Panama Canal Tour: New Locks Agua Clara & Gatun - Half Day
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
The tour begins with pickup from your hotel, hostel, or Airbnb in Panama City. We’ll drive for about one hour to Colón, on the Atlantic side, to visit the impressive Agua Clara Locks — part of the Panama Canal’s expansion and the only place where you can see Neo-Panamax ships crossing. With 100% certainty of seeing ships in transit, either at Agua Clara or Gatun Locks, this tour guarantees an unforgettable Canal experience.
After approximately 35 minutes, we’ll continue to the Atlantic Bridge, the largest and tallest bridge in Panama, offering stunning views of the Canal and surrounding landscape. Along the way, we’ll stop to see the remains of the unfinished French Canal, an abandoned 19th-century project that paved the way for today’s canal.
Our final stop is the historic Gatun Locks, in operation since 1914, where you can watch ships pass just a few meters away, guided by powerful electric locomotives.
After this enriching 5-hour experience, we’ll return to Panama City.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The 5 hours tour include the travel time from Panama City
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Agua Clara Locks
Agua Clara Locks are part of the Panama Canal Expansion, inaugurated in 2016 on the Atlantic side of the Canal near Colón. These modern locks were built to accommodate the massive Neo-Panamax vessels, which are too large for the original locks. The complex uses rolling gates and water-saving basins that recycle 60% of the water with each transit, making it an impressive feat of sustainable engineering. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic observation deck overlooking Gatun Lake and watch enormous ships pass through, while learning how the expansion has strengthened Panama’s role as a key hub of global trade.
Atlantic Bridge
The Atlantic Bridge is an impressive cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Panama Canal at its Atlantic entrance near Colón. Officially inaugurated in August 2019, it is the longest span concrete cable-stayed bridge in the world, with a main span of 530 meters (1,739 ft) and a total length of 4.6 kilometers (2.8 miles). Its soaring pylons rise 212 meters (696 ft) above sea level, allowing a clearance of 75 meters (246 ft) so that the largest ships can safely pass beneath. Built entirely in reinforced concrete to resist Panama’s tropical climate and salinity, the Atlantic Bridge is both an engineering marvel and a stunning architectural landmark. Besides its functional role connecting the provinces of Colón and Panamá Oeste, it offers travelers spectacular views of the Canal, the rainforest, and the Caribbean Sea, making it a highlight for anyone visiting the Atlantic side of the Canal.
What‘s Included
Experienced guide (English or Spanish)
Air-conditioned vehicle
City Hotel pickup and drop off
1 Bottled Water
Canal Entrance fees
Lunch or Dinner is not included
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
From City Hotel
From any City Hotel: Please be 10 mins at the lobby before your pickup time. Not from Playa Bonita
Pickup included
From Dreams Playa Bonita
Pickup included
Reviews
1 review
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great tour with great guide
Isabelle S,,Jan 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Saul, was absolutely the best of all the guides we've had so far. The tour was very interesting and educational. Saul is very knowledgeable.
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Operated by R&E Transfer Panama