Panama Canal Wildlife Boat Safari & Panamanian Brunch
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Explore the legendary Panama Canal, get up close with wildlife on Gatun Lake, and enjoy a traditional Panamanian brunch in the heart of historic Casco Viejo.
Your buffet-style Panamanian brunch includes:
• Pollo Guisado (traditional stewed chicken)
• Carimañolas (yuca stuffed with cheese or meat)
• Empanadas
• Hojaldres (Panamanian fry bread)
• Local queso blanco (fresh white cheese)
• Fresh local tropical fruits
• Vegetarian options available
• Fresh juices and Panamanian coffee
In case of rain, you'll be comfortably seated indoors at Restaurante El Nacional, where the same delicious menu and cultural storytelling will continue in a stylish, colonial-era dining space.
This unforgettable day combines nature, culture, history, and cuisine into a seamless, enriching experience—perfect for travelers looking to connect with the true essence of Panama
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required on Shared tours
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately. If it rains you might get wet.
Minimum age is 3 years
Tour is guided only in English
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Gatun Lake
We start the day with pick ups in Panama City. Your day begins with a journey into one of the most fascinating intersections of nature and engineering in the world: Gatun Lake, a vast manmade lake that forms a critical part of the Panama Canal. You'll board a covered motorboat and set off on a wildlife safari through its winding channels and jungle-lined shores. As you cruise across the iconic Panama Canal, you’ll glide past enormous cargo ships and ocean liners, sharing the lake with vessels from around the world. Your expert local guide will take you off the main canal route and into the hidden backwaters and narrow inlets where the jungle comes alive. Keep your camera ready for capuchin monkeys, tamarin monkeys howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans, crocodiles, and even basilisk lizards that run across the water. The boat ride offers both awe-inspiring views and rare up-close encounters with Panama’s diverse wildlife.
Panama Canal
Our destination is Gatun Lake, where we will cruise around islands created during the canal construction and see the abundant wildlife on its shores. We will visit the famous Monkey Islands where we can see capuchins, howlers, and tamarins up close in their natural habitat. Once we finish with our canal and lake boat ride.
What‘s Included
Boat Ride included on the price
Bottled water
Pick up and Drop Off
Binoculars
English speaking Nature Guide
Brunch
Gratuities
Not a transit tour and Doesn't include any locks visitors center.
Pick Up from Playa Bonita Hotels need to pay extra $10 per person for Roundtrip Transportation
No pick up or drop off at the Airport or Airport Hotels
Playa Blanca, or Rio Hato, Metromall, Arraijan or Tocumen Airport need to arrange own transportation
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Afternoon Tour
1:30pm : Enjoy the afternoon Panama Canal boat ride with a visit to the Monkey Islands
Pickup included
Morning Tour
Pickup included
PRIVATE OPTION
Breakfast or Lunch, WATER
Roundtrip Transportation
Private Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
654 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly recommend!
Candace C,,Dec 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour is stellar! The driver, the guide Daniel, and our captain were all attentive, knowledgeable and accommodating. They stressed safety and educated us on the canal and its wildlife. Our day ended with a Panamanian lunch that was delicious as well as abundant. We truly enjoyed our day and highly recommend it!
Great tour of nature in the Canal of Panamá!
Jeffrey S,,Dec 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing tour guide! We were collected at our hotel and transported ina very nice bus to the location of the boat. Lots of interesting information. The boat ride felt safe and we got to see amazing nature.
The best Panamanian tour experience!!!
tracieg594,,Dec 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Perfect for animal and nature lovers. Great tour guides!! See monkeys, birds, have a great boat ride and learn more about Panama.
worth it
Teda H,,Dec 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable. We learned alot about the Canal, animals, and history of Panama. Never a dull moment.
Pleasant Tour
Kathleen S,,Nov 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Very pleasant and informative trip in the canal and on Gatun Lake. Pick up from our hotel was punctual and the staff were friendly and helpful. Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the importance of protecting the environment. The boat ride was a highlight for me. Travelling beside large ships in the canal was a new perspective. Monkeys were hard to spot but eventually we found all three species. The meal was disappointing as it did not seem to include authentic Panamanian specialties. We would have appreciated a brief guided tour around the square where the restaurant was located.
Absolutely recommend!
Dreamer16688974613,,Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was really great! Well organized, clearly described and the guides John and Daniel were very friendly and could impress with a lot of knowledge about animals and also about Panama. In addition, we liked that they (unlike other tour operators) do not allow the wild animals to be fed. Because this can be very damaging to the animals and make them aggressive towards each other and towards humans. The food was also really delicious and typical Panamanian and you can order vegetarian or vegan without any problems. For the 90min boat trip, the food and the car trip, where you can also see the Panama Canal from a bridge and get further extensive information about the canal and the country, the about 55 dollars are absolutely fine. We strongly recommend the tour!
This is the one
rhaake,,Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a group of 12. They picked us up right from the hotel and made it a really enjoyable day. The guide was pleasant and informative. The bus was nice. The boat ride to monkey islands was fun. And we ended up eating a wonderful meal in old town. Highly recommend.
Amazing Canal Experience!!
josiev421,,Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was such an amazing tour! The tour guide was so knowledgeable and just an amazing guy. Saw tons of monkeys and a sloth and had an amazing trip on the Panama Canal! 10/10 would recommend!
Don't overthink, just book
calebk256,,Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was awesome! We saw the coolest parts of the canal, all kinds of animals including sloths and many kinds of monkeys. The tour guide was very good at teaching about the animals and history of the canal and was very accommodating. Highly recommend.
Awesome!
geovanr2025,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great and Fun! Excellent tour guide! Food was great and the experience was phenomenal! Will be visiting again soon without a doubt!
From US$60.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
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Operated by Panama Day Trips