Panama Gatun Lake Boat Tour & Canal Visitor Center

Discover Panama’s wildlife and engineering marvels. Explore the rainforest, visit the Panama Canal, and enjoy a boat tour on Gatun Lake.

Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Miraflores Visitor Center - After pick up from your hotel or accommodation in downtown Panama City, we will take you to an observation deck at this Visitor Center, we will explain you about the history, operation and expansion of the Panama Canal. The visitor center has very detailed film that you should not miss or skip to see.
  • Soberania National Park - After seeing a ship go through the locks at the visitor center, we will drive to the Soberania National Park (around 30 minutes). Our guide will be with you all the time to provide information as to recognize birds, trees or any other wild life.
  • Gatun Lake - At the public ramp of Gamboa, then we get off the car and begin our boat tour experience through the Gatun Lake visiting islands in the lake to spot wild animals and get to see ships transiting throught the lake at the same time. (90 minutes maximum time; 60 minutes minimum time)
What's Included
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Driver/Guide
  • Wildlife treats
  • Cold water bottle
  • Boat tour with sun/rain cover
  • Boat captain
  • Water safety jacket
What's Not Included
  • Miraflores Visitor Center Tickets ($17.22 Adult, $7.22 Child)
  • Snacks, Extra Drinks or Meals
  • Bugs spray or lotion & Sunblock
Additional Information

If what you like is adventure, you will love this trip. Combine the search for wildlife, nature, breathing fresh air in the Panama rainforest with a visit to the Panama Canal Miraflores Visitor Center (Panama Pacific Side).

Explore and discover how this marvel of modern engineering today operates preserving wildlife and water. Learn about the Panamanian biodiversity and the canal daily operation and efforts to reinstate the Panama Canal as the world’s best marine water way.

Choose between two pickup options: Downtown City Hotels or Playa Bonita Resort Area.

Location
Miraflores Visitor Center
East Side of the Miraflores Locks
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(18 Ratings)
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810eddal
Aug 31, 2024
Highly recommended tour - We had an excellent tour with Orlando! He is a very knowledgeable guide, who told us a lot about Panama and its canal and showed us lots of wildlife around Lago Gatún. Orlando is always ready to go the extra mile to provide the best possible experience for his customers. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sandra
Aug 28, 2024
Nice experience! - We spent a pleasant afternoon first visiting Miraflores. Everything was extraordinary the 3D film summarizing the history of the Panama Canal, then we saw 2 huge boats crossing the locks!! And finally such a nice boat ride to go see the monkeys and feed them. Activity not to be missed! Especially with a Guide like Orlando who is very caring and really nice!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidac1445on
Aug 13, 2024
Family trip to remember - Orlando’s knowledge and fun injected into every moment raised our family trip from 8 to 10. He was great with the kids and knew the exact moments to immortalise family moments with pics. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Letsenjoytravel
Jul 20, 2024
Excellent 5 STARS Panama Canal Experience - This tour exceeded our expectations from Start to the End. Our tour guide, Orlando, is an organized individual, pick us up on time, and his communication is impeccable. We were on a shared tour, and we were amazed with the level of customer service and talent to focus on in all details plus very careful to get feedback as how the tour is doing with all the travelers. Canal experience was perfect 👌 Monkeys 🐒 were jumping over to Orlando as like a very well known Friend and he was careful as to provide us information ALL the time. Do yourselves a favor and book this tour with Orlando with no doubts, and if you do, do not hesitate to reach out to him to clear any questions. THANK YOU, ORLANDO!!! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cforce409
Jul 7, 2024
Perfect Day Out! - I booked the tour for me and my girlfriend looking to have a fun day outdoors. This turned out to be the perfect booking from start to finish. We weren't staying at any of the hotels, but it was no issue for them to pick us up at the apartments where we were staying. Our tour guide was Orlando, super amazing gentleman in every way, also spoke English perfectly. He arrived at our pickup early and sent us pictures of the van so we would know exactly what we were looking for. Orlando had my US phone number from the booking, and used it to maintain communication with us throughout the day. We were the only guests for that day so it turned into a private tour. We did the boat tour first, and had our boat just to ourselves. We cruised out into the lake alongside the large ships that were traversing the canal, and proceeded to several little island spots where we were able to see and feed three different species of monkeys in their native habitat. Orlando provided the feed and all the expert guidance to make it a safe and super fun adventure. My gf wanted to see sloths, so with it being just us, Orlando arranged for a stop to a nearby sloth sanctuary for a quick tour before making our way to the canal visitor center. We made our way to the Panama Canal Visitor Center, and the tickets for entrance were not included in the price of the tour, but Orlando was able to provide them at cost, eliminating having to wait in line at the entrance, and the line was long. To end the tour, Orlando took us to a very large souvenir shop ,where we perused and purchased a few items, before being dropped off at our pickup location. Super amazing day! We will definitely be looking for Orlando to take us on some of the other tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N8765vgkarena
Jun 18, 2024
Great tour guide for Panama City area! - Ruben was a great guide. Flexible with plans and accommodating to what we wanted to see. The monkey islands at Gatun Lake were my favorite thing. We literally fed wild monkeys right out of our hands! Ruben knew where to find the monkeys. It's something we will never forget. We then went to the Panama Canal visitors center, lunch at the fish market in Panama City, then a short walking tour of Casco Viejo. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
806carvinr
Jun 17, 2024
Monkey Island with Orlando - The experience was extraordinary. Watching the monkeys eat and play. Going through the panama canal in a boat to het to the little islands. Everything was perfect thanks to our tour guide Orlando. Best one out there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reynas00315
Jun 17, 2024
Canal de Panamá - A wonderful experience. I recommended this tour to everyone who visited Panama. Thanks Orlando for be our guide in this fantastic journey
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Journey560383
Jun 16, 2024
Panamá Isla de Monos y Lago Gatún - This tour to Monkey Island, Gatun Lake, Sloth Sanctuary and Gamboa was a great tour, full of many emotions, spectacular views. Everything very coordinated and on time; Orlando, very attentive and knowledgeable, with his "come boy come, come as you come" won over the monkeys... we were a group of 10 people and everyone was super happy... I fully recommend it... thank you Orlando and GOD. BLESS ALWAYS
Review provided by Tripadvisor
371shamikab
Aug 21, 2024
Our Panama canel and city tour - Our tour guide Mr. Gabriel was very knowledgeable about the history of Panama City, the canel and the American soldiers that were in Panama
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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