Akumal Monkey Sanctuary Photos
Recommended Reviews - Akumal Monkey Sanctuary
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
This place was all around amazing. From the staff to the all around variety of different animals they have here. Loved the stories and all the knowledge I've gained coming to this sanctuary'. The resort I was staying at set me up with this excursion and the sanctuary has a pick up service we're they come get you and drive you back to the resort your staying at. Me and my girlfriend were looking for individual excursions were it was just us but it was cheaper and didn't make sense doing excursions by ourselves. It was way to expensive so we decided to do it with a small group of people. It was $75 a person. Now onto the sanctuary. Upon arriving they pair you in small groups with different instructors that take you on a tour of the sanctuary. The instructor i got I really liked because not only was he very knowledgeable of the animals and his job, but he was very caring and passionate of all the animals. Our instructor knew ever animals name and story for every animal we got to see in the sanctuary and the animals knew him. It was an amazing experience to see and be a part of. All these animals in the sanctuary are rescues that they take care of until they are released into the wild for the most part. They're some animals who unfortunately can't fend for themselves and survive on their own in the wild so they're there permanently, but very taken care of. All around an amazing experience and great time. The have a camera man who follows you with you group to take pictures, which you can pay to have printed out after the tour is done. They also have a lil shop we're you can buy clothing after as well. All around I really loved this place and it was a great time seeing all the animals here being taken care of. The only thing I didn't like coming here from a resort was once you the tour is over, you have to wait for every body in your party to get back on the van to drive you back to the resort. So me and my girlfriend were down and had a wait 30 mins or so just for everybody to get back in the van to take us back to the resort. Once you get dropped off here everyone's on there own but what they should do is if your coming from a resort they should make sure everyone's in your party is on the same tour so everyone finishes at the same time. The people who were in the van with us were on a different tour so we finished before them, so unfortunately you have to wait now for everyone to get back in the van. This could of easily be addressed by making sure everyone in your party is on the same tour so everyone finishes up at the same time. Overall, I had a great time and my girlfriend had a great time. This way better then a zoo were animal are caged just to make a buck. This sanctuary is helping animals who are injured and nursing them until their able to be released back in the wild.
My wife and I took our 3 teens to the Monkey Sanctuary on our Spring trip to Mexico. The facilities were well-kept, clean, and very welcoming. The staff was friendly and our tour guide was nice, informative, and quite witty. She kept things moving at a comfortable pace, was open to questions, and expressed love and kindness for all of the animals we encountered. There's a bit of a 'petting zoo' vibe but the animals that were enclosed all had good reason - according to our guide - for being housed. Many of the animals have been rescued and are isolated for their own safety as they've come from sheltered private ownership and most aren't accustomed to life with other animals. (All of this was explained to us in great detail, but it looks like those who rated this place one-star left without knowing this fact, and assume these animals are lonely and isolated against their will. This is not the case, folks.) I admit, it feels a bit pricey at $65.00 (US) per person, but we're told the money gets rolled back into the care of the animals, so that eases the pain a bit. There was a gift shop and an opportunity to purchase photos of us holding a monkey, a snake, and exotic parrots, but there was never any pressure to buy. I think they are doing good work at this facility and would be happy to donate again in the future.
I've read reviews that you only get to spend 10 minutes with the monkeys physically which is true. I still enjoyed the little tour though. For $65 per person for a 2 hour tour about all the animals they have "rescued" or "donated" to them. In the beginning we had a 5 minute Mayan ritual, saw some macaws, rabbits, pigs, chickens, and donkeys. Fed some deers goats which was pretty cool as our first interaction. Then, we saw some sleeping baby warthogs and began to see different types of monkey that were explained during the tour. There were other macaws that we got to hold in our hands for a second and other birds free to roam, but some wings clipped so they don't fly away. (I don't know how much of that was painful to them.). Held some baby snakes and for the finale had some interaction with the monkeys! Basically they just give them sunflower seeds to hop on you here and there as everyone gets a turn. You pet with your back hand once or twice and that'd basically it. Super cute though!! In the end they feed you some tortilla with some sort of sauce, but you can pass on it because its really bland and a little greasy. I think it was the mayans tradition to eat it, but I was not impressed. I feel like the tour overall was cool and worth it! There were small interactions with different animals which makes up for those small 10 minute interaction. I mean I would love more time with monkeys too, but think about how many people come to do these tours. I wouldn't want them stressing out to do a whole circus for me. FYI - Make sure you bring some mosquito repellant, shorts, and some tank because it does get pretty hot!
This sanctuary was nice. I was excited to see rescued animals. The shuttle bus picked us up from our hotel and upon entry you pay $65 per person. The tour started shortly and I saw pigs, goats, rabbits, monkeys and parrots. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about each animal. There was an option to take photos and hold two parrots, as well as, a monkey. It was great experience.
My 7 year old son said he gave this place six million thumbs up. We were all very happy with our experience at the sanctuary. It was a great excursion for a family with young kids!! Our guide, Edwin, was very informative. Most of the animals had a story as to why they came to the sanctuary. Mostly because they were pets that no one wanted anymore. Our two hour tour included feeding deer and goats, having a boa and parrot perched on our shoulders, many monkeys, foxes, opossums and birds to see. They had a midway pit stop with homemade gorditas, cucumber, jicama and and tamarind drink made buy someone's sweet abuela. The main attraction was going into the squirrel monkey cage and having them climb all over you and you could pet them. We did not feel rushed at all. The cost of $65 per adult and $45 per child (kids under 5 were free) was reasonable considering it goes to keeping up the sanctuary. The tour ended with a cenote and cave. You have a chance to purchase pictures on a USB stick that their photographer takes. Although you can take pictures during most of the tour, just not in the monkey cage...since curious monkeys like to take shiny things. They also had a small gift shop with unique local items and some snacks. The staff was very friendly and even called us a taxi. Make sure to call ahead and reserve your tour!!
What a great, fun and different excursion during our time in Mexico. I was lucky to find this place. I just happened to be looking at things close enough that the bf & I could ride our bikes to, and bam! there it was! The AMS. I did some research and thought this could be a great little tour for us to do. So we rode our bikes from the bay of Akumal Beach (about 2 miles) over to the AMS. We rode down a small rode before we arrived to the gate, they opened it once we told them we had signed up for the 10:00 tour. Upon entry they take photos and verify your I.D. (passports for us) and give you a brief overview. NOTE: be sure to wear something that covers your shoulders. This is the one main clothing requirement. Additionally, bring hand sanitizer or wash your hands a lot as well. This will help when you feed the animals as well for their safety. I really enjoyed learned about the different ways they are helping to preserve wildlife and the small educational area they've created as well to help schools in the area. Marcos was a great guide - friendly and knowledgable. They interwined Mayan culture into the experience as well. The tour we did was 2.5 or so hours: we did a walk through the park, met some goats and deers, learned about the different species of monkeys, saw a Cenote (not allowed to get into it) and then had monkey play time (squirrel monkeys). It was a pleasant experience and we saved 20% by finding a code Online - so be sure to look around before booking! We splurged for photos at the end for the USB Stick of $50 USD. All in all good experience.
I absolutely loved and enjoyed every moment (and penny) spent at this sanctuary. Our guide, Sergio (I believe that's his name-newer employee), was very knowledgeable. He did an extraordinary job explaining each animal and in answering any questions we had. I initially came here the day I arrived to get some tour information. It was a rainy day and they had just had a storm. The staff was absolutely friendly and honest with me. They encouraged me to book another day as it was most likely that I would not be able to see much as the animals tend not to be so active when it rains. I truly appreciated their honesty, which is why I decided to come back 2 days later. I feel as though many people confuse it with your traditional zoo that you see in the states, it's not. If that is what you're looking for, this is not the place for you. This is something more intimate in where you get to interact with various of their animals. To some $65 may seem like a lot. It can be. If you play it smart you can get your tickets online for $45, which is what I did. The best time to come is at the 9am or 4pm slots. Those are the least crowded time slots, per staff. I thought it was a great added touch that a photographer was with us to capture such a memorable tour. I ended up purchasing their USB drive package which came with 20+ pictures and a video of you interacting with the monkeys. Yes it can be pricey but in my opinion it's worth every penny. I highly recommend this place to everyone, especially if you want to interact with monkeys. It will NOT disappoint.
All the one star reviews are true! This place is a set up to rip off the tourist. They lie and make up stories to make you feel bad about the animals. They charge 65USD per admission fee with only guide tour available. They want to charge 20USD for one digital photo. You can take your own photos during the whole 2 hours tour but they don't let you bring anything when interacting with the monkey (it was 10mins), so they can take hundreds of photos of you with the monkey jumping on you in order to rip you off. By the away, your EXPENSIVE admission fee does not include tip for the guide, 10 to 20 percent tip is expected from the tour guide! They ask by the end of the tour! Will NEVER go back, and DO NOT recommend them!
One of the best animal encounters, including goats, zebras, emus, wild pigs, donkeys and much more, but the stars of the show are definitely the monkeys. This sanctuary is well run and the workers are very caring and knowledgeable. The best part is the interaction with the monkeys. A must if you're in this area. read more
Highly recommend this experience. We stayed in a nearby resort that offered the monkey sanctuary with ATV rides, exploring a cenote, snorkeling with turtles, along with lunch and transportation for $140 per person. We were blown away by the experience and feel it was well worth the money. The experience flowed well and was well organized. The ATV's were fun and lasted about 20-25 minutes each way. The tour of the monkey sanctuary was my favorite part of the day. Our guide Miguel was very knowledgable and told all of the rescue stories. The monkeys also looked very comfortable and at home, often responding to the guide and coming close to greet us. They looked well cared for. We got the opporunity to hold snakes, parrots, and best of all a gorgeous little monkey name Thomasina. Being in the enclosure with Thomasina you are required to remove all jewelry, glasses, and anything shiny. You sit in rows and the instructor guides the monkey to go on everyones shoulders and laps. You are not allowed to touch or grab her. All of the experiences are photographed and you are able to buy your photos at the end. read more
This place was all around amazing. From the staff to the all around variety of different animals they have here. Loved the stories and all the knowledge I've gained coming to this sanctuary'. The resort I was staying at set me up with this excursion and the sanctuary has a pick up service we're they come get you and drive you back to the resort your staying at. Me and my girlfriend were looking for individual excursions were it was just us but it was cheaper and didn't make sense doing excursions by ourselves. It was way to expensive so we decided to do it with a small group of people. It was $75 a person. Now onto the sanctuary. Upon arriving they pair you in small groups with different instructors that take you on a tour of the sanctuary. The instructor i got I really liked because not only was he very knowledgeable of the animals and his job, but he was very caring and passionate of all the animals. Our instructor knew ever animals name and story for every animal we got to see in the sanctuary and the animals knew him. It was an amazing experience to see and be a part of. All these animals in the sanctuary are rescues that they take care of until they are released into the wild for the most part. They're some animals who unfortunately can't fend for themselves and survive on their own in the wild so they're there permanently, but very taken care of. All around an amazing experience and great time. The have a camera man who follows you with you group to take pictures, which you can pay to have printed out after the tour is done. They also have a lil shop we're you can buy clothing after as well. All around I really loved this place and it was a great time seeing all the animals here being taken care of. The only thing I didn't like coming here from a resort was once you the tour is over, you have to wait for every body in your party to get back on the van to drive you back to the resort. So me and my girlfriend were down and had a wait 30 mins or so just for everybody to get back in the van to take us back to the resort. Once you get dropped off here everyone's on there own but what they should do is if your coming from a resort they should make sure everyone's in your party is on the same tour so everyone finishes at the same time. The people who were in the van with us were on a different tour so we finished before them, so unfortunately you have to wait now for everyone to get back in the van. This could of easily be addressed by making sure everyone in your party is on the same tour so everyone finishes up at the same time. Overall, I had a great time and my girlfriend had a great time. This way better then a zoo were animal are caged just to make a buck. This sanctuary is helping animals who are injured and nursing them until their able to be released back in the wild. read more
3 years ago
My wife and I took our 3 teens to the Monkey Sanctuary on our Spring trip to Mexico. The facilities were well-kept, clean, and very welcoming. The staff was friendly and our tour guide was nice, informative, and quite witty. She kept things moving at a comfortable pace, was open to questions, and expressed love and kindness for all of the animals we encountered. There's a bit of a 'petting zoo' vibe but the animals that were enclosed all had good reason - according to our guide - for being housed. Many of the animals have been rescued and are isolated for their own safety as they've come from sheltered private ownership and most aren't accustomed to life with other animals. (All of this was explained to us in great detail, but it looks like those who rated this place one-star left without knowing this fact, and assume these animals are lonely and isolated against their will. This is not the case, folks.) I admit, it feels a bit pricey at $65.00 (US) per person, but we're told the money gets rolled back into the care of the animals, so that eases the pain a bit. There was a gift shop and an opportunity to purchase photos of us holding a monkey, a snake, and exotic parrots, but there was never any pressure to buy. I think they are doing good work at this facility and would be happy to donate again in the future. read more
10 months ago
3 years ago
Awesome experience. It was wonderful to see the protection and care they provided for these animals. Many of them were rescued. Out tour guide Atziri was wonderful. Very informative! read more
7 years ago
I've read reviews that you only get to spend 10 minutes with the monkeys physically which is true. I still enjoyed the little tour though. For $65 per person for a 2 hour tour about all the animals they have "rescued" or "donated" to them. In the beginning we had a 5 minute Mayan ritual, saw some macaws, rabbits, pigs, chickens, and donkeys. Fed some deers goats which was pretty cool as our first interaction. Then, we saw some sleeping baby warthogs and began to see different types of monkey that were explained during the tour. There were other macaws that we got to hold in our hands for a second and other birds free to roam, but some wings clipped so they don't fly away. (I don't know how much of that was painful to them.). Held some baby snakes and for the finale had some interaction with the monkeys! Basically they just give them sunflower seeds to hop on you here and there as everyone gets a turn. You pet with your back hand once or twice and that'd basically it. Super cute though!! In the end they feed you some tortilla with some sort of sauce, but you can pass on it because its really bland and a little greasy. I think it was the mayans tradition to eat it, but I was not impressed. I feel like the tour overall was cool and worth it! There were small interactions with different animals which makes up for those small 10 minute interaction. I mean I would love more time with monkeys too, but think about how many people come to do these tours. I wouldn't want them stressing out to do a whole circus for me. FYI - Make sure you bring some mosquito repellant, shorts, and some tank because it does get pretty hot! read more
This sanctuary was nice. I was excited to see rescued animals. The shuttle bus picked us up from our hotel and upon entry you pay $65 per person. The tour started shortly and I saw pigs, goats, rabbits, monkeys and parrots. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about each animal. There was an option to take photos and hold two parrots, as well as, a monkey. It was great experience. read more
3 years ago
Had a fantastic time here the tour guide was very informative ,loved the different species of monkeys read more
4 years ago
This place was top notch. They are very attentive to the animals. We had a great tour guide Yary who was very knowledgeable and fun. They made it very clear that the purpose of this place is to rehabilitate and release if at all possible. It is responsible ecotourism. read more
9 years ago
My 7 year old son said he gave this place six million thumbs up. We were all very happy with our experience at the sanctuary. It was a great excursion for a family with young kids!! Our guide, Edwin, was very informative. Most of the animals had a story as to why they came to the sanctuary. Mostly because they were pets that no one wanted anymore. Our two hour tour included feeding deer and goats, having a boa and parrot perched on our shoulders, many monkeys, foxes, opossums and birds to see. They had a midway pit stop with homemade gorditas, cucumber, jicama and and tamarind drink made buy someone's sweet abuela. The main attraction was going into the squirrel monkey cage and having them climb all over you and you could pet them. We did not feel rushed at all. The cost of $65 per adult and $45 per child (kids under 5 were free) was reasonable considering it goes to keeping up the sanctuary. The tour ended with a cenote and cave. You have a chance to purchase pictures on a USB stick that their photographer takes. Although you can take pictures during most of the tour, just not in the monkey cage...since curious monkeys like to take shiny things. They also had a small gift shop with unique local items and some snacks. The staff was very friendly and even called us a taxi. Make sure to call ahead and reserve your tour!! read more
What a great, fun and different excursion during our time in Mexico. I was lucky to find this place. I just happened to be looking at things close enough that the bf & I could ride our bikes to, and bam! there it was! The AMS. I did some research and thought this could be a great little tour for us to do. So we rode our bikes from the bay of Akumal Beach (about 2 miles) over to the AMS. We rode down a small rode before we arrived to the gate, they opened it once we told them we had signed up for the 10:00 tour. Upon entry they take photos and verify your I.D. (passports for us) and give you a brief overview. NOTE: be sure to wear something that covers your shoulders. This is the one main clothing requirement. Additionally, bring hand sanitizer or wash your hands a lot as well. This will help when you feed the animals as well for their safety. I really enjoyed learned about the different ways they are helping to preserve wildlife and the small educational area they've created as well to help schools in the area. Marcos was a great guide - friendly and knowledgable. They interwined Mayan culture into the experience as well. The tour we did was 2.5 or so hours: we did a walk through the park, met some goats and deers, learned about the different species of monkeys, saw a Cenote (not allowed to get into it) and then had monkey play time (squirrel monkeys). It was a pleasant experience and we saved 20% by finding a code Online - so be sure to look around before booking! We splurged for photos at the end for the USB Stick of $50 USD. All in all good experience. read more
8 years ago
I absolutely loved and enjoyed every moment (and penny) spent at this sanctuary. Our guide, Sergio (I believe that's his name-newer employee), was very knowledgeable. He did an extraordinary job explaining each animal and in answering any questions we had. I initially came here the day I arrived to get some tour information. It was a rainy day and they had just had a storm. The staff was absolutely friendly and honest with me. They encouraged me to book another day as it was most likely that I would not be able to see much as the animals tend not to be so active when it rains. I truly appreciated their honesty, which is why I decided to come back 2 days later. I feel as though many people confuse it with your traditional zoo that you see in the states, it's not. If that is what you're looking for, this is not the place for you. This is something more intimate in where you get to interact with various of their animals. To some $65 may seem like a lot. It can be. If you play it smart you can get your tickets online for $45, which is what I did. The best time to come is at the 9am or 4pm slots. Those are the least crowded time slots, per staff. I thought it was a great added touch that a photographer was with us to capture such a memorable tour. I ended up purchasing their USB drive package which came with 20+ pictures and a video of you interacting with the monkeys. Yes it can be pricey but in my opinion it's worth every penny. I highly recommend this place to everyone, especially if you want to interact with monkeys. It will NOT disappoint. read more
5 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
All the one star reviews are true! This place is a set up to rip off the tourist. They lie and make up stories to make you feel bad about the animals. They charge 65USD per admission fee with only guide tour available. They want to charge 20USD for one digital photo. You can take your own photos during the whole 2 hours tour but they don't let you bring anything when interacting with the monkey (it was 10mins), so they can take hundreds of photos of you with the monkey jumping on you in order to rip you off. By the away, your EXPENSIVE admission fee does not include tip for the guide, 10 to 20 percent tip is expected from the tour guide! They ask by the end of the tour! Will NEVER go back, and DO NOT recommend them! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
My family and I visited and it was better than expected. After reading the reviews, I have to admit, I was almost not going to go - but boy am I glad we did! This place is not a zoo, it doesn't claim to be a zoo. I'm not sure what these other people who had such horrible reviews were expecting. It's a sanctuary where they rescue and release (if possible) monkeys and lots of other animals. Our guide Marcos was very knowledgeable of the animals and the stories behind each of them. He was very friendly and passionate about what he was doing. Our favorite part of the tour was of course the interaction with the monkey Tomasa. The interaction was much longer than we thought it would be and we were pleasantly surprised with how much interaction we had with her. If you truly care about animals, their habitats and their existence then I highly recommend you visit this sanctuary. All proceeds go back to the animals and the facility as well. read more
This place is ok. Apparently you need reservations and walk-ins are not always available. With that, we had to go back a second day and pay $65 per person. The price seems a bit steep because its a sanctuary so you don't really get to get interact with the animals a lot. On top of that, one of my kids got sick in the middle of the tour so she had to go back to the headquarters to wait until the tour was over. If they only charged $40 for the whole tour, I would definitely give it the 5 stars. Don't get me wrong, the staff is super amazing and friendly, but not worth $65 per person/per visit. read more
7 years ago
This place is well worth the money for a tour. Our guide Sergio was very knowledgeable and you could easily tell the the employees here really care about the animals. Yes, they are enclosed in their separate spaces and for good reason. These animals (mostly monkeys) are rescued from circus or other horrible human ownerships and cannot just be released into the wild. They take great care to rehabilitate the animals properly. The interaction with the monkeys is fun and the absolute highlight of the tour. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
First off, let me make it clear; this is a conservation centre, and not a zoo. I visited with my wife and sons (17 and 13). We all loved this place. The guides are very knowledgeable and friendly. The number of people passing through is limited. Everyone is led, and free to roam around. Tours start every hour in the busy season. The place is well sign posted from the highway. Is very neat and clean. The animals are loved and respected. A little pricey @ $65 per person, however you guide makes it clear, your money is used for conservation and supporting the education of local school kids. I Other words, you money is well spent. We highly recommend this place and are considering participating in the one week volunteer program. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
8 years ago
Poor customer service. We were a group of 10, 4 adults 4 kids and all the kids thought it was boring. 100% of the time you're a sitting duck for mosquito bites. The main attraction the monkeys is 2 monkeys per 20 ppl which is ridiculous. read more
8 years ago
6 years ago
4 years ago
8 years ago
6 years ago
8 years ago
7 years ago
Page 1 of 2
More info about Akumal Monkey Sanctuary
Gonzalo Guerrero
77780 Akumal, Quintana Roo
Mexico
Directions
984 160 0272
Call Now
Visit Website
http://akumalmonkeysanctuary.com/en
Hours
Payment methods
Outdoor Amenities
Akumal Monkey Sanctuary Reviews in Other Languages
Review Highlights - Akumal Monkey Sanctuary
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
1 review that is not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
12 days ago
