Private Tour
Full Day - Panama Canal Coast to Coast - By Land
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
This tour takes you through the locks of Miraflores, Pedro Miguel, Gatún and Agua Clara, to understand its history, its engineering and its impact on the world.
✅ THE ONLY TOUR COVERING THE ENTIRE CANAL
Travel from Pacific to Atlantic by land in one day. Exploring the Panama Canal from Coast to Coast.
✅ PRIVATE AND EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE
No crowds or hard schedules. Just your group, at your own pace, on a VIP tour.
✅ DISCOVER THE PROVINCE OF COLÓN
Time to appreciate your history and daily life. Optional lunch/snack—we recommend local food to learn about your culture.
✅ FOLLOW THE TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE
Learn about the historic path linking two oceans and understand the Channel’s impact on global trade.
Excludes : tickets to Miraflores and Agua Clara Visitor Centers.
You prefer everything settled? Ask for the option with tickets included when booking directly.
Ideal for : families, couples, friends, seniors and travelers in stopover.
Ready to go coast to coast?
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Pick-up and drop-off service to place of stay included
Air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water
Private transportation
Personal tour guide
Lunch
Tips
Clara Water Visitor Center (Adult)
Miraflores Visitor Center (Adult)
Agua Clara Visitor Center (Child)
Miraflores Visitor Center (Child)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Miraflores Visitor Center
We head to the Miraflores Visitor Center where we will have the opportunity to see the 45-minute documentary about the Panama Canal, narrated by Morgan Freeman at the Imax theater, we will know the history and operation of this important and imposing construction. This time includes transfer to the Miraflores Locks.
From the Miraflores Locks we arrive at the Pedro Miguel Locks, this is the smallest lock built and very important since it levels the ships at the level of the snake cut, which is the most dangerous and complicated part of the transit of ships. The time includes the transfer until you reach the Pedro Miguel Locks.
Options
Home : Outside City / Port
Home in: Puerto de Cruises Amador, Playa Bonita, Tocumen Airport, Santa Maria, Costa del Este, Gamboa or Summit.
Pickup included
Home: Panama City
Option for those who are staying and start the tour in Panama City. Does not include Amador Cruise Port.
Pickup included
Reviews
36 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great educational and entertaining day
Voyager789335,
Oct 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We spent a lovely day with Gabriel exploring the canal system. What made the experience all the more enjoyable was Gabriel's enthusiasm for and understanding of the canal and its history. He was able to tell us what boats were traversing, their cargo, origin/destination, etc, which added to the fun of seeing the ships rise and fall. We ended the day with lunch in Colon. Gabriel is an excellent driver, to boot. No motion sickness for me - a big plus! Highly recommend this excursion and if you're lucky enough to have Gabriel as your guide, you are in for a wonderful day.
Happy to have booked this one!!
robertrT2202BX,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I booked this trip to learn about the Panama Canal while visiting Panama. I happened to get a guy named Mario who was amazing! He was funny, extremely knowledgeable, and made me feel like family! If you are in Panama and want to learn about the canal AND Panama, I highly suggest this booking! Ask for Mario, he’s amazing!
A fabulous tour
beatrizfD7446NF,
Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent. I was very excited to see the Panama Canal and since I was going, I wanted to see it complete, so I chose this tour. I visited all the locks, watched the IMAX movie about the history of the canal and ended with a typical lunch of food in Columbus. Everything was great: the opportunity to see and enjoy this wonder and more with the explanations and company of Mario de Cositas de Panama, a luxury guide, for his knowledge and for being a very friendly and fun person. Thank you very much.
A lock lovers dream tour.
1after9oh9,
Aug 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I spend a terrific day touring the entire length of the Canal with our guide, Gabriel Morales. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Super knowledgeable about the history and current state of the Canal, he was able to answer most of our questions (and we had a lot). Our day started at the Miraflores locks on the Pacific side. There, we saw several ships lined up to enter the Canal, though the view wasn’t great. Afterwards, we saw a 3-D IMAX movie about the history of the Canal. Morgan Freeman narrated. Very high end. But for my money, the best part of the tour was seeing the other locks on the tour. The next lock connected to Gatun Lake, and we had a better view of the ships passing through the Canal. Then, we hopped in Gabriel’s comfortable car and drove an hour to the Atlantic side where we had terrific views of the transit process at the Agua Clara and Gatun locks. Incredibly interesting! We saw several ships travel through the locks and had clear views of how the entire operation worked. We also made a short stop to view the dam on the Chagres River that crested Gatun Lake. After a day of Canal-hopping, Gabriel then took us to a duty-free zone in Colon for lunch. All-in-all it was a long day that went by quickly, and it was terrific experience we’ll remember for many years.
Great tour
Jorge A,
Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Mario was excellent and very knowledgeable, he gave us a wonderful tour of the Panama 🇵🇦 canal. He was very professional and attentive, will recommend him 💯 percent.
A fun, informative trip with an AMAZING guide!
Chance1968,
Jul 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our 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!
Excellent Day at the Panama Canal
Stephen M,
Jun 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We 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!
Locked In
Roving288458,
Apr 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Working 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.
Panama Experience
soniajN1288PY,
Apr 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mario 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!
Atlantic and Pacific in a Day
Boris J,
Mar 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I 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.
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