Ocean to Ocean Combo: Canal Boat Ride, Locks, Fort San Lorenzo
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
This unique tour of the Panama Canal goes from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean as you see the canal from the water and by foot. An exciting boat ride down the canal will introduce you to the transiting ships as well as the abundant wildlife on its shores, followed by a visit to Fort San Lorenzo and the new Agua Clara Locks.
This is not a TRANSIT tour, we wont travel by boat inside the locks.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
The tour starts in a very remote area and there will be no access to public restrooms around 9am
Vegetarian and vegan option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.
Minimum age is 3 years
If you will be staying at a hotel area that is not on the list, please contact your local operator prior to booking your tour
This tour is in ENGLISH only, we cannot run the tour in 2 languages without the tour quality being compromised.
Not recommended for travelers with walking problems or other serious medical conditions.
No Wheelchair accessible
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Panama Canal boat ride (90 minutes)
Professional guide
Bottled water
Entrance fees
Transport by air-conditioned minibus
A traditional Panamenian lunch is provided ( Rice, chicken, bean, plantains and salad)
Hotel pickup and drop-off (select hotels only)
Gratuities
Due to heavy traffic, no free pickup from hotels located near Amador Causeway, Clayton (City of Knowledge) Playa Bonita. Separate transportation for the an extra charge
Playa Blanca, or Rio Hato, Metromall, Arraijan or Tocumen Airport need to arrange own transportation
This is not a TRANSIT tour, we wont travel by boat inside the locks.
What To Expect
Panama City
This tour begins with hotel pickups starting at 6:10am. I know it sounds crazy to get up so early on your vacation, but you will thank me for it later. Starting this early we can beat the crowds and see more wildlife in cooler temperatures.
Panama Canal
We will ride along the waters of the Panama Canal right next to the ships passing through on their way to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Our destination is Gatun Lake, where we will cruise around islands created during the canal construction and see the abundant wildlife on its shores.
Options
Outside Panama City Areas 6am
Pick up and Drop Off 6am: Pick up starts at 6:00am from areas as Playa Bonita, City Of Knowledge, Amador Causeway, Panama Canal, Costa del este.
Pickup included
Central Area Hotels 6:30am
From 6:30 Pick up &Drop off : For Hotels/Airbnb located in Central Panama City Areas. Pick-ups start at 6:30am.
Pickup included
Reviews
1,521 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Awesome tour of Panama Canal, Locks, and Wildlife
Colleen J,
Jun 24, 2025
- Viator
5.00We thoroughly enjoyed this experience. John, our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and enjoyable. Manuel our driver was excellent. The boat ride on Lake Gatun was exceptional. John and our boat driver, found us lots of wildlife to include many bird species, capuchin monkeys, Howler monkeys, Tamarinds, Iguanas and lots of beautiful plants/trees. Manuel even found us a sloth on our ride to Agua Clara so we stopped to take photos of it in the tree. Agua Clara was a neat experience to see a container ships pass through and learn about the new locks, how they work, and the history of the canal. Fort San Lorenzo is where we had lunch. The food was really good - chicken with stewed tomatoes, rice, lentils (so good!), salad, and sweet plantains. As we ate, we saw a white-nosed coati, who came right up to us begging for food. The fort was neat with lots of beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea below. This tour is well worth the money and getting up early to see the wildlife and avoid the crowds! Highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to learn about the history of the canal, Panamanian wildlife, and John also provided lots of references to movies, videos, books, restaurants and shops in/about Panama. It was a great day!
Great outing!
Mary R,
Jun 21, 2025
- Viator
5.00John was very knowledgeable and entertaining! Our lunch was delicious! John made great referrals for the best restaurants!
Absolutely fantastic. Our...
Michelle B,
Jun 21, 2025
- Viator
5.00Absolutely fantastic. Our guide, John, had extensive knowledge that he presented all day long. Really enjoyable and great way to see the canal. Highly recommended
John was very informative...
Jennifer E,
Jun 20, 2025
- Viator
5.00John was very informative about the areas we were exploring and PA in general. Lots of good local tips included for free! I would definitely recommend this to others.
Book this tour!
Gina T,
Jun 17, 2025
- Viator
5.00John provides a fantastic and thorough history of Panama that weaves into the present. The information is expertly timed and fits within the experiences on Gatun lake, Agua Clara, and Fort Lorenzo. We haven’t stopped talking about all we saw and learned. Lunch was delicious. If you have a day in Panama, book this tour.
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Operated by Panama Day Trips