Panama

Survival Adventure in Panama

From:

£3,240

Duration:

11 days

Date:

Various dates

Max People:

12

Min Age:

18+

The Highlights of our panama Adventure

Primary tropical rainforest right down to the beach

Huge expansive beaches

Phosphorescent plankton lighting up the ocean

Excellent fishing

Diverse birdlife

Nestling turtles

Great international connections

Trip Summary

Do you need genuine adventure, an experience that disconnects you from the world in nature and combines bushcraft fun and a survival challenge?

This is the plan: you’ll arrive in the vibrant capital of Panama City where we spend the night, meet your new tribe. We then head out for dinner in the old town, and cover the expedition briefing before trying our best to get an early night. Tomorrow is a big day.

The following day, we’ll whisk you off to an uninhabited desert island, taking a 90-minute speedboat ride straight from the harbour to an untouched island paradise—your new home.

For five nights, we will train you in all the essential bushcraft skills you’ll need to thrive, from friction fires to fish traps. This part is ‘survival-lite’, designed to develop not just your skills but your confidence in this new environment. We sleep in expedition hammocks, and we cook together over the fire, sharing stories and passing around a bottle of rum. Fun is our top priority as we hone your skills throughout chapter one of your adventure. As you get used to tribal life, you won’t want this time to end.

Then, just as you start to get comfortable, sh*t get real, it’s time to leave the nest and head to a new part of the island to test your training. With just a handful of items, and your newly learned skills, it’s time for the 72-hour survival phase.

Your instructors are now on the other side of the island and it’s on you and your tribe now to build a shelter, catch food, make fire, and purify water. At times, this might be hard, but when you catch that fish as the sun is dipping over the horizon, it might just be the highest high you ever feel.

Then, after 3 days, you are rescued and head back to what now feels like a 10-star hotel for the best shower of your life and a survival feast.

Sounds like your type of adventure? We hope so!

Day 1

We meet you at the hotel for a poolside cocktail, expedition briefing and dinner.

Day 2

After breakfast, we jump on a boat to your new island home. We orientate ourselves, have lunch and set up our expedition hammocks, then get to work on building our shelter. After dinner we’ll be passing around a bottle of rum before you head to your hammock.

Day 3

After breakfast we spend the morning learning the most quintessential primitive skill, how to make fire by friction. We will spend the afternoon catching our supper off the beach.

Day 4

Today we will look at all the different techniques one can use to find food on a desert island; Including what fruits and plants are safe to eat, how to get into a coconut and where to find shellfish. You’ll make a primitive handline, then catch, prepare and cook fish. You can also try your hand at spearing dinner. To finish the day, we will open some green coconuts, harvested from palms on the island, and have fresh pina-coladas.

Day 5

Life on the island slows down. Disconnecting from wifi and phones, you will find yourself thinking about the outside world less and less. Tonight, we prepare our food, then cook and eat as a tribe. A bottle of rum and some roasted marshmallows see us off to bed.

Day 6

On the final day of training, we will search for resources that might help you during your final 3 day survival phase. That evening we’ll talk about the psychology of survival, and you’ll get yourself mentally prepared for the real test to begin.

Day 7

Survival Phase. This is it; the fire is out, the instructors are gone. It’s just you and your fellow castaways. You are left with limited equipment and must work together. Now is the time to put into practice your newfound skills, and apply your ingenuity, to survive. What is your greatest priority?

Day 8

Survival Phase

Day 9

Survival Phase

Day 10

Nothing will ever look quite so good as our rescue boats. We will head to the hotel for breakfast and a well deserved shower. That night we head out for a survival celebration.

Day 11

The expedition ends at around noon, when we arrive back at the harbour in Panama City.

SHELTER

Hammock and tarp setup and care
Shelter building
Palm thatching
Machete and knife safety, sharpening and skills

Fire

Fire theory
Friction fire skills (bow drill and hand drill)

Water

Transpiration bags
Solar still
Evaporation techniques
Boiling water in bottles over fire

FOOD

Fishing with hand line
Coconut opening & cream extraction
Tree climbing
Hawaiian sling (hand spear)
Primitive cooking and fish preparation
Trap building
Wild edible identification

OTHER

Psychology discussion and case studies
Astro-navigation

The Island

Join us where unbroken jungle meets untouched white sand beaches. This wild expansive 560-acre island in the Pacific Ocean, forming part of the Pearl Island archipelago, boasts 23 beaches and home to nesting turtles, phosphoresent plankton and 44 different bird species.

The Pearl Islands is the perfect location for castaway holiday destination, characterized by untouched white sand bays and beaches fringed with coconut trees and dense primary jungle. Yet this true isolated wilderness sits an astonishing 60 miles from the international hub of Panama City making connections a breeze.

At any time of year, you might witness turtles nesting on our beach. These include olive ridley, green, and occasionally leatherback turtles, adding to the unique Panama survival experience. We also see the bright purple and orange Halloween moon crabs.

Our Panama island adventure is perfect for stepping out of your comfort zone, building resilience, and learning new skills in a stunning and wild environment.

1 uninhabited private island
5 days survival training by world-class bushcraft instructors
General kit (incl. hammocks, camping gear, machetes, etc.). There are a few essential items that you need to bring.
3 days raw survival
1 night accommodation in Panama City (twin rooms, shared)
1 night accommodation in a boutique hotel on a beautiful island (twin rooms, shared)
All meals and drinks (limited alcoholic drinks)
All transfers

International flights
Airport transfers
Visas, if required
Personal travel insurance
Personal kit. You can check out the general kit list here, however, we will be sending you a more detailled version after booking.
Personal expenses

Our expeditions in Panama are typically led by the insanely talented Tom McElroy and Azrael Renee. We feel very fortunate to have these immensely talented and special humans teaching. They aren’t just amongst the world’s most talented bushcraft instructors; they are also some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. You can check out their bios on our about page here.

When it comes to bushcraft survival, less is more. It is all about learning to improvise using your surroundings from making rope from the bark of a hibiscus tree to a trap out of a water bottle. However, we do encourage you to bring a basic kit list of appropriate clothes, a knife, headtorch, and water bottle. We bring the rest of the kit from your hammock to your machete.

Our island expeditions are typically 11 days long. The first and last day are spent at a boutique hotel, and the 8 days sandwiched between on the desert island. The first 5 nights on the island are your bushcraft course. This is survival light, where you learn all the skills to equip you for the final 3-day survival phase. For these 5 nights, you are sleeping in a hammock, eating very well, playing all sorts of games, and passing around a bottle of rum around the fire. The final 3 days after this are your survival phase, the true test of your mettle before you are rescued and head to what now feels like a 10-star hotel.

When it comes to deserted islands, we don’t mess around with safety. We carefully handpick islands that won’t try to eat you or drag you away with strong ocean currents. Plus, we make sure to give you a full safety briefing so you know what to do if you accidentally step on a crab or get a sunburn. Our instructors are wilderness first aid certified, so you’re in good hands. And while we can’t promise to keep you completely out of harm’s way, we’ll make sure you’re aware of any risks with our system of informed consent. Check out this page for more info on the exciting dangers you might face on our expeditions!

You’ll learn the following bushcraft skills:

Fire making: Bow drill, hand drill, bamboo fire saw as well as fire steel.
Making Coconut bowls and utensils.
Traps and hunting.
Jungle sanitation and hygiene.
How to make cordage from natural fibers.
Coconuts: opening, making coconut cream and various uses.
Primitive spearfishing
Palm weaving.
Knot tying.
Shelter: building techniques.
Water: physiology, collection and purification.
Identification of flora and fauna for food, fire and other utilities.
Fishing techniques: Making and using traps, spears.
Fish identification, preparing and cooking fish.
Traditional cooking methods: Bamboo pot, leaf wraps, clay bakes and smoking racks.
Rescue: Techniques for gaining attention.

On the first night, we’ll venture out from the hotel for a tasty meal. The following morning, we’ll indulge in a cooked breakfast at the hotel before making our way to the island where we’ll set up camp and cook our meals over an open fire on the beach.

For the next five days, we’ll pamper you with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ranging from flavorful Thai fish curries to pasta dishes infused with red wine and chorizo. We’ll also teach you how to wrap and prepare fish using natural leaves and cordage to cook directly on the coals.

After five days of indulging in scrumptious food while learning, it’s time for you to put your newly acquired skills to the test and survive on your own findings and catches. Upon rescue, we’ll kick off your return with a brunch that’s sure to satisfy any cravings. Later that evening, we’ll take you to a charming Italian restaurant on Contadora Island, known for its unbeatable pizzas that are out of this world. Trust us; you won’t be disappointed.

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements? Don’t worry we will adapt the menu for you.

All hotel accommodation is on shared basis. Single room supplement is available and can be requested on the booking form. However, this is subject to availability.

The first night we meet at the Hotel Riande Urban in Panama City. The hotel is located in the heart of Panama City and offers modern amenities, a stylish ambiance and a tropical garden pool, making it a perfect starting point for our adventure.

During the training phase you will sleep in an expedition Hennessy Hammock with built in mosquito nets. You will learn how to build your own sleeping space in the wild for your survival phase.

The last night we stay at the Mar y Oro, a luxurious hotel located on the beautiful island of Contadora in Panama. It offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and lush greenery surroundings.

Check out our other FAQs or contact us here.

First off, one of the most important considerations is travel time from your home country. Then you should consider whether domestic travel is required when you arrive. We love the website flight connections to help with travel time.

Panama– Typically easiest to get to and no domestic transfers.

Panama is our easiest destination to reach. Not only is Panama City served with direct flights from most major US cities and several European capitals (view the connections map here), you also do not need to take any domestic transfers.

You will need to travel to Panama City, Panama, Tocumen PTY (not to be confused with Panama city in Florida). You should arrive latest the same day your expedition starts. We will meet on the expedition start date at 5pm (if your arrive very late this day that is ok just let us know). For your return flight please make sure you are looking at flights on the last expedition day after 3pm.

We recommend you download Hopper’ for your phone and enter your dates. They will tell you when the best time to book your flights is before the price creeps up, typically 90 days prior is optimum.

We also love using flight connection maps for finding your best route from where you live.

Google flights is our favourite flight search engines, however, we always recommend booking directly with the airline once you have found your flights as you will have a preferential cancellation policy and better upgrade potential.

Check out our Panama Travel Guide for more information about the destination or check out our blog for Panama related articles.

Panama Travel Guide

Panama Blog Posts

People love us

“TRIP OF A LIFETIME! I did the Panama trip and it was extraordinary. All the people were amazing. Tom is a fantastic instructor. And everything about the experience was great. I made lifetime friends and had once in a lifetime opportunities like seeing baby turtles and eating stingray. Can’t recommend this experience enough.”
Tom McCann
“An incredible experience shared with an even more incredible group of strangers turned friends. I’m so grateful I was able to disconnect from the fast pace of everyday life and slow down to reconnect with myself and the natural world around me. I was able to spend each day fully present. I learned new skills that made me feel strong and empowered. And I witnessed the unique gifts found within every single member of our “Best Group Ever” tribe.
Jessica Wicks
“Definetly the expedtion of a lifetime! If you dare to go, you will be telling stories about it to your grandkids for sure. Full disconnect from the mainland’s problems and worries, full dive into here and now on the island. And the best instructors you can ask for (Tom McElroy & Azrael), but you won’t know unless you try ;)”
Ulia Petrushenko