Partial Transit through the Panama Canal

This is a partial tour through the Panama Canal with a total duration of roughly 8 hours. The tour starts and finishes at the pier of “Playita de Amador” (10 minutes from Panama City).

Tickets include pick-up and drop-off at some hotels in Panama City (see list of selected hotels at the end of this description). If you prefer, you can go straight to the pier “Playita de Amador”. Your hotel pick-up time and the check-in times at the pier will be confirmed before 6:00pm by email the day before the tour. We must wait until then, because the Panama Canal Authority does not publish the itinerary until the day before the tour.

You have up to 48 hours before the day of the tour to send us the name of the hotel where you want to be picked up and returned (must be on the list of selected hotels). If we receive this information after this time, we will not be able to organize your transportation and you will have to go on your own to the pier of the Playita of Amador (10 minutes from Panama City) where you have to check-in for the tour.

When you arrive at the pier of the Playita of Amador, you will check-in and you will receive a paper bracelet. Check-in usually takes place between 6:30am and 7:30am.

The tour can follow the northbound route or the southbound route. When the tour is northbound, you will board the boat at the pier of the Playita of Amador, you will go through two sets of locks until you reach Gamboa. In Gamboa there will be buses that will return you to the pier of the Playita of Amador. When the tour is southbound you will board a bus at the pier of the Playita of Amador that will take you to Gamboa. Then in Gamboa you will board the boat, you will go through two sets of locks and you will arrive at the pier of the Playita of Amador again.

When you are on board of the boat you will see incredible views of Panama City, the Bridge of the Americas and the Centennial Bridge. You will have a guide on board throughout the tour, who will be explaining the entire history of the Canal, interesting facts about its construction and will be available for any questions you may have about the tour.

Once the boat sails, a small breakfast will be served, usually small sandwiches, fruit, coffee, water and muffins. Lunch will also be served on the boat. Lunch is usually chicken, salad, vegetables, a piece of cake and rice or pasta. Unlimited free water and sodas are available on the boat. There are alcoholic beverages available for purchase.

During transit through both sets of locks you will see how the locks open and close and how the water rises. Normally the traffic is done next to a much larger ship. The size of these boats is impressive. You will have many opportunities to take photos inside the locks.

The total boat trip is usually about 5 hours 30 minutes or 6 hours.

After the tour, if you had a hotel pickup, there will be a bus waiting to take you back to your hotel and there will also be a bus to take the others back to Playita of Amador.

List of pick-up / drop-off hotels:
- AC Hotel by Marriott
- Aloft Panama
- American Trade Hotel & Hall
- Aparthotel Sevilla Suites
- AZ Hotel & Suites
- Baru Lodge Bed & Breakfast
- Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel
- Central Hotel Panama
- Clarion Victoria Hotel & Suites
- Continental Hotel & Casino Panama
- Countyard By Marriott Multiplaza Mall
- Doubletree by Hilton Hotel
- Eurohotel
- Eurostars Panama City Hotel
- Global Hotel Panama
- Grand International Hotel
- Hampton Panama By Hilton Hotel
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Hilton Garden Inn Panama
- Hilton Panama
- Holiday Inn Express Panama
- Holiday Inn Panama Canal
- Hotel 2 Mares
- Hotel Acapulco
- Hotel Arenteiro
- Hotel Avila
- Hotel Benidorm Panama
- Hotel California
- Hotel Caribe
- Hotel Casa Miller
- Hotel Centroamericano
- Hotel Cibeles
- Hotel City House Soloy & Casino
- Hotel Costa Inn
- Hotel Covadonga
- Hotel Crowne Plaza Aeropuerto
- Hotel Crowne Plaza Panama
- Hotel Deville
- Hotel Discovery
- Hotel El Panamá
- Hotel La Cresta Inn
- Hotel Lisboa
- Hotel Marbella
- Hotel Marriott Panama
- Hotel Milan
- Hotel Montreal
- Hotel Ojos Del Rio
- Hotel Parador
- Hotel Plaza Paitilla Inn
- Hotel Riande Granada Urban
- Hotel Riu Plaza Panama
- Hotel Roma Plaza
- Hotel San Remo
- Hotel Terranova
- Hotel Toscana Inn
- Hotel Tower House Suites
- Hotel Veracruz
- Hotel Via España
- Hyatt Place Panama
- Innfiniti Hotel & Suites
- Intercontinental Miramar Panama
- JW Marriott Panama (Antiguo Hotel Trump)
- La Concordia Boutique Hotel
- Las Americas Golden Tower Panama
- Le Meridien Panama
- Lunas Castle
- Marriott Finisterre Executive Apartments
- Metro Hotel Panama
- Novotel Panama City
- Occidental Hotel Panama City
- Principe Hotel & Suites
- Radisson Decapolis Hotel Panama
- Ramada Panama Centro Via Argentina
- Ramada Plaza Panama Punta Pacifica
- Selina Casco Viejo
- Sercohotel Panama Princess Hotel
- Sheraton Grand Panama
- Sortis Hotel, Spa & Casino
- Tantalo Hotel
- The Bristol Hotel Panama
- The Executive Hotel
- The Saba Hotel
- The Westin Panama
- Torres De Alba Hotel & Suites
- Tryp By Wyndham Panama Centro
- W Panamá
- Waldorf Astoria Panama
- Wyndham Garden Obarrio
- Wyndham Garden Panama City

Please reply to your reservation confirmation email if you want to be picked up at one of these hotels.

Prices are higher when a date is reserved during the high season (from November 1 to April 30).