alouatta lodge

My husband and I enjoyed seeing the monkeys and the caretakers of the research center which we got to see last year. However, it was shared with us that they no longer have it open to tourists and so this time was unable to take my sister to see it. Was really sad about that, was a highlight for me.

The Students Without Borders Academy has just returned home after 37 days in Panama. A highlight for all of us was our five day visit to Alouatta Sanctuary. The Outstanding leadership - impassioned and competent - infused our group with optimism and a sense of responsibility. If not us, WHO? if not now, WHEN? We look forward to keeping in touch with their outstanding work. Students Without Borders Academy LOVES Alouatta.

A hard place to find or even get a hold of on the telephone, but a great way to spend an afternoon surrounded by howler monkeys, beautiful plants and well informed staff. It is a good cause. And what a view all the way to the pacific!

Alouatta sanctuary is such a nice place! I was a volonteer for 5 days and lived in the jungle hut, it was a great experience! You follow a schedule with a rotation of the different tasks with the others volonteers/interns ( feeding the monkeys, rehab of the monkeys, conservation and wildlife activities and other projects) The people there are very friendly and helpful. I will never forget this experience!If you like nature and animals, you should try it!

I volunteered at Alouatta for 12 days and absolutely loved it! It was a spectacular experience! Living is communal style, and makes for a very cool experience, for you get to meet so many new people who are often from different countries. Unlike most volunteer jobs involving animals, I was not simply relegated to cleaning and construction. Seth, Jolie, and the various interns taught me how to care for monkeys, run behavioral and cognitive studies, and conduct transects. Every day I was given a different task, and I ultimately got to experience the ins and outs of monkey rehabilitation.If you are visiting for the day, lunch is $10, and it is absolutely worth it. Jolie is a fabulous cook! I would definitely recommend taking multiple hikes around the sanctuary. The property is extensive and absolutely gorgeous, and the interns know so much about the monkeys and the local plant life. While there, remember this is a conservation project, NOT a zoo. You can touch the monkeys if they happen to climb on you, but they are there for recovery and release into the wild, not play time. But don't worry. You'll see plenty of monkeys while you're there. The resident troupe is very friendly and often comes up to the sanctuary for monkey cuddles and bananas. The work Seth and Jolie are doing is so inspiring, and I wish them the very best! Right now they are building new enclosures for a tamarin troupe they hope to foster. If you're visiting Panama, stopping by Alouatta is a must.

Sharing a few hours at this sanctuary gave us an opportunity to learn more about the challenges, successes and vision held by this dedicated group. The drive up the road was an adventure in itself - 4x4 only! The hike through the property would not be considered 'easy' as the damp floor and some elevations made trekking a bit tricky - our new intern guide Millie was a real delight to talk with sharing a wealth of information/experience. All of the staff were very most welcoming and we especially enjoyed the little anecdotes that they shared regarding the individual monkeys. Although we didn't see the troupes on the property we did hear the howlers before nap time. We look forward to updates on FB page in the future. Wishing them much luck with the sanctuary and future projects on plan!

I visited in September 2011 - nearly 2 years ago and it really is one of the highlights of my life to go and visit this place. I looked this place up to see who'd bought it as Steve and Michelle were selling and hoping the new people would continue their work. They most certainly seem to have done and certainly developed its full potential. It's not hard to get to so don't let that put you off. The website says they'll collect and the hostel I stayed in in David made arrangements for my transport - I just spent a day there. It was the hostel who recommended this place to me and they weren't wrong. Just don't try getting there without speaking to someone first and it will be easy. So glad this reserve is going strong and that the new owners are working with the community - after all the babies are sometimes orphaned because the locals kill the lactating mother as it is as its most juiciest post birth. Horrific no? Oh I just remember one thing - men , the monkeys could be a little bit aggresive towards you. They like the ladies for hanging out on - literally!

This was an amazing trip for us. We had to leave our car at the bottom of the mountain, and we caught a ride up with some of the interns who had a 4x4 (100% necessary). It's also a possible 30-45 minute hike if you're up for it. We were greeted by two monkey friends who wanted to play with us immediately.We only took a tour of the facilities (not an actual hike), and also got to interact with some howler monkeys who were not in their inclosures.There were many monkeys in inclosures who we were not able to interact with, but our guide (Tiffany is great!) explained the reasons for each animal being there, how they were being treated to facilitated re-integration into the wild, and how we could interact with them.Being able to actually play with the monkeys is NOT guaranteed, and it's easier to get the opportunity if you time your visit with their schedule. We were there at about 11:30 am, before the went to nap.Also could hear howlers monkeys in the distance. We then walked back down the hill to our car (about a 25 minute walk).This was a good experience not only because we got to play with the monkeys, but because the guide was very knowledgeable, explained the research projects they have going on, and was able to answer all of our questions.Definitely take some time to see this if you're in the area! It was NICE to see animals treated with respect. This is NOT a zoo in any way, but a place for them learn the skills they need to join a troop and go back into the wild.

One of the most difficult places to find but perhaps the most educational and fun Panama visits was to Alouatta Lodge. The mountainous reserve works with orphaned and ill monkeys to prepare them for reentry into the primate population. This was my wife's favorite stop and she held and played with the monkeys. We hired a driver, Rolando, who took us the mountain road in his 4 wheel drive vehicle.

We stayed for 2 nights at Alouatta Sanctuary and had an amazing time. We were the only guests there, which meant that we were able to spend quite a bit of time with the researchers there. The entire team is so friendly, helpful and thoughtful. Each researcher took time to explain to us what they were doing and why they were doing it. It was a great glimpse into life at a functioning research station.Jolie is an amazing cook (and she tells great stories), and we ate incredibly well during our stay. We were woken up each morning by howlers right outside our cabin. There are plenty of hiking trails to take during the day and a platform with a beautiful view of the hills and ocean. The monkeys are the main attraction, of course, and they were amazing. It was great to meet them all and play with them. Please be respectful of them - they're not pets, they are animals that are being rehabilitated to be returned to the wild. Ask permission before you touch them, and know that permission may be denied if the monkey isn't up for handling by a stranger. Monkeys aren't dogs - they won't necessarily love everyone or want to be roughhoused with. We loved this place and everything about it, but it's not intended for everyone (I think this is a great thing). There is no electricity in the cabin we stayed in and the bathroom and shower are down the hill. Again, we LOVED this about the sanctuary and wouldn't change a thing. Just be forewarned lest you think this is a fancier place than it is. The other cabin has a private bathroom. Both cabins are set in the jungle. This is a research station, not a hotel (though they do allow a small number of guests). You won't find a pool or a bar and you absolutely cannot smoke on the property, so don't even think about it. The jungle has bugs, and during the day, when the generator is turned off, there is no electricity or hot water. You might get wet, you might see a spider by the toilet, and you might step in monkey poo. If you can deal with that, then you should be fine to stay at the sanctuary. ;)I applaud the folks at Alouatta Sanctuary for rehabilitating animals and working with the local indigenous population to promote conservation and fair trade. I'm so glad we were able to spend two nights with them!

I've heard of this place by accident. It is actually closer to David than Boquete and it is difficult to reach. Therefore you call the owners a few day in advance. Then you can take a bus and at a meeting point they pick you up. I just visited for few hours to take photos. The howler monkeys are amazing. I loved spending time with them. They come close and even jump on your back sometimes...

I have to start the review by stating alouatta is between david and boquete, so its not very close to either. The hill is also rather steep if you are walking up from the main road (3km up hill) need 4x4, most cabs can't go up.that being said and the fact that I despise hills, it was so worth it! There is noting like having baby monkeys hang on you.The animals there all depend on what needed rescuing, so when I went there were monkeys and a honey bear. I would never have been able to get this close to these animals in the wild.plus they are a great organization.their goal is to be able to release these animals in the end.I would have liked to have gone in the early evening/morning to bottle feed the monkeys and to have seen the more nocturnal animals, but I am just so happy to have been able to go. Its hard to get someone on the phone; but use the email or facebook , its so worth it.

On our Panama trip, this visit made the most impression. We will never forget this. So if you still doubt to go after reading all the great stories on tripadvisor; please go! You will have a fantastic experience, and your money is well spent; you support this great project. It is sad that projects as this ar needed in this world, but great that there are people who do this.It is very interesting to see those young and kind students doing there job. They share their knowledge with you. You can ask anything. Very nice to have shared the meals with them. Nice talks, good laughs. They really to their utmost to cook great meals. We learned something good of them; dont throw food away. Now we are at home, we recycle our leftovers as well. So we learned something..The interactions with the monkeys; we will never forget. They really see you as their surogate mum. Cute!The only thing what we found a little bit disappointing after reading all those great story's, was that the owner Judy, was not very hospitaly.

Thank you to Jolie and Seth and their amazing staff and the volunteer interns for sharing their day with us last week while we were in Panama. Never before have we been able to experience being with animals in their natural environment in this kind of amazing setting. The Alouatta property is extensive and naturally beautiful and before we even drove through the dates Seth had us out the car to quietly watch a troop of howlers in the trees beside the road. There were about 14 of them (adults and babies) and it was a real privilege to be so up close with these gentle magnificent primates. Once we actually arrived at the sanctuary we were overwhelmed with the cuteness of Mojo, Coco and Nina Simone, the 3 baby howlers currenty being rehabiliated by Alouatta. Seth and Jolie and their crew made us feel like we were just a part of their organization. They served a delicious lunch and just let us hang out all day. My husband even went back very early the next morning to accompany one of their students on a frog identifying and spotting mission. Alouatta is a special place. This is not a zoo, nor is it formal in anyway. If you are looking for a precision timed, air-conditioned, gift shop kind of place and don't want to experience animals in a close-up way this is not the place for you. If you respect animals and are a proponent for conservation and sustainability this is the perfect place for you. You will learn so much and leave with a huge smile on your face and amazing memories. Thank you Alouatta - we wish you well in all your endeavours.

The experience brought me to tears. In a good way. I would never go to a zoo so being able to see and interact with monkeys in a natural setting (no cages) was an experience I'll never forget. Set on 40 acres of beautiful flower filled jungle, this was the highlight of our entire trip to Panama. We learned Howler monkeys need their mothers for nurturing or they’ll die from depression. Several of them were young orphans who look to humans as their “mom” they are super gentle and love to cuddle and hang on your shoulders. This place is not an amusement park, it’s a sanctuary. It's the real deal. This is a group of committed people: primatologists and scientists trying to make a difference for wildlife. The ultimate goal is to get these babies to being monkeys in their natural environment. We felt warmly welcomed by Seth, Jolie and their interns who really hope to get the word out about their project. They’re also doing work to help the local Indigenous Indians. If you are anywhere in the Chiriqui Province, this is not to be missed. Thank you for letting us have this amazing experience. - lori and doug