Caribbean Expedition: San Lorenzo Fort, Rainforest & Canal Locks

Guide was very good - his knowledge was of high order. He was very communicative.

Amazing day with driver Davies & tour guide Roderick who were extremely helpful and knowledgeable about everything Panama. The drive through the rainforest was beautiful, brilliant photo opportunities at the visitor centres at the fort, rainforest and we arrived at the old locks at the right time, just as two ships were passing on the north & south canalsides. We had a quick stop in famous Colon city which was an extra treat. Fabulous. Looking forward to seeing how Panama will develop further in the years to come.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 If you’re visiting Colón on a cruise and want to make the most of your limited time, this private tour is absolutely the way to do it. Being on a private itinerary meant we could explore at our own pace without waiting on a large group, which made the experience much more enjoyable. Our guide, Roderick, was outstanding—friendly, thoughtful, incredibly knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about Panama’s history. He brought places like Fort San Lorenzo, the original and new Panama Canal locks, the remnants of the French canal project, Fort Sherman, and Colón itself to life with fascinating historical context. Our driver, Robert, was equally excellent, making the day comfortable, smooth, and stress-free. My only suggestion for improvement would be clearer pickup instructions, as it took a little effort to locate Roderick at the cruise terminal. Once we connected, however, everything was flawlessly organized. This was one of the highlights of our cruise and an experience I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a deeper understanding of Panama beyond just seeing the canal. :::writing

The tour was very informative, José showed us the beauty of Panama's National Park. The old and new Canals, and a drive through the city of Colon and lunch at a local restaurant. The weather was very changeable through the tour, providing a variety of conditions.

While this tour went to the places it was advertised as. If you are looking for a guide, this isnt the tour. The meeting location provided wasn't correct admitted by the provider after. The driver was almost 30 minutes late to the pick up and we had no communication about this until we reached out. This lead to a stressful begining in a port that was a little sketchy. Then when in the van he didnt know what tour we were doing and had us verify it. The tour itself was fine but he took us to places and read the signs to us and provided very little additional information. We also felt rushed in some places and then in others we had no idea what was happening and the communication on the tour was poor. Advertised as providing water but they do not. Very expensive for what you get.

The old and new Panama Canal locks are a fascinating part of world commerce as well as part of our history. José is very knowledgeable and attentive to his clients. His English is great. The Agua Clara and Gatún visitors centers are clean and welcoming. We had a better understanding of the canal when our cruise ship passed through it because of this tour. The fort was also very enjoyable. Would recommend the tour to anyone with an inquiring mind.

We had a wonderful experience with Roderick showing us the Colon area as well as the Agua Clara and Gatun locks. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area as well as the history and the technology of the locks and the canal in general. He was very accommodating and made sure we saw exactly what we wanted to see. He also enhanced our overall experience by taking us to areas not usually visited on this private tour. Roderick’s English is excellent. He is exceptionally thoughtful and kind and he made sure we spent the time required to have an in-depth experience rather than just a “pass-by”. We highly recommend Roderick to anyone wanting a comprehensive tour of the Colon area, its history, the Panama Canal and its locks. Many thanks, Roderick!

The tour was very interesting and informative Our tour guide JORGE SALAZAR was excellent He was knowledgeable, friendly and considerate. I would highly recommend him,

What a great tour, especially when on a cruise. Instead of being cooped up on a bus with a huge bunch, being herded about to their schedule, take this personal tour that moves by your timing. Have the whole attention of your guide. Our guide, Charlie, who is half Panamanian and half American, was fantastic. Would recommend highly.

We had an amazing and perfect experience visiting Panama thanks to Jorge with Panamanian Adventures. Great communication before and throughout our tour. Jorge is passionate about his job and was extremely knowledgeable when answering our many questions! It was truly a fascinating and enjoyable day spent touring the Old and New Panama Canal Locks and the San Lorenzo Fort. Thank you Jorge, for a perfect day in Panama!

Jorge was great! Wonderful overview of the canals.

Personal experience. Private easy paced tour. Guide Jorge is very knowledgeable, professional and accommodating. Tour is worth the price upgrade to private. Few extra cost with entry fees, but it is well documented and wasnt a suprise. Time at each location was flexable.

Roderick is very knowledgeable and entertaining. His experiences come through and related very well with the group.

Excellent tour! Jorge was extremely knowledgeable in telling us about Panama's history and sites. He took extra care to ensure we were comfortable, safe and secure throughout our tour. We had an amazing day before he dropped us off at the airport in record time. He even made a stop at Starbucks for us on the way. Thank you Jorge!!!

Jorge was a fantastic guide as well as the man driving the boat. Both were very knowledgeable. Would recommend this tour.

What a fantastic experience with Jorge, our tour guide. He was so kind and patient and super knowledgeable!!!! We were on a carnival cruise but booked this tour ourselves and recommend them highly!!!!

This tour was amazing and worth every penny. Our guide Jorge was very knowledgeable and friendly, he made sure that we saw both canals in use even though we were only scheduled to see one. I cannot stress enough how great this was. Don't be afraid to schedule tours this way, they are very invested in making sure you make it back in time!

We had a private tour to the Panama locks, fort and then lunch in Colon. Bill, our driver/tour guide, was friendly, informative, was able to answer any questions we had, and was fun to be around. Our only negative was that the meeting instructions were not clear and we were unable to find our transportation. The tour director I spoke with was very helpful and was able to connect us with our driver after an hour. However, the excursion was fabulous, and more than made up for the rocky start. I would recommend, though, that clearer meeting instructions be given for this excursion.

Everything went as planned. Guide was very knowledgeable and took time to discuss the history of the region.

I really enjoyed this tour! Roderick was the best and very relatable! He was very informative about the history of San Lorenzo Fort and the Canal. If would definitely book another tour with this company. I felt safe traveling through Panama as well. We also ate at a local restaurant and the food was fantastic. I wish I could have taken the restaurant back to New York with me, hence why I bought their hot sauce! I had such a great time! Thank you for making this a memorable trip!

I really enjoyed this tour, San Lorenzo and the Panama Canal was interesting to see. Tour guide was very professional and knowledgeable.

This tour is a must when visiting Panama. Ok was get a Pacific locks tour, just take Uber. But you need this tour for Caribbean looks, rain forest, and Fort San Lorenzo. Don't rent a car and try it yourself unless you are an extremely aggressive driver. Roderick is an excellent guide. He is knowledgeable, articulate, and a great guy.

I had an excellent experience with Carlos. He is an attentive, kind, fun, authentic, and very human person. His knowledge of the history and culture of Panama is impressive, and his personality makes the tour feel like a walk among friends. His passion for tourism comes from his family, and it shows how much he enjoys sharing his knowledge. His sense of humor, humility, and professionalism made this an unforgettable experience. I recommend him 100%.

We were very surprised that we had the taxi exclusively - in pairs - to ourselves. So nothing stood in the way of a nice tour. Our driver Christian took away any time tension and told us several times to take the time - our time - and as much as we like. We visited Aqua Clara - the new lock, then stopped again at the railway line by the canal. A wonderful spot with views of the canal, the Atlantic Bridge, the PanamaCanal Railway and back to the new lock. From there we crossed the bridge to Gatun - the old lock system. Again, we could take as much time as we liked. The comments by the controller transferred to the public gallery were helpful to understand more of the process etc. On the way to Fort San Lorenzo we had the encounter with numerous nose bears on the side of the road, which were lured by Christian with his breakfast bread. The return trip with a short stop on the Atlantic Bridge and at a supermarket completed our trip at the end.

It was a great trip, Roderik with whom we were traveling explained everything to us great. In the end we were still with him in a local restaurant, which was a great conclusion. Always happy to. Thank you

Es hat großen Spaß gemacht, mit vier Gästen und einem sehr kompetenten und begeisterten Guide und tollem Fahrer diese Tour zu unternehmen. Meine Empfehlung!

Excellent tour, guide Archie knows too much, is very attentive and full of information. It is a different part of Panama, as a personal opinion it is better to see the canal in colon than in miraflores

Ultimately a marvel of engineering, nature gives Panama the creation of the locks to form the Panama Canal, large ships transiting between the Pacific Sea and the Atlantic Sea, and vice versa, seeing the operation of the locks grows your understanding of the capacity of the human mind