Panama

Grit and Glory: Exposing the Panama Canal

Program No. 9901RJ
Learn the story of the Panama Canal as you journey through this feat of engineering, get close-up views of the new locks and visit historic sites during explorations along the canal!

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At a Glance

The Spanish thought about it. The French drew plans for it. In the end, though, it took a revolution, technology, money, determination and grit to complete the Panama Canal. On this unique journey, traverse the canal by boat and learn about the epic struggle to carve a nautical shortcut from one ocean to another. Learn about the canal’s construction and its impact on world history, commerce and medicine.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking and standing for up to 90 minutes at a time in hot, humid weather. Getting on/off a boat, ascending/descending steps, no wheelchair access.

What You'll Learn

  • Learn about the history of the Panama Canal during exclusive boat transit.
  • Witness the workings of the busy Miraflores and Gatun Locks and the Alajuela Dam.
  • Admire the eclectic architecture of Casco Viejo — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — during a walking exploration of its cobblestone streets.

General Notes

The group size for this popular program is limited to 52 to make our exclusive Panama Canal Transit possible.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Edwin Miranda
Edwin Miranda left Panama as a teen and lived in the U.S. until completing university. Once back, he worked as an administrative civilian on military bases in the Canal Zone, and trained and worked as a birding leader at the Canopy Tower. For close to twenty years, he was part of the operational staff in the Panama Canal’s ship lock processes. Edwin now works for the Canal as an expert and instructor, providing technical and historical education to visitors on land and aboard transiting ships.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Edwin Miranda
Edwin Miranda View biography
Edwin Miranda left Panama as a teen and lived in the U.S. until completing university. Once back, he worked as an administrative civilian on military bases in the Canal Zone, and trained and worked as a birding leader at the Canopy Tower. For close to twenty years, he was part of the operational staff in the Panama Canal’s ship lock processes. Edwin now works for the Canal as an expert and instructor, providing technical and historical education to visitors on land and aboard transiting ships.
Profile Image of  Jaime Robleto
Jaime Robleto View biography
Jaime Robleto is an authority on all things regarding the Panama Canal. For almost twenty years, he worked for the Canal Authority, educating students and international visitors. This included boarding cruise ships to narrate the transit and provide historical and technical facts. He has collaborated with the Universidad de Panama on curriculum updates for their bachelor’s degree in historical and cultural tourism. Jaime has a sociology degree from the Universidad Santa Maria la Antigua and studied tourism through the Panamanian Tourism Bureau.
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