Overview
Without a doubt one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering, the Panama Canal is a must see attraction and this tour of its bridges and locks is the ideal way to take it all in. Visit the Bridge of the Americas at the canal’s Pacific entrance, the Centennial Bridge 15 km downstream, Miraflores Locks and Pedro Miguel Locks where you can watch the spectacle as huge vessels are lowered 54 feet into the canal. Throughout the tour your expert guide will explain the fascinating history and the detailed workings of this canal that is one of the most important shipping routes in the world.
First opened a century ago, the Panama Canal revolutionized the worlds of sailing and maritime trade, slashing the journey times and risks associated with sailing around the hazardous Cape Horn. On this tour you will take in the full scale of this inspiring project and learn how the Canal has evolved and improved its operating system over the last hundred years.
Begin your tour by crossing the Bridge of the Americas, this iconic landmark that connects the continents of North and South America. Completed in 1962, the bridge was carrying more than 35,000 vehicles a day by 2004, leading to huge traffic jams. To solve this problem, a second bridge was constructed, the Centennial Bridge with its six-lane highway, and this is the second stop on the tour. Then proceed to two of the canals most iconic locks, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel, to appreciate the complexity and skill necessary to keep the canal running smoothly. It is undoubtedly an impressive spectacle.
Languages
Spanish and English.