Excellent trip, our guide Alonso was an incredible wealth of knowledge. A truly wonderful experience.

This tour was such an amazing experience. Our guide Alex and boat captain Jose we’re both phenomenal. I can’t recommend this enough. We saw four mama whales and their calves and they gave us plenty of time to enjoy and take it all in. We also saw a pod of over 100 dolphins playing around and we got so up close and personal with them, but with enough respect for that the captain knew what he was doing. This tour was one of my favorite of all time.

the price is really reasonable given it covers hotel pickup and whale watching. They will try to ship close to the whale so you can see it clear

The best people, excellent organization, we see a lot of whales and swim near an island in a natural coral pool. We recommend this experience to everyone! Thanks Mario for this unforgettable experience.

Mario and the captain took us on an amazing whale watch tour while we were in Panama. We started with a nice cruise along the coast and enjoyed amazing views of the city line. Then we headed out near a couple of islands and we saw some sea turtles. As we got further out into the ocean, we saw a whale from afar but since out boat was not too big, we were able to get very close to the whale. We followed this whale around for a while until it was time to head back to shore. On our way back we saw two whales, one mommy and one baby. We followed this pair for over an hour and we watched in awe each time they came up for air. We were able to get very close to them. It was truly an amazing tour and Mario and his Captain knew exactly where to take us to find the whales. We had a whale of a time! Thank you.

We had an amazing experience on the Valle de Anton tour. Abel was our guide and Brian was our driver. Brian was a good driver, felt safe in his hands. Abel was incredible! He told us all about Valle de Anton and helped create a custom tour with us and the other 2 people on our tour. He gave us all the options and described everything and after we picked the 5 activities we wanted to do. He then took us for the best day! We went to the top of the valley for a scenic view of the crater. We went to the waterfall, the butterfly garden, the frog sanctuary, the local artisan market, and the thermal pools. He also took us to an amazing restaurant for lunch. Abel was excellent! Really enjoyed a perfect day in Panamá

It was perfect. We lucked out and saw two whales and a calf. The ride is fun! Mario and his pilot have eagle eyes. Navigating through the big ships heading to the canal is fascinating and just beyond where they gather, it seems the humpback whales gather. I will absolutely go again.

We ventured “just around the river bend” several times (like Pocahontas) on a serene motor canoe ride. We soon came upon a small, tranquil and welcoming Embera village. Highly recommended for nature lovers and those who can appreciate being educated about a precious, preserved culture. Lunch was delicious and dancing so enlightening! Recommended to take smaller money notes to purchase hand-crafted trinkets, if so desired.

We traveled on a five-plus hour private tour of the Aqua Clara Locks and the San Lorenzo Fort, with Abel Montol of Almiza Tours. These two places lay on the Atlantic Ocean side of the country, near Colon, the second most important city in Panama after Panama City. Abel, who is of Indian, Spanish and Panamanian descent, was an elementary school teacher until he decided to take up guiding two years ago, first on part-time basis for half a year then full time since. Abel arrived on time, with a new comfortable Kia sedan. Colon is nearly an hour away from Panama City and all that time, he regaled us with information on the history of the country which we highly appreciated. He had an easy-speaking style that we found very comfortable and his wealth of information was impressive. In Colon, he stopped at a grocery store to get us water and snacks, all complimentary. It was raining hard so we were afraid that the day’s tour was going to be a wash out. He did manage our expectations by explaining that the north or Atlantic side of the country was mostly rainforest so it got a lot more rain than the south or Pacific side. We did the Aqua Clara Lock visit first since he found out that there was a container ship already in the lock and another one coming. We were able to catch site of the first ship and then waited for the second mega-ship to cross. All the time, he was briefing us on additional history of the lock expansion. On the way to the Lorenzo Fort, the rain came down hard again and once again, we were apprehensive. But the rain stopped when we got there so another blessing for us. Abel took our pictures every time we would ask him. In a few cases, he would be the one to point out a photo opp spot and he would ask for the camera. Abel was very respectful to all the canal and fort administrators and guards which I found refreshing. He was extremely accommodating and highly service-oriented. We were so impressed with his guiding. He’s certainly a great asset to the country.

We had a great time on our excursion! Mario included pickup and drop off from our Airbnb which was great to have handled. The two secluded islands were beautiful and amazing to experience. We didn’t expect such beautiful water and white sand beaches. We snorkelled and were able to see turtles, various fish and dolphins. We briefly caught sight of whales as well! Mario and crew were fun and a pleasure to hang out with for the day. Being that it is an open sea excursion, you are bound to weather and the boat we had taken was not large. If you are unfit or afraid of water, you are better off to choose a ferry to the islands but you will miss out on all the fun in between. We would definitely tour with Mario again! Thank you!

The tour allows you to do a variety of activities during the trip including hikes, thermal pools, wildlife experiences, historical locations, etc. While not for everyone, you and your group decide what you want to do throughout the day, making it a more fluid and less structured experience. I would recommend this tour as it’s a great way to explore a different area of the country outside the city

We very much Enjoyed our day trip to El Valle Anton with various stops to view wildlife, take a bath in the thermal waters and enjoy a good lunch

Definitely do this trip. The drive and hike was lovely, not ‘easy’ but not tough, however, I would recommend to all people wear hiking boots, for grip but also feet protection, no need for water shoes on this. We left at 7:30am and were back to the city around 4pm. Abel is a fantastic guide and fun guy, our group had a great day. We hiked, ate lunch in the town, did the springs (I just did my legs and face, bring a swimsuit and towel if you want to go all in), and the snake sanctuary. Bring at least $30 cash so you can get lunch (~$8) and buy something from the market. So glad I did this, highlight of my Panama trip!

This tour is full of history. I booked this excursion for my husband who did not get to go. We watched a boat in the locks, rode around and saw lots of scenery. Stopped at the fort which was very hot but had nice views. Our rain forest viewing was a disappointment. We did not walk thur anywhere only drove. The driver did stop when someone spotted an animal. I would have enjoyed it more if we could have had a small hike. You miss so much being on a bus zooming around. If you are a history buff then this trip is for you!

Pick up from cruise terminal was ok. We went to Aqua Clara locks first to learn about the canal and the expansion which was good. You pay $10 admission fee. The excursion included the rain forest but it was a drive through and not what we were expecting. Limited explanation of the flora and fauna at the side of the road and lack of animals to see. The fort was nice, with lovely lake views.