TEAM BUILDING [INTEGRACIÓN DE EQUIPOS]

River rafting is one of the most popular activities chosen by companies to develop team building. And it should not be a surprise because river rafting is inherently a natural team building activity.

[El descenso de ríos en balsas, "rafting" es una de las actividades corporativas mas populares para el desarrollo de equipos de trabajo. Y no debe sorprender la razón ya que el "rafting" es inherentemente una actividad de trabajo en equipo]  

To raft down white water rapids paddlers have to be effective communicating their strategy, act decisively as a unit, and help their team mates.  Trust, cooperation, and support are all essential elements that prevail in a successful company,  and when people get involved in a team building experience  they will not only learn but practice it for real. 

[Para pasar por el mas fácil de los rápidos los remadores necesitan comunicarse en forma efectiva, actuar en forma decisiva como una unidad y ayudar a sus compañeros. Confiar, cooperar, y apoyar son todos elementos esenciales. Cuando sus colaboradores participan en un viaje corporativo de integración de equipo aprenden experimentando.]   

What can you get out of a team building experience?

Effective communication skills to increase productivity, 

Skills to improve time management in order to work on simultaneous projects, 

Problem solution techniques for specific challenges on your company, 

To achieve common objectives and incentives working as a team. 

To develop a supportive  environment that incentive creativity.

What can you expect to get out of a team building experience?

Habilidades de comunicación efectiva para aumentar la productividad de su trabajo, 

Habilidades de administración del tiempo para controlar mejor proyectos de trabajo concurrentes, 

Técnicas para  solución de problemas  específicos a los retos de su negocio, 

Lograr objetivos e incentivos comunes trabajando en equipo,  

Desarrollar un ambiente de apoyo que fomente la creatividad] 

Adventures Panama specializes in corporate adventure experiences in the outdoors. However, we also offer experiences in a more urban environments such as parks, saloons, hotels.

Our customers trust us to design activities which are fun, informative, and transforming.  Among them are local and international corporations:  Panama Canal Authority, CEMEX, EXXON, Red Bull, Maersk Line, Zara, and many others.

 [Aventuras Panamá se especializa en aventuras corporativas en la naturaleza.  Sin embargo, también ofrecemos experiencias en entornos urbanos tales como parques, salones y hoteles. 

Nuestros clientes nos confian el diseño de actividades que son divertidas, informativas y transformadoras.  Entre estos tenemos empresas nacionales e internacionales: La Autoridad del Canal de Panama, CEMEX, EXXON, Red Bull, Maersk Line, Zara, and many others] 

HIGHLIGHTS                                                                                                                                      

NOTE:   Make sure to use links placed on this documents to expand on given information, including Google Earth Itinerary HERE

You can access a recorded presentation about this itinerary HERE

Join Adventures Panama in this journey from the mountains to the Atlantic Ocean to discover why Panama is the country that it is today due to its narrow extension in the middle of the Americas, and the Chagres River which provides wealth and life to it.

 Friday 4^th: Arrival to Panama City

We will greet you at Tocumen International Airport to shuttle you to the Crown Hotel in Panama City.

Your head guide will meet your at Crown Hotel main lobby at 7:00 pm for welcome and general itinerary briefing

1^st day – Saturday 5^th: Panama City

Today we will devote it to Panama City, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is three cities within one, merged together through time.

Old Panama, or “Panama Viejo” now in ruins was declared by UNESCO a world heritage site was the first city built by Europeans settled when they stepped on the American continent. The city was in operation from 1519 up to 1671. However, due to devastating fires, lack of fresh water, an earthquake, and attacks from English pirates, Spaniard decided to move the city to a peninsula 10 kilometers away which it is now known as the “Casco Antiguo.”

Old Panama, or “Panama Viejo” now in ruins was declared by UNESCO a world heritage site was the first city built by Europeans settled when they stepped on the American continent. The city was in operation from 1519 up to 1671. However, due to devastating fires, lack of fresh water, an earthquake, and attacks from English pirates, Spaniard decided to move the city to a peninsula 10 kilometers away which it is now known as the “Casco Antiguo.”

“Casco Antiguo” is also declared by UNESCO a world heritage site.  It was well conceived and designed to be the new Panama City operating since 1673. Some buildings were moved rock by rock from “Panama Viejo.”  It is undergoing a complete restoration. With its plazas, monuments, narrow streets,  classic buildings and ocean proximity it is  full of history and very alive with nice restaurants and bars.  

Modern Panama City with a population close to a millions and steadily growing has integrated “Panama Viejo,”  and “Casco Antiguo”  within it.   Due to its geographic location in the middle of the continent,  with the Panama Canal, ports, and international airport known as the Hub of the Americas, Panama City still is a route of international transit, and world commerce

We will transit through it while visiting mentioned attractions and in our way to Causeway Amador , a narrow strip of land uniting three islands at the Panama Canal entrance where we plan to have lunch.

Itinerary:

• 09:00 am Panama City Hotel pick up
• 09:30am -11:30am Visit Casco Antiguo
• 12:00m Visit and lunch in Causeway Amador
• 2:00pm Visit to Panama Viejo
• 4:00pm Transfer to Hotel Semilla Eco-Lodge
• 6:30pm Dinner with welcome briefing.

 - Lodging at Hotel Semilla Eco-Lodge  – lunch and dinner provided

2^nd day- Sunday 6^th : The Chagres Challenge

You will will venture into the heart of the jungle where an impressively large watershed forms the head waters of the Chagres River, which is vital to the Panama Canal operations. It also supplies enough fresh water to support Panama City and Colón City population.

You'll start off with a trek through Chagres National Park on our flagship trip, the Chagres Challenge. You'll visit a virtually unseen portion of the jungle, due to the lack of accessible roads, protection against settlers, and the previous non-existence of Adventures Panama. This part of the river is characterized by currents alternating with still waters.

As a result of dense tropical forests covering the basin of the river, sedimentation is minimal; therefore, clear waters can often be expected. Local flora is typical of a tropical rain forest environment, with more than three hundred species per hectare. Although it is the natural habitat of big mammals, such as tapir and jaguar, they are seldom encountered. You can expect to see other exciting samples of fauna, such as rainforest monkeys (including: spider, howler, white faced capuchin, and Geoffroy's Tamarin), sloth, river otter, iguana, toucan, and plenty of fish. Once in the virgin jungle of Chagres National Park you will wonder if it might be the next set location of the popular TV show “Survivor.”

Itinerary:

Get ready for an early start with breakfast at 6 a.m. You will depart by 7 a.m. to be shuttle along the continental divide to them be transferred to all-terrain vehicle that will take us as far as possible by road in our journey through Chagres National Park.

After a wild 4x4 drive through our own made roads, you will hike for about 2-3 hours on a trail crossing creek and mountains all the way to the Chagres River arriving by noon. Here you will get into rafts and float downstream (Class II-III rapids) into the untouched jungles of the upper basin of the Chagres River.

We will have lunch by the river and continue rafting further downstream passing an impressive granite canyon with some white water rapid action, and ending at campsite by river shore by approximately 5 p.m.   Here we will meet our Embera Indigenous guides with their “piragua” (native wooden canoe equipped with outboard motor) that will take us to their village next day

- Lodging at river shore campsite – all meals provided

3^rd day – Monday 7^th: Embera Village, Agua Clara Locks, Portobelo

Today we will experience the Embera indigenous culture. They migrated to Chagres National Park more than 20 years ago where they had found a similar habitat to the one they left behind at the Darien dense jungles, near Colombia.

Also will see the Panama Canal Operations at the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center to appreciate how ships are lowered or raised from or to Gatun Lake, 85 ft above the Atlantic Ocean. Gatun lake was formed by Gatun Dam which dammed the Chagres River.

Finally we will end at Portobelo by the Caribbean Ocean. Here the Spaniards Conquerors built their main export port. It is a fortified town intended to consolidate their looting, which later would be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain. It is also home of the afro-antillean Congo Culture.

Itinerary

After breakfast, we will continue navigating downstream now on board Embera “Piraguas” until reaching their village. Here we will have a chance to get acquainted with their culture and way of life.

After lunch in the village we will continue north up to the Panama Canal Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center to appreciate Post-Panamax ships transiting through the newest built locks. The visitor center has an impressive view of Gatun Lake and the canal all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Them to our last destination, Portobelo, in the Caribbean. We will visit its main attractions which are the Royal Customs House, and its nearby fortress.

- Lodging at El Bongo Hotel Boutique – breakfast, lunch, dinner

4^th day – Tuesday 8^th: Shuttle to domestic aiport

After an early breakfast we will shuttle in a 2 hours drive to Albrook Airport to your flight to Pedasi.

- Breakfast 

 Check available Guna Yala Kayak Expedition Post Trip HERE

FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE? All mentioned transportation, activities related gear, guides, included meals, entrance fees, and local taxes. On camping tents with inflatable mattress and blanket will be provided.

WHAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE? personal expenses, meals not specified in itinerary, tips, extras in hotels (laundry, room service, phone calls).

WHO CAN GO? Persons that enjoy to team up to enjoy outdoor activities in good health, and fine physical conditions.

WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE ALONG? Light clothing, strapped sandals (Chaco or Teva type are ideal), or light boots with good soles, a cap, a light jacket or windbreaker (in case the weather turns chilly), a towel, headlamp. Personal hygiene items and prescribed drugs. A day back pack, personal water bottle, sun-block lotion, glasses secured straps (Croakies type). A full packing list will be provided after confirming participation. Please refer to document "Weather, Packing LIst, and Gear Logistics"  Listed HERE

Masks wearing is required at ground transportation and flights.

WHAT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT? While in activities leave objects than can be deteriorated by water, and valuables like jewels, excess cash, credit cards, etc.

NOTES:                                                                                                                                     

(1) Adventures Panama reserves the right to exchange program with similar activities or accommodations in case it considers it necessary always providing similar value at its sole criteria.

(2) Participants should get familiar and agree with general Adventures Panama Terms and Conditions. 

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