Gatun Lake: Monkeys & Exotic Wildlife by the Canal

Presented by Preview World

From £37.00

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.

4 hours (approx)

Instant Confirmation

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Free Cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance

Group Size: 15

  • Professional local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Boat ride included
  • Transport by air-conditioned car or minivan
  • Meals

Meeting point

Please note we go to multiples hotels and the pick up time will be Morning tour: between 6:15am and 7am or Midday tour: Between 10:40am and 11:55am Afternoon tour: between 1:10pm and 2pm For all our clients outside the downtown area like Santa Maria, Costa del Este, Westin Playa Bonita, Dreams or Causeway Amador, they need to meet us in any hotel in the city area, we offer pickup to your hotel; but, we charge extra fee US$20 to cover round trip transfer for your party (2-14 pax). Return point: Returns to original departure point. 1. No transfer available for the hotels near or in Tocumen international airport. 2. No round trip transfer available for 1 person or on Friday's (Dreams or Westin Playa Bonita). You need to take a taxi and meet us at Albrook Mall, Starbucks coffee shop. 3.Customers in the casco viejo and santa ana area booked for weekends (Friday-Sunday) need to meet us at the Tantalo Hotel because of government events that close down the streets.

End point

No end description available

Lake Gatun

2 hours 0 mins

(Pass By)

– including Panama Canal

  • 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
  • Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
  • Bring raincoat or towel and extra cloth in case you need it after the boat ride.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.


Reviews

0.0

2279 Reviews

5.0 Beautiful tour!

Rachestacion, June 2026

Amazing must do tour!! Very friendly and knowledgeable guides. Daniel was fantastic and gave us wonderful history of the city. Juliet the monkey whisperer made it possible for us to see 3 different types of monkeys. Everything was great from the drive, tour guides and captain. Highly recommended!

5.0 Do it.

ravionl, June 2026

10/10 all there is to say. GREAT.

5.0 Excellent Gatun Lake monkey tour

bdetteg2015, June 2026

This was a well organized and enjoyable tour from start to finish! Pickup was on time, the driver was professional, and our guide Jeny was cheerful, informative, and clearly proud to share Panama with visitors. The boat crew did a great job making sure we saw the three types of monkeys mentioned in the tour description. They helped create great photo opportunities while keeping the experience relaxed and fun. Everything matched what was described, and the whole experience felt smooth, safe, and worthwhile. I would definitely recommend this tour.

5.0 Cannot miss!!!!

Sarah_B, June 2026

This tour was 100000/10. Our tour guide, Jeny, was absolutely amazing!!! Everything from - pick up, to getting to the boat, seeing the monkeys, making sure we approached the experience safely and with curiosity, to then answering any and all questions we had - was done with so much care and professionalism. Throughout the tour Jeny encouraged questions and was always happy to chat and share her wealth of knowledge surrounding the monkey islands and the Panama Canal. Special shout out to our captain Yunito for getting us around safely, our special monkey whisperer Julia, for making sure we had the chance to see all three monkeys, and our driver Ivan for picking us up and taking us back safe and sound.

5.0 Friendly monkeys and more on Gatun Lake

Elena_S, June 2026

The tour was full of emotions and unforgettable moments. We saw three different types of monkeys; two of them were very friendly and even jumped into the boat. Iguanas and bats were an unexpected bonus. Unfortunately, we did not see any sloths, but the tour was absolutely worth it anyway. Overall, it was a great experience that I would definitely recommend!

5.0 Solo Traveler Friendly Tour

Sieneih_L, June 2026

Solo friendly tour! Milton is a very knowledgeable tour guide! It was raining heavily on the way out to the lake but cleared up once we arrived. Milton and the team were able to get the monkeys on the boat easily and gave us good instructions on how to interact with the monkeys. So much fun! 10/10 highly recommended

5.0 Monkeys, oh my!

Itztime2go, June 2026

Seamless communication. Kept us apprised of pickup time and when to be ready. Comfortable drive, to lake Gatun. Driver Ivan competently maneuvered through morning traffic to get us to the boat launch. Let me back track...our tour guide, Daniel regaled us with poignant facts about Panama, the canals, and Panama's history. He snuck in a couple of jokes here and there to keep things light and enjoyable. Ivan heard that one of the other attendees from another party needed a snack and bathroom break before getting on our boat. And he kindly stopped at a quick stop for snacks and bathroom break. Back on the road, and 2 minutes later we are at the boat dock. We quickly boarded,to meet Juliette, our special "whisperer to the monkeys" and Jr., skillful boat captain. On our way to the islands, we caught sight of a cargo ship, making its way across the lake. We arrived at the islands, and while the first attempt didn't bear any sightings, we were fortunate at all the next stops. We saw capuchin monkeys, tamarins, and howler monkeys. It truly was a successful outing. Daniel answered all questions and continued delighting us with interesting facts about wildlife and Panama. It was great trip. I recommend asking for this great team. Big thank you to Daniel, Ivan, Juliette, and Jr.

5.0 Done this tour 3 times, would happily do it 10 more times!

P1495LCloriw, June 2026

Absolutely amazing. We've done three of these tours, each time with Daniel as our guide, and it gets even better every time. We see so many amazing animals. The guides are very knowledgeable and know exactly where to look to see everything, plus they're ridiculously eagle-eyed. They can see an iguana in the trees from 100 feet away. It's amazing. Do the earlier trip; you'll see more critters early in the day, and you're less likely to get rained on. It's worth getting up in the morning!

5.0 You can see alligators, iguanas, and many types of monkeys

draganr2013, June 2026

Experienced real jungle spirit

2.0 They fed the monkeys for the tour ....

Joanna_P, June 2026

They definitely fed the monkeys, pointed lasers at them, and provoked the howlers by revving up the boats. I specifically picked this tour bc it said it wouldn't feed them and I thought I was reassured by them telling us earlier that it was prohibited. I could not enjoy the tour bc of the sad treatment of the monkeys.

5.0 Milton was fantastic! Had...

Cayden_W, June 2026

Milton was fantastic! Had a great experience and got to see lots of wildlife. Very knowledgeable about the history of Panama.

4.0 The boat trip was very...

Felicity_W, June 2026

The boat trip was very smooth and comfortable. The staff were all friendly and knowledgeable about the animals. captain John, Tour guide Jennifer and the other lady.

5.0 Don’t sleep on this tour!

Courtney_S, June 2026

What a fantastic tour! Jeny was an AMAZING guide and was so knowledgeable about the monkeys, local flora, and the canal area in general! I was traveling solo and it was a great activity! I literally had a capuchin monkey playing with my hair! Highly, highly recommend this tour!

5.0 My first Panama 🇵🇦 trip

Owen_H, June 2026

Great adventure; I enjoyed seeing the monkeys and other animals. The crew was very friendly, professional and give good details about the animals and their way of life.

5.0 A real wildlife adventure

Nelia_T, June 2026

This was an excellent tour the tour guide Jeny was so knowlegeable about the flowers and fauna and all of the wildlife. I really did not expect to see all of the creatures she pointed out to us. I got some really great videos and wished I had bought a real camera. We saw three different species of monkeys, a crocodile, the largest rodent in the world, several birds, bats, orchids,edible fruits and trees, iguanas. This was a most unforgettable trip of a lifetime

5.0 Try it.

Ahmad_S, June 2026

Well organized, on time, informative, AND especially the tour guide Daniel was great. He is knowledgeable, friendly with a great sense of humor. He is an asset!

5.0 An amazing experience all around

lauren_l, June 2026

We had an amazing experience with our tour guide Milton. We saw the tití monkey and capuchin monkeys both up close on the boat, as well as observed other wildlife. We saw howler monkeys, fruit bats, iguanas, and a capybara from afar. We had a great experience and it was definitely worth the price, and super convenient to be picked up straight from our hotel!

5.0 Family fun

jamietO3279FZ, June 2026

What an amazing and fun experience! The tour guide Daniel was amazing!!! He was funny and charismatic and

5.0 Wonderful excursion for all ages!

Kelly, June 2026

We saw so many ships on the canal. The monkeys were adorable and the boat ride was very refreshing! This was probably one of the best things we did in Panama. Great excursion for all ages.

5.0 Up Close & Personal with Monkeys and More

Karen_B, June 2026

The guide, driver and Monkey Whisperer were amazing. It was the perfect half day trip to get out of the hustle and bustle and heat of the city. Hotel pick up and drop off made it so easy!

5.0 It was a good experience with monkeys and local flora.

LoveTravel768917, May 2026

It was a good experience to see and learn a bit about the monkeys and a bit about the local flora, Mr. Daniel was very kind and attentive.

5.0 Friendly people, lots of monkeys

415zoeyc, May 2026

Daniel was a very sweet tour guide. He is passionate about his work, very very patient and informative. Ivan was an efficient driver. Juliet and Jr. made sure we got plenty of experience with the monkeys. Overall a great trip. Lots of monkeys and wildlife. Will come again and recommend. They pick you up from where you’re staying and drop you off also!

5.0 Definitely worth it

robynn566, May 2026

I would highly recommend this tour. Jenny, our tour guide, was incredibly friendly, engaging, and exceptionally knowledgeable, which made the experience even more enjoyable. From pickup to drop off, everything was well organized and ran smoothly. Interacting with the monkeys, cruising along the canal while massive ships passed by, and seeing the variety of wildlife made this a truly unforgettable once in a lifetime experience.

5.0 More Than A Monkey Tour

Ashley_W, May 2026

The monkey tour was absolutely incredible, and our guide, Milton, made the experience truly unforgettable. While seeing the monkeys was amazing, what made the tour exceptional was how much we learned about Panama through Milton’s extensive knowledge and passion for sharing the culture and history of the country. He took the time to interact with every guest personally and made everyone feel comfortable and engaged throughout the entire experience. His energy, professionalism, and warmth elevated the tour far beyond our expectations. Highly recommended.

5.0 We found Dora the Explorer all grown up!🥰

Reginald_K, May 2026

It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience. Well organized and our guide Jenny was both enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She interacted with each guest and provided loads of information about the rainforest animals and the Panama Canal. Worth every penny and not to be missed when visiting Panama!

5.0 Monkey Sight seeing Tour

Karla_M, May 2026

It was a good enough experience. We were able to see 3 species of monkeys and saw some iguanas and bats as well. Only negative things I would say are new life jackets are needed. They smelled and latch was broken to close. When we were dropped off we graciously gave our guide a $20 tip which is not required, but wanted to anyway, however the guide didn’t say thank you or show any appreciation and even snatched the money out of our hand and went on his way.

5.0 Wonderful experience

Nina_B, May 2026

Jenny did an amazing job would definitely recommend this tour. We had people 70+ and 5 and was enjoyed by all

5.0 Absolutely amazing!!...

Sam_W, May 2026

Absolutely amazing!! Guides were excellent, scenery was beautiful, and the monkeys are very cute! A must do in Panama

5.0 Wonderful experience

Explore67665431703, May 2026

Wonderful experience, everything was beautiful… we saw monkeys, crocodiles, capybaras, etc. I recommend it 100%, plus the leader Juliet speaks and interacts with the monkeys!!! It was wonderful because thanks to her everyone arrived. Thanks to the captain, the driver, and Mr. Daniel for their hospitality and of course to the excellent group

5.0 Incredible experience

250bertah, May 2026

Incredible experience from start to finish. I recommend the guide Daniel, a very enthusiastic man about the wildlife. Thank you very much for everything!

5.0 What an experience

263hardeepm, May 2026

An incredible day. Host Daniel might be the best guide I have had for any excursion, anywhere in the world. La jefa (the boss) is actually a monkey whisperer. I cannot speak highly enough of this team.

5.0 Monkeys, Birds, Crocodiles, Bats, and Capybaras

918jakobw, May 2026

Edgar, Daniel, Brian, and la Jefa the monkey whisperer were all great!

5.0 Highlight of Panama

Cruiser07895099527, May 2026

Great experience. Saw lots of wildlife with plenty of photo opportunities. Very good value for money!

5.0 100% Worth It

ryanbH8604KS, May 2026

Great guides, made the experience well worth the time

5.0 Great adventure

VINOD S, May 2026

Extremely well informed Guide and all others . We had a jolly good time with great group . Keep up the great work

5.0 Exploring with the monkey whisperer

Jamiyla_H, May 2026

Jenny was an amazing tour guide.. She's very knowledgeable on the rich history of Panama, the Amazon and all living things within.. The monkey whisperer (yes that's her title) can communicate with the monkeys and literally bring them out of hiding.. Amazing experience overall!

5.0 Amazing tour guides

chihweik2016, May 2026

Amazing tour guide Jeny! Saw all kinds of cute monkeys.

4.0 I loved the boat ride on...

Olivene_D, May 2026

I loved the boat ride on the canal to the islands. You need a good "monkey whisperer", who will take the time to call the monkeys. I enjoyed having the monkeys up close.

5.0 Fun tour to do as a solo traveler.

Keith_V, May 2026

Great tour, by tour guide Daniel. Has allot of knowledge about the history of Panama. Pick up service was on time. Please do take note that the boat ride fee of $20 is not included in the initial 40 USD.

5.0 Amazing experience !!

nataliagomm, May 2026

Amazing experience with Daniel and our boat captain! The tour started from the moment they picked us up! Daniel was very knowledgeable. The boat ride was amazing! We got to see so many monkeys! Our captain made sure we all got a chance to see them. I would recommend 100% and whenever we come back we will be booking another trip. Thank you Daniel and Ivan!

5.0 Must see trip

EvaCri, May 2026

Jenny was a great guide and we got to see three types of monkeys and hear about the nature of beautiful Panama. Good communication with the company as well.

5.0 Great tour

SergioM_P, May 2026

Was very fortunate to see everything that the tour promised and more. Alligator, bats and even baby Alligators. A must on the list of thi gs to do when visiting panama.

5.0 It was great, our tour...

Jerome_V, May 2026

It was great, our tour guide Jennifer was fantastic and she is we knowledgable. She made us feel very comfortable and we had a blast. Will definitely be back and will ask for Jennifer again

5.0 Good option

manuelpD2782HM, May 2026

Good excursion. We were able to see several animals: monkeys, birds, crocodiles, and even bats.

5.0 Monkey sightings

shelleysT6636OA, May 2026

Lots of great monkey pictures.

5.0 Amazing Monkey Trip

stephaniegN7035CK, May 2026

I had an amazing time today with my group. The tour guide Jenny was amazing, great energy and very passionate about the monkeys and nature. So fun interacting wirh the monkeys I was truly amazed!!!

4.0 Monkey excursion

Kiera_B, May 2026

Jenny the tour guide was a great guide . However , i do feel like $60 total was a bit much for the excursion . I am unsure of how we had to pay $40 plus $20 to do an excursion to see monkeys that they do not own . However , it was a fun experience .

5.0 Awesome

Paradise625413, May 2026

Jennie and Brian were awesome. The whole entire crew was amazing from the monkey whisperer to the guy that drives the boat aka the DJ 😂😂😂 This was all around a amazing experience… Thank you especially to Jennie who made the experience overall fun 🤩

5.0 Monkey Island Tour

Paradise50957994516, May 2026

Our tour guide Jeny was amazing! Super informative about the rainforest and animals.

5.0 It was as it was...

Don_P, May 2026

It was as it was described! Lots of monkey sitings and other animals too. Knowledgeable guides, very friendly.

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