Embera Indigenous Village Tour: Experience Traditional Life in Panama's Rainforest
4.9
17 Ratings
Gamboa
Immerse yourself in the traditional way of life of the Emberá people on a tour to their indigenous village in Panama's rainforest. Experience their culture, music, crafts, and enjoy a delicious traditional lunch.
Duration:
5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Gatun Lake - On our way to the port we will enjoy the magnificent Gatun lake, where the huge vessels transit the Canal of Panama from ocean to ocean
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Lunch
- All fees and/or taxes included
- Scenic boat ride from Gamboa to the Embera community Ella Puru
Additional Information
Embark on a journey to the past as you explore the Emberá indigenous communities living in the heart of Panamá’s rainforest, along the Chagres River within the bounds of The Soberania National Park. The Emberá people take great pride in demonstrating their cultural heritage to guests.\nThe excursion commences with a hotel pickup, followed by a trip to the Gamboa Pier. From there, you will take a brief boat trip along the principal tributary of the renowned Panama Canal’s Gatun Lake.\nUpon arrival, you’ll experience a warm welcome replete with musical performances. The Emberá community provides an overview of their cultural practices, showcasing their dance, artisanal crafts, and historical customs. A meal prepared by the locals awaits you, featuring fish encased in banana leaves, served alongside Patacones. Before making the return journey to the pier, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase handmade souvenirs, receive a temporary Emberá tattoo, or meander through the village.
Location
Gamboa Rainforest Reserve
Goethals Boulevard
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(17 Ratings)
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Road10995937057
Nov 29, 2023
Excellent experience - Spectacular visit to the indigenous town, the ride to get there to the town is great, we learned a lot about their culture, Christian is an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and always attentive to us. Highly recommended this walk
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniel_w
Jul 23, 2023
Excellent experience - Jose did a great job taking me to the village, explaining and translation on site and bringing me safely back to the hotel.
Got excellent insight in today's life of the Embera tribe.
Review provided by Viator
David_a
Mar 27, 2023
Tremendous cultural experience - Our guide, Eustacio de as incredible. He was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. The Embera people, their food, and culture were amazing. Thank you for letting us spend the morning in your village.
Review provided by Viator
Lynnette_p
Jul 13, 2022
Excellent - Christian was a great tour guide. It was a great experience. I would definitely recommend it. Worth it.
Review provided by Viator
Philippe_r
Apr 13, 2022
Another world - Very knowledgeable guide, a warm welcome from the community. Gorgeous landscape. That was perfect!!!
Review provided by Viator
592gisal
Mar 31, 2022
Great experience!!:) - Christian was really nice and flexible, he was answering my requests quickly and the tour to the indegenous group was really amazing! I highly recommend voyair!:))
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rae_d
Aug 19, 2021
Worth every moment - Benjamin and Christian were excellent guides. Benjamin was quite informative and helpful with my 75yo mom. A great experience!
Review provided by Viator
Pamela_w
Jul 5, 2021
TRAVELER - We've traveled all around the world this was the absolute best experience ever. Our tour guide Christian was amazing and went the extra mile to insure that we got our PCR test and being a fabulous interpreter. We will definitely recommend this company for anyone coming to the area and future bookings.
Review provided by Viator
Suzana_r
Apr 6, 2021
Amazing - Amazing experience!
Our tour guide was excellent!
We learned a lot about the indigenous community, we danced together, ate their delicious food and walked thro the jungle.
Incredible!
Review provided by Viator
Holly_s
Dec 11, 2019
An Afternoon with the Embera - Christian was the perfect guide for our Embera Village adventure! He communicated thoroughly and accurately prior to our pickup - which was timely, On the drive to the landing he talked a lot about what to expect, how the village lived and what tourism meant to them.
Once we got to the village it as clear as to why he was so knowledgeable as he was basically like family to them! You could tell he was a valued part of their community and plus the kids just loved him. Upon our arrival we were greeted by several members of the village with traditional music and all wearing tradition dress. It was beautiful! Next, Christian and one of the village youth took us on a hike through the jungle and showed us the various vegetation and other elements the Embera used in their daily life. It was an interesting bit of information that they then tied into the demonstration in the communal area where we also had a delicious, simple lunch. Afterwards the villagers performed some traditional dances for us which were so beautifully performed and it was just a gift to see that a culture so ancient could remain alive and embrace visitors such as ourselves. After the presentation we then were able to peruse their handmade goods for purchase. What a delight to watch the artisans in action and discuss the dyes used and the time it took to make things and where they got their inspiration etc. Christian was a great translator throughout it all. We then watched the children playing and laughing on the grounds for a bit before our departure.
It was a really neat and impactful experience to visit a people so welcoming and so excited to share their story, their community and their skills.
Review provided by Viator
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