A great way to learn about the history of panama and the panama canal. Our tour guide, Saul was very kind and accommodating as he made many stops for photo-ops. Also, he provided a wealth of knowledge concerning each area we stopped at or passed by. The old town is like stepping back in time--lots of beautiful architecture. Our visit to the Miraflores center was exciting and the 3D film was a nice touch. We got to see a ship passing through the canal. Overall, the tour left you with a great sense of clarity as to how panama came about and it's many attractions.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Knowledgeable, fun, and experienced English-speaking guide.
- Bottled water
- Round-Trip Transportation Service from the airport
- Comfortable, fully air-conditioned vehicle
Excludes
- Panama Canal fee not included: $17.22 adults | $7.22 children (6–12).
- Lunch not included. Cafeteria available at the Panama Canal to save time and see more.
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Tocumen Airport at Terminal #2 Door P17
Itinerary
Miraflores Visitor Center offers a fascinating look at the world-famous Panama Canal in action. From the viewing platforms, you can watch the massive ships crossing the locks — usually around 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. and again after 1:50 p.m. Inside, the IMAX Theater shows a captivating film narrated by Morgan Freeman that tells the incredible story of the canal’s construction and expansion. Please note that the visitor center is currently under renovation, so there may be some lines and minor discomfort, but it’s absolutely worth the visit for the amazing views and the chance to witness this engineering marvel up close.
Amador Causeway, a scenic road built on the breakwater that once protected the former Fort Grant, connecting the mainland to four small islands. This area offers incredible views of the Panama Canal entrance and the city skyline. Along the way, we often spot sloths resting in the trees, a true highlight for nature lovers. We’ll also make a stop by the Biomuseo, a colorful and iconic building designed by Frank Gehry, where we’ll take a short walk outside to admire its unique architecture and ocean views. To finish, we’ll stop at the famous Panama sign, the perfect place to take fun and memorable photos.
Casco Antiguo, also known as the Old Town of Panama City — a charming neighborhood full of history, culture, and color. As we walk through its narrow brick streets, you’ll see beautifully restored colonial buildings, cozy cafés, and lively plazas where locals and visitors gather to enjoy the atmosphere. This area is home to some of the city’s most important landmarks, like the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Presidential Palace, along with plenty of boutique shops and rooftop bars offering stunning views of the skyline and the bay. It’s the perfect place to soak in the authentic spirit of Panama.
During the tour of modern Panama City, we’ll take a scenic drive along Cinta Costera, a beautiful coastal boulevard that offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the impressive city skyline filled with modern skyscrapers. As we cruise along this area, you’ll see locals enjoying the parks, bike paths, and waterfront views. We’ll also visit the Fish Market (Mercado de Mariscos), a lively spot where fishermen bring in the day’s catch and you can experience the authentic flavor of Panama with fresh ceviche. This part of the tour perfectly combines the modern elegance of the city with its traditional local culture and vibrant atmosphere.
We will walk around the outside of the Biomuseo. While we will not enter the museum, we’ll explore the lower area and enjoy the surrounding displays featuring Panama’s diverse flora and fauna. From the northern side of the museum, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the Bridge of the Americas, the Panama Canal entrance, and the Panama City skyline, creating a unique combination of nature, architecture, and city views.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
This was well above my expectations! Saul was very prompt, attentive, a historian, and such a pleasure to talk to you. Please do yourself a favor and book yourself this magical experience. Panama has so much to offer. Thank you Saul fie the memories.
Iveth was kind, excited about her work and country, and gave me time to enjoy the experience. It was a good way to spend my long lay over.
it's very informative. Wear comfortable shoes. You will learn a lot. Muy informative. Pone zapatos comfortable. Vas aprender mucho! Ricardo speaks English & Spanish. He provided wealth of knowledge. He accommodated our special request.
Saul is a fantastic tour guide! He shared so much interesting historical information with us along the way, really helped us appreciate the sites when we arrived. We highly recommend him!
We had an 11-hour layover in Panama and wanted to make the most of it, and Levy delivered beyond expectations. His English was flawless, making conversation and questions effortless throughout the day. He picked us up right on time and had us back at the airport at exactly the right moment to catch our next flight — zero stress. The tour covered the old city and the Panama Canal, and Levy's knowledge was incredible. He had endless interesting facts about Panama's history and culture, and he was so easy to talk to that the day flew by. As a bonus, he even spotted capybaras and sloths in the wild for us — a highlight we never expected to fit into a layover! Levy also offers several other tours around Panama, and after this experience, we're already considering a longer trip back just to explore more with him. Highly recommend if you want a knowledgeable, friendly, and reliable guide who makes the most of your time.
Our driver and guide Leonel arrived on time and was friendly and patient. We stopped on a layover and he brought us through the old town, wonderful lunch with locals and canal. I would recommend.
Leonel did a great job of showing us the city and getting us back to the airport in the limited amount of time we had despite less than ideal traffic. We greatly enjoyed the experience and navigating the city with a private tour and guide who knows the city is MUCH easier than trying to figure bus schedules, taxi service, etc. yourself.
Pick up and drop off from the airport was easy! Our guide spoke perfect English and Spanish and was very knowledgable about the history, culture and sites of Panama. He was willing to tailor our experience for our family. We even found a sloth! I really felt like we got to visit Panama City!
We were stranded in Panama for a day because of delayed flight and this tour made it all better. It’s our first time in Panama and Leo , our tour guide, made us want to visit again someday. We saw some sloths, Panama Canal , drove us around the city and took us to a restaurant that serves excellent local food. 10/10!!
Excellent! Saul was awesome. Picked us up early, as he was waiting for us to arrive in cruise terminal. Nice clean vehicle. He was friendly, professional, very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. He catered the experience to what we wanted to see/do and got us to the airport at the time we wanted to arrive. It was a great way to spend five hours!!
Eric was a top notch tour guide. Very knowledgeable and flexible with our tour. Well done!! Definitely recommended and would use again.
Raphael is a delight. Communicated pre tour, picked 11 of us up on time and took us to the old city, new city and then to the airport. He walked us around the city where we could buy some Panamanian goods and to a great coffee shop . He knows his history and is very well spoken. A great choice!! So pleased.
Amazing experience. Tour guide Saul is excellent, very good communication and engaging. He is very knowledgeable and explains things in simple terms Thank you Saul, we truly enjoyed the time.
Rafael was an amazing tour guide. He started communicating with me before the tour and made sure we were able to find him. He was so knowledgeable about Panamanian history and the area. He was able to help us find sloths and toucans, in addition to the other parts of the tour. Upon hearing our food preferences, he chose a great restaurant for us to get lunch that satisfied all of our family members. He had good tips for the Panama Canal, where we were able to get great views of a ship going through the first lock. Rafael was very kind, attentive, and made our layover a fantastic time. Thank you!
Great experience! Tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable! We loved that the tour was private and we could adjust the times spent at each place, would highly recommend it!
I took the Private Layover Panama Canal & City Tour, and it was such a great experience. My guide, Levy, was fantastic — very knowledgeable about both the city and the Canal, and he shared lots of interesting facts and local insights along the way. The tour was well-organized and made perfect use of my short layover time. I got to see some of Panama’s highlights without feeling rushed. It was the ideal way to experience the city and the famous Canal in just a few hours. Highly recommend this tour and especially Levy for anyone with a layover in Panama!
Very nice tour and a great way to spend a long layover in Panama City instead of sitting at the airport. Highly recommend.
We had a wonderful tour with Saul. We had 9h layover, he pick us up right outside the terminal as we left. He talked about all the sites we passed on the way to the canal and was very knowledgeable about the canal and history of Panama. We went to the marina and took photos at the Panama sign and went to the beautiful old town part of the city. We were back in plenty of time for our flight. Strongly recommend Saul and this tour! He was the best! He has convinced us to come back for a longer stay.
The tour was great and our tour guide was azing. He took us to all the main attractions at panama city and he was very polite, informed and friendly
We got picked up right from the airport with no waiting, and our guide brought us everywhere we wanted with the limited time we had. Absolutely recommend.
Our guide Rafael was truly amazing. His knowledge of Panama City, his humour and his story telling were out of this world. Our flight arrived early and he adjusted our start time accordingly. I would definitely recommend if you are stopping g on layover in Panama
Our flight back from Cartagena to the US didn't have any good flight connections, so we decided to make the best of it by adding a long layover and doing a layover tour. Levy was our guide, and he was great at communicating before we arrived and then meeting up with us after we came through immigration. Our flight unexpectedly ended up in the wrong terminal, but since I had his number on WhatsApp, it was easy to coordinate. Levy picked us up and took us to lunch, got the requisite photo of a PANAMA sign with the city skyline, and then off to the Canal vistor center. He helped us get express tickets and skip the lines, and times it just right with the start of the IMAX show. Then he showed us the best place to stand to view the boat coming in the locks. It was VERY HOT, and we definitely baked in the sun while waiting for the boat to come in, but that's why we were there, so we waited it out. Then Levy took us on a quick driving tour of the old part of the city while explaining some of it's history. He had us back to the airport with plenty of time to get a drink at the aiport lounge before heading to our gate. So glad we took the day to visit a little of Panama on our layover!
The tour helps your layover time fly by quick. Levy was a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide who made us feel relaxed and comfortable. Good platform to connect travelers to a country.
Super convenient for a 6 hour layover. Got to see all of the city highlights, and eat some good local food. Highly recommend!
We came to Panama for a week for medical treatment. We were referred to Enrique Levy through a friend. We were unable to schedule a tour until our very last day due to our appointment schedule. I told Enrique my husband’s restrictions and he planned us the perfect city tour. He was very communicative in the planning and prompt Saturday morning. We took off from our hotel to Old Town. Enrique was very knowledgeable about the history and restoration of the Old Town district. When my husband didn’t need to walk much more he brought the car to him. We did a great driving tour of the city stopping to take pictures in great spots giving us more great history facts along the way. We enjoyed lunch at a great seafood restaurant and then took off for the Panama Canal part of the tour. Enrique was a plethora of knowledge of all things about the canal. The IMAX show narrated by Morgan Freeman is a do not miss. It was super informative and a great break for a bit. He took us up to the observation deck of the Miraflora Locks to watch the ships go through which was pretty neat to watch after knowing how it all works via gravity. Our five hour city tour was quite a bit longer and just really a great experience. We are coming back to Panama again soon and we are definitely looking Enrique up for a zip line or snorkel tour next time. I highly recommend taking a tour with him. You will love it.
My friend and I landed at 6 am. We were exhausted, but as soon as we arrived in Panama, we got a sudden burst of energy because this country is so beautiful. Levy was our tour guide, and he was such a cool, chill guy. He didn't bombard us with facts, but rather truly answered our questions and let us know the origin and history of how Panama came to be what it is now. We were told about how good the coffee is. I looked it up, and Geisha is one of the best-selling coffee beans in the world! We stopped by to get some breakfast; the place reminded me a lot of Publix. The food and options were delicious. After we finished our breakfast, he took us to the Panama Canal to watch the boat levitate with the mechanisms they have created over the years, and then watched an IMAX documentary movie on it. Everything was so interesting. He then took us to the Amador Causeway, where the views were spectacular. We started listening to Panamanian music, and we all jammed out and danced the entire time we were on the way to Casco Viejo. He took us to a museum, a souvenir store, two churches, and then at the end let us go to a rooftop restaurant where I enjoyed a mocktail and some ceviche. I am so happy that he was so accommodating, genuine, and just fit the vibe perfectly. We really enjoyed our trip to the point, I ended up saying he was my TIO, and we even Facetimed my dad so they could meet. We will definitely be coming back, and I'll ask for Levy each time, as he really made me feel safe as a woman traveler; he listened to everything I had to say and educated me on it. Gave me recommendations on what to see the next time I come. Big shoutout to my new tio Levy, wish him the best, and thank you for all that you did, as I know my friend and I have big personalities and were a lot to handle at that moment.
This layover-tour was in 1 word "AMAZING". Never met a tourguide that knew so much about everything! Mr. Levy was like a walking encyclopedia. There was litterly nothing that he did not know, he is well eduacated and could answer all our questions. He is definatly proud of his country and its history. We definatly want to come back and learn more about this beautiful country. Adn we know for sure we will contact Mr. Levy again. Thanks for getting us hoocked on this country!
This is a warmly positive review of a guided layover tour in Panamá, featuring Levy as the tour guide. The experience was seamless and enjoyable, with effective communication, smooth logistics, and a thoughtfully curated itinerary. Exceptional Service and Communication Levy reached out before the tour via WhatsApp, ensuring smooth coordination right from the start. On arrival, Levy was punctual and welcoming, immediately making the experience comfortable and stress-free. Local Knowledge and Friendly Guidance Levy’s demeanor was both friendly and knowledgeable, sharing engaging stories and historical insights about Panamá throughout the day. This personalized touch enriched each stop and made the tour memorable. Itinerary Highlights Old Town: Explored historical sites and enjoyed delicious local Panamanian cuisine, enhancing the cultural immersion. Causeway: Took scenic photos of the stunning Panamá skyline. Miraflores Canal Visitor Center: Witnessed a boat navigating the famous locks, a unique and captivating experience. Efficient Planning and Stress-Free Experience Time management was excellent; despite the constraints of a layover, there was no stress about missing the onward flight. The tour concluded with a timely drop-off back at the airport. Verdict Highly recommended for anyone with a layover in Panamá who wants to experience the city’s highlights, taste authentic food, and enjoy expert guidance.
The minute we arrived in Panama after we did our immigration processing. There wasn't any wait time at all our private tour guit was right there waiting with the name card so we walked right up to Levy. Levy is very professional very knowledgeable of the country Panama🇵🇦 as we did the city tourand the Panama canal tours. What I also liked Levy made my cousinand I felt right at home. As we drove on the tour he did a personal shout to both my cousin and I on the radio station in Panama how cool was that. I would recommend Levy to everyone who's traveling to Panama. Levy is what I call first class private tour guide and he right there every step of the way making sure you are enjoying yourself and having a wonderful experience and time in Panama. He's very honest, reliable, and dependable communicates with his clients also. For for all your tour guide needs in Panama !! Thelma Nassau, Bahamas 🇧🇸
Levy was the best tour guide. He was so pleasant, professional and super knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this tour and request him by name. Panama I will be back soon!
The experience was great! Our guide Enrique, was very knowledgeable and kind, and we asked a lot hehe. The Panama Canal is a must see, you get to see the ships passing closer than you would imagine, it was super cool, lots of great pics for ig 😁 100% got the value from this experience, having a local drive you and show you is a super plus and even more when is as nice and welcoming as ours was.
Amazing Layover Tour in Panama! I had a long layover in Panama and decided to book a layover tour, and I’m so glad I did! From the moment Levy picked me up at the airport, everything was smooth and well-organized. Levy was super friendly, spoke great English, and made sure I was comfortable the entire time. We visited some amazing places like the Panama Canal (a must-see!), the old town Casco Viejo, and even got to try some local snacks. I didn’t feel rushed at all, and I made it back to the airport with plenty of time before my flight. This tour was the perfect way to make the most of my layover. Instead of sitting around at the airport, I got to explore a bit of Panama and learn about its culture and history. Highly recommend it if you want to turn your layover into a mini adventure!
The tour guide was very knowledgeable ,really great guy made the trip fun and enjoyable. Everything was done in a timely manner,very accommodating ,Saul thanks for a wonderful experience 💯💯💯.
Rafael is the best guide ever! He was very kind, professional and careful with my family. I highly recommend LP for anyone. Thank you for the wonderful experience in transit in Panama. All the rate stars!
Rafael was wonderful. Very professional knowledge, and really made us feel welcome. Hands down the only driver I would call when I’m back in Panama for a layover tour!!!!
Instead os sitting around Panamá's airport for half the day, we decided to see the canal and many parts of the old & new city. Our guide, Rafael, was incredibly knowledgeable, super chevere y simpático & speaks better English than many i hear in the states. La familia Zárate
The tour operator handled the booking/communication excellently! There was initial email to confirm the booking and information on pick up time and some details. The night before there’s a confirmation of actual time and specifics of pick up point. The vehicle was impressively clean and comfortable. The driver and guide, Levy was careful. He is an excellent truly Panamanian ( with Chiriqui roots) fun and very knowledgeable. His knowledge and love of his country’s history is deep and infectious! You will walk around Casco Viejo and have lunch at a local Panamanian restaurant. He brought us to iconic places for pictures and walked around to shop for some souvenirs. After his tour, you will fall in love with this country. I definitely recommend this tour agency for your Panama layover tour/airport pick up. Rest assure that your guide is on top of the time and will make sure you make it to your flight with plenty of time to spare. Efficient! Impressive! Don’t hesitate!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Panama layover tour with Rafael. We did and seen so much in such a short time, we couldn't believe how great of a tour it was. Rafael told us so much about Panama history and culture, and was very helpful throughout the tour. I highly recommend him and his company for any tours in Panama. Thanks again!
Our tour guide, Henrique, was absolutely fantastic! He really knew how to make the most of our time and everything we saw and did was top notch. We was very friendly, yet professional. We felt the love he has for his country. He almost made us want to move there!
My husband and I had about 10-11 hours in Panama on a layover and thought this tour would be a good use of time. Our driver was waiting for us when we landed and drove us to meet our tour guide, Rafael. This tour is a little customizable because it’s completely private and you can ask to see and do specific things in Panama. We really enjoyed visiting the canal, watching the IMAX movie (separate charge of about $17 for both!), looking for sloths, eating a delicious lunch near the water, and driving through the old town. We wished we had more time to get out of the car & explore the old town. Overall, this was a great way to spend a long layover in Panama and we really enjoyed our tour guide!
We had a great time. We had no wait our guide was at the airport waiting for us even though our flight was early. Isaac was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and gave us so much information about the history and culture. We made so many stops along the way and great pictures. We also had great stops for souvenirs and any other things we may have wanted. We had a great time and better than sitting in the airport for hours we got great history lessons at the Panama Canal and the city.
On our way to South America we had a full day layover and saw that there were day tours available from the airport. My family was interested in seeing the Panama Canal so we booked a tour, not knowing quite what to expect and admittedly a little nervous because of the connecting flight - what we got was so much more! Our guide Saul, reached out the day before to confirm and picked us up from the airport; he was a wealth of knowledge, so kind, and a wonderful ambassador for his country. He took us around Panama City, drove us out to the islands, and got us to the Panama Canal in perfect time to get the full experience, including seeing a ship pass through. He also told us about a number of indigenous communities that he works with and made us realize that there is so much more to Panama than Panama City. We hope to make it back some day to experience and see all the other things that Panama has to offer and hope that Saul will be our guide then as well. Thank you to Saul and Layover Panama for making this such a special and memorable experience for me and my family!
Our Layover Tour in Panama was perfect. Our guide/driver Enrique was prompt, knowledgeable, friendly, spoke excellent English, and facilitated everything to fit our schedule and needs. We highly recommend him and this tour. We were picked up at the terminal as we arrived and everything was arranged and completed and then we were dropped off back at the airport terminal exactly on time. We enjoyed our conversation with Enrique. It greatly enriched our experience. We visited the lock at the Panama Canal, saw ships raised in the lock, saw the entrance area of the canal, watched the film presentation at the Miraflores Visitors Center, drove over the causeway to see the view of the city, drove by the Canal headquarters, did a tour walking through the old town area of Panama City to see the lovely architecture, visited the Metropolitan Cathedral, quick shop for a couple souvenirs, and then had a lovely local meal in a restaurant in old town. Thanks Enrique!
Very informative very beautiful tour Levy was great.. and he took us to a beautiful places..we really enjoy it
We had a 9 hour layover in Panama and wanted to take advantage of it. This was a perfect tour for that! We were able to see the Panama canal, the old town and also grab a traditional lunch. We saw so much in such a small amount of time, and I'm so glad we did! Panama was beautiful and deserves its own trip. But this was a beautiful introduction to the country. We felt safe the whole time and would 100% recommend.
I had a short 8 hour layover in Panama City on April 6th, 2025. I booked a solo tour of the city and was given a lovely tour by Enrique. Our tour involved visiting the Panama Canal (Mira Flores Lock) and the old town (Casco Veijo). Enrique was a wealth of knowledge and was able to answer all my questions regarding Panamanian culture. I was very grateful for her wealth, expertise and recommendations regarding restaurants and stores to check out to get a flavour of Panama. My only negative comment is he made me wish my layover in Panama was longer! I will be sure to book again, WHEN (not if), I come back to Panama. Final note: As a solo female traveller I felt completely safe. Enrique also ensure I still made it to the airport in time to catch my flight despite heavier than usual traffic. Is as very grateful for this as I was paranoid about missing my flight!
Raphael was an excellent guide, very informative, took us to wherever we wanted to go. We had enough time to go to a very good restaurant for one of the best meals of our trip. He was flexible with our itinerary and made sure we got back to the airport in plenty of time.
Levy was a fantastic guide. Took us lots of cool places in the old town and we had some nice interactions with locals. The Miraflores locks and visitor centre was as good as expected and we got there at a great time to what the ships go through. The Panamanian lunch was delicious too. A relaxing transfer to the airport topped things off nicely.
We had an amazing and informative day with Saul during our 6-7 hour layover at PTY! Thanks to him, we were able to visit all the major sights in Panama, including the Canal and the historic Old Town. He also took us to try some delicious local Panamanian food, as we requested. Saul went above and beyond by taking us to hidden gems off the beaten path that we wouldn’t have discovered on our own. I highly recommend booking this tour if you have the time—it’s reliable and definitely worth the money!
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