2008-11-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

We now have a New Website:
http://www.lostandfoundlodge.com/

Or Call Andrew at: 6-581-9223

Panama Tours Start at $490! Coming the first week in March!

Scroll down for details.

We have a new blog and the archives have been moved there. Check out:

http://www.backpackpanama.blogspot.com/

●Panama’s only fully functional eco-lodge inside the cloud forest.
● Hours of hiking trails through the protected primary rainforest of Fortuna.
● Hot showers, private rooms and dorms.

● One of Panama’s best birding and backpacking spots.

● Fresh free orange juice and coffee from the resort citrus grove and organic coffee farm.

● Monkey’s, sloths, kinkajous, honey bears, blue morpho butterflies and much more frequent the observations platforms overlooking Volcan Baru and stunning mountain vistas.

● Rainy day protection with hundred’s of free books and movies, dozens of games, karaoke and foosball.

● Be a beach bum and explore secluded beaches and kayak through turquoise waters.

● Take off-road excursions to hot springs and petroglyphs.

● Swim through hidden canyons and secret waterfalls on accessible day trips.

● Tour a certified organic farm on horseback with wine and coffee tasting.

● Experience the jungle at night on a guided night safari with uv lights and night vision technology.

● Complete Panama packages available with a bilingual Panamanian guide that will show you a Panama no guide book can reveal.

● Your guide will teach Spanish and Salsa then lead you to the Panama’s hippest spots to practice them both.

● Come with us to San Blas!

Kune’s organic farm tour and horseback excursion – Hiking Scale: Easy

● From The Lost and Found travel by 4 x 4 to the region’s only organic farm.
● Tour the farm and learn how one local family is proudly bucking the trend by going it alone with the region’s only certified organic farm.
● Sit down with Kune and his family to have a genuine Panamanian farm to table lunch made with local organic ingredients. See how the Panamanian specialty, Sancocho, is made with free range chicken.
● After lunch Kune will be happy to share the stories, secrets and challenges of organic production in Panama and be even more eager to share a glass or wine or cup of coffee with you… and remember to take some home with you for free!
● Continue on horseback through the Chiriqui highlands with views of Volcan Baru and valleys all the way down the Pacific.
● Price: $95

Waterfalls, Canyons and Panama’s Second Architectural Wonder – Hiking Scale: Easy to Moderate

● See inside and out of Panama’s largest working hydro project in the Fortuna Forest Reserve. A massive array of tunnels, some large enough to hold several jumbo jets, channel water from all over the reserve to feed the dam. No cameras are allowed inside the tunnels for security purposes.
● Journey off the backpacker trail to a secluded little restaurant and fuel up.
● Hike through the hidden canyon then swim to a spectacular cascading waterfall.
● Price: $45

Caldera Pertroglyphs and Hot springs – Hiking Scale: Easy

● See the mysterious pre-Columbian carvings on centuries old volcanic rock
● 4 x 4 access only across the suspension bridge of the Caldera river
● Warm up in one of the several pools of bubbling sulfur water then cool off with a dip in the river.
● Enjoy a wine and cheese picnic.
● The perfect tour to include on a pick up or drop off in Boquete!
● Price: $35

Night Safari – Hiking Scale: Moderate to Difficult (High tolerance for all things wild)

● Journey deep into the jungle of Panama with naturalist and local native guide to see the jungle when it truly comes alive.

●After sun set venture out with high powered flashlights and digital cameras to hunt for rare snakes, tarantulas and elusive wild cats.
● Settle back in the dark with UV light and night vision technology to let the jungle come to you. ● 2 – 3 hour night hikes also available on request.
● Price: $ 145 (Maximum 4 people)

Secluded Beach Exploration – Hiking Scale: Moderate

● Travel down to the Gulf of Chiriqui for an overnight kayak adventure
● Explore secret beaches, snorkel through the coral searching for turtles and humpbacks.
● Cook hotdogs and smores by the campfire.
● Set up a tent or sleep under the stars on your very own beach.
● Price: $155

The Complete Panama Package!

● All packages include a bilingual Panamanian guide. She is more than your host and interpreter; she is your Spanish with insider secrets into the best restaurants, nightspots and cultural experiences.
● All travelers receive a cell phone for use during the entire length of stay with your guide’s number to call 24/7.
● Although there are planned activities there is ample time to explore the city on your own.

Tour Prices

Total 28 day Panama Package: $2490
Each leg separately: $999

28 day Freedom Tour: $1290
Each (8 day) leg separately: $490

Add $25 per day for private room upgrade.

Trip Style
Backpacker Adventure

Physical Demands
Ability to swim for kayak and river expeditions.
Must be in physical condition for moderate mountain hikes with a pack.

Group Size
Average: 6
Maximum: 10

Tour Leader
Your leader is a bilingual Panamanian
Also your Spanish teacher!
You will be given a cell phone to contact her 24/7

Transport
Local buses and boats
Company 4x4 for off-road adventures

Total Panama Package Itinerary In Brief

Leg 1 – 8 days
Panama City (Indian villages and caves, canal tour)
Isla Iguana (Whale watching and beach exploration)
The Lost and Found (Organic coffee tour, horseback adventure)
David (BBQ pool party)

Leg 2 – 8 days
La Amistad National Park (Quetzal Trail)
Boquete (Gardens, Animal Sanctuaries, Hot Springs)
Caldera (Hot springs and petroglyphs)
Las Lajas (Surfing and beach party)

Leg 3- 8 days
Bocas Del Toro (Beaches, snorkeling and Caribbean fiestas)
The Lost and Found (Waterfalls and night safari)
Panama City (Colonial Quarter, Salsa and dance hotspots)
San Blas (Indigenous culture, white sand and seafood feasts)

Flexibility:

The trip runs consecutively back to back so you can begin at any leg of the tour.

Start at leg 3 (if you come from Costa Rica) continue with leg 1 in Panama City and finish where you started in Bocas with leg 2. Any combination works!

Lots of free days in Panama City, Boquete, and Bocas Del Toro for volcano treks, zip line canopy tours, surfing and scuba diving add ons.

Freedom Tour

The freedom tour follows the same route and includes all transportation and accommodation. It includes the overnight camping trip to Isla Iguana but all other activities are not included. You have the freedom to add activities. The complete price list of day trips and activities can be found on www.lostandfoundlodge.com as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

Meals Included
Many meals are covered for day trips and in locations where food options are limited.
Where there are unique and interesting restaurants to discover, meals are not included.
See trip itinerary in details to see what days meals are covered.

Meal Budget
Allow $150 to $200 per leg for meals not included. For additional details see Tour FAQs.

Other expenses
Food and your international flight are the two highest expenses you are responsible for but there other expenses you should be aware of. Days in Bocas, Boquete and Panama City mostly free days however your tour guide will invite you out to dinner and to some of the local hotspots. During your free time in Bocas and Boquete there are lots of great tour option from Volcano expeditions to zip line tours. How much extra you need depends on how many add ons you would like.

Accommodation
Dorms with private room upgrades in Panama’s best hostels
Mamallena’s
Bambu Hostel
Hostel Refugio
The Lost and Found
The Gran Kahuna
Dim’s Hostel

Itinerary In Detail

Leg 1

Day 1
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Not included
Details: Your guide will meet you at the hostel; give you a cell phone with her number and your first Spanish lesson. In the evening the group will have an informational dinner to get to know each other then your guide will take you on a city walking tour with great night views of the bay and city skyline. The tour has a couple of quick pub stops and ends in the city’s nightlife center. Or you can follow your guide back to the hostel if you want an early start the next day.

Day 2
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Not included
Details: The morning starts with Spanish lessons. The afternoon is free but your guide will offer a tour of Casco Viejo and the Miraflores locks on the Panama Canal. In the evening she will head out to the Causeway for dinner with amazing views of the skyline and luxury yachts.

Day 3
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Lunch included
Details: Today you will travel back in time in a dugout canoe up the Chagres River to visit an Embera village where the food (fresh fish!) dress, customs and culture is as it was when Columbus landed. Be prepared for body painting and to explore caves and waterfalls.

Day 4
Where: Pedasi
Accommodation: Dim’s Hostel
Meals: Not included
Details: We travel overland along the Pan American highway to Santiago. Your bus trip is a great time to take advantage of free Spanish lessons. Then we head down to the charming coastal town of Pedasi on the Azuero Peninsula.

Day 5
Where: Isla Iguana
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Dinner Included
Details: Today we head out to Isla Iguana. Keep a lookout for the humpback whales that frequent the area on your boat ride out. We’ll camp on the island, and snorkel with the turtles. We’ll most likely have the entire island with two white sand beaches to ourselves and of course numerous colonies of iguanas.

Day 6
Where: The Fortuna Forest Reserve
Accommodation: The Lost and Found Eco Lodge
Meals: Lunch included
Details: From The Lost and Found we travel by 4 x 4 to the region’s only organic farm. We’ll tour the farm and learn how one local family is proudly bucking the trend by going it alone with the region’s only certified organic farm. We’ll sit down with Kune and his family to have a genuine Panamanian farm to table lunch made with local organic ingredients and see how the Panamanian specialty, Sancocho, is made with free range chicken. After lunch Kune will share the stories, secrets and challenges of organic production in Panama and be even more eager to share a glass or his homemade wine or cup of his own organic coffee with you. After we will continue on horseback through the Chiriqui highlands with views of Volcan Baru and valleys all the way down the Pacific.

Day 7
Where: The Fortuna Forest Reserve
Accommodation: The Lost and Found Eco Lodge
Meals: Not included
Details: A day of relaxing or hiking. There are several hikes inside the reserve for birding and animal watching. Hike to rivers or through waterfalls and canyons accessed through Finca La Suiza.

Day 8
Where: David
Accommodation: Bambu Hostel
Meals: BBQ dinner included
Details: We head to Panama’s second largest city to Bambu hostel for a BBQ pool party.

Leg 2

Day 9
Where: Parque Nacional De La Amistad to Boquete
Accommodation: Hostel Refugio
Details: We drive up into the national park for unique trails that wind through the nesting areas of the elusive Quetzal. The trail to Boquete is long but is a net loss in elevation meaning there is more downhill than uphill. We drop you off up at the trail entrance and your guide takes you around Volcan Baru and the truck with your bags meets you on the other side.

Day 10
Where: Boquete
Accommodation: Hostal Refugio
Meals: Not included
Details: Your guide will take you on a walking tour of the town, showing you the best gardens, restaurants and the perfect place to sit by the fire in the evening with wine, strawberries and cream. Included in the tour is a stop at Paradise Gardens to visit animals rescued and cared for before being reintroduced into the wilds.

Day 11
Where: Boquete
Accommodation: Hostal Refugio
Meals: Not included
Details: A free day with plenty of add ons to choose from. Hike to the summit of Volcan Baru, see how the big coffee plantations operate, go white water rafting or take a zip-line canopy tour.

Day 12
Where: Caldera River
Accommodation: Fortuna Forest Reserve
Meals: Wine and Cheese included
Details: Today we’ll take a 4x4 across the suspension bridge over the Caldera River. You’ll see the mysterious pre-Columbian carvings on century’s old volcanic rock. Warm up in one of the several pools of bubbling sulfur water then cool off with a dip in the river.

Day 13
Where: Las Lajas Beach
Accommodation: Hostel de la Abuela
Meals: Not included
Details: We head to the beach on the Pacific. At the beach front hostel you can use our board if the surf’s up, catch some rays and sit by the fire on the beach in the evening.

Day 14
Where: Fortuna Forest Reserve
Accommodation: The Lost and Found Eco Lodge
Meals: Not included
Details: You’ll see inside and out of Panama’s largest working hydro project in the Fortuna Forest Reserve. A massive array of tunnels, some large enough to hold several jumbo jets, channel water from all over the reserve to feed the dam. No cameras are allowed inside the tunnels for security purposes. We’ll journey off the backpacker trail to a secluded little restaurant and fuel up then hike through the hidden canyon then swim to a spectacular cascading waterfall.

Day 15
Where: Caribbean Coast
Accommodation: Gran Kahuna
Meals: Not included
Details: We drive along the Caribbean this time on our way to Bocas Del Toro. We stop for lunch and kayaking at La Escapada. In the evening your guide will give a short tour of Bocas Town and end at The Wreck Deck Bar for dancing and drinks. The sunken ship illuminated around the square dock attracts all kinds of fish and open for swimming at all hours.

Day 16
Where: Bocas Del Toro
Accommodation: Gran Kahuna
Meals: Not included
Details: All days in Bocas are free but you can follow your guide out to Crawl Cay for lunch and snorkeling. After she’ll help you search for the elusive red frog and soak in the sun at Red Frog Beach.

Leg 3

Day 17
Where: Bocas Del Toro
Accommodation: Gran Kahuna
Meals: Not included
Details: A free day with lots of add ons from biking to surfing and scuba diving.

Day 18
Where: The Fortuna Forest Reserve
Accommodation: The Lost and Found Eco Lodge
Meals: Not included
Details: We’ll take the last boat out to the mainland and back to The Lost and Found. In the evening we’ll have a campfire sing along weather permitting and a night safari.

Day 19
Where: Gulf of Chiriqui
Accommodation: Bambu hostel
Meals: Not included
Details: Today we island hop and search for dolphins and humpback whales.

Day 20
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Not included
Details: We travel along the Pan American highway back to Panama. In Panama we head out to The Causeway to dine and watch the luxury yachts drift past.

Day 21
Where: San Blas
Accommodation: Cuna Family
Meals: Included
Details: The most beautiful untouched islands in the Caribbean. We will stay with an Indigenous family and become a part of island life that has been unchanged for decades.

Day 22
Where: San Blas
Accommodation: Cuna Family
Meals: Included
Details: Snorkeling and just enjoying life on a hammock are highlights.

Day 23
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Not included
Details: City treasure hunt, trip to Ancon for spectacular views of the city where secret World War II bunkers are and Mis Pueblitos with artisans selling their handicrafts and replicas of village architecture.

Day 24
Where: Panama City
Accommodation: Mamallena’s
Meals: Not included
Details: End of trip dinner and party – It will be hard to say goodbye.

Our Goal

Lost and Found Adventure Tours was started by two seasoned backpackers when they recognized that regular backpacker guides like The Lonely Planet and Moon Handbooks couldn’t cover all there is to see and do in Panama. And many adventure tour companies that operate in Central America, like GAP, offer budget tours but tend to stick to the backpacker circuit anyway. We know hostel life is a blast. But sticking to the hostel trail, especially in Panama, will mean missing so much that is off the beaten track. But this needs organization, often a 4x4 and money. That’s where we come in.

Backpackers want to learn something new, experience the local culture and make friends.

Too often a language gap separates the traveler from experiencing the local culture. We cover this gap with free daily Spanish lessons – and Salsa lessons to boot, then your tour guide, a local herself, will take you to where you can use both.

Backpackers want adventure. But here too is a wide gap between high adventure and affordability. Hiking mountain trails, kayaking to deserted islands or venturing deep into the jungle at night all qualify as adventure but this usually breaks the backpacker’s bank. Lost and Found tours can offer all these activities and more because we own our own eco lodge in the cloud forest of the Fortuna Forest Reserve, set in coffee and citrus groves perfectly equidistant from the Pacific and Caribbean.

Lost and Found Adventure Tours Panama – Bridging the gap of the Americas has never been so fun!

Directions and Pick ups

To get here, you can take the bus, drive or get picked up...

Lost and Found EcoLodge is located within the Fortuna Cloud Forest. It is on the highway that links the Chiriqui and Bocas Del Toro provinces (near km marker 42).

When taking the bus...

From David...approximately $2.50 or $3.00
Take the Changuinola (Bocas Del Toro) bus from the main terminal. It is best to board the bus with your bad with you – then it is easier for the driver to just drop you off and not have to dig for your bag. After about 1 hour on the bus you come to a yellow toll booth that your bus passes through. This toll booth is in a very small community called, Valle De La Mina. 3 minutes later on your right hand side (near km marker 42), you will see 3 big yellow rocks and a yellow sign that says, “You Have Found The Lost Paradise.” Hike up behind the sign for 10 or 15 minutes and you are there! See You Soon! If you want help carrying up your bags, send one person up and we will come help you. Remember to tip your helper. Arrive in daylight or remember your flashlight.

From Almirante or Changuinola... $5 to $8
Take the bus heading towards David. After about 2.5 or 3 hours you will come to a big lake/dam, called Fortuna. 10 or so minutes past the lake (keep focused, pops up quickly because there are NO landmarks after the dam) you will see the 3 big yellow rocks and the yellow sign that says, “You Have Found The Lost Paradise” on your left side (near km marker 42).” Hike up behind the sign for 10 or 15 minutes and you are there! See You Soon! If you want help carrying up your bags, send one person up and we will come help you. Remember to tip your helper. Arrive in daylight or remember your flashlight.

By car...

Use the above directions. You can park at the neighbors house for $2/night (for security) or just off the road for free.

By our pickup...

We can pick you up and sight see along the way. Each price is for the car (max 4 people). Here are our fees.

From David... $30
From Boquete... $50
From Almirante... $70
From Changuinola $80

Other places can be negotiated. Drop off prices are equivalent.

The Lost and Found Specialty! Pickup with tour... $70/person

We offer this special tour/pickup that is based on a two person minimum.
Here is what it includes.

From David...
Pickup, a stop at the river canyon for a swim (weather permitting), stop for photos of the vistas (Volcan Baru, Pacific Ocean, Table Mountain, etc.)
3 nights accommodation (private cabin if available, or dorm room).
Guided cloud forest hike to lookouts and jungle rivers.

From Boquete...
Pickup, a stop at the river canyon for a swim (weather permitting) or hotsprings and petroglyphs, stop for photos of the vistas (Volcan Baru, Pacific Ocean, Table Mountain, etc.) 3 nights accommodation (private cabin if available, or dorm room).
Guided cloud forest hike to lookouts and jungle rivers.

From Almirante...
Pickup, a stop at the secret waterfall hike, stop for photos of the vistas (Volcan Baru, Pacific Ocean, Table Mountain, etc.) 3 nights accommodation (private cabin if available, or dorm room). Guided cloud forest hike to lookouts and jungle rivers

Lost and Found Adventure Tours Panama – Bridging the gap of the Americas has never been so fun!

Frequently Asked Questions For Lodge Stay...

Do you have a restaurant?

Yes, we serve food. Also, we sell ingredients if you want to cook yourself.

Do you have a communal kitchen for guest use?

Yes, we have a very well stocked kitchen you can use if our cook is not using it, and if the cook is engaged in meal prep. then we have a simple kitchen for guests.
*limited fridge space for guest storage. But we do provide food storage boxes that keep nocturnal animals out of your food.

Do you sell alcohol and cigarettes?

Yes.

Do you allow camping?

We have jungle camping tours. However, we do not allow guests to pitch a tent without prior consent.

Do buses come by regularly?

Buses pass the property approximately every 30 minutes.

If it is raining, what can I do?

We designed our place with rainy season in mind. You can still watch the wildlife come to the platforms from a sheltered area. You can read books in our library, watch one of our 350 movies, play games, sing karaoke, have a party, play darts or foosball, etc...

Are there lots of mosquitoes?

Generally speaking there are more mosquitoes in the rainy season (May to mid November). The rooms are pretty mosquito free throughout the year. Malaria is non existent in this area of the country.

How hard is the hike up?

The hike up takes the average person in good shape about 10 to 15 mins. If you think you need help to hike up to the lodge then pre-arrange help or send someone up without the bags to fetch help.

Should I bring anything special?

It can get cool at night due to the elevation. So, a sweatshirt for example could help. Insect repellant in the rainy season. Binoculars for birdwatching. Hiking boots for trekking.

What wildlife am I likely to see?

This is one of Panama’s premier birding locals. Quetzals and other gems are in the park. We guarantee if you are looking you will see some wildlife. Nocturnal animals come around frequently. Monkeys, sloths, deer, armadillo, coatis, agoutis, etc are not uncommon. Jaguars and pumas are around, but footprints of these magnificent cats are more common than the actual sightings.

What do you grow on your organic farm?

At the moment we grow and process organic coffee. We have an organic citrus orchard, as well. We are growing some vegetables for consumption.

Lost and Found Adventure Tours Panama – Bridging the gap of the Americas has never been so fun!

Volunteers

Thanks for Considering Volunteering/Contributing at the lodge or within the local community.

We welcome people skilled, hard working or simply enthusiastic to volunteer and help us & the community.

You can help us give back to the community through work on local organic farms and community development projects. You can also volunteer at The Lost and Found with the possibility of becoming a strategic partner developing our business.
All volunteers first come to The Lost and Found as regular paying guests for a couple of nights, relax and enjoy themselves. During the first three days the volunteers also learn more about the work exchange opportunities and the community. They pay the regular $12 for a dorm bed and the third night is free. They are free to use the kitchen for free and bring their own food.

After three days volunteers get to move into the fully outfitted house. Cost is $3.50/day to live in the Lost and Found Volunteer’s house.

Lost and Found Volunteer Projects

After you have settled into the volunteer house you have a few options:

1) Management Assistant: If you like meeting new people and want to extend your trip through Panama by a couple of weeks this is the option for you. We need people to meet guests, give a quick tour and help out in the kitchen and some light cleaning. Other responsibilities can include working in the coffee farm (machete work, pruning, picking, etc) and feeding and playing with Rocky, our kinkajou (honey bear).

2) Two week Project Leadership: If you have special skills you’d like to put to use there are several projects at The Lost and Found that need leadership. Help us become greener by developing a water catchment system or extending our recycling program through a composting system. We have 11 hectares of organic coffee, citrus trees and great potential for anyone with a green thumb.

3) Strategic Partnership: Help us drive our business forward. Can you teach Spanish to backpackers? Yoga? Massage? Are you a chef? Or maybe you’re interested in leading bike or kayak tours? The Lost and Found has lots of room to grow and you can be a part of new profit sharing ventures.

4) Community Volunteer/Microloan Project: This is your opportunity to really make a difference and help the people of Valle De Mina. This friendly community within walking distance of The Lost and Found has great potential but underemployment and poverty is holding it back. You can help support entrepreneurs committed to eco-friendly, responsible tourism. You contribution of $200 a week will cover your room and board either at The Lost and Found or with a family in the community. Part of your financial contribution will be to finance a microloan for the expansion of a local small business. The Lost and Found aims to further support the microloan project by becoming one of the principle customers. For example, the owner of a local organic farm could run more efficiently with a horse. Your contribution to the microloan project will assist in buying this horse and The Lost and Found will further contribute by renting this horse for our horseback tours. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, practice Spanish and really see the long lasting contribution you are making.

Benefits...
-free transport to David on all trips in
-free use of trails
-pay only gas money when wanting to join a tour
-free use of trails
-practice Spanish with the locals
-use The Lost and Found as a home base for travel excursions...no charge for storing your things

Please do not...
-do drugs around premises.
-drink alcohol with the Panamanian staff
-prevent other local staff from doing their work
-watch movies when a guest might want to watch a movie

Food situation...
-you are free to use the kitchen and buy your food at the supermarket or buy from us at regular prices
-there is limited fridge space so please use the fridge in the volunteer house

Lost and Found EcoLodge and Community Development Volunteer Program Survey

Please answer the following questions and email your responses to: thepanpro@yahoo.com

Don’t rewrite the questions, just submit the answers.

1. Write a short paragraph telling us about you: where you are from and why you would like to come to Panama.

2. Indicate which of the 4 programs you would like participate in and which responsibilities you are most interested in.

3. Let us know some of the things you are definitely not interested in.

4. Let us know when you are coming. Are you coming to Panama on vacation or coming specifically to volunteer?

Frequently Asked Questions for Volunteers at the Eco-lodge...

What is the sleeping arrangement?

Volunteers are provided a dorm bed.

Is there a minimum stay?

One week is the minimum stay.

Is there internet at the lodge?

Not yet, but we are planning on getting it.

Do I need to bring a sleeping bag?

No, we supply blankets and a pillow.

When is the busy season?

December to August

How many volunteers do you take at one time?

Maximum of 2.

If I bought my food at the lodge, how much would I spend each day?

Depends what you buy, but you can live on $6 per day...or you can bring your own food for cheaper.

What is the name of the closest big town?

David is one hr. away. Boquete is 2 hrs. away. Almirante is 2.5 hrs. away.

What activities can I do when my work is done?

Go hiking, swimming, birdwatching, watch movies, read, play games, foosball, walk to the small town...

Are there mosquitoes or malaria?

No malaria. During the rainy season there are some mosquitoes, during the dry season there are not too many.

Tours Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Lost and Found Adventure Tours so cheap?

Two reasons:

1) We own most of the places that you will be staying and we operate the majority of the tours. That means a much lower overhead for us. The tours such as the Zip Line Canopy Tour or River Rafting tour are add-ons in which we waive commissions other companies take and pass the savings along to our customers so our you receive discounts other travelers do not.

2) We are seasoned backpackers that know you want to spend your money on daring adventure, learning something new and experiencing culture and do not want to waste your money on CNN in a hotel room. We stay in friendly dorms or private rooms in hostels to meet other travelers and compare adventures.

How many hours of Spanish classes will I have?

You will have a minimum of one hour a day of class with your teach and unlimited hours of practice and homework. Your teacher is your tour guide. No other company offers this.

Do your tours include international airfare?

No. We leave that up to you to find the best price from the destination you are at. You can begin the tour from either Bocas Del Toro (possibly arriving from Costa Rica) or Panama City. We will suggest a flight to see if we can beat your best price.

Can I arrive with a one-way ticket?

No and Yes. Most time they do not demand proof of onward travel but it is best to be prepared. But there are options if you are continuing on to Central or South America. You can buy a refundable ticket and cancel your return or you can buy a one way ticket and a bus ticket that shows onward travel.

How can I buy a bus ticket that shows onward travel?

After you make a down payment for your tour we can purchase one for you and mail it back. This service can save you a lot of money and hassle.

How many people will be in my tour group?

Our groups are small – between 4 and 10. We encourage members to share Facebook profiles (optional) so you can generate a discussion about your trips, share information and help shape the itinerary.

How difficult are the adventures?

This is an adventure tour. You should be moderately healthy as one of the key resorts is inside the cloud forest. Instead of sleeping in town and taking a tour bus to the cloud forest, you hike up. This is not luxury travel… there is a night safari (optional) and the objective is to FIND the wildlife which includes the snakes and bizarre rainforest insects. However keep in mind you need no special abilities (the kayak trip is beginner level) and each place you go has hot showers, clean sheets, and great food.

I want to upgrade to a private room with my significant other… will we be both be charged for the upgrade?

No. You will split the added costs of the upgrade… you save by sharing.

What if I arrive early?

We can book rooms for you but you will need to pay the regular rates… usually around $30 for a private room and $11 for a dorm.

Where will we be staying?

Mamallena hostel -- http://www.mamallena.com/
The Lost and Found – http://www.lostandfoundlodge.com/
Bambu Hostel David -- http://www.bambuhostel.com/
Hostel Refugio Del Rio -- http://www.refugiodelrio.com/Boquete.html
Gran Kahuna Bocas -- http://www.grankahunabocas.com/

Can I join a tour late or leave it early?

Yes. There are three legs to the journey. The first leg is ten days and ends in David where you can take a short flight or bus to Panama City. Leg two ends in Bocas where there are flights and buses as well. Leg three ends after 24 days back in Panama City. You can join at any stage in the leg as well. Start at Leg 3 three in Bocas, for example, if you come from Costa Rica and the tour there as well.

What form of transportation do we use?

For long trips our guide will take you through the steps of the local transportation network. Many of our kayak and hiking trips will take you literally off the beaten track so we have our own 4x4 for that.

What if I want a domestic flight?

Most of our guests enjoy watching the scenery drift past and feel a stronger sense of connection to Panama when they use local transport. The longest trip is almost 7 hours. So you can upgrade to an air ticket for $80 one way for this stretch. We will arrange all these details.

What should I pack?

Pack light.

First and foremost you need a backpack… this is a backpacking adventure and there are a couple of hikes you will need to make with your gear. You should have great hiking boots that will get wet. Take a good raincoat and sweater… you should have these in a day pack not only for your overnight night safari in the cloud forest but for the buses as well… the air conditioner works all too well. Foot powder is a good friend to have as are flip flops for the shower. Some people swear by earplugs. A padlock will be good to have for peace of mind for your bag. Bring a towel – if you find yours bulky try one of those micro towels they sell at specialty camping stores.

How difficult are getting travel visas?

You should check the visa requirements for your country but the vast majority of visitors just buy a $5 tourist card when they enter.

What vaccinations are recommended?

We will not be traveling to any areas affected malaria. There was a short period of time when travelers from South America were required to have yellow fever vaccinations but that has been waved. We will inform you if it is reinstituted.

Is tipping included and if not, how much should I budget?

Tipping is not included but is recommended for tour guides and places that provide the service you would be used to at home. But most Panamanians do not tip (and do not receive good service either!)

Lost and Found Adventure Tours Panama – Bridging the gap of the Americas has never been so fun!

Lost and Found Adventures

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