The trip is from 4th of July to 14th of July (so 10 days). We will meet up on the 4th and fly together to the Island and we will arrive back in Panama city on the 14th, where you can continue your travels or fly home.

You will have to fly to Panama City (Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen). From there you have to go to the domestic airport called Albrook, which is the meeting point on the morning of the 4th of July. We will make sure to book us all on the same flight. From the international airport to Albrook please allow 30-90 minutes depending on the time of the day.

We will make sure to book us all on the same flight. From the international airport to Albrook please allow 30-90 minutes depending on the time of the day. The flight from Albrook to the Island normally departs at 8.30 am, so we suggest you arrive the day before (3rd of July). If that is not possible a later departure to the Island is possible.

When you sign up for the trip, we will help you with the bookings and any questions you might have.

We meet at the domestic airport in Panama City called Albrook for the domestic flight to the island in the morning of the 4th of July. Detailed information will be sent out to the participants.

There will be a maximum of 8 participants, one trip leader from Refuga and one guide for the trip. We want to keep the group small, both because of safety, but also to create the best possible group dynamics.

We will supply you with all the gear you need. You only need your clothes and some other small things, like a water bottle and headlamp. We will send you a detailed packing list upon sign up.

Everyone will get a hammock, hand knife, machete, hygiene kit, bowl and spork as their main gear on the island.

As a minimum, you should be up to date on all vaccinations required for normal life in the developed world. Hepatitis A and Tetanus are usually advised. Sometimes advised are typhoid, diphtheria, tuberculosis, rabies and hepatitis B. Please check with your own doctor to make sure you have what is needed.

A normal travel insurance should cover this experience. We recommend that you call your insurance company and tell them about the trip, so you make sure that you’re covered.

Of course, over 90% of our participants do. Our finest job is to facilitate you meeting new people!

Most nationalities do not need a visa to visit Panama. Please check here.

It’s important that your passport is valid for at least 6-months after your departure date.

You pay directly here on the website with credit card. The deposit is $500 (USD) and the remaining will be withdrawn 3 months prior to the trip start date.

If you want to pay another way, please contact us at hello@refuga.com.

If you need to cancel up to 2 weeks prior to the trip, then the full amount you have paid will be possible to use on another trip.

If you cancel with less than two weeks until the trip, we will try to get your spot covered by another participant, but if it’s not possible we reserve the right to cover our expenses.

If you find that the experience is not for you and you want to leave before, you can of course leave. If it’s not a medical situation, transport costs will apply.

Safety is the number one priority. We will have an extremely experienced guide throughout the whole experience, who will be very close while on the 3-day castaway experience.

We will have satellite phones that can be used in an emergency situation.

This trip is not just sunbathing and sipping coconuts. You should expect some long days of activity in a demanding environment. Sometimes you will be bothered by insects, by heat and by hunger. You can expect a few bites and blisters, but we are pretty confident you will finish the experience with a huge smile and a great sense of achievement. 

The whole trip will be in English.

The island’s we operate on are uninhabited. With the possible exception of a local fisherman and the very occasional sailboat heading past we will be undisturbed for the duration of our trip. 

After the training phase, it’s time for the 72-hour castaway challenge. You will be put on a beach with the rest of the group, so you will not be alone. But the beach is 1200 meters long, so there is plenty of opportunities to be more isolated if you wish.

Meals in the training phase will be light, but sufficient. We will bring food to the island for the training phase and we will get breakfast and snacks. For dinner, we will catch plenty of fish by rod and speargun and supplement it with rice, pasta, potatoes etc. Each night we will prepare the food in different ways.

You should not need any extra money unless you plan on buying souvenirs and additional celebratory drinks. There is no cash point on our first island, so please insure you bring cash with you from the mainland. Just for emergencies we recommend you bring around $200 USD. There is an ATM at Albrook Airport.

The trip will take place at the beginning of the wet season, so there can daily rain, but normally just for an hour or so. This is a great time to cool a bit off and wash the salt off. There is predominantly blue skies, but we might get to see a beautiful electric storm.

No problem at all. Just email us at hello@refuga.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible (normally within a day).