Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and Indigenous Village Tour
About My Tour of the Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and the Indigenous Village
The tour I was looking most forward to prior to my trip to Panama was the Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and Indigenous Village tour. I found this tour on Viator for $150 but was able to book the tour directly through the tour company, Barefoot Panama, for $120. Kevin, the representative for Barefoot Panama immediately confirmed my tour and emailed me multiple times to verify my pickup location.
Nico (Nick) was our guide, and he picked me up at my hotel at 7:15 AM. The tour included three other people who were from Florida. They were staying at a house in the former Canal Zone as they had participated in a house swap with a couple from Panama.
It took about 45 minutes to get to the marina, where we would board our boat. Our captain was a local Panamanian who did an excellent job positioning us to get great views of the ships on the Panama Canal and the monkeys.
I highly recommend this tour and our guide, Nico. This tour was definitely in the top five tours I’d ever taken. Nico was extremely professional, and you could tell that he really cared about the well-being of the monkeys.
The tour consisted of four different parts. First, our boat ride to Monkey Island took us through Gatun Lake which is part of the Panama Canal. Second, we stopped at various Monkey Islands to interact with three species of monkeys. Third, we took a trip up the Chagres River to visit an indigenous village. Finally, the entire group had lunch at a Panamanian restaurant called El Trapiche.
Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and Indigenous Village Tour - Table of Contents
- About My Tour of the Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and the Indigenous Village
- The Panama Canal and Gatun Lake
- Monkey Island
- The Indigenous Village
- Chagres Rainforest Walk
- Lunch at El Trapiche Restaurant
- Panama Canal, Monkey Island, and Indigenous Village Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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The Panama Canal and Gatun Lake
As we set out on our journey to Monkey Island, we entered Gatun Lake. Gatun Lake is man-made and serves as part of the Panama Canal. Almost immediately, we saw a huge crocodile, but I was unable to photograph it. My lens was still defogging from the humidity, and by the time I located my phone, the crocodile had submerged itself.
Shortly after, a large container ship appeared on the horizon. Our captain skillfully slowed the boat, so we could photograph the ship. This ship was one of three giant container ships that we encountered during our tour.
Below, you can see a bridge that goes from the non-canal part of Gatun Lake into the Panama Canal portion. There is a section that appears to be newer. Apparently, a large ship lost power and was unable to fully apply their brakes. They went right through the bridge, destroying two sections of it. Nico explained that it takes the large ships one to two miles to completely come to a stop.
There are many tugboats on the Panama Canal. To be sure that the ships do not get stuck, as happened in the Suez Canal, each ship must be escorted by at least two tugboats.
As we approached the Monkey Islands, we began to see wildlife. Two types of birds, an Anhinga and a Cormorant could be seen drying their wings.
We also saw a large iguana and a family of bats resting on a tree.
Monkey Island
Monkey Island is actually a group of islands containing various species of monkeys. The three main species that we encountered were Geoffroy’s Tamarin Monkeys, White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, and Mantled Howler Monkeys.
Most of the monkeys on Monkey Island are rescues that had been illegally captured or poached. Each monkey has a name and a unique personality. Nico explained that we could feed the monkeys banana chips and peanuts and then give them lemons and limes to rub on their skin. He also pointed out that we would only be feeding them minimal food. If the monkeys ate too much, it would slow their metabolism, and they would sleep the rest of the day. Sleeping all day would be extremely unhealthy for a usually active animal.
There are a few rules when interacting with the monkeys. First, the monkeys will take the food directly from your hand, but you should refrain from trying to pet or hug them. Also, if the monkey tries to get the food from your hand, do not hide it or try to give it to another monkey.
The first island we approached was home to the Tamarin Monkeys. Nico pointed out that a single Capuchin, named “Minion,” had been adopted by the Tamarins. The Tamarins were quick to eat our banana chips, and Minion enjoyed the peanuts. Nico also noticed that Minion was thirsty, and he drank directly out of the hand of one of our tour members.
I did my best to photograph, take videos, and feed the monkeys. Unfortunately, my GoPro, which was worn on my head, was tilted slightly up towards the canopy of the boat. As a result, I had very little usable footage.
After leaving the Taramin Island, we approached the island where the Capuchins lived. It took a few minutes for the Capuchins to arrive. You can see a photo below that one of the Capuchins jumped towards the boat when they realized we had peanuts. We spent about 15-20 minutes interacting with the Capuchin Monkeys.
A few highlights included seeing the Capuchins swing on the vines and a mother with a baby on her back.
Finally, we visited an island filled with Howler Monkeys. Nico explained that no guide had ever figured out how to get the Howler Monkeys to come down to the boat, so we had to observe them in the trees. Our captain roared the engine, and the Howlers began to make their famous howl.
Below are some of my best photos of my trip to the various Monkey Island.
Indigenous Village
When we left the Monkey Islands, we ventured into the Chagres River towards an Indigenous Village. The village is home to 49 Indigenous Panamanians. Nico explained that the people of the village live a traditional lifestyle, but are not opposed to technology. This means that many of them have smartphones, wear modern clothing when in the city, and their children have tablets to attend virtual school (due to the pandemic).
We arrived at the village, and our captain helped us off the boat. As we walked up a path towards the main hut, we encountered leaf cutter ants.
The ants were working very hard carrying cut pieces of leaves up the hill. Nico explained that the ants use the leaves to feed a fungus that they eat. Leafcutter ants are actually farmers, farming the fungus. I also later learned that there are various types of leaf cutter ants. Two of the most important types are the workers (who get the leaves) and the “quality control” ants. The quality control ants are much smaller and set out looking for the best leaves for the colony. Nico explained that a leafcutter ant carrying one leaf is similar to a human carrying a full-size car on his/her back.
The people of the village were extremely friendly and encouraged us to take photos of their homes and crafts. We only encountered women and children in the village as the men were in Panama City working. Nico sat us down in the main hut and explained a little more about their culture and the crafts we could buy. Some of the crafts included carvings, that were made by the men, and baskets, as well as woven materials that were made by the women. There was no obligation to purchase any of the crafts. Still, I bought a basket, a carved wooden monkey, a textile cloth, and a carved stone iguana.
The main source of food for the village is meat from the chickens they raise. There were close to 100 chickens roaming around the village.
Before we left, the villagers performed a ceremonial dance. The dance was to the beat of a drum and performed by the women and one nine-year-old child.
The village has a futbol (soccer) field and indoor restrooms with running water. We were able to use the restrooms prior to leaving the village.
We were also introduced to a friendly dog named Scott. Apparently, he was named Scott because his whitish color reminded the villagers of the color of Scott’s Toilet Paper.
As we said goodbye to the villagers, Nico then led us into the jungle to go on a walk through the Chagres Rainforest.
Chagres Rainforest Walk
The walk through the Chagres Rainforest was interesting and muddy. It had rained the night before, and it was difficult to walk on the dirt path without slipping. Our journey through the rainforest would take about 20-minutes, and most of that time was spent learning about various types of plants.
One interesting plant that we encountered was the Gumbo Limbo Tree. This tree is sometimes nicknamed the “tourist tree” as the tree constantly sheds its bark to avoid parasites. Nico compared this tree to the sunburned skin of a tourist who forgot to wear sunblock.
A few minutes later, we encountered this tiny frog. We were told that typically the colorful frogs are poisonous, and the frogs that blend in with their surroundings are not.
Continuing deeper into the rainforest, we saw many other unique plants and animals. These included trees that had strange shapes to get access to the sun, a fast-moving lizard, an ants nest that looked like a wasp hive, and the Black Palm Tree that resembled a porcupine.
The most interesting encounter of the rainforest walk was a hallow tree that was filled with water. This giant tree had enough water to keep our group alive for three to four weeks had we become stranded in the rainforest.
We then finished our loop through the rainforest, got back on the boat, and went to eat lunch at a local Panamanian restaurant.
Lunch at El Trapiche Restaurant
The final stop of our tour was lunch as a local Panamanian restaurant. Nico chose to take us to El Trapiche. This establishment specialized in traditional Panamanian cuisine. I ordered quite a bit of food, choosing the Fiesta Panama as well as an empanada with beef and one chorizo link.
The Fiesta Panama was a sampler of some of the most traditional Panamanian foods. These foods included a chicken soup appetizer, rice with chicken, shredded beef, plantains, a shredded chicken stew, pork rinds, and fried Yuca.
For dessert, we went to a place next door and had chocolate churros. Both the Fiesta Panama and the churros were delicious. Following lunch, our tour officially ended and I was dropped off at my hotel.
Panama Canal, Monkey Island and Indigenous Village Tours and Packages
If you are interested in booking this tour or a similar one, you can do so with the links below. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using one of my links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
Prices are accurate as of April 2023.
 5 Hour Combo - Panama Canal Eco-Cruise with Monkey Island and Rainforest Walk - $95.00 In this tour that departs from central Panama City you will get up close with the Panama Canal and the abundance of wildlife on its shores. You will take a cruise in a boat right next to the transiting ships and visit islands in Gatun Lake that are full of wildlife. |
 Private Tour Panama Canal, Railway and Monkey Island - $165.00 Day tour to the Atlantic side of Panama in a tour mixing the amazing structures of the Panama Canal and the beauty of the rainforest with the experience of riding The Panama Canal Railway. Small groups. |
 Full-Day Monkey Island and Indian Village Tour from Panama City, Panama - $147.43 Small group tour of Lake Gatun and Soberania National Park, searching for wildlife and visiting an indigenous village. This is a great combo of 2 popular tours, wildlife viewing where you can see up too 3 different types of monkeys as well as a real Indian village. |
 Monkey Island and Panama Canal Eco Tour - $72.00 Enjoy the exciting adventure of being inside the Panama Canal and get to know with all your senses the operation, history and biodiversity around it, an stunning experience surrounded by wildlife and rainforest. |
 Monkey Island Tour from Panama City - $70.52 This 4-hour tour is the easiest way for you to have close-up contact with monkeys such as white-face, howlers and geoffrey´s tamarine. |
 Private Monkey Island Boat Tour at the Panama Canal - $255.00 You will be in a lake, that was the largest man made in the world and on top of that, you will be so close to the huge ships transiting from Atlantic to Pacific or viceversa... simply: Espectacular. |
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