Chagres River Kayak Expedition From Panama City
Panama City, Panama
Trip Type: Kayaking & Canoeing
Duration: 10 hours
The Panama Canal is much more than a canal to transit vessels.
To establish the waterway, the Gatun Lake was created in 1913 by building a dam at the Chagres River before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
Every time a ship crosses the canal toward the Pacific Ocean at the Miraflores Locks or toward the Atlantic Ocean at the Gatun Locks 52,000,000 gallons of fresh water are spilled from Gatun Lake. It was once the world's biggest artificial lake.
With the creation of Gatun Lake, many mountain tops became islands. This offers endless channel possibilities to scout. In its shores covered by dense tropical forest you will find all kinds of tropical flora and fauna. This was deemed as an opportunity for research by the Smithsonian Research Institute that operates the famous Research Station at Barro Colorado since 1946.More About This Activity All Kayaking & Canoeing →
The Panama Canal is much more than a canal to transit vessels.
To establish the waterway, the Gatun Lake was created in 1913 by building a dam at the Chagres River before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
Every time a ship crosses the canal toward the Pacific Ocean at the Miraflores Locks or toward the Atlantic Ocean at the Gatun Locks 52,000,000 gallons of fresh water are spilled from Gatun Lake. It was once the world's biggest artificial lake.
With the creation of Gatun Lake, many mountain tops became islands. This offers endless channel possibilities to scout. In its shores covered by dense tropical forest you will find all kinds of tropical flora and fauna. This was deemed as an opportunity for research by the Smithsonian Research Institute that operates the famous Research Station at Barro Colorado since 1946.Tour begins by picking up guests at Panama City around 7:00 a.m. You will arrive at Gatun Dam, one hour and 30 minutes later to start kayaking around 8:30am.
To get in and out of this area, by road, you will go across the Panama Canal by ferry in your vehicle. The Gatun Locks used to be crossed by a vehicular bridge, but with consideration of the third set of locks this is no longer possible.
You will start an exciting 3-4 hour paddling expedition through the dense tropical forest all the way to the Caribbean Ocean where Spaniard conquistadors built Fort San Lorenzo. Since the XVI century it has silently kept away the Caribbean pirates that used this waterway to take by surprise assault Panama City in the Pacific.
After visiting Fort San Lorenzo, you will head back toward Panama City and reach the original departure point about 4pm.
You will be able to see the jungle awakening and it is very likely that you might still encounter some morning mist over it. And you will go back in time to imagine episodes of the Spaniard American Conquest.
To establish the waterway, the Gatun Lake was created in 1913 by building a dam at the Chagres River before it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
Every time a ship crosses the canal toward the Pacific Ocean at the Miraflores Locks or toward the Atlantic Ocean at the Gatun Locks 52,000,000 gallons of fresh water are spilled from Gatun Lake. It was once the world's biggest artificial lake.
With the creation of Gatun Lake, many mountain tops became islands. This offers endless channel possibilities to scout. In its shores covered by dense tropical forest you will find all kinds of tropical flora and fauna. This was deemed as an opportunity for research by the Smithsonian Research Institute that operates the famous Research Station at Barro Colorado since 1946.Tour begins by picking up guests at Panama City around 7:00 a.m. You will arrive at Gatun Dam, one hour and 30 minutes later to start kayaking around 8:30am.
To get in and out of this area, by road, you will go across the Panama Canal by ferry in your vehicle. The Gatun Locks used to be crossed by a vehicular bridge, but with consideration of the third set of locks this is no longer possible.
You will start an exciting 3-4 hour paddling expedition through the dense tropical forest all the way to the Caribbean Ocean where Spaniard conquistadors built Fort San Lorenzo. Since the XVI century it has silently kept away the Caribbean pirates that used this waterway to take by surprise assault Panama City in the Pacific.
After visiting Fort San Lorenzo, you will head back toward Panama City and reach the original departure point about 4pm.
You will be able to see the jungle awakening and it is very likely that you might still encounter some morning mist over it. And you will go back in time to imagine episodes of the Spaniard American Conquest.
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