through the Panama Canal and Costa Rica aboard the Exclusively Chartered Small Ship Five-Star Le Champlain January 30 to February 7, 2022 accompanied by Enrichment Lecturer Becky Jaffe WELCOME BACK SAV I NG S ♦ Daylight Transit through the Panama Canal SAVE $2000 ♦ 100% Private Balcony Staterooms PER COUPLE! ♦ All Shore Excursions Included BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE! No land/cruise cancellation fees for new bookings until 96 days prior to trip departure. Expand your horizons. A time-honored tradition since 1969, Cal Discoveries Travel creates learning opportunities for thoughtful travelers. Join great minds on our world-class journeys. Activity Level 2 | What to expect: These trips often travel by motor coach, ship or train. Touring days may include full-day motor coach excursions or extended periods of standing and walking during city tours, museum visits and/or outdoor activities. Travelers should be able to board transportation, walk over sometimes-uneven terrain and climb a few flights of stairs, occasionally without handrails or assistance. Elevators are not always available. Outings last 2-4 hours most days. Suitable for: Travelers who are able to comfortably walk two to four miles, or 4,600–6,900 steps, each day. For further information: 510.900.8222 | [email protected] | alumni.berkeley.edu/travel Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/caldiscoveriestravel Follow us on Instagram @caldiscoveries CAA is a self-funded nonprofit organization that relies on donations to provide programs and services that support students, alumni and the University. To make a gift, please visit alumni.berkeley.edu/give. Thank you for choosing CAA as the recipient of your generosity. Becky Jaffe A photographer, naturalist and educator living in Oakland, California, Becky Jaffe teaches Art of Seeing courses for advanced fine art photographers, judges at the Berkeley Camera Club and exhibits her nature photography in galleries and museums locally and nationally. Becky graduated from Cal in 1994 and is currently the Artist-in-Resident at the UC Botanical Garden, where she offers workshops on contemplative nature photography and tours for the public on topics such as ethnobotany, ecology and evolutionary biology. She enjoys leading nature photography classes creek-side at UC Berkeley’s Lair of the Bair, where she revels in the lively conversation and deep intellectual engagement of the members of the Cal Alumni Association. She is fluent in Spanish and has traveled extensively in Latin America and Africa, including Haiti, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Cuba, the Galapágos, Ghana, Tanzania and Madagascar. She is an avid birder, reader and kayaker, and welcomes the opportunity to share her love for nature with her fellow travelers. Cal lecturer’s participation cannot be guaranteed and is contingent on a minimum number of travelers. Tour Highlights: • Nine-day journey from the Costa Rican rainforest through the mighty locks of the Panama Canal—an experience unmatched for sheer drama and engineering prowess. • Cruise for seven nights from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica to Colón, Panama, aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star Le Champlain, featuring just 92 Suites and Staterooms. • Experience a daylight passage through the Panama Canal and explore Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park and Curú National Wildlife Refuge. • Call at seldom-visited Cébaco Island and discover the rich marine life in its vivid rock reefs. • Tour Panama City, including its Casco Antiguo (Old Quarter), a UNESCO World Heritage site. • Excursion to the spectacular Rio Seco Rainforest located inside Piedras Blancas National Park. • Landscapes of Costa Rica Pre-Program and Panama’s Renaissance Post-Program Options. The safety and well-being of our travelers remains our highest priority. Cruise lines and some other providers of services (as well as, potentially, some countries) require all passengers traveling on our programs to present confirmation of a full COVID-19 vaccination, and, as well, passengers may have to produce evidence of a recent negative COVID test. All our staff are committed to adhering to all health and safety protocols from the start of your trip to the end as directed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overseas health officials as well as those protocols mandated by your cruise company (if applicable) and other suppliers of services. Detailed protocol information tailored to your travel program will be mailed to you along with additional pre-departure information. Cover photo: See the historic Panama Canal during a daylight transit. Nature s Wonders in the Costa Rican’ Rainforest One of the most biodiverse locations on Earth, Costa Rica’s varied habitats and ecosystems preserve a spectacular array of wildlife and unspoiled beauty. More than 25 percent of this captivating country has been designated a national park, wildlife refuge or protected rainforest. Almost five percent of all identified plants and animal species thrive within this nation’s 12 distinct ecosystems, ranging from cloud forest to coral reef. Famed for its easily accessed park system, Costa Rica—a global leader in conservation—represents one of the world’s greatest ecotourism destinations. Led by expert naturalists, explore virgin rainforests and jungle‑fringed beaches to look for howler monkeys, toucans, three‑toed sloths, tree frogs, coatis, iguanas, leatherback turtles and over 600 species of non‑migratory birds. The country’s national motto, “¡Pura Vida!” or “pure life,” is reflected in its unwavering commitment to environmental preservation. An economy‑wide policy to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050 has reinforced the connection between Costa Rica’s proud residents and this primal landscape that flourishes with rare and endemic species. Itinerary San José, Costa Rica In the heart of the fertile Valle Central is an Landscapes of Costa Rica eclectic mix of museums, landscaped parks, Pre-Program Option lively cafés, fascinating art galleries and 1 Depart the U.S./ an interesting fusion of Spanish Colonial, San Jose, Costa Rica Moorish and Modernist architectural styles. 2 San José/Puerto Caldera/ Built between 1891 and 1897, the ornate, Embark Le Champlain Neoclassical National Theater—famous for its marble staircases and golden statues— 3 Curú National Wildlife Refuge/ was declared a National Symbol in 2018. Tortuga Island The Pre‑Columbian Gold Museum’s impressive 4 Quepos for Manuel Antonio collections showcase the metalsmithing skills National Park and cultural evolution of the civilization that 5 Rio Seco Rainforest inhabited Costa Rica from 500 B.C. to 1500 A.D. 6 Cébaco Island, Panama Curú National Wildlife Refuge A unique blend of sustainable agriculture, 7 Panama City forest management and wildlife protection, 8 Panama Canal Transit/Colón Curú National Wildlife Refuge provides 9 Colón/Disembark ship/ sanctuary to terrestrial and marine species, Panama City/Depart for the U.S. including the scarlet macaw and spider monkey. Encompassing five distinctive untouched habitats Panama’s Renaissance that range from mangrove swamps to dry and Post-Program Option humid forests, it is the ideal place to observe the intricacies of interdependent ecosystems. Photo this page: Visit Manuel Antonio National Morning is the optimal time for a guided walk to Park, famed for its pristine trails and prolific wildlife. watch for groups of capuchin and howler monkeys, coatis, iguanas and more than 230 species of birds. Arenal UNESCO World COSTA Heritage Site Curú National RICA Cruise Itinerary Wildlife Refuge Air Routing San José Land Routing Puerto C Caldera Quepos ar Colón ibb Manuel Antonio ean Panama Tortuga National Park Sea Canal Island Rio Seco Rainforest Panama Drake City Bay PANAMA Gulf of P Panama ac ifi c Oc ean Cébaco Island Look for the three-toed sloth, the world’s slowest mammal. Tortuga Island Enjoy a picture‑perfect secluded beach Nestled in a private reserve near the stunning along the peaceful waters of Golfo Dulce. Nicoya Peninsula, idyllic Tortuga Island Discover local tropical fruits and explore is named for its tortoise‑like volcanic gardens with myriad colorful flora. rock formations. Enjoy an opportunity to Expert naturalist’s will guide along hiking swim and snorkel in this uninhabited island’s trails and help search for wildlife while sharing clear, sheltered waters, brimming with knowledge of this incredible ecosystem. fascinating marine life including angelfish, spotted eagle rays and seahorses. Manuel Antonio National Park A captivating combination of lush rainforest, dramatic beaches and thriving coral reefs, Manuel Antonio National Park preserves more than 100 species of mammals, an estimated 300 species of birds and an array of reptiles and amphibians. In this biodiverse paradise, expert naturalists assist in spotting and identifying colorful toucans, cacophonous howler monkeys, camouflaged iguanas, red‑backed squirrel monkeys, two‑ and three‑toed sloths and rambunctious capuchin monkeys. Listen for the whooping call of the howler monkey, Rio Seco Rainforest which can be heard up to three miles away. Immerse yourself in the ideal off‑the‑beaten‑path destination accessible only Cébaco Island by boat. Rio Seco Rainforest is located inside A winding coastline of rarely visited sandy Piedras Blancas National Park, a lush jungle beaches and towering palm trees front the home to howler monkeys, coatis, white‑nose dense rainforests that dominate Cébaco Island, capuchin monkeys, toucans and scarlet macaws