Private Tour
Panama Canal with entrance included and Gatun Lake Boat Tour
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Get to know the greatness of The Panama Canal and its operation with this interesting tour inside Miraflores Visitors Center skipping the tickets line, then enjoy the adventure of a boat tour in the largest lake in the Panama Canal and its diversity of wildlife.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Panama Canal
After pick up from hotel or accommodation in Panama City, we would take you to an observation area where we will explain you about the history and how the Panama Canal works.
Gatun Lake
After seeing a ship go through the locks, we will continue by car to the Chagres River where we will then get off the car and begin a boat tour in the Gatun Lake. At this point you will be inside the Panama Canal passing beside the ships in transit from one ocean to the other. During this boat tour in Gatun Lake you will be surrounded by the rainforest of the Soberania National Park, where we will spot monkeys and other wild animals.
What‘s Included
Skip the line, entrance tickets to the Panama Canal Visitors Center Miraflores are included
Bottled water
Air-conditioned vehicle
Tour by boat in Gatun Lake, in the Panama Canal
Additional cost for pick up from Playa Bonita or airport USD $30 cash per group (not per person)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Private tour in Spanish
Private tour in Spanish
Pickup included
Private tour in English
Private tour in English
Pickup included
Small group in Spanish
Small group in Spanish: The small group tour option is for a maximum of 10 pax.
Pickup included
Small group in English
Small group in English: The small group tour option is for a maximum of 10 pax.
Pickup included
Reviews
449 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
In short the best!!
PatrickM321,Apr 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An amazing time! Our guide Fernando was absolutely fantastic, he could not have been more accommodating, from the moment he picked us up to when he dropped us off. He picked us up at our hotel at 7:30 sharp with a smile. He took great care of us all day long he was very informative on history of the canal! The boat ride to monkey island with our boat captain “foxy” 😊 they both knew where to take us and coax the monkeys 🐒 to our boat just an amazing experience all round! Thank you so much for making the four of us so happy and experience your beautiful country!
Great tour
Andrzej C,Apr 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a great tour. Our guide Daniela was very informative, friendly and spoke English very well . The tour was well worth the money .
First class Panama Canal tour and Lake Gatun boat ride from start to finish
maurarawntravels,Apr 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00First class Panama Canal tour and Lake Gatun boat ride from start to finish. Our tour guide Dan Turner was the best. Intelligent, articulate, well versed in the history of the canal, seemingly loved by all the other tour guides, he was a favorite among the other guides. Transportation was a breeze with Dan driving and/or taking the lead during the tour. Danre-directed us just as a ship was passing the locks (instead of heading to the IMAX). Then we did enjoy the IMAX with Morgan Freeman narrating. And THEN we took a boat ride on Lake Gatun and saw the best wildlife - monkeys up close and personal, birds, sloths... The entire experience was fabulous and we would recommend this company and tour to everyone.
Visiting one of the worlds wonders
kimaS7275BY,Apr 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ricardo was a great guide. The Panama Canal is truly a wonder to witness. We enjoyed the boat tour on Gatun Lake. We were able to visit with the monkeys and saw some more wildlife on the islands. It was a fun day for all!
Worth it!
199annmariea,Apr 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My tour guide Ruben was very knowledgeable about the history of both the Lake, the river, and how the lock system works. It might not mention it, but they will send you to see wildlife too, including the monkeys on monkey island.
So interesting is a must do in Panama
Elisa S,Apr 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was so interesting and a great experience We enjoyed very much. Our guide was great and very knowledgeable
Very Informative and Interesting Trip
Patricia S,Apr 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great guide, Ricardo, who gave us tons of info about the beginnings of the canal. On the lake part of the trip was had the opportunity to see a sloth and three different monkey families.
Highly recommended
Andy S,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A private trip with a guide like Ruben is the best way to see the canal. I really enjoyed the afternoon. Great communications from Cesar. Ruben was on time, a really good and knowledgable guide and because of him I have some amazing videos of the monkeys. We also got to see the sloth which was a real highlight.
Fantastic tour
Jovan S,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an amazing tour. We chose the afternoon session, and our guide recommended that we should do the Lake Gatun part first, because of the traffic getting to the Miraflores visitors centre at that time of the day. That worked out perfectly, because when we got back to Miraflores, the crowds had subsided somewhat. It was somewhat of a long drive to get the boat to Lake Gatun, and the boat ride itself was somewhat crazy (very very fast and bumpy) but being on the Lake (which is part of the Panama Canal itself) was beautiful and relaxing and we passed several vessels which itself was very cool to see. We appreciated our guide Cesar very much, as he was very knowledgeable about the Lake/Canal and also was very patient in going to different spots to try to see the monkeys and literally kept calling the monkeys until we were eventually able to see 4 different species up close and feed them (one even jumped into our boat!). Back at Miraflores, we were just in time to see a huge auto cargo vessel waiting to go through the locks so we got to see the entire experience, following which we saw the IMAX movie and this too was great because we are early in the queue and the movie itself was very interesting. I would highly recommend this tour!
Amazing Panama
Gary H,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Danielle (Danni) was absolutely delightful. She was incredibly knowledgeable, extremely friendly and 100% engaging. She alone was worth the rice of the tour. The monkeys were wonderful to see. And then there is the Canal! What can I say about the canal that hasn’t already been said? Completely amazing. A trip to Panama is not complete without this tour
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Operated by Safe Transportation Panama