For a day trip and nature escape from the city, take a boat ride on Gatun Lake near the Panama Canal to see wildlife including spider monkeys, toucans, green iguanas, and three-toed sloths in the forest trees as well as sergeant fish and crocodiles in the water.
Aura our guide was an absolute gem. We had such an amazing day day with her. This tour was an amazing adventure up the lake passing large cargo ships. Meeting the crazy monkeys and slowing down with the sloths and butterflies 🦋. I would definitely recommend this tour even on a rainy day, like ours.
My wife and I purchased the private tour and we loved it! Our guide Ricky was fantastic and met us right on time at our hotel, JW Marriott in the morning. He gave us some great history and facts about the Panama Canal and drove us to the boat where we met our driver and set out on the canal to get to Gatun Lake and the islands. We had great weather and recommend going in the morning as the animals are more active. We saw all 3 types of monkeys, iguanas, bats and several huge crocodiles! The driver was fantastic and really got the boat right into the trees and Ricky gave us pieces of fruit and the white-faced capuchins as well as the tamarins came right up to take it from our hands. We had a great time and had the boat to ourselves, our guide and driver were both great as well. We did not see sloths and I got the impression that is normal as they are hard to spot, but we went to the Panama Nature Center the next day and saw them close up (separate). We also stopped on the way back to the hotel to see how the locks operate on the canal. Highly recommend this tour, Ricky was great and it was well worth the money and time!
Thank you! Seamless pickup and great guide.
Heavenly was an amazing guide, very friendly and knowledgeable. We saw three types of monkeys and a few other animals as well. A very relaxing and enjoyable trip 😊
Jorge was a great guide. Really nice time.
We LOVED our trip to Monkey Island and Lago Gatun with our guide Jorge! We booked the private tour which turned out to be a fantastic desicion. The journey started right when we left our hotel where Jorge gave us so much insight into the culture/people and history of Panama. We arrived at the Lake and met a phenomenal Boat driver who spotted all the Wildlife and gave us an incredible experience by stopping, pointing out, providing little snacks for the Wildlife and bringing us to all the best spots. The experience was well planned and we felt safe and excited the whole time. With more time, we would have loved to do even more tours with Jorge and his company as they all sounded amazing. We recommend to anyone visiting Panama City. Thank you!!
We saw three kinds of monkeys. The boat ride itself is very fun. We started early and after the tour we still had lots of time on our hand.
Excellent guide and boat captain made this an unforgettable experience!
Our tour guide Ricky was amazing the whole time. This was a private tour. He picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel and showed us everything from the monkeys (they came on our boat and we were even able to feed them fruit!) to the Panama Canal and the history of Panama. Please be advised that you have to purchase both options when checking out and if you just book Gatun Lake you will not go to the Panama Canal. Booking both is 100% worth the money and you can even see the ships depart, plus you see an actual 3-D IMAX movie about the canal. Paying the boat man and getting into the Panama Canal are extra costs. This was a wonderful experience and we would happily do it again!
Highlight of our 5 days in Panama. We sat Howlers, Capucin and Tamirind monkeys, Crocodile moma and her kids, a sloth in a tree a couple of large turtles and a capaberra. all in the space of a 4 - 5 hour tour. Our guide Jose, was fluent in English, knowledgable and super personable. He, along with the boat captain called in the monkeys until they were in our boat. Our 7 and 9 year old grandkids were loving it. Do this tour. I hope you get Jose for a trip highlight.
We had a memorable experience! Jorge salazar was our guide and he was very kind and knowledgeable and took the time for us. He explained a lot during the travel time about Panama, and even showed us some historical sites. When we arrived at Gatun lake he ensured we had a brilliant experience and we had the opportunity to see many monkey's up close and a alligator, turtles etc. We also saw some very big schips crossing the canal! A nice memory of Panama and its beautifull nature.
Was great experience. From pickup to drop off. A private tour and we got to see three kinds of monkeys, crocodile, and turtles. Would recommend.
We selected a private tour for 4 people and would definitely do it again. Richard picked us up at our VRBO and gave us a great narration along the way to the boats and accompanied us on the boat. He is very knowledgeable and speaks English without difficulty. On the Gatun lake portion of the tour we travelled quickly and comfortably to several islands where we saw a sloth and several types of monkeys up close. Richard dropped us off back where we started. We did not feel hurried at any time during the tour and highly recommended it.
Ricky was an outstanding guide! We had a great experience, learning about the history of the canal, and seeing all of the wildlife! We were so impressed how he was able to find all of the monkeys in the trees and bring us in as close as possible ! I highly recommend!
Ricky was an excelent and helpful guide. very kind and accomodating. Ricky explained to us many aspect of wild life, the story of the Panama Canal. Fun and helpful
Great experience. Ricky showed up right on time at our cruise dock and was an excellent guide. When trip was listed as "private tour" I wasn't expecting one. It was just the 3 of us. Saw lots of monkeys who came right into our boat, plus crocodiles, harpy eagles, and sloths!
This a fun, educational and very enjoyable experience. Our guide Ricky is a star!!! We will definitely do this again!
5/5 Jorge was an amazing guide, using every minute to give us history to seeing every animal
We loved everything about this tour.. Jorge was very informative and you can tell that he loves his country and to share its culture with us!! His car was comfortable and the A/C worked great.. private boat and viewing the animals up close and personal was fabulous.This was a bucket list trip for my husband and seeing the Panama Canal did not disappoint. We all highly recommended this tour with Jorge 10 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Had a great time! Saw sloths, crocodiles, so many birds and monkeys! Plus the history provided by the guide was outstanding. Would highly recommend!
Very much worth the amount paid. Driver communicated when at the place for pickup - on time arrival. Very knowledgeable about Panama.
This was an amazing tour and we saw monkeys, sloths and birds. Jorge was a really knowledgeable guide and very personable. Highly recommend!
We loved seeing the canal and the wildlife on Gatun lake. This is a must see excursion for anyone coming to Panama City. Our tour guide, driver and boat driver were all exceptional. They went out of their way to insure we had a fantastic experience. Above and beyond everything else, our tour guide Maylin was just phenomenal. She was so knowledgeable, conscientious and caring. We highly recommend her!
Our guide Jorge was absolutely fabulous! He was very well prepared & very knowledgeable & a pleasure to have as a guide. There were only two of us, the guide & the boat driver. It was one of the main highlights of our entire trip!
Aura was our guide. She was very patient with the monkeys. We were very disappointed with the Sloth Sanctuary add-on. We spent much more time in the butterfly area. I thought there would be a lot more information about sloths in general and what they do there. The sloths are in individual man-made "trees" and someone feeds them and you take photos. Just not what I was expecting. The monkeys come out if they want. We saw three different types. This is an expensive tour as we paid for the tour and then additional cost for the boat ride and the sanctuary entry.
Ricky was great and the day was wonderful. Many monkeys and a fun time on the lake! Highly recommend for families with kids
The service via WhatsApp was excellent, and they were able to help us whenever we had any issues. The tour with Aura was also great, and we were able to share our preferences. We saw crocodiles, monkeys, caimans, and a toucan. You can also see huge container ships. Highly recommended!
A once in a lifetime experience. Highly recommend AAA +++
We did ball originally at the cost of this trip, but it was WELL worth it. Jorge was professional and knowledgeable. Car was in pristine condition and quite comfortable. Ride was great and informative. The boat ride was comfortable with seat cushions and shade! Vicente was a great boat guide. Thank you so much!
The tour was awesome. We got to feed monkeys bananas from our hands. Our guide was so kind and flexible. A true wealth of knowledge!
One of the best nature trips made perfect by our guide
My mother and I did this tour back in February during our trip to Panama. We wanted something more private and we’re so glad we came across this company to book with. Our tour guides name was Alan. He picked us up in a private vehicle at our hotel lobby and during the ride to boats, provided us with lots of history and information about Panama and the canal. Once we arrived at the boats, Alan secured us a private boat tour to Gatun Lake. We saw all sorts of wildlife, including several different types of monkeys that came right up to the boat! We did the early morning tour with pickup at 7AM and would definitely recommend that time as the animals seem to be more active. This tour was worth every penny!
My husband and I selected the private tour. We were able to select our own tour time frame and had door to door pick up at our Airbnb. Communications with the company were helpful and very much appreciated. Aura our guide was friendly, spoke exceptional English, answered our many questions and shared interesting information. She was very experienced and between her and the boat captain, made sure we had the opportunity to see three different species of monkeys. We also seen bats, iguanas, and amazing island foliage. We were able to stop and interact with the monkeys. Aura is very familiar with their behaviours and knew what to bring to feed them and to attract them to our boat. The boat ride down the canal was amazing. Being on the canal speeding along, side-by-side with the large vessels was an amazing experience. Although we thought we knew what to expect when we read the reviews and the tour description and it sounded great, but seeing is believing…it was an extra extraordinary experience and we highly recommend the tour.
My guy Julio made sure we (two families vacationing together) had a great time on this tour. We saw monkeys, sloths, toucans, & crocodiles. It was a even just great cruising thru the canal to get there. Highly recommend you ask for Julio!
Our tour guide, Aura, picked us up at the hotel, which was super convenient. We saw so many monkeys (three kinds!). Aura was very knowledge about the canal and the wildlife. It was the perfect way to spend our first day here.
We had an absolutely amazing experience with our tour guide, Jorge! From start to finish, everything was organized, engaging, and stress-free. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the area, sharing interesting history, local insights, and hidden gems that we would have never discovered on our own. What truly stood out was his warm personality and genuine passion for what he does. He made everyone feel comfortable, answered all our questions with patience, and ensured we had plenty of time to enjoy each part of the island we visited ensuring we saw sloth, bats, cayman, turtles, each species of monkeys, and a wide variety of birds. The entire experience felt personalized and thoughtful. I highly recommend you book this tour and request Jorge as your guide to anyone looking for a memorable and enjoyable adventure — we would definitely book again! Thank you again, Jorge!
We did the Monkey Island tour in Panama and it was easily one of the highlights of our trip. The boat ride out was beautiful on its own — cruising through Gatun Lake surrounded by jungle felt unreal. Within minutes of arriving near the islands, monkeys were already coming right up to the boat. We saw capuchins, howler monkeys, and even tamarins. The guides clearly know the area well and respect the animals — nothing felt forced or staged. The monkeys are wild but comfortable around the boats, which makes for incredible up-close moments and photos. What I loved most was that it didn’t feel like a zoo experience. You’re out in nature, in their habitat, and it feels authentic. The scenery alone is worth it — jungle-covered islands, calm water, and massive ships passing through the canal in the distance. If you’re visiting Panama City and want something unique, easy to do, and genuinely memorable, this is it. I’d absolutely do it again.
Quaint and intimate experience with an excellent guide. Multiple monkey sightings, small, medium and large. Friendly animals that come right up to you and eat from your hand.
A wonderful experience. Jose was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. He did a great job showing us around and engaging with our family and leading us based on what our interests were.
It was a lot of fun lots of monkeys and an alligator and even saw a sloth! The boat ride was fun and it was very picturesque and then at the end we stopped at the resort and had a lovely snack overlooking the rainforest. We loved our tour guide Aura
Aura was a fantastic tour guide and we had so much fun!! She knows the monkeys and the area and I highly recommend the tour! We saw three types of monkeys, a sloth, bats, and many birds! I would love to go again!
Our guide Aura was so great!! She was knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We had a great time on the boat and were amazed by the monkeys!!! And pick up and drop off at the hotel was easy. Thank you!!
My husband and I spent a super afternoon with Aura exploring and identifying wildlife on Lake Gatun. Highly recommend!
Great communication with my lovely guide Aura, who was so knowledgeable on local history and the planned tour. Really lovely boat ride in the Canal itself seeing ships go through from this perspective was interesting. Loved seeing the different types of monkeys the numerous tour boats around seem very great to help spot the monkeys but are also respectful not to overfeed them etc. and it wasnt crowded. They seemed very caring and mindful of the habitat and wildlife which was heartening to see. As a solo traveler I had the option to pay extra for my own tour and boat for a surcharge. Aura brought me to see some other wildlife in Gamboa and the beautiful Rainforest Resort. Had a fantastic time, worth every penny.
Enjoyed the day. Loved the monkeys . A great tour to do while in Panama. If your looking for a new experience this is it. Book your your today.
Our guide, Carlos Alberto, and our boat driver were both very professional and knowledgable. We were able to see two different species of monkeys from very close and another one from a far. We also saw a crocodile and several bird species.
Our guide and driver were excellent! We got to see tons of wildlife and our guides knowledge of the history of the area was outstanding.
This was the highlight of our time in Panama and a must-do for everyone visiting! It was such a special experience riding past the huge boats on the canal, getting to appreciate them from up-close on the water. The interactions with the various animals across the islands were so amazing. The boat ride was quite comfortable and we enjoyed every second. Our guide Aura was very professional and kind, and she made our experience that much better. Take this tour, you won't regret it!
This was so amazing took my wife and 2 year old son. My boy had so much fun and enjoyed every bit of this! We highly recommend this tour! We will eventually come back to Panama and book this same tour again because it was everything we could have asked for! 5/5!
My wife and I had a terrific afternoon tour with our guide, Charlie. He taught us a lot about Panamanian society while driving to from the lake. Also very knowledgeable about the many sights, objects and wildlife during the tour.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email