Glide across the glassy expanse of Gatún Lake — the man-made reservoir at the heart of the Panama Canal — to an island teeming with wild Geoffroy's tamarin and white-faced capuchin monkeys who climb aboard your boat.
What to expect
You speed across Gatún Lake — a vast inland sea created when the Canal flooded the Chagres Valley — as freighters queue in the distance for their lock slots. Your captain idles the engine as you approach the island's bank, and within minutes, Geoffroy's tamarins materialize from the canopy and hop aboard the bow rail, their tiny hands investigating your camera. Capuchins follow, curious and bold. Between islands, your naturalist points out basilisk lizards running on water, caimans basking on logs, and kingfishers hovering over the turquoise shallows. The silence of this lake — engineered by humans, reclaimed by nature — is profoundly moving.
Good to know
Gatún Lake is on the Atlantic side — approximately 1.5 hours from Fuerte Amador, so this excursion suits ships with a full-day port call. Do not feed the monkeys. Private charters must be reserved at least 2 weeks in advance. Bring sunscreen and a hat; the lake offers no shade.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Fuerte Amador — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.