Arrive To: Arrivals in Panama City, Panama.

Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Road Scholar representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Road Scholar sign.

Transfer to hotel and check-in.

Note: This is an international travel day. No meals or program activities are scheduled for this day. Hotel check-in starts at 3 p,m.

Lodging: Hotel Amador Country Inn & Suites

Panama City, Panama -
Program Orientation/Metropolitan Park/Miraflores Locks/Panama Canal Interpretive Museum.

Breakfast: At hotel restaurant.



Morning: Orientation to the program.

Field trip to the Metropolitan National Park.

The Metropolitan National Park's approximately 232 hectares of Pacific dry forest were declared a national park in 1985. Nicknamed the "lung of Panama City," the park is part of an important biological corridor that links the eastern shore of the Panama Canal with Las Cruces Trail and the Soberania National Park. In addition to safeguarding local wildlife, the corridor and nearby protected areas also help to maintain the rivers and forests that supply the Panama Canal with enough water to function.



Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Field trip to the Miraflores Locks to view ships passing through the first series of locks in the Panama Canal.

Visit the interpretive museum at Miraflores.

The fifty-mile long Panama Canal changed the course of world commerce and travel when it began operating in 1914. Three sets of mechanical locks (Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores) raise and lower ships between sea level and lake level, guiding them to and from the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans. An elite group of over 250 pilots help maneuver vessels through the locks, using electric locomotives known as mules.



Dinner: Enjoy dinner and a folkloric show at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Amador Country Inn & Suites

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Panama City, Panama -
Historic Casco Viejo/Embark on the Star Flyer.

Breakfast: At hotel restaurant.

Morning: Field trip to Casco Viejo and site lecture.

Panama City's old historic quarter (a.k.a. Casco Antiguo) dates back to the 1670s, when the destruction of Panama Viejo made relocation a necessity. Casco Viejo's parks and narrow streets are lined with colorful buildings representative of Spanish, French and early American architectural styles. This eclectic collection of architectural styles reflects the city's role as an international trade center and cultural melting pot that began well before the building of the Canal. Some of Casco Viejo's must-see sites include the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Municipal Palace, the National Theater, the Panama Canal Museum (originally the Grand Hotel), the French Embassy, and France Plaza.



Lunch: At a local restaurant.



Afternoon: Transfer to the port and board the Star Flyer.

Set sail.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: On board the ship.

Morning: Time at leisure to enjoy on board amenities.



Lunch: On board the ship.



Afternoon: Wet landing at Isla Iguana. Enjoy some beach time and watersports.

Isla Iguana is located a few miles off Panama's Azuero Peninsula. The small Pacific island and the 98 acres of surrounding coral reefs are part of a national wildlife refuge. White sand beaches, mangroves, dunes, coral reefs, and pristine waters provide food and/or shelter to more than 62 species of birds, over 347 species of fish, 16 species of coral, and more than 6 species of terrestrial reptiles. From June to October the waters around the island are visited by Humpback Whales.

Return to the Star Flyer and freshen-up before dinner.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: On board the ship.



Morning: Enjoy a morning at your leisure.



Lunch: On board the ship.



Afternoon: Wetlanding on the beach.
Excursion to Isla Gamez, within the Chiriqui National Marine Park.

The uninhabited islands of Chiriqui's Gulf National Marine Park boast up to 36,000 acres of extensive coral reef, mangrove swamps and marine meadows. This protected area serves as a refuge for leatherback and hawksbill turtles, tiger-herons, large pelagic fish like white-tipped sharks, howler monkeys and scores of colorful exotic fish.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Golfito, Costa Rica -
Field trip to La Gamba Biological Station and La Gamba Community.

Breakfast: On board the ship.

Morning: Dry landing at Golfito.
Disembark and transfer by bus to Piedras Blancas National Park.

Field trip to La Gamba Biological Station. After enjoying some refreshments, participants will take part in a guided, one-hour jungle hike. This hike will be followed by a tour of the field station and gardens.

La Gamba Biological Station is an Austrian tropical field station located on the edges of Piedras Blancas National Park in Costa Rica. The station is comprised of a botanical garden and several buildings which are used by students and scientists to conduct research projects and provide courses in tropical biology. This facility promotes conservation of the Esquinas Forest, one of the last preserved Pacific lowland rainforests in Central America.



Lunch: At local lodge or at the field station.



Afternoon: Field trip to La Gamba community to meet with locals and learn about sustainable service projects in the area.

Return to the ship.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: On board the ship.



Morning: Board zodiacs for a short ride to Drake Bay and a wet landing.

Just a 20 minute ride by boat from Drake Bay; explore the immense biodiversity of one of Costa Rica's crown jewels, Corcovado National Park. Upon arrival at the beach continue to the Ranger Station via a wet landing. Then hike approximately 3 hours through the primary and secondary forest, to experience the rainforest wildlife and flora. The rich biological diversity of the Corcovado National Park is astounding, and sightings may include as many as 4 types of monkeys, as well as coatis, sloths, anteaters, and much more. Bird lovers will be enchanted by a wide variety of birds, including tanagers, flycatchers, kingfishers, manakins, trogons, crested guans, and spectacular scarlet macaws and toucans.



Lunch: On board the ship.



Afternoon: Sailing around Cano Island.

Cano Island is located less than 15 miles offshore from Drake's Bay in the Osa Peninsula. Despite its tropical beauty and attractive vistas, Cano Island's true biological diversity is not found on its land, but in its rich underwater environment.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: On board the ship.



Morning: Cruising along Costa Rica's Pacific coastline on your way to Quepos.

Time at leisure to enjoy ship amenities.



Lunch: On board the ship.



Afternoon: Arrive in Quepos and disembark (dry landing) for a field trip to Manuel Antonio National Park.

Manuel Antonio National Park is probably the most popular destination for travelers to Costa Rica and is a must on anyone?s itinerary. From sloths to monkeys, the park encompasses an amazing range of biodiversity. Despite the park's fairly small size (about 1,700 acres) visitors can enter in a rainforest and walk straight to a white sand beach. Some of the park's more notable residents include the Crab-eating Raccoon, Green Iguana, White-headed Capuchin and the endangered Squirrel Monkey (also known as the Titi Monkey).



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica -
Curu National Wildlife Refuge/Tortuga Island.

Breakfast: On board the ship.



Morning: Sail across the Bay of Nicoya to Tortuga Island, with a wet landing, for a morning of beach activities. Participate in water sports, walk on a short island trail, and relax on the beach.

Despite its misleading name, Tortuga Island is actually composed of two uninhabited islands. Postcard-perfect white sand beaches and clear waters make this a perfect tropical spot for snorkeling and swimming. The islands are located in the Gulf of Nicoya, across from the Curu National Wildlife Refuge and just a few miles southwest of the Negritos Islands.

Return to the ship.



Lunch: On board the ship.



Afternoon: Wet landing at the Curu National Wildlife Refuge in preparation for a nature walk and beach activities.

In 1983 this large property was designated a Private National Wildlife Reserve in order to preserve the natural habitat along the fringes of one of the most beautiful beaches in the Nicoya Peninsula. The refuge is a haven for tropical and migratory birds, and two species of monkeys. The five different species of mangroves found in Costa Rica are represented in the inlets that are washed by the gulf waters.

Return to the ship.



Dinner: On board the ship.

Lodging: Star Flyer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

San Jose, Costa Rica
Disembark Star Flyer/Tarcoles River Crocodile Safari/Farewell Dinner.

Breakfast: On board the ship.



Morning: Say farewell to the Star Flyer and board a bus to Tárcoles. Embark on a Crocodile Safari on the Tárcoles River.

This boat adventure on the Tarcoles River takes visitors past mangrove forests and the Carara National Park--a good place to spot Scarlet Macaws. However, the highlight of this river safari is having the opportunity to observe the large population of crocodiles that call this area home. Some of these prehistoric-looking reptiles have been found to reach lengths in excess of fifteen-feet!

After your river adventure, board a bus to San José.

Lunch: En route to San José.

Afternoon: Arrive in San Jose and check-in at your hotel.

The rest of your afternoon will be free of activities. Relax and enjoy the hotel amenities, finish packing, or take the opportunity to explore San Jose on your own.



Dinner: Farewell dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Ramada Plaza Herradura

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Light snack or breakfast at hotel (dependent on flight times).



Morning: Transfer to the international airport to check-in for the return flight to the U.S.

Meals Included: Breakfast