Boat tour in the Panama Canal to Monkeys and sloths islands
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Enjoy this exciting adventure of a boat tour inside the Panama Canal and get to know the biodiversity around it, an stunning experience surrounded rainforest looking for animals like monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, iguanas, birds and more.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour is going outdoors (jungle and lake) therefore there is not access to a toilet, it is suggested to use the bathroom before pick up time that will be informed the night before the tour.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Lake Gatun
We will pick you up at your accommodation in downtown of Panama City to go by car to the Chagres river, highlighting several points of interest on the way there, where we will take a boat and get into the Panama Canal. We will pass by huge ships and experience the scale and importance of this magnificent marvel of engineering. Inside the Canal, at the Gatun Lake, we will arrive at a group of islands in a protected area in order to see as many species of animals as possible, among them monkeys, crocodiles, birds, iguanas, sloths and others. You will identify animals and develop your vision to spot them. This is an extraordinary and memorable experience, completely outdoors and that you will enjoy a lot! Note: This tour is going outdoors (jungle and a lake) therefore there is not access to a toilet, it is suggested to use the bathroom before pick up time that will be informed the night before the tour.
What‘s Included
Pick up time will be informed by email the night before the tour after 8:30 PM
Bottled water
Driver/guide
Do not pay extra, boat tour is included in the price
Round-trip transfer from downtown Panama City and Casco Viejo
Pick up from Playa Bonita extra cost USD $30 cash per group (no per person) avail. for Private Group
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Private - English
Private tour in english: Pick up 8:30 AM/1:30 PM. Pick up from Playa Bonita has additional cost of USD $30 per group (no per person).
Pickup included
Español - Grupo Pequeño
Small group in spanish: 10 participants maximum.
Pick up starts 8:00 AM/1:30 PM, exact pick up time is provided the night before tour after 8:30PM.
Excluded pick up locations: No pick up from Playa Bonita, cruise port or airport area
Pickup included
Privado - Español
Private tour in spanish: Pick up 8:30 AM/1:30 PM. Pick up from Playa Bonita has additional cost of USD $30 per group (no per person).
Cruise terminals: Pick up from cruise terminals is not offered.
Pickup included
English - Small Group
Small group: 10 participants maximum.
Pick up starts 8:00 AM/1:30 PM, exact pick up time is provided the night before tour after 8:30PM.
Excluded pick up locations: No pick up from Playa Bonita, cruise port or airport area
Pickup included
Reviews
426 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Beautiful morning on the...
Rebecca B,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Beautiful morning on the active canal- active with wildlife, commercial vessels and fellow explorers. Quite a juxtaposition!
Unrespectful to nature
Roy N,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
2.00Nor the boat driver or the tour guide (Alex) respected the very nature they tried to show the group. They offered food to the monkeys we saw, tried calling them with artificial calls/sounds , the boatdriver damaged the vegetation with the boat. Alex did not at any point listen to my request to stop the feeding and artificial sounds, having me think he does not respect the very nature he tried to show us. Made the entire experience not overpriced, but also made that I felt uncomfortable as a tourist
Fernando es el mejor!!
Lydia B,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Fernando went above and beyond to make our experience seamless and enjoyable. Pick up and drop off was easy and the time on the boat was both exciting and relaxing. We saw three species of monkeys up close, a sloth, and some other birds, bats, and bugs. Fernando bought us sugar cane juice on the way there and went out of his way to return a lost belonging of ours the next day. Thank you so much for the great experience!
It was very memorable. ...
Rich F,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was very memorable. We got to see various monkeys and sloths. We also saw several large container ships up close. The narrator was very informative and the captain knew just where to stop to get close to the animals.
Rained out but great guide!
Jon B,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Unfortunately, it was pouring rain and the animals were hiding, but our tour guide, Daniela, was amazing and was able to coax out a few monkeys with fruit and calls. Other boats did not have the same luck. Overall, it was a miserable, wet, day, with everyone soaked through. Some other boats were given ponchos, which would have been nice, especially for the kids. But the group was small and our guide was very knowledgeable, and could obviously not control the weather.
We had a wonderful time!...
Anonymous,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a wonderful time! Saw lots of monkeys and other animals ! Daniela, our guide, was very knowledgeable
Fun time!
Gregory F,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Experience was great. Alex and our boat captain were amazing, knew great spots to find the monkeys at and how to draw them close. Only downside was we didn’t see any sloths unfortunately
An amazing, informative tour with up close views of the big ships and the monkeys!
Stay63934426674,Mar 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ricardo was an amazing guide. It was a beautiful tour. A monkey walked right over my daughter’s lap!!
Nature
carodF6098BW,Mar 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very nice and pleasant experience with our excellent guide Ricardo
Close to monkeys
Gretchen B,Mar 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00We drove for over an hour in a comfortable minivan to the launch point for the boat trip. (There is a chance to use the restroom before boarding). Then we sped across the lake with a minimal amount of commentary until we joined other boats that had spotted the monkeys. We stopped at three spots to see three varieties of monkeys. At each stop, the guide and driver waved fruit that they had brought and called out to lure the monkeys close to or onto the boat so we could see and photograph them. They also gave each of us a chance to feed them. We saw three types of monkeys, many birds although not close up and generally not memorable, and one sloth high up and hidden in branches. Also bats, ants, and iguana high in the trees. Then we sped back for a 45 minute drive to our hotel.
From US$68.95
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Operated by Safe Transportation Panama