The Bridge of the Americas is a road bridge in Panama, which spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Designed by Sverdrup & Parcel, it was completed in 1962 at a cost of US$20 million, connecting the north and south American land masses.

The vessel will then transit through the first set of locks, the Miraflores Locks, where it will ascend 18 metres in two distinct steps. Next, the Pacific Queen will enter Miraflores Lake, which is a small artificial body of fresh water that separates Pedro Miguel Locks from Miraflores Locks. The vessel will transit through Pedro Miguel Locks, which is one of the two sets of locks on the Pacific side. After exiting Pedro Miguel locks, the Pacific Queen will travel through the Gaillard Cut, where the Chagres River flows into the canal. The Gaillard Cut (also known as Culebra Cut because its curves resemble a snake) is one of the main points of interest for visitors because it was carved through the Continental Divide and this section of the Canal is full of history and geological value.

During your Panama Canal full transit tour you will enjoy a trip through Gatun Lake, which was formed by erecting the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River. As you transit through Gatun Lake you will pass the Smithsonian Research Station at Barro Colorado. You will also experience the Gatun Locks, which are the only set of locks in the Atlantic sector. In Gatun Locks, the vessel will be lowered a total of 26 metres in three distinct chambers. Upon arriving at Colon, you will disembark at Colon 2000, where transport back to Panama City will be provided.

The Chagres River in central Panama, is the largest river in the Panama Canal’s watershed. In the past, this river was an important means of communication between one coast and the other, as it was part of the famous colonial road “Cruces”, originally built by the Spanish crown during the 16th century and of massive use by adventurers and explorers during the following centuries until the creation of the Panama Canal. During the 20th Century the river was dammed twice, and the resulting reservoirs – Gatun Lake and Lake Alajuela – formed an integral part of the canal and its water system.

Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, the vast jungle area that is now the Gatun Lake was teeming with an overwhelming abundance of wildlife. As the region was flooded to create the lake, animals took refuge in the mountain peaks, which are now the many islands that dot the renowned lake. Barro Colorado Island is the biggest island formed where the Smithsonian Research Institute has established the most important research centre in Panama due to its biodiversity.

Panama's Centennial Bridge is a major bridge crossing the Panama Canal. It was built to supplement the overcrowded Bridge of the Americas and to replace it as the carrier of the Pan-American Highway. Upon its opening in 2004, it became the second permanent crossing of the canal.

Gatun Lake forms a major part of the Panama Canal and it was created between 1907 and 1913 by the construction of the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River. The lake is situated in the Valley of the Chagres River and the geography was ideal for the creation of a large lake. The damming of the river flooded the originally wooded valley and hills although many hilltops became islands. At the time it was created, Gatun Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world.