Day 1
Arrive at Tocumen Airport/Panama City.  On arrival, the group will be met by our Villa Sanchez-Barry representative and returned to La Villa Sanchez-Barry.  En route we will pass through the modern commercial district of Panama City.  Once through the city, we will cross the Panama Canal via the "Bridge of the Americas".  From here, the drive will take a little more than an hour.  A light meal will be waiting at the Villa.  The remainder of the day/evening will be spent in orientation to the Villa and the week's activities.

Day 2
Breakfast will be served on the patio.  El Valle is the destination for today.  El Valle is a quaint village located in the caldera of a (supposedly) dormant volcano.  We will visit El Chorro Macho (waterfall),  Las Mozas (cascades), the painted rock (piedra pintada), thermal springs, and perhaps hike through the rainforest to see how many orchid species we can see.  Lunch will be at a local eatery.  Dinner will be served on the patio of the Villa after our return.

Day 3
After breakfast, we depart for El Valle once again to begin a hike that will take us through both lowland rainforest and cloud forest.  This hike will be to one of the local summits, from which we hope to view both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from the same place.  Lunch will be "picnic style".  After our descent, we will visit the local open-air market where the local artisans and indigenous peoples bring their wares for trading and sale. Dinner will be served on the patio of the Villa.

Day 4
After breakfast, we depart for Soberania National Park.  To reach our destination, we must cross the Panama Canal via the "new bridge" (Puente de Centenario) and proceed through what was previously known as the Panama Canal Zone when this area was under the control of the United States (1903-1999).  We will hike lowland rainforest trails within Soberania, noting the marvelous tree species and wildlife.  Later, we will visit the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, located on the banks of the Chagres River.  Upon our return to the Villa, dinner will be served on the patio.

Day 5
After breakfast, we depart for the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal where we will attend an illustrated narration of transiting the canal.  From the observation deck, we will watch ships enter the locks and be raised (or lowered, depending on direction of travel) about 50 feet.  We will also visit a collective marketplace organized and operated by Kuna Indians where a variety of their wares are available for souvenirs.  After leaving the marketplace, we will go to the Amador Causeway, once a stronghold of Noriega, where we will have lunch and see the cruise ship port facilities.  We will return to the Villa for dinner and be in time to see the colors of the setting sun as it slides down the "other side" of the western mountains.

Day 6
After breakfast, we head to the city to experience the culture and architecture of "three Panamas"…Stops include the ruins of old Panama (Panama Vieja),  the colonial city of Panama (Casco Antiguo), and lunch in the modern city of Panama.

Day 7
After breakfast, we'll pack a picnic lunch and head to the beaches of Las Uvas, Rio Mar, or Santa Clara for a laid-back, chill-out day, to collect our thoughts.  We'll return to the Villa in plenty of time to pack for the next day's departure and enjoy dinner on the patio.

Day 8
An early breakfast and then we will (regretfully) bid "hasta luego" to the Villa and our newly-found friends.  We will return to Tocumen Airport and soon be on our way back to Miami, Houston, or other destinations.