Monkey Watch: Gatun Lake Wildlife Adventure

Explore Gatun Lake’s vibrant wildlife on a private boat tour. Spot monkeys, sloths, and exotic birds while witnessing Panama Canal’s majestic ships.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Gatun Lake - Enjoy a day trip and a refreshing nature getaway from the city by taking a boat ride on Gatun Lake, located near the Panama Canal. Experience the diverse wildlife, including spider monkeys, toucans, green iguanas, and three-toed sloths in the forest canopy, as well as sergeant fish and crocodiles in the water.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Live guide (English & Spanish)
What's Not Included
  • $30 per person to cover maritime transportation services boat ride must be paid on site to the staff
Additional Information

Join an exceptional tour of Monkey Watch and Gatun Lake Wildlife, a must-see for every nature lover! Discover the stunning beauty of Gatun Lake as you delve into the lively rainforest filled with diverse wildlife. As the tour navigates the lake, observe the massive ships passing by on their voyage through the Panama Canal. Prepare to encounter not only…

Location
Gatun Lake
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(15 Ratings)
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1 star
D9869ikjohnp
Oct 17, 2025
Unforgettable Jungle Adventure with Amazing Guides - We didn’t know exactly what to expect, but this turned out to be a wonderful experience. Our guide, Maylin — a former English teacher — spoke excellent English and shared fascinating insights into the history and culture of each area we visited. We were able to see several species of monkeys up close, along with a wide variety of birds. The weather was on our side too, with plenty of sunshine and no rain. Our driver, Señor Riggo, was also fantastic — friendly, punctual, and got us to the boat docks right on time, without any “Panamanian rush.” Overall, this is a highly recommended excursion for anyone looking to take a quick trip out of the city and immerse themselves in the beauty of the jungle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passenger34312157769
Sep 23, 2025
Excelent trip / Roderick is an amazing tour guy - Excelent trip and great expierence / Roderick is an amazing tour guy. A very nice guy. Paseo de los monos, Attached pictures
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Orinthia_d
Sep 2, 2025
A Trip Worth Taking - The trip was well-planned from beginning to end. Our tour guide Rafael arrived even at the hotel even before our scheduled 7:30 am pick up. This enabled us to get to the Panama Canal before the crowds started setting in. We were some of the first to arrive. Because of that we were able to see the 8:00 am ship being navigated through the gates, from the beginning to end. We then went on to watch the 8:45 am video about the canal, which was quite enjoyable. With all that completed, hassle-free, we were able to leave just when countless cars and buses with persons were arriving. Then came our boat ride. This was a very enjoyable experience for my daughter and I. Rafael and the boat driver were both diligent in their quest to spot and point out the various animals there. We saw quite a few. We saw a crocodile, iguanas, bats, turtles, three different species of monkeys, just to name a few. The experience of the monkeys eating from our hands is one we will not soon forget. Throughout the journey Rafael was consistent with information-sharing. He pointed out different important buildings and monuments in Panama and always had the story behind them. This trip was money well spent and I would highly recommend, along with Rafael as a tour guide, to anyone!
Review provided by Viator
M2055xamercedesb
Aug 21, 2025
Wonderful trip to Monkey island with my family - Jorge was a wonderful guide. He got Vicente as the boat driver and Vicente was great. He took of to all placed where we can see the different monkeys, iguanas and crocodiles. We feed the monkeys and have a wonderful ride on the Gatun lake. We had a baby with us and Vicente was very accommodating Jorge speaks English too. Must see if you come to Panama.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dixie_m
Aug 5, 2025
Monkey Tour - This was a great adventure. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Her and the boat captain made us feel very comfortable. It was like hanging with old friends.
Review provided by Viator
81madhuy
Jul 30, 2025
Great experience - It was private trip .Guide was very patient allowing us to spend valuable time in boat . They try to find all kind of monkeys , bats , crocodiles. Helped us even with cash as we did not take cash . Overall great experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laterahd2025
Jul 30, 2025
Monkey Tour - The views were amazing and we took lots of videos and photos. We loved the experience for the first time and would love to do it again. Shout out to Aura. The best tour guide!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannah
Jun 22, 2025
Perfect layover tour! - I had a 9 hour layover in Panama City and wanted to make the most of it, but couldn’t find a Monkey Island tour that accommodated my flight schedule. I was lucky enough to find this one, and am so happy I did! I was picked up at the airport and stopped for lunch with my guide before heading to the boat. We had so many opportunities to see monkeys and the canal - it is absolutely worth the trip! Cesar and Roderick were both wonderful, I highly recommend this trip to anyone considering an afternoon with the monkeys!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hardy_p
May 1, 2025
Great Time in Panama - Aura was very knowledgeable and shared information on what to expect. She speaks English and Spanish very well. She knows great spots to pick up souvenirs. I recommend this trip to everyone who visits Panama.
Review provided by Viator
793gerardm
Feb 16, 2025
Best Panama tour with an ausome guide - We spent about 5+ hours with our guide Aura. She is the best guide ever! She knows her stuff, is open to last minute adjustments in travel. She is an excellent driver and very entertaining. The tour itself is definitely worth it. We were out on Gaton lake and saw many monkeys up close. The sanctuary was a real treat and although we could not pet a sloth, they were pretty close. I highly recommend this tour and when we return to Panama City we will be looking for tours with Aura. Well done, Aura!!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $75
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).