During the half-day morning tour you will first visit the ruins Panama Viejo, the first official city founded by Europeans on the Pacific coast of the Americas and the starting point of the treasure trails that crossed the isthmus to the Caribbean. This city was attacked and looted by English pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. Visit the Old Panama Museum, climb up the Cathedral tower, and stroll among the stone walls and remnants of what was once considered the richest city in the Americas. Continue to Casco Antiguo (the old city compound) which dates from the late 1600's. At the folk market you will have the opportunity to admire and obtain local and indigenous handcrafts. Casco Viejo is home to monuments to Ferdinand de Lesseps and other Frenchmen instrumental in the ill-fated attempt of the French to construct a canal through Panama became the new Panama City of the times. This part of town was never successfully attacked, being protected by a wall that surrounded the new settlement.  You will visit San Jose church with the famous Golden Altar, one of the few testaments to all the wealth that made its way through this city. You will walk along the French Plaza – a monument to the French canal effort and take a panoramic look of the modern city from this vantage point as well as the ships that are anchored in the bay awaiting transit of the canal.  Conclude your afternoon with a visit to Interoceanic Canal museum that is housed in the same building that was the original headquarters for the French canal building effort in the 1880´s. The museum is beautifully restored and presents a broad perspective of the historical development of Panama from its Spanish colonial days to the completion of the canal in 1913. Drop off at hotel (or continue on your Full Day City Tour).

The full day tour continues with lunch at a Panamanian restaurant in Casco Viejo and a tour of the Panama Canal area, including the town of Balboa, formerly part of the Panama Canal Zone. You will then visit the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal where large ships can be seen transiting the canal. Enjoy a presentation by the Panama Canal Authority on the history of the Panama Canal and marvel at the workings of this feat of human engineering. Late afternoon you will return to your hotel in Panama City.

DETAILS

TOUR SCHEDULE

* This tour is available from Tuesday through Sunday (on Mondays the museums in Panama are closed).

Check our SPECIALS SECTION for current "open tours" with already passengers signed up or review our green season Specials!

PRICE 

Half Day City Tour: US$50 per person plus 7% tax (4+ passengers), no lunch included

Half Day City Tour: US$80 per person plus 7% tax (2-3 passengers), no lunch included

Full Day City Tour: US$110 per person plus 7% tax (4+ passengers), lunch included

Full Day City Tour: US$150 per person plus 7% tax (2-3 passengers), lunch included

INCLUDED

• Bilingual Naturalist Guide
• Full Lunch (only included in Full Day City Tour)
• Transportation from/to your hotel in Panama City*
• Museum and related fees

*a $25 per person surcharge (roundtrip, based on 2+ persons) must be added to day tours beginning and/or ending at Gamboa Rainforest Resort, Intercontinental Playa Bonita Resort or the Canopy Tower

DISCLAIMER

Prices and itineraries are correct at the time of printing, however they are subject to change due to weather or local conditions, availabilities or factors beyond our control.

WHAT TO BRING

• Binoculars (available for rent at Ancon Expeditions of Panama)
• Camera
• Cap or hat
• Sunscreen lotion
• Light clothing
• Light raincoat
• Tennis shoes or sandals

TIPPING
Ancon Expeditions is Panama’s top eco-tourism operator. Our Natural & Cultural History Guides are the country's finest. Due to frequently asked questions from our clients about suggested guide & staff gratuities, we would like to provide you with the following universal tipping guidelines:

• Naturalist guide/Tour leader:  US$10.00-US$20.00 per person/day
• Day tour guide:  US$10.00 per person/day
• Transfer driver:  US$2.00 per person
• Tour driver:  US$5.00 per person/day
• Tour boat driver:  US$5.00 per person/day
• Hotel bellman: US$1.00 per person per suitcase
• International airport bellmen (red caps): US$1.00 per piece of suitcase

REVIEWS

“It was a fantastic tour. Our guide, did a super job.

Full Day Panama City Tour
Joseph G. Acker, USA

"Hello Nadja,
Just wanted to say thank you ever so much for your assistance with bookings and information for our trip. Both tours were excellent and the guides were exceptionally brilliant. I shall recommend your company to everyone I know.
We are on our way home to cold and wintery England but will return one day for sure."

“Unfortunately, our stay in Panama City was very short, just for three days… This means that we had to see and learn so many things in only a very short time. I think that the two day tours we took with your company gave us the opportunity to do so, but not only… we got much more than we had expected… MUCHAS GRACIAS!”

Half Day Panama City Tour &

Panama Canal Rainforest Boat Adventure & Miraflores Locks

Chrystalla Koumi, Cyprus

“The trip met our expectations with respect to the people we met, the hotels, and the meals. It was a great trip. We enjoyed every day.”

Full Day Panama City Tour

Max Wilson, USA

From getting information on the telephone, to choosing a mutually agreeable location to meet, to the sign made up so we could find our guide, to our guide and what the tour encompassed - ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC MELANIE, all 4 of us loved it and believe we received good value for our money. We ate in a small restaurant in Casco Viejo, loved the atmosphere, food & service. No dislikes on the tour, would highly recommend it.”

Full Day Panama City Tour
Mauren Richichi, Canada

“Good Morning Katiana.
First I would like to thank you for all your assistance in getting my tour booked and arrangement for us. I had a wonderful time, learned a lot and was very enjoyable time. Lunch was excellent, nice and cozy restaurant, very well done.”

Full Day Panama City Tour
Nathalie Hains, USA

“We had a great day learning about Panama's history and having a tour of the city.
It was an excellent way to start our trip, and we'd ask for our guides again.”

Full Day Panama City Tour
Lucy Preson, USA

GALLERY

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