gamboa boat tours

The Best Gamboa Tours with 9 North Panama

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One of the best places to visit in Panama is the Gamboa rainforest along the Panama Canal. There are many Gamboa tours offered from Panama City, as well as through the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, but the best tour in Gamboa is one that gets you close to the amazing biodiversity that this area is known for.

During our visit to the Gamboa rainforest, we checked out several boat tour options. Hands down, 9 North Panama Safaris was the best. If you love animals, serene nature and photography, you have to take one of their boat safaris along the Panama Canal and Lake Gatun.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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All About Panama Canal Tours

When booking a tour of the Panama Canal, you will find yourself at the Gatun Lake area one way or another, whether you arrive from Panama City or one of the hotels in the area. However, it must be noted that many of the tours in the Panama Canal actually mean that you cruise down the canal leading into and out of Gatun Lake focusing your visit on the flora and fauna of the area.

During our time in Panama we actually did two different Panama Canal tours – one through our hotel and one through 9 North Panama Safari with the latter being much more what we had hoped to experience. This tour ended up being one of our favorite things to do, maybe even beating the Panama Canal which we visited twice! A tour with 9 North Panama Safari should be on the top of any traveler’s list of things to do in the country.

What To Expect on Gamboa Tours with 9 North Panama

Even if you aren’t a photography buff, you can take this Gamboa rainforest tour out into the canal and Gatun Lake to be one with nature. It is an experience you won’t get with other tour operators as most operators zoom in and out again with very little time to actually spend on the waterways surrounding the canal. However, 9 North offers 3 and 4 hour tours that give guests a real opportunity to soak up the nature around them.

Note, tours with 9 North Panama are all private tours, so you will not be competing for space with other tourists. That said, tours do book up quickly, so if you want to do this, make sure to make arrangements as early as you can.

Here is a quick view of what our day looked like with 9 North Panama Safaris.

Our Day Out in the Gamboa Rainforest

Morning on the River Charges and the Panama Canal is beautiful. It is so calm and serene watching the massive ships cruise past. It was the perfect opportunity to get an up close view of the hulking machines that ply this river daily. My Panama Canal obsessed son was in heaven being so close to massive tankers he had been watching go through the locks the day before.

As we set off on our adventure, we are introduced to our boat captain Johnny. He is from the area and knows these waters well. Before we leave the dock he has already spotted an iguana high up in the treetops. It’s fascinating to me how some guides can see these animals who blend into the surroundings so well. Johnny was one of the best we had experienced in our time in Panama.

The animal sightings continued as Johnny quickly slowed the boat and turned us around as we sped along the canal. He spotted a caiman in the shores of the canal, more iguana and snail kites. It was mesmerizing to see the caiman on the shores one minute and then disappear as the swells of a slow moving tanker covered his spot. When the water disappeared, he was gone.

Continuing on our journey, we delved deeper into Gatun Lake exploring the many islands that call this area home. Our first stop is to “Monkey Island” filled with tamarind monkeys and one juvenile capuchin that was dropped here by someone. S/he seems to be happy enough looking for food and spying out the boats that come to visit. This little monkey has the cutest face and is always up to something moving all around.

We stayed here for some time, watching the monkeys, while also keeping our eyes on a snail kite hovering above. We had hoped to see him grab his prey in front of us, but we didn’t have that luck today.

Moving on, we looked for and found a baby crocodile along the water’s edge. Again, how the boat captain can see these tiny camouflaged creatures is beyond me. It really is impressive!

The beauty of this tour is that it is a private tour which allows you to make this nature journey what you wish it to be. If you want to focus on birds, that’s what you will do. If you want to focus on seeing as many of the jungle animals as possible, that’s what you can do. We opted for a mix of whatever was out there. At the end, we saw so much more than even imaginable. It was breathtaking.

Being on the water, listening to the jungle come alive with the roars of the howler monkeys while pretending to be wildlife photographers was a day we will never forget.

Three hours came and went so quickly. Both myself and my 8 year old son were so sad to see the end to our Gamboa tours. However, we could not have asked for a more perfect last day in the country.

Where to Stay, Cost & More

During our visit, we stayed at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort which made the tour very convenient. It is also a great spot to relax and rejuvenate before heading back to the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The prices for the 9 North Panama Gamboa tours are quite reasonable considering what you get. For a 3 hour tour, with drinks and snacks, expert guidance on using the cameras and a nature guide who has an amazing ability to spot wildlife cost from $95 per person depending on the tour you choose. They do have a 2 hour non-photography tour that is $55 per person which is quite a better deal than the group tours offered through the hotel which also charge that for what really amounts to less than 1 hour in nature.

On the morning tour we took, 9 North Panama Safaris provided a thermos of water, hot tea and/or coffee and light snacks for each tour. If you wish to bring other snacks, feel free however we found this was more than enough. We were also too busy shooting photos to take much time to notice our growling tummies!

Once you are finished with your tour, you will be given a SD card with all of your photos. This was the best gift we could have left the country with. Additionally, 9 North Panama sends across a short video showcasing your day out (see the video above). This was a really great surprise and a great memory to take home with us.

Lastly, one of the best things about doing a Gamboa tour with 9 North Panama is spending time with the owner and his partner. They are an absolute joy to chat to and provide great instruction on the cameras as well as information about the local flora and fauna in the Gamboa rainforest region.

This is not a sponsored post. We just LOVED the tour so much we wanted to share it all with you. Have you ever done a photography tour? I highly recommend doing one as it was the highlight of our trip to Panama.

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Gamboa Rainforest Resort Chagres River Boat Tour

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Gamboa Rainforest Resort Chagres River Boat Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Gatun Expedition

If you consider yourself an adventurer in search of a wonderful memory, this boat trip to the heart of Gatun Lake, the second largest artificial lake in the world, will be one of your favorites. In a tour that combines history and ecology, navigate inside the widest part of the Panama Canal to hidden islands where, if conditions are favorable, you will see families of capuchin, howler and titi monkeys.

Information

Duration : 1 hour 15 minutes

Difficulty level: Easy

What to bring: Sunglasses, sunscreen, water and camera.

Monday to Sunday

Expedition Lake Gatún

• Destinations
• Things to do

This tour of Lake Gatún allows travelers to experience the natural wonders of the lake and also get a partial look at the Panama Canal.

This tour begins on the edge of Gamboa. After tour participants board the boat, you’ll head up the Chagres River before entering Lake Gatún in the Panama Canal. At 165 square miles (425 square km), Lake Gatún is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. As your boat works its way through the lake, you’ll visit several islands where you may be able to see white-faced capuchin and howler monkeys, as well as numerous bird species.

This tour is ideal for nature lovers, as you will experience the lake, islands, rainforests, and animals.

This tour departs daily at 7:15 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:45 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

The duration of the tour depends on where you are coming from. From Panama City, this tour lasts lasts around 3 hours; from Gamboa, it lasts around 1 hour; and from Playa Bonita, it lasts around 3.5 hours.

Attraction Visited

The Panama Canal is one of the world’s most impressive engineering feats. The canal extends 80 kilometers (50 mi) from Panama City on the Pacific Ocean to Colón on the Caribbean Sea. It’s built at one of the lowest and narrowest points in Panama, and runs right through the Continental Divide. More than 14,000 ships pass through the canal annually, carrying some 300 million tons of cargo. As such, the Panama Canal is one of the largest generators of income for Panama—in 2011, the canal generated $800 million, some two percent of the country’s GDP.

Read more: Panama Canal

What to Bring

comfortable clothing and shoes, long pants, hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, camera, binoculars, and sunscreen.

What's included

transportation, bilingual guide, and boat ride in Lake Gatún.

Transportation

Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. Options vary by tour, see “BOOKING REQUEST” for full details.

Similar things to do

This tour of Panama City and the Panama Canal provides travelers with an excellent look at some of the area’s best attractions.

During this tour of the Panama Canal, tour participants will experience three of the of the canal’s most famous features – the Gaillard Cut, the Pedro Miguel Locks, and the Miraflores Locks.

Get ready to experience the Panama Canal as few travelers do. On this tour, you’ll travel through the entire Panama Canal, including its locks and lakes.

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THE 10 BEST Moscow Boat Rides & Cruises

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• Stand-Up Paddleboarding
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• Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing
• Kayaking & Canoeing
• Waterskiing & Jetskiing
• River Rafting & Tubing
• Parasailing & Paragliding
• Dolphin & Whale Watching
• Speed Boats Tours
• Submarine Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• District Northern (SAO)
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Couples
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Hidden Gems
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1. Flotilla Radisson Royal

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3. Sup-Club

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5. Diving Center Crocus City Oceanarium

6. CheapRussia Tours

7. Kite School Kiteclass

8. SUP Center

9. Erwin. Reka

11. Easy Russia Tour Guide

12. Lovely Russia Tours

13. Capital River Boat Tours - Moscow Centre

14. Alfa Centr

15. Diving Club Divers

16. Sup Outdoor

17. MORE MOSCOW

19. Soho Sailing Style

20. Diving Center Crocodile

21. Dive-Project

22. Mosparokhodstvo

24. Kosinskiy Children Marine Club

25. Kayak Moscow

26. DIVECLUB CHE

27. Morskiye Volki

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29. Moswake

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1. Monkey and Sloth Jungle Habitat Panama Tour

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7. Private Fishing in the Panama Canal, Gatun Lake

8. 7 Hours Monkey Island and Nature Walk at Soberania National Park

9. Aerial Tram & Sloth Sanctuary in the Rainforest

10. Canopy in Gamboa and visit to the sloth sanctuary

11. Birding Pipeline Road from Panama City and Gamboa Town

12. Zipline and Sloth Sanctuary Private Tour

13. Cruise Shore Excursion Panama: Wildlife Gatun lake

14. Eco Boat Canal Cruise & Monkey Habitat Tour

15. Soberania National Park Hike

16. Kayaking tour in the Chagres River

17. Stopover in Panama 6 days Nature in Panama

18. Gamboa Aerial Tram and Sloth Sanctuary

19. Canal of Panama by Helicopter

20. Embera Village Tour

21. Embera indigenous Village visit

22. Monkeys Discovery

23. The Panama Canal: Kingfisher Experience Private Tour

24. Playa Bonita/Gamboa to Panama Airport (PTY)- Private Transfer

25. Private Transfer from Tocumen Airport to Gamboa

26. Private Tour to Monkey Island and Sloth Sanctuary in Gamboa

27. San Blas for a day in a private plane

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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