Aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit
Costa Rica and Panama Expedition Cruise
Overview
The tiny countries of Panama and Costa Rica are home to more species of plants and animals than can be found in all of Northern America and Europe combined, with more than a quarter of their total area under protection of more than 200 national parks, forest reserves, and game sanctuaries. From rainforests and tropical flower paradises to mystical mangrove woods and beautiful beaches, there is no end to the natural highlights that await your discovery on this exciting voyage. The sea surrounding Costa Rica is the perfect place for sailing—and the Sea Cloud Spirit is the perfect yacht to sail in. The ship will cruise between far-flung national parks, ensuring that you arrive completely refreshed and ready to begin each new adventure on land. Highlights include the fascinating Panama Canal, a phenomenal masterpiece of engineering—passing through the mighty locks during the day is a special experience!—and the UNESCO world heritage site of Granada, Nicaragua, with its astounding colonial legacies dating back 500 years.
Arrive: San Jose, Costa Rica (or reverse)
Depart: Panama City, Panama (or reverse)
Highlights
- Small countries with a lot of natural diversity: Costa Rica and Panama
- Sail the fascinating Panama Canal
- Granada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- The green paradises of Costa Rica's national parks
- Expert lecturers accompany each departure
Itinerary
Note: This trip is not exclusive to, nor operated by, Wilderness Travel, who acts solely as an agent in booking your reservation with the operator. Please download the Rate Sheet in the Dates & Pricing section to see the full pricing details and contact our Cruise Collection Specialists to check availability.
After arriving in San Jose, transfer to Puntarenas and embark on the Sea Cloud Spirit, departing at 10:00 pm.
Enjoy a day at sea getting acquianted with the ship and fellow passengers.
The Palo Verde National Park stretches along one bank of the Rio Tempisque. It features the densest population of water fowl in the whole of Costa Rica and is one the best areas for bird watching in Central America - almost 300 species of bird have been identified here. The best vantage point to see them is on a boat trip through the mangroves.
Today is all about sailing. Relax onboard and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
Quepos is home to Manuel Antonio National Park, with its unspoiled beaches and many hiking trails. You can opt to take a hike in the rainforest or take a boat tour through the winding channels of the mangrove forest. The birdlife is terrific, with more than 350 resident species.
Explore the enchanting El Chorro waterfall in Piedras Blancas National Park, with its stunning diversity of flora and fauna, or board a catamaran in search of dolphins.
The Coiba National Park covers the island of Coiba, the larges in the country, and 38 other smaller tiny islets. It is one of the world's largest marine national parks and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Because the island broke off from the mainland around 15,000 yeas ago, a unique range of flroa and fauna and an extraordinary variety of species are preserved here. Beautiful deserted beaches nestle up to the delightful turquoise sea.
Enjoy another relaxing day at sea, perhaps to take in a soothing massage or just sit in a deck chair and watch the passing scenery with a good book in hand.
The name of this Pacfici Archipelago in the Gulf of Panama pre-dates the Spanish conquest to a time when its inhabitants were pearl fisherman and traded in oyster pearls. Where in previous centuries pirates and buccaneers hid out and buried their loot, other treasures can now be found. Over 200 islands, of which even the smallest are inhabited, from an almost undisturbed paradise with a diverse range of lakes and rivers, enchanting white coral beaches, golden sandy beaches and black volcanic beaches, rounded off with lush green tropical vegetation.
Spend a full day sailing through the astounding Panama Canal. This masterpiece of engineering art has been connecting the Pacific with the Atlantic for more than 100 years. In 2016, its extension was opened: Within nine years, 40,000 workers had used 192,000 tons of steel in order to enable the passage of giant freighters carrying up to 14,000 containers. Passing through the mighty locks during the day is a rather special experience!
Visit the indigenous Guna people of the San Blas islands. Time seems to stand still here, with the Guna people still living as their ancestors did. Hammocks sway in bamboo huts; in front of them women sew molas, brightly colored works of fabric art. The fascinating culture of the islands can be discovered at leisure. Because the Guna want to preserve their customs, they do not allow mass tourism in their paradise.
Arrive in Panama City and disembark at 8:00 am.
Day 1: Panama City (Colón), Panama
Day 2: San Blas Archiipelago, Panama
Day 3: Sailing through the Panama Canal
Day 4: Pearl islands, Panama
Day 5: At Sea
Day 6: Coiba National Park, Panama
Day 7: Golfito, Costa Rica
Day 8: Quepos, Costa Rica
Day 9: At Sea
Day 10: Playa Panama, Costa Rica
Day 11: At Sea
Day 12: San Jose, Costa Rica
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is rated Level 1, Easiest, and is appropriate for anyone in good health who is physically active. Zodiac landing crafts are used to transport passengers ashore for walks to wildlife sanctuaries, scenic nature areas, and local towns and villages. There are also opportunities for swimming and snorkeling. Some agility is required for getting in and out of landing crafts.
Other Trips You Might Like
Browse All Trips
Cruise Collection
Amazon River Expedition
Peru
Level 1+
8 Days
From $11,025
Private Journey
Costa Rica Private Journey
Costa Rica
Level 2
8 Days
From $4,895
Small Group Adventure
Costa Rica Wildlife
Costa Rica
Level 2
8 Days
From $6,195
Cruise Collection
Darwin’s Route: Cruising through Patagonia
Argentina, Chile
Level 1
9 Days
From $4,236
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.