roam freely on the property. If you prefer a quiet afternoon on your own, stay onboard and relax on the Sun Deck or take a dip off the stern. BLD Manuel Antonio offers well-maintained trails where you can explore the jungle on your own. You may wish to see the small shopping area, relax on the white-sand beach or take a swim. BLD INBioparque is an awakening experience combining nature trails with bio-exhibits. You will see frogs, tarantulas, bees, ants, bromeliads, orchids and butterflies all in permanent exhibits. You will learn about Costa Rica's biodiversity as well as important activities developed through conservation science and sustainable nutritional and agricultural products. Continue to the Rainforest Aerial Tram for a tour and an included lunch. The Rainforest Aerial Tram is one of the few places in the world where you can glide through the rainforest canopy and experience it from a unique perspective, in complete safety. You are welcome to take pictures of the tropical plants and wildlife that may show themselves during your visit. White-faced monkeys, coatimundis, anteaters, eyelash vipers, leaf cutter ants and nearly 400 species of tropical birds all make their home here. Journey to the Centro Neotropico SarapiquíS. Visit the Alma Ata Archaeological Park, where 600-year-old tombs and indigenous artifacts were found in 1999. Featured here is a reconstructed 15th century pre-Columbian village. Then you¹ll overnight in Sarapiquí. Hacienda Pozo Azul is a 2,000-acre working ranch that has quickly become the choice adventure destination of Costa Rica. They offer a great variety of eco-adventures in an environment that will provide you with a safe and unforgettable experience. Owned and operated by an environmentally conscious Costa Rican family, Hacienda Pozo Azul has been called, "The 5 Star Adventure Destination in Costa Rica." You will have a hard time choosing, but you have the opportunity to participate in two fo the following activities. Horseback Riding - as horse breeders for three generations, the Hacienda Pozo Azul owners pride themselves on their 60 well-chose, exceptional mounts. Their horses are the soft riding Cost Rican Paso horses, the Spanish Andalusian horses and quarter horses. The many trails you have to choose from are absolutely full of rich, natural flora, beautiful rivers and waterfalls. River Rafting - The Sarapiqui River is a 53-mile river that runs from the Deception Depression to the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Hacienda Pozo Azul uses 21 miles of this scenic river for river rafting. Take a simple float for nature enjoyment at its fullest on a river safari. Canopy Tour - Costa Ricans invented this exhilarating experience of zipping through the treetop canopy of the rainforest jungle. Platforms are built at different heights within the same forest area and ziplines move between these platforms.The Canopy Tour ends with a spectacular 900-foot zipline acress the Sarapiqui River. Hiking Tours - Here is an excellent way to get some exercise as well as be close to the environment. Hiking does not require you to be in superb physical condition. On their 2,000 acres of tropical rainforest there are many hiking routes from which to choose. Some of the trails are located in the forest and if you choose to hike into the forest you will be accompanied by a naturalist guide to take full advantage of the fascinating rich neotropical biodiversity of the forest. Visit the Dairy Farm - Costa Rica is an exporter of milk and Hacienda Pozo Azul handles high-producing Holstein cows using technology to profitably produce milk in harmony with the environment. They operate a unique 300-cow dairy where everything is recycled and nothing goes to waste. They have successfully integrated cooling systems for milking cows, manure handling, vermiculture and forage production. This dairy is self sufficient in the electricity it uses and produces a natural fertilizer to replenish nutrients n the soil for prodcuing corn to feed the cows. The use of earthworms transforms 100% of the manure into nutrient-rich humus. Visit the Butterfly Farm and Garden - Costa Rica has a reported total of 550 species of butterflies of which 204 can be found around here. From the Butterfly Farm butterflies are exported all over the world and you'll see a collection of 20 species amid the beautiful garden. In addition to the butterflies, you'll see colorful dart frogs, whose habits are just as interesting as the butterflies and the most beautiful and familiar fron in Cost Rica, the one with the well-known red eyes. Overnight in Sarapiquí. BLD Continue to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the Butterfly Garden and Hummingbird Gallery. You will also have an opportunity to take a short hike along the waterfalls. This afternoon travel to the Arenal Volcano area where you will have dinner and overnight. Transfer to Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs. The classically conical shape of the volcano dominates the plains of San Carlos, rumbling and emitting occasional puffs of smoke and lava flow. Enjoy the beautiful surrounding scenery and the majestic form of the Arenal Volcano and weather permitting, you will also be able to see the ARenal's impressive eruptions at night, when the lave streams and incandescent rock explosions resemble an unbelievalbe fireworks display. Visit the local hot springs for a swim followed by dinner at a restaurant with a view of the volcano. Overnight in Arenal.BLD Save time, money and stress! For Reservations: Fill out the Cruise West Cruise Vacation Planner to be Contacted by a Cruise West Panama Canal & Costa Rica Cruise Vacation Specialist. Contact : Travelwizard.com 1/09 |
|
Luxury Cruise Vacations Search here for your Cruises, Vacations and Tours
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
