Best of Panama Shore Excursion from the Port of Colón

Best of Panama Shore Excursion from the Port of Colón

Best of Panama shore excursion – the natural wonder of Lake Gatún and the historic old town in a single day! First we head out by boat to watch the wild monkeys living along the Panama Canal, then we explore the colonial old town of Panama City on foot. And if you’re up for it, you can hike Ancón Hill as well. Enjoy spectacular views, tropical rainforest and history up close!

Our team of experienced English-speaking guides is with you throughout the excursion.

Type of trip: Shore excursions

Duration: 8.5 hours

Participants: 6-19

Price: from €100 per person

Highlights

• Lake Gatún & Monkey Island: boat ride to watch monkeys living in the wild
• Drive across the Centennial Bridge above the Gaillard Cut of the Panama Canal
• Panama City’s old town (Casco Viejo): guided walk through the UNESCO World Heritage site with free time afterwards
• Ancón Hill (optional): hike with panoramic views of the old town and the canal

Itinerary

Time	Programme
06:00	Meeting point at the port of Colón
06:15	Departure in an air-conditioned bus
07:00	Boat ride on Lake Gatún & wildlife watching at Monkey Island
09:00	Drive to Panama City
09:45 – 11:15	Guided walk through the old town
11:15 – 13:00	Free time in the old town or a walk up Ancón Hill
13:00	Return drive to Colón
14:30	Arrival at the port

Detailed Description

We await you right at the port of Colón and welcome you with our team of English-speaking guides. An eventful and beautiful day in Panama begins straight away! Please be on time, as the monkeys are most active in the morning and head back up into the treetops to laze around later in the day. We ride through the city of Colón in an air-conditioned bus – look out to the left and right and soak up your first impressions of the city! Along the way you’ll hear anecdotes and facts from the country’s fascinating history.

We follow the motorway towards Panama City and, about two thirds of the way there, turn off to Gamboa. The town of Gamboa sits inside Soberanía National Park, which protects the tropical rainforest around the Panama Canal. We board a small boat and cruise Lake Gatún in the canal’s shipping channel. With a little luck we cross paths with huge ocean giants making their way through the canal. Tropical rainforest blankets the whole area, and we stop at a few small islands where capuchins, howler monkeys and Geoffroy’s spider monkeys live in the wild. We watch the animals up close, and some of these cheeky little characters even jump into our boat! As we continue through the lake’s side channels, with a bit of luck we also spot iguanas, crocodiles, exotic birds or sloths in the treetops.

On the drive to Panama City we cross the imposing Centennial Bridge and look straight down into the famous Gaillard Cut (Corte Culebra) – the narrowest stretch of the canal, once painstakingly dug through the cordillera.

After this unique encounter with nature the drive continues to the Pacific coast and Panama City. Here another highlight of our excursion awaits: a guided walk through the historic old town (Casco Viejo). Your guide tells you the eventful history of the city and the country, much of which played out right inside these colonial walls. We visit Plaza Herrera and see the famous golden altar of the San José church. We continue to Plaza Mayor (the main square) with Panama’s impressive cathedral. We stroll through the picturesque lanes to Plaza de Francia, where the Paseo de las Bóvedas offers a wonderful view over the Bay of Panama and the city’s imposing skyline.

After the guided walk there’s still plenty of time (about 1.5 hours) to explore the old town on your own, shop for souvenirs and Panamanian crafts, or enjoy a cooling beer or a fine Panamanian coffee on a picturesque square (Panama is home to some of the world’s best highland Arabica coffee!).

If you like, you can hike up Ancón Hill instead of the free time in the old town: from the top there’s a magnificent all-round view of the entire city, the Panama Canal and the surrounding rainforest.

After a relaxed return drive we reach the port of Colón again, where you get back to your ship on time and with a comfortable buffer to spare.

We always tailor the excursion times precisely to your ship’s docking schedule. You’ll receive the detailed timings for your particular ship along with your booking request.

Our quality promise to you:

• Every tour is led by experienced English-speaking guides; we’ve been guiding groups from cruise ships since 2007.
• Easy registration, with payment on site in US dollars or, if you prefer, by bank transfer.
• Small groups of up to 19 people make for a personal experience of the country and its culture.
• Our guides can adapt the tour on the fly, so that you don’t miss the ships locking through the Panama Canal.
• Careful planning, years of experience organising excursions, and punctuality are what we’re known for.

Services

Included Services

• Travel in air-conditioned buses
• English-speaking guide: Guaranteed!
• Boat ride to Monkey Island
• Guided walk through Panama City’s old town
• Snacks and drinks

Services Not Included

• Tips

Notes, Info & FAQ

Do I need a yellow fever vaccination, and which vaccinations do I generally need for Panama?

The standard vaccinations recommended in Germany are enough to keep you well protected. The tales of malaria and yellow fever epidemics go back to the building of the Panama Canal from 1881 onwards and were overcome long ago. The last locally acquired case of yellow fever in Panama was recorded in 1972.

More information on health, tropical diseases and vaccinations can be found here.

Weather and Clothing

Wear light, comfortable summer clothing (shorts and a short-sleeved shirt). Panama’s rainy season runs from mid-April to mid-December. The heaviest downpours come at the tail end of it, in October and November, so up to mid-December we’d recommend packing an umbrella or rain jacket, though heavy rain can fall in the dry season too. In the dry season from December to April it barely rains and the sun is strong throughout; around midday the temperature climbs to about 34 degrees Celsius, so good sun protection and plenty of water are essential. Be sure to use sunscreen, wear a hat or cap and bring sunglasses.

Currency

Officially the country’s currency is the Panamanian balboa, but in practice it’s the US dollar that circulates. To be exact, only dollar notes are used, while the coins include both US dollar coins and balboa coins, which are minted for Panama in the USA.

Credit cards are widely accepted in restaurants and shops. A tip on cash: don’t bring large notes for the souvenir shops and the like. It’s best to carry four 5-dollar bills and the rest in 20s.

How do I find the meeting point?

We have an easy-to-find meeting point right inside the port area, where we wait holding a sign with the Panamatura logo. Along with your excursion voucher we send you a map and detailed directions for finding us.

Port info Colón

Click here to find information on the port of Colón.

General country and travel information for Panama

Follow this link to read detailed country and travel information for Panama.

Dates & Prices

This excursion runs on every date when the cruise ships Aida and Mein Schiff call at the port of Colón. For other ships, please tell us the ship’s name, the port and the docking time.

Please enter your date in the booking form.

Prices

Number of participants	Price
6-13 participants	EUR 115 / USD 125
14-19 participants	EUR 100 / USD 110

Reduced rates for children: up to 6 years – EUR/USD 50, up to 11 years – EUR/USD 45.

You’re welcome to pay in cash in US dollars on the day of the tour in Panama, or to transfer the amount in advance in EUR (please put the excursion date and name in the reference). Panama’s currency is the US dollar, which you can also withdraw from an ATM at the port.