Gorgeaus Caribbean Island + mangroves kayaking

We spent four wonderful days with The Real Panama Trs with Sorhay and Alex. We were with Sorhay for two days-one day was in Panama City (including Casco Viejo) and boating on Gatun Lake. She really listened to our preferences and adjusted the tours on the spot to make sure that we experienced all that we wanted to see. For example, when we told Sorhay that my husband enjoyed taking colorful photos, she arranged for additional stops within Panama City to local marketplaces so we could have that opportunity and experience. Sorhay also did a super job of making sure that we got to feed and interact with the monkeys on Monkey Island and got great photos of us doing that. Another day was in Colon, first going on a horseback ride in the river (so fun), and then spending most of the day relaxing on a Caribbean island, seeing and feeding monkeys, swimming, kayaking, banana boating, eating a delicious (kosher) lunch of fish, salad, and fruits, and exploring a volcanic rocky area. Sorhay has a fantastic knowledge of Jewish culture and kosher laws and made sure that we were always comfortable and well taken care of, even playing our kids' music playlists while we travelled. On the way to Colon province, we encountered a local protest that delayed our trip somewhat and Sorhay did a great job of making it into an adventure and part of the experience (she even had our son join the protest for a bit!). Overall, Sorhay has a great deal of knowledge about and love of Panama that she conveyed to us throughout the tours. The other two days we were with Alex-one day to Emberra Village (again with kosher lunch prepared for us) and nearby waterfall, combined with a visit to the Miraflores Locks visitor center and another day to a pineapple farm and then to Anton Valley, with a hike, horseback ride, and a hot spring soak in the evening. Alex is super knowledgeable about animal and plant life, as well as about Panama in general, and also very chill and go with the flow. He made sure that we got to do so much each day, even while it was pouring rain. Both Sorhay and Alex were very attuned to our needs and preferences throughout the tours and even brought us a huge box of empanadas/pastries every morning and always offered us coffee. We can't wait to come back to Panama and join them again!

Firstly, Sorhay is, hands down, the best tour guide my husband and I have ever experienced. We have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to a few different countries and Sorhay was the first tour guide who wanted us to get the best experience rather than a checklist list of interesting facts and sites. I made an offhanded comment that my husband was not keen on sitting on the beach for long periods of time (and our next day was scheduled to be the Private Two Caribbean Beach Tour), Sorhay looked at me and said, "Do you like to scuba dive?" We did not know as we had never tried. In under 30 minutes, our itinerary for the following day was completely redone and we had a private scuba lesson complete with certified instructors and one of the best vacation days we had ever experienced! Sorhay, you are a magician and artist all in one! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Sorhay proved to be an exceptional guide. Prompt and prepared for each adventure. She totally gets the service oriented aspect of the hospitality industry. Sorhay takes care of everything while you sit back and enjoy the tour. She provided rain gear, iced beverages, snorkeling equipment etc. I initially booked one tour with her for our first full day (private city tour) and ended up booking two other tours (half day transit canal and private 3 island excursion tour) when other operators cancelled because group number was not great enough or weather forcasts appeared negative. It is quite evident she enjoys her work and loves her beautiful country, in the care she takes to make her clients experience the very best. We were impressed that none of her tours felt like a "tour". As a comsumate traveler, Sorhay understands the joy and importance of freedom to improvise and not feel bound to a strict regimented schedule. We saw and did what we signed up for, pursued at our pace and allowed to deviate from the agenda upon request. This ladly was instrumental in making our trip a memorable and enjoyable. She went the extra mile.