Gatun Lake: Monkeys & Exotic Wildlife by the Canal
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
Set out from Panama City in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle bound for Gamboa Marina. Board your riverboat and glide across Gatun Lake, a vital section of the Panama Canal surrounded by lush tropical rainforest.
As you cruise, watch for the lake’s most famous residents — white-faced capuchins, howler monkeys, and Geoffrey’s tamarins. With a bit of luck, you may also spot sloths resting in the treetops, colorful tropical birds, or crocodiles sunning on the shore.
Your certified guide shares fascinating insights about the canal, its history, and the rich biodiversity of the Chagres River basin, making this more than just a wildlife encounter.
End your adventure with a comfortable return ride to Panama City, arriving back at your hotel with unforgettable memories and photos of Panama’s wildlife.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
May be operated by a multilingual guide
The duration of the tour includes travel time.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Avenida Balboa
The tour starts with hotel pick up in Panama City followed by a transfer to the Gamboa Marina.
Gamboa
Gamboa is a peaceful rainforest town located at the meeting point of the Chagres River and the Panama Canal. Known for its lush jungle, abundant wildlife, and historic canal infrastructure, it’s one of the best places in Panama to experience nature up close. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of Gatun Lake and the surrounding rainforest.
What‘s Included
Professional local guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Bottled water
Transport by air-conditioned car or minivan
Meals
Boat Fee to be paid on site
Monkeys are not fed
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Monkeys and wildlife
Tour pickup: From 6:25am to 10:30am 10:50am to 3:30PM 1:30PM to 5:30PM Pickup included
Reviews
2,227 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
My awesome trip to monkey island
L1854PHleahp,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My experience going to monkey island was great i enjoy learning the different types of monkey my favorite was the tete it was fun and our tour guide was awesome I would recommend everyone our tour guide was nice here name is jenny
Amazing Tour!
Chris H,May 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing experience on the Gatun Lake tour with Jenny! We saw 3 different species of monkeys, and some of them even jumped right onto the boat, which was truly unforgettable. Jenny was super friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and made the whole tour fun and engaging from start to finish. She shared so much interesting information about the canal, wildlife, and surrounding areas. Highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Panama City!
Monkey Tour
NorthStar21195133175,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Please book with Jennny she is the best very knowledgeable and makes the experience well worth it. we seen three different species of monkeys crocodiles turtles iguanas and sloth …
Amazing experience!
cybrflight,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was amazing! Our guide Daniel knew a lot about everything here and gave us so many stories and facts about Panama. It was really interesting to see the monkeys, but also different types of plants, trees and other animals, everything well explained by Daniel. Our monkey whisperer Juliette was also amazing, making sure we wouldn’t leave without a good photo/video of the monkeys. She was really good at calling them. The pick up and drop off was really well organized as well. 100% recommend, so happy with the guides and super friendly!
A fabulous experience!
Stuart M,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a unique and wonderful experience. We were able to see three different species of monkey as well as iguanas and many different types of plants and trees. Daniel was a fantastic guide; friendly, charming and extremely knowledgeable. We were particularly lucky to have Juliet, the monkey whisperer with us. She has a very special way of encouraging monkeys to come up close. The pick up, drop off and organisation of the trip was all very efficient. Definitely worth the money. We would highly recommend this experience!
Do not miss experience…
Justin R,May 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was really great… boat ride was nice… it poured on us but somehow added to the experience. Saw so many monkeys and they came onboard the ship. Really a lot of fun. Tour guide Jeny was terrific!
Monkey Whispers
406dls,May 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a once in a lifetime experience! Our tour guide Jenny was so informative and funny. The scenery was amazing and the animals we saw were so cute! I would highly recommend for anyone visiting Panamá to do this tour!
Best monkey caller in Panama
Richard H,May 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Please don’t go out in pouring rain next time 😂😂 tour was good though got to see 3 types said monkeys a sloth a turtle some spider bats and a Tucan 🤯. Tour guide calling the monkeys out was the best ahhhhhhhhhh yeahhhhh kiss kisss lol. That was the highlight of the trip thanks for the experience!!
I went not once but TWICE! Amazing!
Anastasia K,May 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Simply AMAZING! I went not once but TWICE! On Monday, and again, on Friday before our departure. For me, this wasn’t just a tourist activity but truly a spiritual experience! Being so close to the natural world was transformative… and I couldn’t help but cry real tears after I experienced a wild monkey wrapping her little hand around my finger. The tour guide, Jenny, who does the 11am tours is absolutely phenomenal, so friendly, positive, and clearly enjoys what she does. The tour guide can make or break an experience. She’s was one of the primary reasons I wanted to repeat the tour again. I should say that Julie, the monkey whisperer, is also an integral part of this tour. Her calling the monkeys out of the rainforest is part of the uniqueness of this experience. On my second tour she wasn’t there and while it was still a very good tour, it was not as impactful as the first time when she was there! Pro tip: the best seat for seeing monkeys super up close is at the back row, close to her. Lastly, when you are looking for a tourist activity, you always want to find an operator that is reliable: I can confirm that this tour is well-organized. They are on time and everything ran smoothly both time. I won’t ever forget this tour!!! Thanks to Jenny, Julie, our boat captain, and Ian for this life-changing experience!!! For those of us who live in urban areas in societies where we have been severed from nature, this is truly a meaningful activity.
Crowded bus and ship, and little visibility on the monkeys.
seabirdie0A,May 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Too many people in the minibus and in the ship. Almost no visibility on the 3 species of monkeys. We have the feeling that this excursion must be expedited as quickly as possible with as many people as possible. However the guide Jeny was good in her explanations. She did her best.
From US$40.00
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