Early morning transfer from your hotel to the Corozal train station. You’ll board this marvelous train at 7:15 in direction to Colón. Departure to reach the coasts of the Panama Canal offering us great views of the canal locks, Gatun Lake and the rainforest (Train length Colon / Panama 1h). Upon arrival,
continuation to the fortifications of San Lorenzo.
THE PANAMA CANAL RAILWAY was built long before the famous Panama Canal at the time of the gold rush. The track was officially opened and operative in 1855, after almost 30 years of the first’s studies of the perimeter by the American Charles Biddle. The works, the diking of torrents and the breakthrough of marshy forests in a hot and humid temperature, would cost many lives and millions of francs 500,000 per kilometer. This historical process was described by the French Edouard Charton, a member of the Universal Interoceanic Canal Company in 1860 in the famous Parisian journal "Le Tour du Monde"
Fort San Lorenzo was built in the XVII, Its ruins are located at the mouth of the Chagres River on a promontory to the west of the Panama Canal. It was built in 1598 and consisting of blocks of coral which happen to be currently in a good state of preservation (pillars and canons).
Then, we’ll continue to the north to visit the picturesque town of Portobelo and its fortifications.
To defend its galleons, the king Felipe II ordered the construction of a fort at Portobelo (1601). Portobelo is the end point of the Camino Real. The Spaniards (Spanish colonialist) borrowed this path in order to move goods between Panama la Vieja and Portobelo. From here, the old Spanish caravels loaded the treasures from Peru and other Latin American countries before passing them to the Old World. The Spaniards built their fortresses In order to protect themselves against pirates-
Lunch in a local restaurant (not included) and then discovery of the old customs and buildings of Portobelo such as the Church of the Black Christ (subject of devotion among Panamanians. Processions on 21th October)
Before returning to the city, visit of the Gatun Locks
THE PANAMA CANAL Begun in 1881 by the French Ferdinand de Lesseps. Its original construction caused many deaths. Works started again in 1904 under the US administration and more than 75,000 people participated. The first boat crossed in August 15th 1914. This Canal is considered as the Eighth wonder of the modern world!
Read more
Panama City