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Ocean
to Ocean Canal Railway Tour -PTE009
 This
tour is for the person who wants an even more complete historical
and sightseeing experience on the Panama Canal. We start with
a trans-isthmus train ride on the newly restored Panama
Canal Railway in refurbished air-conditioned passenger
cars. This railroad follows the east bank of the canal and
affords an intimate view of the waterway and the rainforests
that blanket its shores.
From here we proceed to the observation tower at Gatún to
see the biggest locks and the most impressive view of the
mechanical canal operation.  Then,
we go to see a section of the French Canal, dating
from the 19th century and learn details of their attempt at
digging a sea-level canal. We also drive over Gatún spillway
and dam which created the main lake for the canal, and get
a scenic view of the ships anchored in Gatún Lake while
they wait their turn to descend to sea level.
After lunch we go see a long channel that was dug in 1938
by the U.S. in what was known as the third locks project that
was eventually abandoned. We drive back to the Pacific side
of the isthmus and stop briefly at the Camino de Cruces
and discover how the importance of Panama as a trans-oceanic
route preceded the canal's construction. 
Next, we stop at Pedro Miguel locks, located at the
end of Galliard Cut, the narrowest section of the canal
and then to the Miraflores visitor center. Here we
can view a large scale relief map of the entire canal, hear
a live narration of canal facts and see ships as they are
lowered to the Pacific Ocean.
Our last stop is the Inter-oceanic Canal Museum. This
museum is housed in the original building (now restored) that
served as the headquarters for the French canal effort in
the 1880's. The museum takes us through a historical progression
of the major events that took place in the isthmus, beginning
with the Spanish colonization, the California gold rush, the
building of the Panama Railroad, the failed attempt by the
French to dig the canal, the U.S. completion of the project
and some current environmental aspects of the waterway.
Requires
a minimum of 2 people, includes lunch and museum entry fees.
Tour starts at 7:00 a.m. and returns approximately by 5:30
p.m.
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