The Team
Five guides. One neighbourhood. Decades of knowledge.
Born and raised in the neighbourhood he now guides through, Carlos holds a degree in Latin American History from the University of Panama. He founded Casco Viejo Walking Tours after years of guiding informally for friends and soon-to-be-returning strangers. He leads our Colonial Walking Tour and trains every new guide personally. His knowledge of the city's French canal-era history is unmatched.
Valentina grew up steps from the market in Casco Viejo and has spent years documenting Panama's culinary traditions for a local food magazine. She knows every vendor, every family recipe, and the story behind every dish served in the neighbourhood. She leads our Food Tasting Tour, Coffee & Chocolate Experience, and The Panama Rum Experience — and is the reason none of our stops are tourist traps.
Diego studied archaeology at USMA and spent three years working on the excavation of the original Panama Viejo ruins. He knows the story of Henry Morgan's 1671 raid not from textbooks but from the ground up — literally. His Pirate & Dark History Tour is our most theatrical experience, and the hidden treasure finale at the end is entirely his invention. Guests have been known to applaud.
María is from the Guna Yala (San Blas) archipelago and moved to Panama City to study fine arts. She brings first-hand knowledge of Kuna mola-making that no outside instructor could replicate — the patterns she teaches carry real spiritual and cultural meaning from her own family tradition. She leads our Kuna Painting Workshop and Culture Night experience, where her narration of Panama's folklore traditions is deeply personal.
Tomás grew up on a small farm in Chiriquí before moving to the city to study environmental science. He has direct relationships with cacao producers, coffee estate owners, and the tropical fruit growers who supply our tastings. He leads our Exotic Fruits of Panama Experience and Panama Coffee & Chocolate Tasting — and has a habit of bringing unannounced bonus fruits to every session.
Why It Matters
The difference a real local guide makes
Many tour companies in Panama City use freelance guides hired day by day from a pool. The guide you get depends on availability, not expertise. Their knowledge of any given neighbourhood is general, their connection to it superficial.
We do it differently. Every guide on this team is a permanent employee who specialises in the experiences they lead. Carlos leads the colonial history tours because colonial history is what he studied. María leads the Kuna workshop because she is Kuna. Valentina leads the food tours because food is what she has spent her career on.
When you book with us, you know who you're going with — and why they're the right person to take you.