Monkey Island: The Wild Life Safari at Gatun Lake
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Experience the wildlife of Panama on this exciting private safari in Lake Gatun, within Soberania National Park.
The journey begins in Gamboa, a key historical area of the Canal, where you will sail through the Panama Canal basin, sharing a route with large vessels crossing between oceans.
Explore the famous Monkey Islands for capuchin monkeys, tamarins and howler monkeys, as well as exotic birds, reptiles and other wild animals.
As in a real safari, sightings depend on nature, although we will do our best to find them.
We recommend the tour in the morning to live more wildlife. This is a private experience, with a boat exclusively for you and your group.
It is not allowed to feed the animals. We promote a respectful experience with wildlife.
This is a real encounter with nature. Each moment is unique, making each experience unforgettable.
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 pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
The tour begins at the Gamboa Pier. Includes transfer time to Gamboa Pier.
We head towards the Panama Canal, passing under the ancient bridge of Gamboa, a historic point, there we will make a small stop to show you a little of the history of the place and continue to Lake Gatun until we reach the Island of Monkeys where we will appreciate the wildlife and also see vessels in transit within the Panama Canal.
Options
Home : Outside City/Amador
Start your tour from: Puerto Cruises Amador, Playa Bonita, Tocumen Airport, Santa Maria, Costa del Este, Gamboa or Summit. Pickup included
Home: Panama City
Option for those who start the tour in Panama City. Pickup included
What‘s Included
Pick-up and drop-off service to place of stay included
Private Boat Tour
Air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water
Private transportation
Personal tour guide
Does not include lunch
Does not include tips
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
8 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Holidays
ThirumaranT2,Mar 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We stayed with our family on Monkey Island in Panama and it was a really overwhelming experience. The monkeys get incredibly close to you and even eat straight out of your hand – that was an absolute highlight for all of us. Fernando and his company were great on the road. Both took a lot of time to explain everything and you could see how much experience and passion they have. During the tour we not only learned a lot about the monkeys, but also got exciting information about Panama and the Panama Canal. The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly and very informative. For our family, it was an unforgettable trip that we can only recommend to any Panama visitor.
Amazing experience.
williams2022023,Aug 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing experience! Kids as did we loved it all! Everyone involved was brilliant! Special thanks to mike for all the extra information!
Fun informative tour with lots of animals
Liz D,Mar 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Mario was so nice and informative. Just the two of us, Mario and the boat captain on the trip. They went out of their way to find animals. We saw and interacted with three kinds of monkeys, shy capybara, crocodile, hawks and tiny bats. Great tour. Just the right amount of time. Got to see the Canal at a more personal level. Very enjoyable
Excellent / fun nature trip!
Liz D,Mar 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a fun trip! Saw all the animals. Our guide Mario and boat captain were both excellent with sharp eyes to spot all the animals. Interacted with Three kinds of monkeys, saw a sloth, two capybara, many hawks, and crocodiles! Private tour. Just the right amount of time to see the jungle islands around the canal. Would highly recommend.
Absolutely amazing…smiles all around!!
Edward E,Mar 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Absolutely amazing trip…I’d give 6+ stars if I could! Mario was an incredibly fun, friendly, knowledgeable & entertaining guide…and, Ariel was a fabulous captain. We got to see & interact with so many beautiful animals…Howler, Capuchin & Tamarin Monkeys…a Sloth…and, then stopped at a roadside stand for the freshest, sweetest, juiciest fruit you can imagine. We’d love to do it all over again!
We were lucky to have...
Binyamin C,Feb 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We were lucky to have seen 3 species of monkeys. Our captain was great and our tour guide Mario was exceptional .. very knowledgeable .. I would definitely use him again.
Excellent trip!
nicolefO8715VM,Jan 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful tour guide very knowledgeable wonderful experience great kind captain it was just a great experience overall and the monkeys were so cute 🥰
Fabulous tour of Lake Gatun & Monkey Island with an amazing guide !
V8953EKanitaw,Jan 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mario was a fantastic tour guide. He picked us up on time at our Airbnb. He was very knowledgeable & answered any questions we had. Mario spoke perfect English. He was flexible to our needs & requests. Every second of our tour with Mario was a joy. Mario was patient & had a good sense of humour. His standard of driving was high. We felt very safe. We wouldn’t hesitate to hire Mario again ! We saw Capuchin & Titi monkeys on our tour. They came right up to our boat & even jumped on board. So fun ! We also saw a variety of bird species, reptiles & sloths. This was a fabulous tour. Would highly recommend !
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Operated by Cositas De Panamá