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Clothing Tips

This is a predominantly casual tour. Casual wear is suggested for sightseeing and daytime travelling. Dress code for most evenings is smart casual. See Travel Planner: General Clothing Tips

Back to Top Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the tour price?

Virtually everything! Hotels, all meals, all of the activities described in the itinerary pages, airport transfers, gratuities to hotel porters, restaurant staff and local guides. Caravan’s professional Tour Directors conduct every land tour from start to finish. They are fluent in English, experienced and fun, ensuring a worry free vacation.

What is not included in the tour price?

Prices do not include air travel, country entry or departure fees, airport porters, visas, phone calls, valet, laundry, all items of a personal nature, extra food and beverages not on the regular menu, and tips to the Caravan Tour Director and Driver. General fees and taxes are additional and listed separately beneath each tour’s price.

Can your tours be enjoyed by all age groups?

Usually, you find a mix of different age adult travelers on a Caravan Tour. Most tours will be joined by adults of all ages. Children age five (5) and over are welcome, and children usually join tours offered during Christmas holidays, summer vacation and spring break vacation.

How long will each day be?

A well paced and unhurried itinerary is our goal, after all, you are on vacation! Touring days begin and end at reasonable hours and include frequent stops. While the occasional early morning departure is necessary, we do our best to ensure a leisurely vacation and you will arrive at your hotels between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. each day.

How large will my group be?

Group sizes will vary depending on the reserved rooms at the hotels and lodges and the capacity of the boats and motorcoaches used. Usually, group sizes range from 30 to 44 passengers.

Are meals included?

All meals are included on your Panama tour. Included meals for each tour are listed at the end of each day. Meals are shown by B (breakfast), L (lunch) and D (dinner). Full, buffet, or deluxe continental breakfasts are included everywhere. Bottled water is provided free on the motorcoach and purified water is provided at the meals. Alcoholic beverages are not included unless specified.

Do you have a travel protection plan?

Yes. Caravan’s travel protection plan offers peace of mind if you cancel for any reason whatsoever prior to the departure of the tour. The travel protection plan also includes air, baggage, evacuation and medical coverage. The cost is $99. Find out more.

Back to Top Customer Reviews of our Panama tour

“Amazing. Going through the Canal was the thrill of a lifetime. This was our first trip with Caravan and we will be taking another adventure with you. The Canal locks were the highlight of the trip. Couldn’t ask for better accommodations, the hotels were all topnotch. Enjoyed all the meals, something for everyone. Friends told us about Caravan and they were 100% right. We will be telling all my other friends about Caravan Panama.”

“This was our third Caravan tour and once again, it was wonderful. The detailed schedules and activities allow us to enjoy the tour with no concerns about logistics. Wonderful job of providing background and history. Every meal offered tremendous variety and diverse regional cuisine of Panama. Thanks to our Director and the many people helping with the tour, we learned a lot, experienced wonderful opportunities, and enjoyed local culture.”

“Panama is a spectacular place. The hotels were beautiful, the last one being the best I’ve ever stayed in. The food and drink was great. We had such an informed director, he knew history and current affairs. Very helpful and always there if needed. This was a wonderful tour that I will remember.”

“Panama: a WONDER of the world! A fantastic week - expertly planned and executed! From history, observation and riding through canal, with additional side events...awesome!! A most memorable experience.”

“This was my fifth tour with Caravan. They have all provided wonderful opportunities to see spectacular scenery, enjoy the cuisine, and interact with local culture. The guides are professional, personable, competent and enhance the tours. Our canal transit was great as we had informative visits to the locks as well as the history to place the canal and its technologies in meaningful context.”

“I selected this trip as an alternative to taking a cruise which visited the canal. What’s not to like about this trip? It totally went beyond my expectations. It provided so much more than the cruise we were considering. I am glad I found Caravan to give you a try. Our party of four would at dinner each night, review and evaluate the day, giving each other a high point or low point of the day. This was the first time trying to come up with a low was extremely difficult. Caravan has got traveling down to an artform.”

“We have fallen in love with guided tours. We don’t know how Caravan does it. We wanted to see the Panama Canal and we got to see every angle. Everything planned perfectly. The entertainment at night was very interesting, showing pride in the Panama culture. There is not enough space about our amazing tour director. His heart and soul was into the tour and travelers, his experience shows. Not only did we learn from the trip, we learned from fellow travelers. They became our family for a week.”

“Excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed this Panama Caravan tour. So efficient with connections, important details and provided in a timely manner. We appreciated the interesting itinerary highlighting the best of the area. Great variety. We felt like we had a flavour of old to new, architecture and culture. History, culture and modern amenities gave us a better understanding and appreciation of Panama. Furthermore, Caravan has influenced Panama positively, bringing tourism in a greater way to help the economy. Caravan has also considered the needs of the tourist (nice accommodations, good food, clean water, easy access ramps, clean bathrooms) with the needs of the local residents. Good communication and relationships. This was our second Caravan tour and we know we will book Costa Rica next. Thank you for the excellent planning and services on these interesting tours.”

“My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Panama, excellent. This was our first all-inclusive tour for adults. I was a teacher for forty years, am fluent in several languages and helped chaperone 13 student trips. My most successful and enjoyable trips had these things in common: affordable cost; efficient transportation and transfers; personable and knowledgeable directors; quality hotels in safe areas; optimal activities and free time; good local food specialties. Our Panama trip had all of them. This tour provided ample opportunities to see various aspects of Panama life and the food was excellent, always a wide selection of familiar and local selections. I will highly recommend Caravan to my friends.”

“Lake Gatun was a wonderful and unique adventure. Learning about the canal and its history as well as experiencing it was truly an eye-opening wonder. The Embera Village and Kuna market helped me develop my understanding and increase my amazement at indigenous peoples. Spending two days in each area gave us a good chance to appreciate it and develop a taste for more. An opportunity for learning in a fun and meaningful way in beautiful surroundings.”

“Once again Caravan Tours provided a wonderful trip for a reasonable cost. This is our third tour in ten years. All were unique and enjoyable in their own ways. Every excursion we took in Panama was both informative and entertaining. We especially enjoyed the down time to rest at Playa Bonita. Panama Viejo was very interesting, such amazing ancient architecture and city ruins with ultra modern skyscrapers in the background. Enjoyed seeing Gatun Lake and the canal. Loved our talented Panamanian dancers and band, what great entertainers they were! Every meal on our trip was amazing, fresh varied fruit, varied entrees, bars of salad, I never tasted anything I didn’t like. We never felt rushed on this tour. Our director went out of her way to help us have a memorable 50th anniversary, thank you!”

“My husband and I chose Caravan for our return trip to Panama, having lived there in the 1980’s. We were not disappointed! We couldn’t have chosen a better tour to help us reconnect with a place that was once our home. Caravan’s itinerary provided new adventures and revisited places that brought back wonderful memories. We had a very knowledgeable director, we’re especially grateful for his easy-going manner and his ability to make everything run smoothly. Very entertaining Canal transit ride. Visit to Embera tribe was very informative - they were most gracious. Very much enjoyed the folkloric dance performances, a real treat. All accommodations were very nice - beautiful settings, lovely pool areas. Thank you!”

“I was expecting some primitive accommodations, so I was pleasantly surprised. Hotels were much better than expected and very very nice. Loved the fresh fruit and veggies. Sightseeing was the right balance for me and very interesting. Gives us reasons to schedule another Caravan trip.”

“Abundance of wonderful foods each and every day. Beautiful resorts, views, all very nice. Old Panama, new Panama, Miraflores Locks, Gatun Lake, monkeys aboard our boat, Bridge of the Americas, Continental Divide, the Canal and how it works, great, very interesting. So much fun, I would say I can recommend this whole trip to more people. Would love to come again! Been on cruise ships three times before but got so much more out of this experience. Caravan is the best way to travel!”

“No need to change a thing. I would never hesitate to recommend Caravan Tours to our friends. Our director was over the top! I don’t think they come any better. Always very polite and considerate, so informative about the area. Terrific at helping everyone get acquainted and having fun.”

“Very good. I love Panamanian food and all the meals had a great variety of the taste of Panama. Loved being at ground level in Panama. Our director was excellent. We’ve been on four other tours, the first being 30 years ago. Our Panama director with Caravan is the type of guide that makes a tour grand. He kept us informed, safe and with enough humor and enthusiasm to make it fun. Our driver was the greatest and I would recommend this tour to anyone.”

“We did this trip at the recommendation of friends and loved it. Just the right variety and time spent on each site. We loved being able to observe the canal first from the side before through the locks. Our director was fantastic, everything we could have hoped for and we felt very fortunate to be in his group.”

“I found that all the activities were excellent, from the ruins to the Old French Quarter, driving through the sites and admiring all the views. Seeing and touring the locks couldn’t have been any better than it was. From the boat excursions on the river seeing monkeys to the Embera Village seeing the native way, it was great. And what can I say. Our director was the BEST. A walking and talking book of knowledge. I can honestly tell you it would be hard to imagine anybody being better than he was at his job. He has at least one friend living in North Dakota now. Not to forget the beautiful views of scenery in the rainforest and how safe of a driver we had. Will be looking and booking my next Caravan tour!”

“We are full time RV’ers, and this was a great break from our usual lifestyle. We enjoyed the trip immensely, and have already recommended it to friends and family. Diverse experiences that include history and culture as well as understanding of modern life in Panama. The sightseeing was the most important part of the trip. Of course, it focused on the canal and coverage of the canal was complete, including technology and history. Enjoyed learning about the canal, the various tours of different aspects made for a complete picture, very informative and interesting. We enjoyed the local craftsmanship, the people and their interest in us, as well as imparting their culture to us. All hotels were top rate, enjoyed the luxury greatly! We recommend your tour to others and will continue to do so.”

“Excellent. It was a very good tour and the bottom line is we got our money’s worth. All the hotels were great; The Westin was outstanding, and the Gamboa was super interesting. Exceptional meals, great quantity and great quality. The Panama Canal was very impressive. No rebar used in concrete. Rivets used instead of welding. Military engineering used to get the job completed at the end, one year ahead of schedule. It took a lot of dedication for the United States to get the job done. An excellent peace time effort and it was good to learn about it. We were very impressed with Caravan Tours and plan to take others. Many thanks!”

“This was our second tour with Caravan and it was every bit as wonderful as the first. The sightseeing and other activities were wonderful. It was very evident that Caravan pays very close attention to every detail during the tours, which makes for a wonderful experience. Caravan does an outstanding job of coordinating each day’s schedule. We could have never experienced all that was offered on our own. The experience of visiting the Canal Museum at Miraflores overlooking the locks prior to boarding the ship for the ride through was very helpful. The four hotels chosen by Caravan for the Panama Tour were top of the line excellent, and the Gamboa exceeded expectations. A place such as that in the middle of the rainforest was a real treat. The food was delicious and presented beautifully. We were quite impressed with the entire trip and will surely plan to go on our third Caravan adventure. Thank you for a wonderful experience.”

“This tour was, by far, the best we ever had. Fun to do, as well as informative on the history and operation of the Canal. This trip to the Panama Canal was one we always wanted to do. We were not disappointed with anything. All our activities were explained to us at every major segment along the trip. We knew what to expect and where to go on the next activity. Seeing the Panama Canal territory was fantastic, with ample time taken to visit each activity. Our TD was the best we have ever had. He was always there for us whether it be for individual problems, to narrate guide posts, and he was organized. Kept us happy along the whole trip. And needless to say, we were not underfed! We especially liked eating with our tour compadres.”

“This was our first tour. We’ve always just set out on our own. I’m hooked on Caravan Tours. The sightseeing and activities were absolutely wonderful. We saw and did things that were beyond our expectation of what a tour could furnish. From the monkeys and sloths to the trip through the locks, we saw and did things we never would have been able to if Caravan had not taken us there. All the hotels were wonderful accommodations. Clean, fresh, well-appointed, friendly and courteous staff. The meals were fabulous, a wonderful variety of fresh food and an assortment of desserts offered! The tour was very well-planned and all the logistics were very well implemented. There were no gaps in the execution.”

“Excellent! This was our 14th anniversary vacation and we were delighted and surprised that it was so first class with so many extra amenities. Caravan has certainly earned our vote for best quality for best value. Every day was memorable and special. We especially appreciated the extra special accommodations, such as the VIP viewing deck at Miraflores and the special floor shows. The highlight boat trip through the locks was well planned, beyond all my expectations, really great. Stunningly beautiful, first class hotels. Outstanding meals, in amount and quality, many choices. We will cherish the memories for a lifetime and we are telling all our friends about Caravan!”

“I would definitely recommend this tour to everyone. I felt so taken care of. The Westin was the perfect place to relax and enjoy the view and company of the other guests. Enjoyed the Old Canal Museum, liked every activity and everything I saw. What a beautiful country. The food was a good variety and sampling of the country. I gained five pounds so what does that say. I loved the coffee there. You guys rocked on this tour, thank you Caravan.”

Back to Top About Caravan Tours

Caravan’s Proud History

Caravan Tours began selling fully escorted tours in 1952. We have been under the same management and ownership ever since. In 1965, Roger Mudd hosted a two hour CBS TV special on Caravan Tours. This TV production took about one month to make and was so successful it inspired the 1968 romantic comedy movie “If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium.” In the early 50’s the Mayor of Dublin presented Caravan with the Key to Dublin for bringing the first American tour to the city after WWII. Since then Caravan has been recognized as a pioneer in travel.

Great Value, Book Early

Caravan’s strong buying power gives you great vacations at prices much lower than you can find anywhere. Last year many of our tours sold out quickly. Book early for the date you prefer and the best air fare.

Trade Association Memberships

Caravan Tours is a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), NTA (National Tour Association), CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), and an allied member of ACTA (Alliance of Canadian Travel Agencies).

How does Caravan Tours sell these tours for such a low cost?

Caravan delivers volume to our suppliers, who in turn reward us with their very best prices, we in turn pass these savings on to you, and you reward us by buying our tours. As volume continues to rise, we then receive even better prices from our suppliers, and we pass even greater savings on to you. This year our tours are better than ever.

How satisfied are Caravan clients?

The short answer is “very.” Our surveys are uniformly very positive. However we continually strive to improve our tours, (they are often updated several times in the course of one year), we study all client surveys and suggestions for improvement very carefully.

Pitch-Free Travel

Caravan includes all activities listed in the tour itinerary page. Caravan does not sell any optional activities which can add hundreds of dollars to your tour price. Your free time is scheduled in great settings where there is no need to buy additional expensive activities.