Panama City Tours | Tours departing from Panama City

You'll first be taken to the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. A $15 fee (not included in the price of the tour) covers entrance to the visitors' center which has several floors of presentations about the history and construction of the Panama Canal, as well as access to the rooftop terrace where you can view the gigantic tankers going through the Miraflores Locks while enjoying a wonderful meal (sometimes smaller boats and sailboats too).

Your next destination will be to the Artisan Center in Balboa where you'll be able to purchase some traditional Panamanian craftwork.

After browsing through Panama's most complete collection of souvenirs you'll be headed to the Causeway of Amador, a gorgeous 6 km road that unites four islands in Panama's Bay to mainland (Naos, Perico, Flamenco and Culebra Islands). Here you'll be able to to enjoy a spectacular view of Panama City from a spot surrounded by luxurious yachts and sailboats, followed by a visit to the Duty Free Center, where more shopping can be had, this time of goods from all over the world.

Your second to last stop will be the "Old City", the Casco Viejo in the neighborhood of San Felipe, where you'll discover the history and architecture of the second city constructed by the Spaniards when they came to America. To finish your Panama City & Canal tour, you'll visit the Balboa Avenue Causeway, otherwise known as Cinta Costera, where you can enjoy the view of the skyscrapers and financial area of Panama City.

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax. Price does not include $15 fee to enter Canal Museum.

The partial transit through the Canal is operated usually the first three Saturdays each month and takes approximately 5 - 6 hours. The full Canal transit takes approximately 10 hours and is offered once a month. Food and drinks are included in both tours.

You'll be picked up at your hotel and taken to the Amador Causeway. From Flamenco Island you'll board a ferry style boat and you'll start your transit through the Panama Canal. You'll first pass under the Bridge of the Americas (Puente de las Américas), which soars about 100m above sea level and reunites the land divided during the construction of the Canal.

The Panama Canal is approximately 80 km long and after passing the Bridge of the Americas your first stop will be at the Miraflores Locks, which due to the extreme tidal variation of the Pacific Ocean, are the tallest amongst the three sets of locks of the Panama Canal. The boat will be raised 17 meters above sea level in two steps and you'll be entering the Miraflores Lake which is almost 2 kilometers long. A transition from salt water in the Pacific Ocean to freshwater in the locks chambers takes place here.

After going through the Miraflores Lake the ship is raised in one step, this time an additional 9 meters, at the Pedro Miguel Locks. At this point the ship will be navigating the Gatun Lake at 26 meters above sea level. The Gatun Lake is the second largest man made lake in the world and here you'll be entering the Gaillard Cut (Corte Culebra), the narrowest section of the Panama Canal. The 13.7-kilometer long portion of the waterway was carved through rock and shale and many lives were lost here, and it is flanked by the backbones of the Continental Divide. This section of the Canal is full of history and geological value. The Chagres River flows into the Gaillard Cut and has the distinction of being the only river in the world that flows into two oceans and it is the main source of fresh water which guarantees the operation of the Panama Canal.

Halfway through the voyage in the Gatun Lake you'll find a very interesting island, Barro Colorado, that was created after this area was flooded. Barro Colorado Island is home to an extremely diverse wildlife, is one of the most studied places on Earth and has become a prototype for measuring diversity of plant and animal life around the world. Here the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has one of its most famous research stations.

Just before reaching the Gatun Locks on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal you'll see the Gatun Dam. The locks at Gatun will lower the ship 26 meters to sea level in three steps and the ship will continue along a channel to the Port of Cristobal. You'll disembark in Cristobal and board a coach bus that will take you back to Flamenco Island on a 1:30-hour comfortable ride.

* Prices are in US Dollars. Prices are per person. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax. The operation may vary from north to south or vice versa depending on traffic through the canal that day. Tour includes: bilingual guide/narrator, soft drinks and water (all you need), breakfast and lunch.

This is your opportunity to experience the oldest transcontinental railroad in the world. Operated by the Panama Canal Railway Company, it provides passenger and freight service between Panama City and Colon, the northern terminal of the Panama Canal.

Along with its colorful history, the railroad follows a picturesque path across the Isthmus of Panama. The line flanks the Panama Canal passing through lush rainforests, cruising alongside the Canal's locks, through the historic Gaillard Cut and gliding over slender causeways in Gatun Lake.

You'll be picked up at your hotel and taken to the train station for an early departure. The train journey itself takes around 45 minutes. The glass-domed passenger train is decorated to reflect the ambience of the late 1800s and also has an outside viewing platform to allow you to more easily take it all in.

Once you arrive to the city of Colon, a guide will be waiting for you and you'll be taken for a short visit to the Madden Dam, followed by a lengthier stop in Portobelo. Portobelo is a sleepy port city with a deep natural harbor. The ruins of the Spanish colonial fortifications, along with nearby Fort San Lorenzo, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Portobelo you'll find Panama's first customs building, a small but interesting local museum, the church of the famous Black Christ of Colon and the local beach (bring your swimsuit!!!). If instead of going to the beach, you would prefer to do a zipline canopy tour, that is also totally doable. Once the day is over, your guide will bring you back by private transportation.

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax.

In Panama City you'll be able to find clothing, electronics and goods from all over the world at really good prices. For big shopping trips, many citizens from our neighboring countries come to Panama City thanks to its immense variety of stores and fabulous prices.

Possibly the largest and most popular mall in Panama City is Albrook Mall, with nearly 1000 shops. Albrook Mall has several department stores for shoppers on a budget as well as more exclusive brands.

Multiplaza Mall is certainly classier and designer brands from the most famous fashion capitals of the world have presence here.

At both malls you'll find modern movie theaters as well as ample food courts. If you're flying in or out of Panama City on any specific day, no need to worry about your luggage or storing your shopping as your guide will take care of your belongings.

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax.

Get ready to discover a whole different world and way of life. We'll start the morning by picking you up at your hotel for a one hour drive. We'll make a brief stop at a local market and grab some fresh fruit for the day.

Upon arrival to the indigenous reserve (Comarca), we'll take care of the entrance fees and then we'll head to the Corotu Port of the Chagres River for a 15 minute boat ride up the river. Afterwards we'll take a short jungle hike that leads us to an unspoilt waterfall where we'll enjoy a nice swim.

Now it's time to go back and experience the main reason we're here for: to visit an Embera indigenous community. Here we'll have the opportunity to learn more about the Embera's history, culture, dances and traditions, and you'll also be able to buy traditional Embera craftwork.

* Prices are in US Dollars. Prices are per person. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax. This tour includes a meal, drinks and transportation from Panama City to the port and back to Panama City. The entrance fees are also included.

One of the wonderful things about Panama City is that it is surrounded by rainforests, so it's not that difficult to escape the city to get in contact with nature. Gamboa is one of those special places close to Panama City where our guides will take you to discover Panama's wildlife.

Your first trip will be by boat to Monkey Island. Here you'll always be able to see troops of capuchines. To make the excursion more enjoyable, your guide will share with you all sorts of interesting facts about the Panama Canal and its history.

Once you're back on land, you'll be able to explore the canopy of the rainforest via the longest Cableway that exists in Panama. Here, once again, your knowledgeable guide will share with you the names of many different trees encountered in the area, as well as other important facts about Panama's biodiversity.

* Prices are in US Dollars. Prices are per person. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax.

The Valley of Anton, is a quaint mountain town located in the flat wide section of a 6 km wide inactive volcano. Due to its 600 meter elevation above sea level, it enjoys a fresher climate than Panama City.

Our first visit will be to El Valle's Artisanal Market, which is arguably the best artisanal market of the country. You'll also be able to visit the botanical garden and the Nispero Zoo. If you're sensitive to animals in small cages, you should probably skip this part. Having said that, the Nispero Zoo is a small privately owned organization with very little funding and they do whatever they can to rescue and protect animals, and free them whenever possible.

El Valle Amphibian Research Center, has been setup at the Nispero Zoo. This is one of the only places you can see the extremely rare Golden Frog, which has been wiped out in the wild by a fungal disease. Biologists at the center are studying the fungus that is killing the species (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), while facilitating the toad's reproduction in a fungus-free environment. The zoo has many other Panamanian species that you're unlikely to see in the wild, such as jaguars, tapirs, collared peccaries (wild pigs), white-faced capuchin monkeys, and various macaw species. Exotic species such as Asian golden pheasants and white peacocks run the grounds. Most of the animals at El Nispero are former pets that were donated, or confiscated from their owners by government authorities.

After spending some time at the Nispero Zoo you'll go to a waterfall and trekking to painted rocks and petroglyphs. This tour ends at the hot springs, where you can to swim and relax in two cemented pools built under the jungle canopy.

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax.

Being Panama such a small country, there are so many different Panamas. And amongst all of those Panamas, Guna Yala (also known as Kuna Yala and formerly known as San Blas) has to be one Panama's most fascinating places.

When you imagine Guna Yala, idyllic picture perfect islands come to mind (over 370 of them)... with white sand beaches lined up with coconut and palm trees surrounded by crystal clear waters and abundant marine life. And a local indigenous community that lives pretty much like they did hundreds of years ago, whose culture has survived the invasion from the Spaniards and the government of Panama.

San Blas is definitely very different from all of the rest of Panama. Only the Kuna indigenous people can own land here, and thus their customs and traditions remain very strong. The "comarca" is a semiautonomous province that is governed by three tribal chiefs, or caciques, with the input of dozens of regional representatives. For the tourist this means very rustic accommodations and primitive services but the opportunity to flavor a live culture and become immersed by stunning natural beauty is there. Cell phone service and electricity is non existent in many of the islands, so if you wish to get away from it all, this trip is definitely for you.

On this trip you'll go to Perro Island where you'll be able to snorkel around a sunken ship, and you'll also visit Pelican Island, one of the most breathtaking islands you'll ever encounter... anywhere! You'll also obviously be able to visit a Guna community and learn more about the Kuna's lifestyle.

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax. If you're paying with a credit card a 3% service charge is added to the total. Trip includes lodging for 1 night, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast on second day (you can buy lunch on the island for $10), the transport in 4x4 vehicles from Panama to San Blas and back, the boat transportation from mainland port to island to port, the Guna Indian reserve entry taxes and a snorkeling tour to a sunken ship. The island has washrooms and showers. Drinks and snacks are not included, but you can buy some on the islands or choose to bring your own before departing. Pick up at your hotel in Panama City is at 5:30 am, arriving at 7:30 am at the port and departure on the second day from the island is at 3:00pm in order to be back in Panama city around 6:00 pm

If for any bizarre reason, you haven't been able to hit the beach during your time in Panama, we can make it happen for you! You have the choice to go to either Santa Clara Beach on the Pacific Coast or to Isla Grande, an island on the Caribbean side, to enjoy the crystal waters and the snorkeling opportunities this area offers. You'll find restaurants at both locations. We obviously recommend going to the Caribbean!

* Prices are in US Dollars. The above prices do not include Panama's 7% ITBMS Sales Tax.