Panama Canal Partial Tour - Southbound Direction
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
• Be the protagonist in your Panama Canal Tour
• Navigate through the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks.
• Enjoy the action of the Panama Canal's operation.
• Get indulge in history dating more than 100 years old!
• Experience the Panama Canal in the comfort and spacious M/V Pacific Queen.
• The M/V Pacific Queen offers two areas for better comfort: opened and air conditioned decks
• Meet our Captain Claudio and the Panama Canal's pilot in our open Bridge.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please Note: The exact check-in time will be confirmed the day before your tour via email. Please make sure you check your inbox.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Panama Marine Adventures
Our check in point is at Flamenco Marina, located on the last island of the Amador Causeway. It is right next to the Panama sign and behind the Duty Free Shop. Our tour starts at the Flamenco Resort and Marina. Passengers board motor coaches for a 45-minute ride to the town of Gamboa where the Panama Canal Dredging Division is located. Once in Gamboa, passengers board the Pacific Queen to start the water portion of the tour.
Centennial Bridge
Panama's Centennial Bridge is a major bridge crossing the Panama Canal. It was built to supplement the overcrowded Bridge of the Americas and to replace it as the carrier of the Pan-American Highway. Upon its opening in 2004, it became the second permanent crossing of the canal.
What‘s Included
Sodas and water
Professional guide
Lunch
(available for purchase)
Options
Panama Canal Partial Tour - Southbound Direction
Reviews
476 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
WORTH IT!!
OnAir01787437613,,Dec 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great experience. The staff was great, and the Host of the Day was AMAZING ! He really knew his stuff, and was great with explaining and interacting with guests. Food was shockingly so delicious! The experience overall was A+++ ! It's a must to experience this tour!
A Great Experience
martinasD3898AX,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My husband and I really enjoyed this outing. It was well organized: easy transfer out of the marina on a comfy bus, staff very friendly, yummy lunch on board. The guide was great: he guided us through the whole experience and explained how the locks worked and told us about the surrounding area and the history of Panama. So glad we did this!
Pretty Boring
Antoinette S,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
2.00I understand there is a process to how the canal works. But, there should be some entertainment. People were falling asleep. No music, no video of the history to watch. All we kept hearing is we will be waiting here for 45 minutes, then move and another 25 minutes.We did more waiting than seeing any action. With the heat, and just sitting and sitting, boring. Staff was friendly.
Canal tour
492mikaelp,,Dec 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00Well organized, but a rather unanonymous event. The bus-tour, about 1 hr could be used in a better way, inform about the canal or similar.
A great way to experience the Panama Canal
857geoffh,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a great way to experience the Panama Canal. We started from Panama City, where a comfortable coach took us to Gamboa Dock where we boarded the Pacific Queen. The seating on board the Pacific Queen is both interior and exterior (where some is undercover, which we needed as it rained on our trip). After leaving Gamboa Dock we sailed through the Culebra Cut. This stretch, just under 9 miles from Gamboa to Pedro Miguel, was excavated by mainly Spanish workers. There is a monument to them in Panama City on the Amador Causeway, which was constructed out of the rock from the Culebra Cut. After the Culebra Cut we experienced our first lock and, as the tour always goes through the lock with a cargo ship, we had to wait for one to arrive. This was when we had our lunch. The wait was worthwhile because it was extremely interesting to watch how the cargo ship (which towered above us) was manoeuvred into the lock behind us. Although it took most of the day, our trip was over all too soon. On our return to Panama City, our pilot through the locks left us and we entered the harbour, where our transport back to our hotel was waiting for us.
A wonderful excursion...
ANGELEDUARDO D,,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A wonderful excursion from start to finish. Well organized, an incredible trip through the canal being privileged protagonist. Luck helped us to coincide in the same locks with a huge boat where we could see the canal drive very closely. Recommended 100%
Great trip
Barbara P,,Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We enjoyed the trip on the canal. The bus ride was nice and the interpreter on the boat was knowledgeable and entertaining. The lunch was good too
Lovely Panamá Canal Tour
Samantha P,,Nov 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an amazing experience!! The tour guide was super knowledgeable, shoutout to Luis. Going through the locks was awesome and really cool. Even though it’s labeled as a partial tour you should block out the whole day for it incase the locks take a bit. The drive wasn’t bad, AC buses. The boat is great, 2 floors are indoor with AC and the third has great views of everything. The lunch was delicious, chicken with rice and vegetables and a yummy chocolate chip cookie. It was great to have water throughout for free as well.
Good tour but can be combined with Imax or visit to Miraflores Visitor center.
alexrotta,,Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00It is a very good educational tour. We took the southbound tour, lasting 6 hours. They pick you up from hotel and take you via shuttle to Gamboa dock and then take the ferry back to Panama city. Other than going and taking a cruise, there is no other first hand way to experience how the canal works. You are sharing the locks with one big ship and will get to experience everything. It is slow paced but that is not unexpected due to the nature of the tour. The ferry is old but decent size. AC works. Food is ordinary. They should combine this tour with the visit to Visitation center and to watch the IMax movie and or museum to have a complete experience. If you are doing North bound tour (which is conducted every Saturday unlike the southbound tour which is on Sunday), you start very early at around 6 and can finish by Noon. But southbound tour starts at around 10 and then your whole day is occupied. But I am overall glad that we took this tour.
Not to miss experience in Panama
Joseph T,,Nov 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience passing through three locks. Very educational, and the service on the ship was great. They provided a good lunch.
From US$160.00
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Operated by Panama Marine Adventures