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Panama Canal Tour: Pacific to Atlantic Journey
5.0
34 Ratings
Panama City
Embark on a full-day adventure through the marvels of the Panama Canal. Witness the engineering feat of the locks and explore iconic landmarks. Book now!
Embark on a full-day adventure through the marvels of the Panama Canal. Witness the engineering feat of the locks and explore iconic landmarks. Book now!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Miraflores Visitor Center - The journey begins at the Miraflores Visitor Center, where visitors can enjoy a 45-minute documentary about the Panama Canal, narrated by Morgan Freeman, at the Imax theater. This experience provides insight into the history and operation of this significant and impressive construction.
This time includes transfer to the…
- Miraflores Visitor Center - The journey begins at the Miraflores Visitor Center, where visitors can enjoy a 45-minute documentary about the Panama Canal, narrated by Morgan Freeman, at the Imax theater. This experience provides insight into the history and operation of this significant and impressive construction.
This time includes transfer to the Miraflores Locks.
- Pedro Miguel Locks - From the Miraflores Locks, the tour proceeds to the Pedro Miguel Locks, the smallest yet crucial lock, as it adjusts the ships to the level of the Gaillard Cut, the most challenging and intricate part of the ship’s transit.
The time includes the transfer to the Pedro Miguel Locks.
- Colon - Lunch is enjoyed in Colon, with meal preferences discussed beforehand. Approximately 1 hour is allocated for lunch.
Transfer time to the province of Colón is included.
- Agua Clara Visitor Center - The tour continues to the new Agua Clara Visitor Center, offering a view of the Expanded Canal, where the larger Neopanamax ships can be observed passing through the Panama Canal.
- Atlantic Bridge - The journey crosses the new Atlantic Bridge, which spans the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal, connecting the City of Colon and the Down Coast of Colon.
This bridge holds the world record as the longest four-lane concrete cable-stayed bridge, with a visible span of 530 meters.
- Gatun Locks - After crossing the impressive Atlantic Bridge, the tour arrives at Gatun Locks, where more essential details about the Panama Canal are shared.
- Gatun Dam - The tour proceeds through the Gatun Locks to the Gatun Dam, a critical component for the Panama Canal’s operation. At the time of its construction, it was the largest dam in the world, alongside the artificial Gatun Lake.
This time includes transfer to Gatun Dam.
- Panama City - The tour concludes with a return to the city.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Personal tour guide
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Personal tour guide
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Tips
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Admission fees
- Admission fees
- Lunch
- Tips
- Entrance fees
- Entrance fees
- Admission fees
- Admission fees
Additional Information
This tour guides you through the locks of Miraflores, Pedro Miguel, Gatún, and Agua Clara, offering insights into its history, engineering, and global significance.
✅ THE ONLY TOUR THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE CANAL
Journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic by land in just one day, exploring the Panama Canal from coast to coast.
✅ PRIVATE AND EXCLUSIVE…
This tour guides you through the locks of Miraflores, Pedro Miguel, Gatún, and Agua Clara, offering insights into its history, engineering, and global significance.
✅ THE ONLY TOUR THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE CANAL
Journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic by land in just one day, exploring the Panama Canal from coast to coast.
✅ PRIVATE AND EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE
Enjoy a VIP tour with no crowds or strict schedules. It’s just your group, moving at your own pace.
✅ DISCOVER THE PROVINCE OF COLÓN
Take time to appreciate the local history and daily life. Optional lunch/snack available—we suggest trying local cuisine to immerse in the culture.
✅ FOLLOW THE TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE
Gain knowledge about the historic route connecting two oceans and understand the Canal’s influence on global trade.
Excludes: tickets to Miraflores and Agua Clara Visitor Centers.
Prefer everything arranged? Request the option with tickets included when booking directly.
Perfect for: families, couples, friends, seniors, and travelers on a stopover.
Ready to journey from coast to coast?
Location
Miraflores Visitor Center
East Side of the Miraflores Locks
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(34 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Chance1968
Jul 10, 2025
A fun, informative trip with an AMAZING guide! - Our little group of three had looked forward to seeing the Panama Canal since we had planned our vacation last year. My friend J had been through the canal before in an official work capacity but had not been able to enjoy the canal as tourist. We lucked out and chose Cositas De Panama and were given Mario as a tour guide. I'll rave more about him later!
The tour itself was informative, provided lots of details and history about the Canal and included an IMAX movie about the Canal and how it came into being. We were able to see ships going through the Canal at that point and Mario took us along to the next stop at Aqua Clara where we saw a massive ship going through the locks. Mario showed us a dam that was built by the Americans, took us across the Centennial Bridge, giving us the history of each landmark we saw. Our last stop was a delicious meal out Hudson's in Colon which I will also review separately. This restaurant was recommended by Mario and we were not disappointed!
Finally, let me give a shout out to Mario who was charming, knowledgeable and shows a true love for his country and his job. He wants to make sure you enjoy your trip and understand the importance of the Canal. He is accommodating on the trip, letting you stop off for coffee or duck into the souvenir shops and will recommend a good place for lunch. If you get Mario, you'll definitely be in good hands!
Great tour! Highly recommended with 5 stars from me and my friends!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephen_m
Jun 21, 2025
Excellent Day at the Panama Canal - We had a great day with Julio exploring the Panama Canal! We loved seeing the original locks and the new locks from the ground after crossing the canal on several cruises. Julio got us to both locks in time to see ships passing through. He gave us great background on the canal and Panama overall. He’s also a very safe driver and has a comfortable car. Definitely recommend this tour with Julio!
Review provided by Viator
Roving288458
Apr 24, 2025
Locked In - Working with Mario of Cositas was amazing. The personal touch to his private tour was spectacular. I felt safe as a solo traveler. He speaks English and Spanish, is very accommodating, polite and most of all knowledgeable of his Tours. Lunch is not included but he stopped at my request in Colon to have food at Hudson. The home cooked meal was fresh and tasted amazing. The staff was perfect. Eeryone knows Mario so we had an amazing experience. Mario even takes great pictures to capture your memories. If you're going to see the Canal, go with him in the Northern región of Colon because it is less crowded and a personalized experience that makes you feel like a celebrity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Soniajn1288py
Apr 7, 2025
Panama Experience - Mario is an outstanding tour guide! He’s upbeat, personable, and brings such a great energy to the experience. His knowledge and enthusiasm made every part of our trip both fun and memorable. We truly appreciated his attention to detail and the way he connected with everyone. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Boris
Mar 19, 2025
Atlantic and Pacific in a Day - I requested a coast to coast experience and especially wanted to eat lunch in Colon. My guide Julio delivered a superb full day of fun and adventures. Mario connected with me on WhatsApp and he understood my limited time window in Panama. We exchanged numerous messages and found a solution.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Betsy0201
Mar 5, 2025
Exceptional tour guide and tour with more canal experiences than other tours. Customized tour delighted all of us! - This was one of the best private guided tours we have ever taken. This specific tour let us see all the sights/locks of the canal—-from Pacific to Atlantic . We got a great understanding of the achievement the canal represents, how it operates, its political history, and much more. Mario seems to have boundless energy and is passionate about pleasing his clients. We had such great communication, with Mario, that we immediately booked another tour with their company. It was customized for us and included all the sites we wanted to see (Amador, Ancon, and other sites beyond the canal) and more. Both Kathy and Mario are exceptional guides. They are both very knowledgeable. They listened carefully to our preferences and questions and shared personal experiences with us. It was a profound, personal, emotional, and joy-filled experience. Not a moment was wasted. Every minute was interesting. It’s clear they love introducing people to what their country has to offer. I would recommend this tour and tour company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeremymichaels1309
Jan 26, 2025
Very personable and very well organized private tour - Very well organized full day tour of the Miraflores ( Pacific) and Aguas Claras ( Caribbean) locks Finished with lunch at cruise terminal in Colon. Cathy my guide for the day was a delight, knowledgeable, and excellent driver and very personable. Cositas is a small tour company specializing in tailor made tours in Panama. I would definitely use them again when I return to Panama for tours to other interesting areas.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patrick95130
Jan 18, 2025
A very interesting day tour - A day that will last a long time. Make the canal along its entire length with our guide Mario who was not stingy with information about the canal and the history of Panama. He advised us when visiting the locks and visiting the city of Colon.
Not to mention the video report and photos of the day.
Another big thank you to you Mario.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wanderer52411163875
Jan 4, 2025
Great day at the Panama Canal - Very nice experience with a very experienced guide
We visited the surroundings of Panama City with a lot of explanations , and finally the miraflora locks where we saw a very large cargo car carrier crossing. It was very impressive and worth the trip. Our guide Catherine Barnfield, has given us detailed and documented explanations. She was very kind , patient and answered all questions very acutely . A guide to recommend to have a good day and understand how the canal and locks work
Review provided by Tripadvisor
433carolw
Dec 21, 2024
It's much more than you might think! - Mario was a thoughtful guide, attentive to the physical needs of these two senior travellers. He was aware of an upcoming transit and made sure the timing was right for us to see all stages of it. His background knowledge of the canal is encyclopedic. He is also able to answer questions and offer background on a variety of social, cultural, and natural topics. We asked for a lunch stop with typical Panamanian food, and he delivered. This was one of many highlights!
The IMAX production was amazing. Don't skip that part!
When the Santa Clara lock unexpectedly ceased operation, we discussed alternatives and ended up having a trip through parkland with bird and animal sightings and hearing a troupe of howler monkeys. Another highlight. A walk on the beach and a soak of the feet in the Caribbean? Priceless!
Mario genuinely loves his country, and we came away feeling we have a friend in Panama. We enthusiastically recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
