Top 3 kids-friendly things to do in Gamboa

1. Embera Village tour with waterfall visit and traditional lunch

A full-day tour from Gamboa featuring the Embera Village, a scenic waterfall, traditional lunch, and local dance performances.

2. Monkey watching and nature walk in Gamboa

Four hours including transport — boat ride on Gatun Lake, easy nature walk in Gamboa rainforest, led by an English-speaking naturalist guide.

“This tour offers an excellent opportunity to explore Panama's ecological landscape. If you're a nature enthusiast eager to see wildlife and plants while avoiding stereotypical tourist experiences, this is the ideal choice. Our guide, Juan, was both knowledgeable and insightful throughout the day, and the small group setting enhanced the experience. Juan collected us from our hotel at a convenient time, and we traveled a short distance to Gambia, where we learned about local wildlife and observed several animals. We also enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant away from the tourist spots. It was truly a wonderful experience.”— Sheetal_G

3. Private tour of Miraflores Locks, Sloth Sanctuary and Gamboa rainforest

Seven hours, private transport — visit Miraflores Locks, a Sloth Sanctuary, and zip line through Gamboa Rainforest with an experienced guide.

“Jose, our guide, was knowledgeable, punctual, and a good communicator. He arranged our tickets in advance, which was efficient, and he was also a competent driver. However, the overall experience didn't justify the cost and the promotional material was misleading, as we expected a private tour. The Panama Canal was certainly interesting, but having a guide felt unnecessary since we were with the larger crowd, and we ended up with a poor viewing position. Despite arriving early, we missed out on the best spot and had to rush to the IMAX movie, which wasn’t needed as all seats were good. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but we felt rushed and didn't enjoy it fully. The sloth sanctuary was disappointing—we waited for a big group, and the tour was underwhelming with minimal interaction and just a few sleeping sloths. Zip lining was fun, but we had to wait for other large groups as well, making the guide's presence less essential since there were lockers available. Overall, this "private" tour didn't meet our expectations, and we could have saved money doing it independently.”— HLG305