Panama Canal Shore Excursions

When cruising to the Panama Canal, shore excursions detailing the history, building, and updating of the engineering marvel that’s globally acknowledged to be the eighth wonder of the world are among the most fascinating ways to spend time during your Colón port of call. And, because Panama is so much more than its most famous waterway, you’ll also find a roster of Panama Canal shore excursions that focus on the incredible eco-diversity of the area, on the fascinating and indigenous Emberá tribe, and on the country’s cultural roots, pre-Columbian and Spanish, that can be explored while touring Panama City.

For a thorough and thrilling look at the Panama Canal that will increase your knowledge of this engineering feat and will also complement and enhance enjoyment of the full-transit experience aboard your cruise ship, book a half-day tour to the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center. See the history of the Canal in film and exhibits and learn about the expansion project that added two locks and allowed for increased traffic and larger ships to pass through the Canal. Stand on the observation platform and take in a panoramic view of the Canal in action.

To experience the thrill of crossing from one ocean to another in a single day, schedule a ferry cruise through the Culebra Cut, which slices through the Continental Divide. You’ll glimpse the workings of the lock at a different and close up angle, as well as see a wide swath of the Canal and pass under the Bridge of Americas.

Discover the natural world that exists and thrives around the Canal on Panama Canal shore excursions that let you explore the rainforest and its wealth of inhabitants – sloths, monkeys, and tropical birds to name a few, as well as the island habitats that were created during the building of the Canal. Paddle a kayak down Gatun Lake, the second largest manmade lake in the world, for chance to see the area’s wildlife in the trees, on the shore, and in the water.

Schedule Panama cruise excursions that let you glimpse life as it once was: On a canoe trip through Chagres National Forest, for an interactive day with the indigenous Emberá people, who will happily show you how they continue to live a pre-Columbian lifestyle; or on an audio-guided tour of the spectacular Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseum that chronicles the Isthmus of Panama from its origins.