Visit Colon City, where the Duty Free Zone is located. It is one of the most important distribution centers in great amounts for imports and re-exports, subject to aduana formalities. Purchases should be retired at the International Airport instants before your departure from Panama. Note: You should bring your passport. It is open on working days only from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also, please bear in mind that during the Jewish holidays most shops are closed.

DEPARTURE IS 7.00 AM AND RETURN TO HOTEL IN PANAMA IS AROUND 5.00 PM

We pick you up from your hotel in the city to visit the commercial or shopping areas of your choice. La Peatonal is a closed to cars street in the old center of the city. El Dorado is a partially enclosed mall with an open shopping street located near the old Canal Zone. There, at either one, you can enjoy an entire day for shopping in this center, where there is a big number of shops and stores of a great variety of merchandise at excellent prices. Also, you can find many different restaurants of national and international fast food. Casual and comfortable clothing are suggested. We meet you at a predefined spot for your transfer back to your city hotel.

On this tour, the rainforest appears on its greatest splendor. The adventure begins by traveling up the Chagres River to the Embera indian community known as Emberá Drúa (the base camp for this activity).

After a brief visit you will set off to challenge El Mata Perro, taking on the river once more in a pirogue through several rapids by river tube.

Our expert Trekker will give the final safety instructions and begin the ride with the assistance of some indian guides on the float down. Your day comes to an end eating a typical Embera lunch.

4X4 transportation, tube, helmets, life jackets, lunch, trained tour guides, and transfers are included.

Visit the commercial center of Los Pueblos, one of the biggest malls of Central America, located near International Airport. There, you can enjoy an entire day for shopping in this center, where there is a big number of shops and stores of a great variety of merchandise at excellent prices. Also you can find many different restaurants of fast food from national and international locations. Casual and comfortable clothing are suggested.

Although there are no written records before Colonial times, the natives used the Isthmus of Panama for commercial purposes. However, when colonial period began, it was the Spanish King Charles I who first envisioned the possibility of a route that could join the Caribbean and the South Ocean (The Pacific Ocean).

Three centuries later, in 1880, a French group leaded by Ferdinand de Lesseps started the construction of a sea level canal. After 20 years of courage, financial problems and diseases defeated them. In 1903, the Panamanian and American Governments signed up a treaty to restart the construction and this unique human deed became a reality.

Finally, 10 years later M/S ANCON was the first ship that transited the Panama Canal. Close to the end of the Century, there is no doubt that the Panama Canal, this engineering marvel, is essential for the world commerce and progress.

This half-day tour is specially focused on the historic aspects of the Panama Canal. After leaving the hotel, head to Colonial zone or "Casco Viejo", where the French settled their headquarters for the construction of the Canal. The Frenchman Plaza, herein located, there has a 180-degree view from the Bridge of the Americas (Pacific door of the Canal) to the Modern City and to the Old Panama.

Also, admire the monument in honor to those French who played an important role in their attempt. Then, walk to the New Panama Canal Interoceanic museum. On the way, admire the National Theater, the ancient San Francisco Church and some other historical buildings.

Once at the Museum, observe the collection of pieces and documents related to the Panama Canal construction, including the Torrijos-Carter treaty and see how they have contributed to its construction and development. Lastly, the tour heads to Miraflores Locks to see the operation of the Panama Canal itself and make this experience even richer.

Comfortable light clothes, hat sunscreen are suggested. Do not forget you camera and a lot of film.

The Partial Canal Transit from Balboa or Gamboa takes place every Saturday. This tour gives you the opportunity to travel through one set of Locks. The ship departs from Balboa and goes right into the Miraflores Locks, where it is raised up to 54 feet in a two-step process. This is achieved by sending water from Pedro Miguels lake by gravity to fill the chambers where the ship is locked. Once the process is finished, the ship is in Pedro Miguels Lake.

At Gamboa you are then transferred to a bus to return to Balboa approximately at 12:30 p.m. The other version of the partial transit departs Flamenco by bus to Gamboa to take the boat that will travel the locks lowering it from the lake to the ocean taking you back to the Flamenco pier.

Transportation will be waiting for transfer to Hotels. The tour includes breakfast or sandwiches. Also, some Fridays a night trip is possible from Flamenco to Gamboa by boat, returning by bus to Flamenco. No trips are scheduled for Christmas or New Year.

Tour departs at 6:00AM (FROM BALBOA) or 10:00AM (FROM FLAMENCO)

Transportation will pick up at your Hotel, then be transferred to the Balboa Port to embark the vessel and start this famous journey. Upon departure, enter the Panama Canal in MiraFlores Locks, and experience your ship being raised up to 54 feet.

The ship is raised in a two-step process: water is sent from Pedro Miguels lake by gravity to fill the chambers where the ship is locked. Once the first set of locks is transited, the vessel enters Pedro Miguels locks to be raised up to 85 feet.

No water pumps are used, and gravity is used to transfer water from Gatun Lake, which is higher, to fill the last Chamber of the Pacific site. Afterward, the ship transits the Gatun Lake (once the biggest man-made in the world) until reaching Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side.

Here the ship will be lowered to sea level using the same system, however, instead of filling the chambers they will be emptied in a three-step process. It is worth knowing that 50 million gallons of fresh water are spilled into the ocean during each full transit.

This experience ends in Cristobal where transportation will be waiting for the transfer back to Panama City. The tour includes breakfast, soft drinks, lunch, transfers and a specialized guide.

The following are the dates when the Full Panama Canal Transit takes place:

Light clothes, insect repellent, hat, sunscreen and very comfortable shoes, are suggested. Also, dont forget your camera and a lot of film.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: