Sight guide · Panama City · Panama
Visiting Metropolitan Natural Park
A protected area of tropical forest within the city limits, with marked trails that climb to a viewpoint over the city and the canal.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: LWY from Pasadena, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Metropolitan Natural Park is a park in Canal Zone, Panama City. Allow 2–3 hours; it is low cost. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Park
- Area
- Canal Zone
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- nature, outdoors, kids and active
- Best months
- January–March
About Metropolitan Natural Park
A protected area of tropical forest within the city limits, with marked trails that climb to a viewpoint over the city and the canal. Visitors often see sloths, titi monkeys, toucans and coatis, and early mornings are best for birdwatching.
Tip: Follow the marked trails uphill to the viewpoint over the canal and skyline, and arrive early to avoid the heat.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2–3 hours.
- Cost: Low cost.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Canal Zone.
Best time to visit Metropolitan Natural Park
Metropolitan Natural Park is outdoors, so weather matters most. The driest, most comfortable months are:
- February: 32°C (90°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, busy crowds.
- March: 33°C (91°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, busy crowds.
- January: 32°C (90°F) highs, about 3 rainy days, busy crowds.
When to visit Panama City has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Metropolitan Natural Park is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Miraflores Locks and Casco Viejo.
- No. 14 of the 15 sights in our Panama City things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
- One of the picks in outdoors in Panama City.
- A family favourite in Panama City with kids.
Near Metropolitan Natural Park
Also in Canal Zone, so you can walk between them:
- Ancón Hill — 1.5–2 hours, free
- Panama Canal partial transit — 5–6 hours, expensive
- Miraflores Locks — 2 hours, mid-priced
If you like Metropolitan Natural Park
- Biomuseo — Amador, 2 hours
- Amador Causeway — Amador, 2–3 hours
- Cinta Costera — Bella Vista and Avenida Balboa, 1–2 hours
Staying near Metropolitan Natural Park
Where to stay in Panama City compares every area by price and who it suits.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Metropolitan Natural Park?
Plan 2–3 hours. With Ancón Hill nearby, it fits a half-day in Canal Zone.
+Is Metropolitan Natural Park free?
No, it is low cost. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Metropolitan Natural Park?
January–March for the most comfortable weather. Follow the marked trails uphill to the viewpoint over the canal and skyline, and arrive early to avoid the heat.
+Do I need to book Metropolitan Natural Park in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Metropolitan Natural Park good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Panama City. Panama City is good for families: watching ships at the Miraflores Locks, the Biomuseo's displays, bike rides on the Amador Causeway and the Cinta Costera, and spotting sloths and monkeys in the city's forests and on Gatún Lake.