After pick up from your hotel or accomodation in Panama City, we would take you to an observation area at the pacific side where we will discuss about the history, construction and operation of the original Panama Canal.
After seeing a ship go through the Pedro Miguel locks, we will continue by car to the Chagres River where we will begin a boat tour in the Gatun Lake, the biggest lake part of the Panama Canal, and pass beside the huge ships going through the Panama Canal in our way to group of islands inside the Soberania National Park, where we will find monkeys and wild animals inside the Panama Canal.
We will head to the city of Colon at the atlantic side of the Canal where we will stop to buy lunch at a restaurant of traditional panamanian food. After lunch, we will continue by car to visit the new expansion of the Panama Canal where we would see bigger ships going through the locks and learn about how these amazing structures work.
We got to see everything that we hoped for there was three of us together private tour. Ricardo did an amazing job. We really enjoyed ourselves. You get to see ships.
We got to see it all! Boats movie locks lake wild life all while getting a great back story and history
Excellent experience. Ricardo was awesome, very safe and pleasant driver. We got to experience another side of Panama that was off the beaten track. Thank you.
Our guide, Fernando, handled every detail of this full-day experience. We saw the Pedro Miguel locks on the Pacific side, took a great sightseeing boat to monkey Island where we saw monkeys, bats, birds, and an iguana. Every part of the trip exceeded our expectations. Our guide called ahead to make sure that we would actually be able to see a ship passing through the Agua Clara locks. That's why we came to Panama!
Very informative tour of Panama Canal from Pacific to Atlantic. We got to see the impressive lock system and ships passing through the various parts of the canal. We also did a boat tour in the canal and Lake Gatun. We saw various monkeys, sloths and native species
This was a great, fun and illustrative trip to the Canal, its history and all things Panama. The boat trip to the monkey islands were exciting and had the chance to see them very close and take some amazing pictures. Cesar our guide was attentive, knowledgeable and fun. A highly recommended trip.
Fantastic! All boxes checked! Dan, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and professional. VIP service all the way.
Absolutely incredible guide – Ricardo made our trip unforgettable! 🌴🇵🇦 We couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Ricardo. From the very first moment, his energy, knowledge, and passion for Panama were absolutely contagious. He didn’t just show us places – he brought them to life with stories, history, and a great sense of humor. Ricardo was incredibly organized but also super flexible – whether it was a last-minute detour, a roadside coconut stop, or a deep conversation about Panama’s culture and people, he handled it all with ease and a smile. He speaks perfect English, knows all the hidden gems (not just tourist traps!), and treated us more like friends than clients. He made sure we felt safe, inspired, and welcomed at every step. The whole experience felt tailor-made. If you’re going to Panama and want to really experience the country – not just see it – book Ricardo. You’ll leave with amazing memories and a new friend. 10/10. Gracias, Ricardo – you’re the real MVP!
I am sorry to say that this tour was just OK, nothing to rave about. Our tour guide ,Luis, was kinda quiet, kinda seemed that he didn’t want to be doing this, and wasn’t the greatest with speaking English. We did a lot of riding with no talking and not explaining where we were or any information. Actually was a bit boring especially for what this tour cost. And we ate a gas station. I don’t like making bad reviews, but , unfortunately this tour wasn’t worth the money.. I wouldn’t recommend it.
The first part of the tour was a little disappointing since we were expecting to be in a boat and watch the opening and closing of the locks while a ship went by. But we were given a movie to watch and then were moved to the watching platform from where there was not a very good view of the ships being lowered and raised. It was also too hot in the platform to really enjoy the view. After that we were taken on the boat tour on Gatun lake to watch and feed the monkeys which was great. The guide was enthusiastic and told us about the many islands, species and the history. He pointed out many photo points and was patient with us when we were taking pictures. He had also brought some fruits and nuts to feed the monkeys and took care of us till he dropped us back in the hotel.
Great tour seeing the Pacific end of canal and a boat ride on the lake Plenty of wildlife and good information from guide on all aspects of terrain and buildings on the way.
Dan narration is very informative. He has summarized the history and development of Panama in an interesting way. Dan is knowledgeable and very good in English.
Ocean to ocean description is a little deceptive assuming we were in the correct tour. We enjoyed the experience but it was not as described. We only went to the Atlantic locks where we had a great view of a cargo ship travel through the locks, and we took the boat tour where our very kind driver was able to locate all three monkey species. Bad roads, detours, etc and an extra passenger to drop off for a different trip took more time than expected so no lunch stop & no seeing the Miraflores Pacific locks. If you don’t have back problems & can wait at least 5 hours for a bathroom and can go all day without food, then this trip might be just fine. I recommend you take an Uber ($8 each way) only a few miles from city hotels where you can see the Pacific visitor center. The roads there were smooth and the viewing great plus the Morgan Freeman narrated IMax film is excellent.
The guide Caesar was very informative and thoughtful. His knowledge of the animal habitat and the canal was self evident.
The tour guides were well informed and were excellent historians. They made it a family trip to remember some of our roots.
Our tour guides were very informative, knowledgeable, and amazing energy. We felt protected and had a blast with them. I would highly recommend them. THANKS AGAIN !!!! Dan , Kelly,Rolondo.
The best travel tour guides ever, and I am a world traveler. Dan, Kelly and Rolando did a great job. We were educated, entertained, felt safe, and at home in their care. This tour was the highlight if our trip. Dan is so informed and hospitable. His assistant, Kelly and driver Rolando made a very impressive team. We fell in love with Panama due to this tour.
Excellent in recitation of the history and engaging with our family. They took us to see several places on our way to the canal. Dan, Kelly and Rolando were the best
We went to Panama Canal,old city, China town, boat ride in the canal and monkey island. Our Tour guide, DAN was very professional, knowledgeable and patient. He made our day special and memorable. Salute to Dan . I will definitely refer Safe Transportation Panama to all my friends. And ask for DAN.
Luis was the perfect guide. Knowledgeable and patient, he is very familiar with the area and was always willing to provide information.
The tour was great. The tour guide, Orlando, was very knowledgeable, friendly and went out of his way to be sure everyone was comfortable and enjoying the tour. The visits to both sides (the Pacific and Atlantic) of the canal was fascinating. We had already been to the Miraflores Locks but the Agua Clara locks were a lot emptier so we were able to better see the ships and how the locks work. The drive through the jungle/rain forest area was beautiful but the highlight was a boat ride through Lake Gatun. Orlando was able to entice monkeys to jump on our boat. Between the scenery, the monkeys, and the ships in the lake on their way to the locks this was a great boat ride. A full day, but definitely worth it.
Visiting iMonkey Island. Seeing the suspension bridge at the mouth of the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. Also seeing both the old canal and the expansion locks supporting super tankers and larger vessels on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal.
Dan is an excellent tour guide and has an outgoing personality. His historical knowledge of Panama made this one of the best tour excursions during our visit.
Lots of things to see in a few hours but we did many of them. A great fun filled day. Learned a lot. Dan was a great guide who knows the city well
Orlando was very friendly he put you at ease and made the day very special. He has great knowledge of his countries history and especially all the facts and figures about the canal. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he constantly ensured that you as the customer were enjoying the day . I would recommend this experience as you get to see a great deal of Panama
Defn recommend this tour . Boat ride was fun and seeing the monkeys was a joy . Our tour guide Dan was great The upper new locks amazing
Tour guide was very nice and helpful and catered to every detail. Would recommend to anyone. Well knowledgeable.
Very smooth and intresting tour if you like to learn, see and explore Panama canal. We were lucky to get very close to monkeys and watch big ship to cross locks of the canal- magnificant!
The tour was informative and our tour guide Dan made sure we saw all the sights you would expect. Boat ride, fed monkeys, over the beautiful bridge, saw the locks at work in the canal up close.
Very informative and convenient way to see the Canal from Atlantic to Pacific ocean. Comfortable, air conditioned car. The boat trip was pleasurable.
I had a group of 17, they accommodated us, the trip was great, Dan was very knowledgeable and made stops if we needed something, the only bad thing is the bridge traffic which I understand is not their fault. Very happy with the service
Dan was an excellent guide, we enjoyed his personality and his knowledge of the canal.Oni, our driver was fantastic! I would def recommend!!
Dan was a great tour guide, he showed us around the countryside and told us a lot of interesting information about the history of Panama.
The day started on time with pickup at our hotel. Orlando ,our tour guide was cheerful, very knowledgeable with great English skills. He provided us w multiple snacks and drinks and the van was very clean and comfortable. Along the way to the Pedro Miguel Locks , he gave us a complete and detailed history of the Canal. We made numerous stops at points of interest, with plenty on time for pictures.After stopping at the locks ,we boarded a boat and explored Lake Gatun, the dredging area, and were able to engage with 3 types of monkeys. (Orlando and our captain were great in luring them onto the boat) We approached a number of large vessels heading up the canal. Arrivging at the new Agua Calra mega locks and observing a monster container ship passinging trough was awesome. This is an engineering marvel. After seeing the point were the two Oceans meet and viewing the Atlantic Bridge, we stopped for a great lunch along the causeway in Panama City. Highly recommend this tour to all those visiting the country of Panama. And if you can request Orlando, one of the best tour guides we ever had in any country.
Logan was a fantastic tour guide and gave us alot of great information on Panama. It was alot of driving and not as much site seeing as we thought it would be. Perhaps including the Metropolitan National Park which we ended up going to later, would have been a good place to add to this day or instead of the bird sanctuary which is closed and we didn't see any birds. Logan brought us to lunch and we experience some Panamanian food which was fantastic! Thank you Logan!!
We had a really terrible experience on our trip. Around one hour in, I asked the tour guide if we can use a restroom. He was very rude and said that there are no restrooms until we get to the canal (that would have been around 5 hours after the tour start date) and that I should have read the tour instructions. However, there were no such instructions. When I said that this can’t be possible, he got annoyed and almost aggressive. Eventually, he said okay, he will find a place and lo and behold, after 10 minuteswe were able to stop at a resort and use the restroom there. Later on the tour, we did not have lunch in Colon because we had spent too much time in the boat and did not have time. I had very much looked forward to visiting Colon. Finally, we were supposed to get water on the tour but all we got was one small bottle - this is definitely not enough for a hot place like Panama. It was very disappointing - given the very high price for the tour - and I dont know how this provider can have such good ratings.
We really enjoyed this day trip! It was much more engaging than just going to the museum. Demetrio was an excellent guide and the pacing of the day was spot-on
The guide was the best part he was able to provide a tremendous amount of information on our tour. I loved the boat ride on the lake. We had some McDonald's Panama style lol
This trip exceeded our expectations. We were able to view the same ships entering the Pacific side of the canal, see them sailing through Gatun Lake (we literally sailed in a boat beside them) and then saw them go through the locks out to the Atlantic at Agua Clara, the best place to view the locks working. The trip through Gatun Lake was extraordinary. The drivers of the boat really wanted us to see the monkeys. Our tour guide Luis took great care of us and directed us to a nice lunch spot. This was truly worth the money and a great way to experience the Panama Canal!
The guide Louis was excellent informative & organised This is all I need to say This is all I want to say Why does you algorithms require 100 words
Our guide Fernando arrive on time and a very clean vehicle he was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the area. The boat ride to monkey Island was enjoyable and relaxing. We got to see three different monkey species and some small alligators. For me the best part of the trip was the final stop at the Aqua Clara lock, the new lock in Colon and getting to see two huge ships transit the lock. The local eating spot that Fernando took us too served a tasty lunch. The only minor negative to the day, were the roads and city traffic. But would definitely recommend this tour and Fernando.
Our day at Panama Canal and Monkey Island was perfect in every way. Esteban was an excellent guide who went the extra mile for us explaining all about the Canal historically up to present day. He knew right where to stand to get the best views of the locks and explained how they work very patiently. He also worked hard showing us many species of animals and we got to feed the monkeys! I highly recommend this tour and especially Esteban. Delightful!
Fernando was a great tour guide. Friendly and knowledgeable. Great guy all around! He was always attentive and friendly.
The trip to the Panama Canal was truly an unexpected surprise for me. I expected the canal to be this concrete structure of locks from shore to shore, but it’s not. The interior is full of life and people and businesses and of course the ships that passed through the locks. I was amazed by the wonder of the canal system. Truly a once in a lifetime experience. I do feel that our guide was not very forthcoming with information. If we asked of course he had the answers otherwise he was pretty quiet.
You get to see both ends of the entrance to the Panama Canal and appreciate the a esome of the system but also beauty of the landscape in between both sides. We also got to see 3 monkey species during a boat tour in between
Excellent day trip focused on learning about the Panama Canal. Great stops to see first hand how things work. Our guide Demetrio was excellent at both driving the van and sharing interesting information about the canal and Panama, plus he's good at calling monkeys. The stop at monkey island was fun and we did get to see a number of monkeys in their natural habit. I would highly recommend this tour to get a broad overview of the Panama Canal and some Panamanian culture away from the city.
This trip was amazing! We had 8 family members and they all enjoyed! Monkey Island was spectacular and the Panama Canal and locks, was wonderful! Our tour guide Esteban was knowledgeable and a careful driver! We loved this tour!
Highly recommend this trip! Local tour operator owner sent emails in English confirming pick up time at our hotel , name of our tour guide, and what he would be driving. Our local guide Demetrius was extremely knowledgeable about the Panama Canal, and Gatun lake wildlife . He spoke excellent English and was friendly. He answered all the questions we had. We had one other couple with my sister and I which gave us a highly personalized experience compared to other tours we have had over the years with large groups. Demetrius made sure we stopped on the hour long drive to and from Panama City to Panama Canal, and Gatun Lake to use restroom and buy snacks when we asked. Boat captain at Gatun lake knew all the animals on Monkey Island, the various family groups and their relations within the groups . He had learned their calls to call them in as had Demetrius and they brought grapes and bananas to feed them . Seeing the cruise ship and other large ships pass by our small boat on way to and from canal was thrilling. We saw Howler, and Capuchin monkeys, hawks, and iguanas. Guides spotted them and used laser pointer to help us see into the trees.The trip was fun from start to finish. A great experience for all ages.
Arnulfo was very thoughtful and explained details to my parents . It was interesting to learn the different monkeys on the island and we were luckily to see a large barge passing through the locks. We enjoyed this tour.
This tour with Esteban was an amazing time! He picked up our group from our Airbnb and had a lot of great knowledge to share with us on the ride. We thought we were going to meet up with a bigger group but Esteban was our private tour guide for the day. We drove up to the boats in Gamboa where we boated in the Panama Canal up to Gatun lake. We went past some massive cargo ships on the way. We went to monkey island and saw and fed many monkeys! Esteban is the monkey whisperer! They all game down to the boat and are from our hands, it was amazing. We boated around the islands where Esteban pointed out monkeys, bats, toucans, sloths, and all sorts of wild life. Then we got back in the car and drove to the northern most locks, auga Clara. Esteban is very knowledgeable about the canal and was a great guide. We stayed at the locks for about and hour, then esteban drove us back to casco viejo and recommended a local restaurant for us. Overall, it was a great day and esteban was a great guide.
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