Panama, our new
off the beaten path tour production

Often reduced to its famous canal, Panama is much more than a crossing point between two oceans. This small Central American country amazes with its natural, cultural and human diversity. Between tropical forests, green mountains and pristine archipelagos, Panama also stands out for its determination to preserve its riches and promote more responsible tourism.

Our commitments

At TERRA Panama, our commitment is clear: to highlight the variety of a country often reduced to its canal. This means working hand in hand with local stakeholders, promoting the country’s living cultures and minimizing the environmental impact of our activities while developing immersive experiences. As part of SOSTUR and the Fundación Panameña de Turismo Sostenible (APTSO), we encourage more responsible tourism that values culture and local communities.

An agency that makes you travel differently in Panama

A very diverse country

Panama stands out for the diversity of its peoples and their traditions. Seven indigenous communities still live there today, each preserving their traditions and know-how, passed down from generation to generation.

Here are some experiences to meet these communities.

Spiritual day with the Ngäbe Buglé

Connected to nature, they are known for their cocoa cultivation and the spiritual and medicinal use of plants.

The community welcomes us with a cacao ritual as an introduction to their traditions. We participate in grinding the cocoa bean. Accompanied by a community guide, we head toward the Ngäbe people’s waterfall, one of the largest waterfalls in Panama, also known as KiKi waterfall.

Sailing with the Guna Yala

This archipelago of over 300 islands, also called San Blas, is managed by the Guna community.

The women perpetuate the art of molas, handmade colorful textiles, reflecting their culture and traditions through symbolic patterns. The Guna live in huts close together, with the ocean on one side and the turquoise lagoon separating them from the land on the other. Then departure for an initiation with a local fisherman.

Cultural transmission with the Emberas Puru Biakiru

Known for their traditional body tattoos and colorful crafts.

After a motorized canoe crossing, the cacique (spiritual leader) and the village children warmly welcome us to the heart of their community to share their way of life, intimately connected to the rivers and tropical forest, including the ancestral art of tattoos and initiation to medicinal plants.

Experiences by TERRA Panama

To help you discover the essence of Panama, we go out in the field to find hidden gems off the beaten path, tucked away in corners of the country. Discover these off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Darien Region

End-of-the-world jungle

On the border with Colombia, the Darién is home to the last great jungle of Central America, often compared to the Amazon for its exceptional biodiversity. Darién National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a landscape of tropical forests, swamps and mangroves where jaguars, pumas, monkeys and a great diversity of birds live, including the harpy eagle, Panama's emblem. Accessible only by boat, go hiking in the jungle, navigate the river

Jungle expedition & packraft

On the old Camino de las Cruces trail

An 11 km hike on the old historical route crossing the Isthmus of Panama, which once connected the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean during the Spanish colonization era. The walking conditions are harsh, and a large part takes place in the riverbed. The walk leads to the edge of the Rio Chagres where you will inflate your packraft (inflatable boat) and set off to navigate the river that joins the Panama Canal. An opportunity to glimpse the ships transiting in the distance.

Panama City

Neighborhoods marked by history

Located near Casco Viejo, the neighborhoods of Santa Ana and El Chorrillo bear witness to a history marked by the 1989 American intervention. Accompanied by local guides, walk through the streets and its walls colored by street art and become aware of the initiatives led by the community to support local life and preserve the neighborhood's memory.

Isla Cañas

Island of the sea turtles

On the Pacific coast of Panama, between July and December, thousands of turtles from 3 different marine species come to lay their eggs on the protected beaches of the national park. Alongside local guides, discreetly observe this unique moment and learn more about the actions taken by the community to protect the turtles and their natural habitat.

Travelling differently

Choosing Panama with TERRA Panama means supporting sustainable and respectful tourism, while discovering a country proud of its roots, its biodiversity and its culture. Each landscape, each community and each tradition offers a unique experience, far from everyday life — because ultimately, if everything looked like home, why leave?

Contact us to create a tailor-made trip and experience Panama differently.

Panama, our new off the beaten path tour production