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Peregrine Travel Centre

Natural & Cultural History of Central America

Natural & Cultural History of Central America

From AUD $5,810

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Description

PONANT takes you to discover Costa Rica and Panama with an 8-day expedition cruise. A truly beautiful journey between nature reserves, encounters with local communities and sailing through the Panama Canal.

Your journey in Central America will start with the discovery of the golden sand and crystal-clear waters of the coral islets of the San Blas islands.

After sailing through the world-famous Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic to the Pacific, your ship will then head for the magnificent Darien National Park in Panama. This little corner of paradise is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to remarkable plants and wildlife. Sandy beaches, rocky coastlines, mangroves, swamps and tropical rainforests vie with each other for beauty and offer a feast for photographers. This will also be the occasion for meeting the astonishing semi-nomadic Emberas community.

Then you will be able to enjoy a visit to the Manuel Antonio National Park and the Curú Wildlife Refuge. Deep inside the tropical rainforest you may be lucky enough to see multicoloured birds, monkeys, and iguanas.

Trip Name
Natural & Cultural History of Central America
Days
8
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Length: 127 metres Passenger Capacity: 92 cabins Built: 2017/2018 Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 cabins and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience. As the first ship in a new series, Le Champlain will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort. Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service. Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel. RESTAURANTS As it is an essential part of French culture, gastronomy will naturally have pride of place aboard this new ship. Through its two restaurants, Le Champlain will invite you on a journey to elegance and epicureanism. In a relaxed atmosphere, a first dining area located on Deck 3 and able to seat 70 will serve grilled meats daily, along with a variety of salads and desserts. To the back of Deck 4, you will find a 260 m² panoramic restaurant which can accommodate all of our passengers in a single sitting. Designed differently to that on our other ships, this dining area, which opens onto the outside, will have a buffet of salads, desserts and cheeses at your disposal. Our discreet and attentive crew will provide table service for hot meals. PUBLIC AREAS Like Le Boréal and its sisterships, Le Champlain has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 140 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An excursions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Guest Relations Officer, Our 50 m² boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, Toilets accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. A new hydraulic platform with adjustable height provides: Easier boarding than on any other cruise ship, Easier Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation for expeditions, Easier access to the sea for swimming and practising various water sports such as kayaking or paddle-boarding. A pool deck offering: A pool with a panoramic view, equipped with a counter-current swimming system, A pleasant solarium, An outdoor bar and lounge with armchairs and sofas. A 200 m² main lounge which can accommodate all of our passengers to share convivial moments and to host activities organised during the day or evening. Lastly, a theatre that seats 188, equipped with: The latest sound and lighting technology, A LED wall as the stage backdrop, for the projection of high-resolution images and videos.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 COLÓN
Colón is the second largest city in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal. Colón is today an important port, and the free trade zone created in 1953 contributed greatly to the development of the city. Colón was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts through the isthmus of Panama; the city rapidly overshadowed the older Caribbean ports of Panama when the canal opened.
Day 2 - Day 2 SAN BLAS ISLANDS
Located on the north-east coast of Panamá, the San Blas archipelago is a string of coral islands that graces the heart of the Caribbean Sea. Over 300 islands and cays covering an area of 300 square kilometres offer travellers a multitude of treasures. Sheltered behind a long coral reef, the San Blas Islands are full of paradisiac anchorages. The long sandy white beaches bounded by crystal clear waters will allow you to relax and enjoy an incredible marine fauna before discovering the Kunas Indian community. Still feeding off hunting and fishing, they will welcome you in their villages of bamboo houses gathered near the beaches.
Day 3 - Day 3 CROSSING THE PANAMA CANAL
Aboard your ship, experience something unique, that has inspired the imagination of numerous adventurers in the 20th century: sailing the Panama Canal. Its construction started in 1880 under the direction of Ferdinand De Lesseps. Abandoned then resumed, this marvel of engineering was completed by the United States in 1887 and opened in 1914. The canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama and links the Atlantic to the Pacific. Including three levels of locks and by raising ships to the level of Lake Gatun, almost as if the water was a lift, it allows them to avoid having to round Cape Horn.
Day 4 - Day 4 PLAYA MUERTO, DARIEN NATIONAL PARK
The most remote and least developed region of Panama, the province of Darien is an unspoilt land with an extremely rich variety of flora and fauna. Listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, Darien National Park offers its extraordinary scenery of rocky coastlines, mountain ranges, mangroves, rivers and creeks. Discover Playa Muerto, a tiny coastal village home to the Emberas Amerindian community. You will visit the village, attend traditional songs and dances of the locals, and admire beautiful local craft.
Day 5 - Day 5 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 6 - Day 6 MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK
You will land in a Zodiac® on the beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the jewels of Costa Rica. Protected since the 1970s, this small park, only 16 km² and bordered by the idyllic beaches of the Pacific Ocean, is home to rich biodiversity. Along peaceful paths or during a break on the beach, you will be welcomed by a tropical forest full of life: from the discreet sloth to the noisy howler monkey and the mischievous white-faced capuchin. On the fine sandy beaches rising to lush hills and coconut trees, you will be amused by the dance of the racoons that race down from the trees to tease visitors.
Day 7 - Day 7 CURÚ WILDLIFE REFUGE
On the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula, the small Curù Wildlife Refuge is the oldest protected park in Costa Rica. This refuge is an exemplary site in terms of ecotourism as well as a research centre for scientists from all over the world. It has been at the heart of an original conservation and sustainable development project since the 1930s. After a short Zodiac® trip, you will discover, via the paths that criss-cross the tropical forest and lead to magnificent beaches, the most emblematic species of Costa Rica: monkeys, iguanas and over 200 bird species. Since their recent reintroduction, the scarlet macaw and the spider monkey have thrived in this preserved environment.
Day 8 - Day 8 PUERTO CALDERA
The port of Puerto Caldera lies on the Pacific coast, in the Puntarenas region, at the mouth of the Gulf of Nicoya. Areas of wilderness stretch along the coast. Further inland, among the countless natural wonders to be found in the generous rainforest of the Costa Rica’s national parks, Poas and Arena volcanoes towers up in all their majestic glory. In this luxuriant natural setting, Costa Rica protects one of the planet’s richest biodiversity: monkeys, sloths, tropical birds, iguanas, crocodiles, waterfalls, canyons, and more than ten thousand species of tropical plants.
Day 9 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $6,750Deluxe Stateroom
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $12,500Grand Deluxe Suite
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $12,890Owner's Suite
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $7,190Prestige Stateroom Deck 4
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $7,410Prestige Stateroom Deck 5
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $7,650Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $10,520Deluxe Suite
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $11,390Prestige Suite Deck 5
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $11,750Prestige Suite Deck 6
29-12-202005-01-2021AUD $12,110Privilege Suite
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $5,810Deluxe Stateroom
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $6,180Prestige Stateroom Deck 4
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $6,380Prestige Stateroom Deck 5
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $6,590Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $9,080Deluxe Suite
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $9,830Prestige Suite Deck 5
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $10,140Prestige Suite Deck 6
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $10,460Privilege Suite
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $10,790Grand Deluxe Suite
05-01-202112-01-2021AUD $11,130Owner's Suite

Inclusions

    • Discover the fabulous National Parks of Central America, biodiversity and tribes.
    • Outings and shore visits in Zodiac® inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.
    • Spending New Year’s Day onboard.
    • UNESCO site: the Darien National Park from Playa Muerto, and its magnificent jungle.
    • In Costa Rica, outings in the Manuel Antonio National Park and the Curú Wildlife Refuge, sanctuaries of unspoiled nature.
    • Discovering the magnificent islets of the San Blas Islands.
    • Sailing through the Panama Canal, truly a masterpiece of civil engineering.
    • Encounters with the indigenous Emberas tribe in the Darien National Park and with the Kuna Indians of the San Blas archipelago.

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