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Rainforests and Mangroves: Costa Rica and the Panama Canal

A large-beaked toucan sits on a branch covered in green moss, its beak a colorful vision of green, orange, blue and red.

© pchoui/iStock

Experience the rich wildlife of rainforests and mangroves, including sloths, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and toucans. Explore the flora and fauna of Manuel Antonio, Curu and Corcovado, three natural areas that are among the most biologically diverse in the Western Hemisphere.

This trip is currently sold out

Please email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.

Dates

January 6 – 16, 2020

Price

Double occupancy: $5,530-$5,990
Single occupancy available upon request

Highlights

  • Travel along the Pacific coast and experience idyllic beaches and dense rainforest aboard the stunning ship, Le Dumont-d’Urville. The ship offers a relaxed yet luxurious ambiance and features the world’s first multisensory underwater passenger lounge, the Blue Eye.
  • Explore the rocky coasts and remarkable rainforest wildlife in Panama’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Darien National Park.
  • Transit through the Panama Canal and visit the San Blas Islands while meeting the Kuna people, who govern the islands as an autonomous province.
  • Experience the rich wildlife of rainforests and mangroves, including sloths, white-faced capuchin monkeys, toucans and even a chance to see sea turtle hatchlings and humpback whales at this time of year.
Dr. Chuck Knapp holds an Exuma rock iguana captured in the Bahamas during an Iguana Research Expedition.

Your expert hosts

Chuck Knapp, Ph.D., vice president of conservation research, oversees Shedd's conservation research programs with the goal of saving wild animals and imperiled ecosystems. In addition to overseeing research programs in the Caribbean and Great Lakes region, Chuck has been studying endangered iguanas for 25 years throughout the Caribbean. In fact, he lived in Costa Rica for two summers while studying iguanas. His wife is Costa Rican, and the country has become his adopted home. He is privileged to have traveled extensively throughout Costa Rica and is excited to share his passion for exploration and knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region.

Why you want to go

We are delighted to offer this opportunity to discover the wildlife sanctuaries of Costa Rica and Panama, where geology, climate and history combine to create worlds quite unlike anything found elsewhere.

Getting there and home

You will fly into San Jose, Costa Rica, on your own, where you will gather with fellow travelers and transfer to Puerto Caldera to embark on the Le Dumont d’Urville. You disembark and fly out of Colon, Panama.

Accommodations

The five-star Le Dumont-d’Urville is a luxury vessel commissioned by Ponant, making her maiden voyage in 2019. The fares are all-inclusive and cover all meals, open bar, and excursions and activities.

Program Details

Dates

January 6 – 16, 2020

Price

Double occupancy: $5,530-$5,990

Single occupancy available upon request

Physical requirements

You should be able to walk moderate distances at an easy pace for up to a few hours.

Nature adventures require flexibility

Your guides may alter the timing of activities to ensure that you see the most wildlife.

Questions?

Shannon Fuller
Asst. Director, Conservation Travel
Shedd Aquarium
312-692-2716
[email protected]