ACCOMMODATIONS
(Click hotel name to read description)

Panama City:  Crowne Plaza Hotel

Soberania National Park:  Gamboa Rainforest Resort

San Blas Islands:  Dolphin Uaguinega Lodge

PREPARING FOR THE TOUR

Entry Requirements: U.S. and Canadian citizens only need a valid passport and a tourist card. The tourist card costs $5 and is usually sold to you by your airline when you check in. You can purchase your card on your arrival in Panama from the immigration authorities.

Immunizations: No immunizations are required, but it is wise to have your tetanus booster up to date.

Exit Requirements: All tourists must pay a departure tax of $20 at the airport.

WHAT TO BRING

This tour occurs at the end of Panama’s rainy season, so there still remains the possibility of a brief rain shower daily. Being close to the Equator, Panama’s average daily temperatures remain remarkably constant throughout the year, between 70 and 90 degrees in the lowlands areas where we will be traveling. Pack accordingly, but try to limit yourself to two small suitcases. Electric current is variable from place to place within the country, either 110 volts, same as in the U.S., with standard plugs and outlets or 220 volts similar to Europe. Pack all medications in a carry-on bag and leave expensive jewelry home!

Suggested Packing List:

____ One dressy, casual outfit for Welcome, Farewell and Thanksgiving Dinners.

____ T-shirts (6 - 7).

____ Shorts (4 - 5 pairs).

____ Sneakers and beach sandals.

____ Long-sleeved shirts (2 - 3) for evenings / sun protection.

____ Lightweight long pants (1 - 2 pair).

____ Lightweight poncho for rain.

____ Jacket or sweatshirt for cool nights.

____ Swimsuits / beach towel / sun hat.

____ Sunscreen / lip balm / sunglasses.

____ Moist towelettes.

____ Ziploc plastic bags. Small for documents & large for wet items.

____ Day-pack or fanny pack.

____ Plastic water bottle or canteen.

____ Anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.

____ Insect repellent / anti-itch ointment.

____ Binoculars / Camera / Batteries.

____ Flashlight or headlamp for lodges.

____ A good book for the plane or beach.

MONEY MATTERS

Panama uses the US dollar as its currency. The official name for it is the Balboa, but it is exactly the same bill. Panamanian coins are of the same value, size and metal as US coins; both are used. In most of Central America, US dollars are the only currency exchanged. In Panama City, however, you can exchange currencies from almost anywhere in the world at a casa de cambio due to the city’s large international offshore banking industry.

Taxes and Tipping: You can tip some small change, or around 10% of the bill if you’re feeling affluent, in fancier restaurants; in small cafes and more casual places, tipping is not necessary. Haggling over prices is not the general custom in Panama. We will present a collective tip to both our guide and driver at the conclusion of their services.

RESERVATIONS

To reserve a place on this tour, click on the “Reservations” link above. Type in the information requested in each field, print the form, then sign and mail it to Toto Tours with your $500 deposit check. You also have the option to pay for your tour deposit with a Visa or MasterCard. The remaining balance is due 80 days prior to departure (by September 9, 2008). Tour registration is not complete until we have received both the form and your deposit check.
     Toto Tours does not accept credit cards as a form of payment except for the amount of the tour deposit ($500 maximum can be charged per tour). An installment plan is possible. Our mailing address is: Toto Tours, 1326 W. Albion Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753. Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd.

LIABILITIES / DISCLAIMERS

Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent to these conditions: Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole or in part for any delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness, medical expenses, or property damage occasioned by fault of any person from whatever cause. All tour participants are required to sign a standard liability form.
     The tour operators reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a member of the tour at any time and to make whatever changes become necessary with or without notice. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 10 participants. Toto Tours is not responsible for airline cancellation or change penalties incurred by individual tour participants for air tickets purchased prior to notification that the tour is a confirmed departure.

THE TOTO SPIRIT

Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages) you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain traits. They are:

•  fun-loving optimists who have a sense of humor and accentuate the positive;
•  good natured realists who are willing to accept situations as they exist;
•  undaunted by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad weather;
•  willing to forego some of the amenities we normally take for granted;
•  eager to try new things & test limits;
•  punctual;
•  not whiners!

Cross over the borders of everything you ever imagined about Panama, and join us for a unique Thanksgiving cultural experience in a tropical paradise. If you have any questions, please call us toll-free at:  800-565-1241.

THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)

Price:  $2,895 double occupancy

Private Room:  $700 extra, if available. (Paying a single supplement is not required. Toto Tours can match you with a roommate if you are traveling alone and prefer to share a room.)

Deposit:  $500 (Due at time of registration for the tour. May be paid with a credit card.)

Remaining Balance:  $2,395 double / $3,095 single
(Assumes $500 deposit has already been made)

Remaining Balance Due:  September 9, 2008
(Full payment required with reservation form if enrolling after this date.)

Included:  Eight nights accommodations; all ground transfers within Panama; round-trip flight to/from San Blas Islands, fully guided and escorted tour; all guided excursions except those listed as “optional”; meals and accommodations as listed in the itinerary.

Not Included:  Round-trip air transportation to/from Panama City, Panama; meals and other items not specifically covered in the itinerary; Panama departure tax ($20, paid at the airport upon departure); insurance; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; bottled water; laundry; telephone calls; faxes; or any other expenses of a personal nature. Tips to drivers / guides are not included.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend you purchase travel insurance with AIG Travel Guard to cover for unforseen events prior to and during your trip. Please follow the link below or call us for more information.