CANAL TRANSITS
FULL TRANSIT Ocean to Ocean
Lenght : 10 horas **

This tour should be considered a once in a life time experience as rarely people are able to see such engineering wonder from this perspective. Our transportation will pick up at your Hotel, then be transferred to the Balboa Port to embark the vessel and start this famous journey.

Our Panama Canal full transit tour starts with an early morning, 6:30 a.m. pick up at your hotel in Panama City and a 15 minute drive to the Port of Balboa in the Pacific side of the canal. Once aboard the ship you will be invited to have breakfast on one of the three decks as the ship departs from port. You will first sail under the bridge of the Americas, which soars over 100 meters above sea level and reunites the land divided during construction of the canal forming another link in the Panamerican Highway. 

Northbound on the Panama Canal, the first stop is at the Miraflores locks, which are the tallest in the locks system due to the extreme tidal variation of the Pacific Ocean. The ship will be raised 17 meters above sea level in two steps and enter Miraflores lake which is almost 2 kilometers long. A transition from salt water in the Pacific Ocean to fresh water in the locks chambers and lake take place here. 

Next the ship is raised in one step, this time an additional 9 meters, at the Pedro Miguel locks. At this point the ship will be sailing in Gatun lake at 26 meters above sea level and entering Gaillard Cut, the narrowest section of the Panama Canal. The 13.7-kilometer long portion of the waterway was carved through rock and shale and it is flanked by the backbones of the Continental Dive. The original width of Gaillard cut was 92 meters and was increased to 152 meters in the early 1970s. In order to accommodate to the demands of today's transit needs, the Panama Canal Authority recently completed the monumental task of widening the cut to 192 meters in straight sections and up to 222 meters in curves. This will allow the unrestricted two-way traffic of Panamax vessels, the largest ships that use the Panama Canal. 

Gaillard cut opens up into Gatun lake where the Chagres river flows into the waterway near the town of Gamboa, site of the Panama Canal's dredging division.  The Chagres river has the distinction of being the only river in the world that flows into two oceans and it is the main source of fresh water which guarantees the operation of the waterway. 

Lunch is served aboard the ship while you enjoy views of the giant cranes and dredging equipment near Gamboa, ships traveling southbound carrying cargo or passengers and the islands that dot Gatun lake. Half way through the voyage in Gatun lake you will pass by Barro Colorado island where the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has been carrying out research on rainforest biodiversity since soon after this area was flooded and the lake was formed. Gatun lake covers an area of 423 square kilometers and the islands in it are actually the tops of hills and mountains that were not flooded. Gatun lake was once the largerst man-made lake in the world. Just before reaching the Gatun locks on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal you will see Gatun Dam. The locks at Gatun will lower the ship 26 meters to sea level in three steps and the ship will continue along a channel to the Port of Cristobal. You will disembark here and board a coach bus that will take you back to Balboa on a 1:30-hour comfortable ride. In Balboa your Ancon Expeditions of Panama driver will be waiting to take you back to your hotel. 

It is worth to know that fiftytwo million gallons of fresh water are thrown to the ocean per 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 specialized guide.

The following are the dates when the Full Panama Canal Transit takes place:
2006 Full Panama Canal Transit Departure Dates:
January 7, 17 & 21 // February 4, 18 & 21 // March 4, 18 & 21 // April 1, 15 & 18 // May 6 & 20 // June 3 & 17 // July 1 & 15 // August 5 & 19 // September 2 & 16 // October 7 & 21 // November 4 & 18 // December 2 & 16.

**Sometimes there are delays for reasons that are out of our control. We highly recommend having an open schedule and avoiding serious commitments or flights out after this. Also due to the high demand created by the Panama opening to cruises there is the possibility that an extra transit might be schdeluded on some Sundays. If your travelling plans call for a better accomodation on this day rather the traditional Saturdays check with us for its availability on that particular date.