Monkey Island on Lake Gatún - Half Day.

Monkey Island on Lake Gatún - Half Day.

A popular must-see natural attraction in Panama is Monkey Island located in Gatun Lake in the Gamboa Rainforest - just 40 minutes from Panama City.

Monkey Island is home to four species of monkeys:

Gray-bellied night monkey - This species is native to Panama. Unfortunately, the gray-bellied night monkey is vulnerable to extinction in the future.

White-faced Capuchin monkey - Very social and live in groups have a lifespan of 50 years.

Mantled Howler Monkey - The howler monkey is the loudest animal in all of Panama, audible up to 5 km

Tamarin Monkey - Found only in Panama and Colombia.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Monkey Island, Gatun Lake, Panama City Panama

A popular must-see natural attraction in Panama is Monkey Island located in Gatun Lake within the Gamboa rainforest - just 40 minutes from Panama City.

When the Gatun Dam was built in the early 1900’s it stopped the Chagres River from flowing into the Caribbean Sea thus creating Gatun Lake, which at the time was the world’s largest man-made lake.

Today Gatun Lake is an invaluable asset to the Panama Canal as each year it carries tens of thousands of vessels through 33 kilometers of their journey across the Isthmus of Panama

On one of the small islands that were once the peaks of the surrounding Chagres Valley hilltops is now Monkey Island - known for its large population of monkeys.

Monkey Island is home to four species of monkeys:

Gray-Bellied Night Monkey - Also known as the Lemurine Owl Monkey this specie is native to Panama. Vacationers often miss seeing this monkey because it sleeps during the day and hunts for food at night. You may expect the monkey to have a gray belly but in fact, it has a gray coat on its back that turns into a reddish-brown coat on its underside. Unfortunately, the gray-bellied night monkey is vulnerable to becoming extinct in the future.

White-Faced Capuchin Monkey - Also known as the white-throated capuchin or white-headed capuchin because of its primarily ‘white’ upper body. These monkeys are very social and live in groups of about 20 throughout Central and South America. The lifespan of the Capuchin Monkey in Gatun averages about 50 years.

Mantled Howler Monkey - The Howler monkey often likes to make an appearance for vacationers on Gatun Lake Tours. Many agree that the Howler Monkey is the loudest animal in all of Panama as it communicates through a loud sound audible up to 5 kilometers away. You will likely hear the Howler Monkeys communicating with each other from your boat on Gatun Lake!

Tamarin Monkey - Found only in Panama and Colombia this is the smallest monkey in all of Central America. The Tamarin monkey especially enjoys the moist tropical rainforests located along the Panama Canal. If you take Gatun Lake tour between April and June, you may see a Mother with her young, as this is their birthing season.

The rainforest covered hilltop islands of Gatun Lake are also home to a diverse variety of other wildlife besides monkeys. Visiting spectators on Gatun Lake can also spot green iguanas, three - toed sloths, crocodiles and toucans.

Duration: 2 hours