Though the Panama Canal recently underwent a massive expansion and celebrated its 100th birthday, there remains much to be told in the story of the construction and operation of the world's most important navigable waterway between two continents and two oceans. Join this trip to fully understand one of the greatest human engineering achievements of all time. Built out of the jungle by the laborious work of more than 75,000 men and women over the course of 10 years, the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 changed the world forever.
Following in the wake of the USS Ancon's first transit more than 100 years ago, you gain an insider's view of the canal operation spending a whole day transiting through the locks between two continents and two seas, from Pacific to the Caribbean. Accompanied by expert Panama guides you'll see the two new sets of locks in one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. On this special Panama trip we venture beyond the canal itself up the Chagres River where native Embera live, explore the abundant rainforest wildlife of Soberania National Park, delve into the colorful pirate and Spanish history in the historic UNESCO heritage settlements of Portobello and Casco Viejo, and ride the Panama Canal Railroad. Optional add-on excursions to Boquete cloud forest and Bocas del Toro.