Visiting the Panama Canal is one of the most fascinating travel experiences in Central America — and a true highlight of our Colombia & Panama: Rum, Rails & Coffee small-group journey. This legendary waterway links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and remains one of the greatest engineering achievements in history.
More than a century after its opening, the canal is still as vital, impressive, and mesmerizing as ever.
Before the canal opened in 1914, ships sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans faced the long and dangerous voyage around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. The Panama Canal transformed global trade, cutting thousands of miles from major shipping routes and turning Panama into one of the most important crossroads on Earth.
Today, watching a ship move between oceans in a single afternoon brings that history vividly to life.
One of the great surprises for visitors is that ships do not simply sail across at sea level. Instead, they are lifted 26 meters (85 feet) above the ocean to cross the continental divide via Gatun Lake.
This happens inside enormous lock chambers that raise and lower ships using gravity alone — no pumps required. The system is brilliantly simple and beautifully effective.
At the famous Miraflores Locks, we stand just meters away as vessels glide in, the gates close, and the water level slowly rises. Container ships, cruise vessels, and tankers all pass through in a carefully choreographed process that feels like a live engineering performance.
To keep pace with modern global trade, the canal expanded in 2016 with a new, larger set of locks. This Panama Canal expansion allows massive “Neo-Panamax” ships to transit, carrying nearly three times the cargo of older vessels.
The result is a waterway that honors its historic legacy while remaining essential to today’s interconnected world economy.
Many travelers are surprised to discover that the canal is surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. Protected green zones line much of the waterway, creating a habitat for monkeys, sloths, toucans, and countless tropical bird species.
Seeing one of the world’s largest cargo ships glide through what looks like a jungle river is an unforgettable sight — a rare place where nature and engineering exist side by side.
A visit to the Panama Canal is more than sightseeing — it’s witnessing a living symbol of human ingenuity, international cooperation, and global connection. Every ship transit continues a story that began over a century ago.
This memorable experience forms part of our immersive Colombia & Panama small-group rail journey, where culture, history, scenic train travel, and iconic landmarks come together in one extraordinary adventure.
Once you’ve watched a ship pass from one ocean to another, you’ll never look at a world map the same way again.
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