Embera Village Day Tour

The people were very outgoing and our guide was great. The dugout ride was very serene. Especially enjoyed the small children

Javier was a wonderful guide. Even though it was his first tour, he was very knowledgeable about the area, and he spoke the native Embera language in addition to Spanish, English and French. He was also very friendly! The waterfall was very fun, but I didn't know ahead of time that there was no place to change into our swimsuits when we got there. I managed to get in a swim shirt, but just decided to go in with my shorts on. Be sure to wear your suit under you clothes. You can change back into dry clothes once you arrive at the village. We had a nice tour of the village, a lunch of fried tilapia, fried plantains and pineapple slices. Then there was dancing by native women and then group dancing. We bought a basket and some beaded items and then headed back to the starting point. Our boat drivers, Luis and Juan, were very skilled - in case you don't know, the only way to get to the villages is via motorized canoes - but don't worry because they help you in and out. My husband, who is not steady on his feet, was able to easily maneuver the canoe. Our driver to and from Panama City, Aldair, was very safe. Overall, it was a fun day, and we would recommend!

We had an excellent tour, especially with Gino as our tour guide! He is the best! Very informative and funny. Everyone knew him in the village and the other tour guides respected him and followed his lead. Gino was very quick to send all the videos and photos he took during our tour. Very appreciated and would recommend Gino to everyone looking to have an easy going, but very educational tour.

Worthwhile especially if you talk with the people. Like many other "visits to indigenous people" there is an element of staging for the visitors. After the festivities take a walk up the hill all the way to the butterfly house and then beyohd along a jungle path as far as you care to go.

Excellent trip ,great people,friendly,humble very educational,tour guide excellent Jonny Pinto ,pick up us at the hotel very knowledgeable clear explanation

First they take you by dug out canoe to a place where you walk to an amazing waterfall. My grandkids loved and swam in the water. Then they took us to their village where we had the best meal of fresh caught fish and fresh fruit. My grandkids played with the little Indian children and then they danced. We purchased some of the things they made. We all had so much fun. They then took us back to where the picked us up. Everyone needs to go on this trip!

The word for this tour is unexpected. We expected a tour of a local village. This was so much more. Jose picked us up and started talking to us about what we were going to experience and the history of the people. The ride out took about an hour and was packed with information. The motorized canoe ride up the river was fun and gave us a look at the area and the importance of the river for the canal. The village was friendly and welcoming to us as visitors. We learned about their way of life and history. Lunch was great. More than we could possibly eat and freshly prepared. The presentations, music and dancing were fun. The best part of our experience occurred as we left the village to go back. A normal afternoon thunderstorm stayed with us the entire way back. The rain was warm and even with our ponchos we were drenched. We learned a new Spanish word, aguacero. (Downpour). A truly fun day.

Jose was the best. We hiked 2.5 miles into the jungle after a 45 minute boat ride. The waterfall was amazing. The village was an awesome experience. Make sure you wear the proper footwear you will cross the river on foot.

Excellent trip. Jose was extremely knowledgeable and fluent in English. He was very punctual and professional while still relaxed in demeanor. Rodolfo was an excellent driver and got us from point A to point B and back safely and timely. The overall experience was incredible and unique. The culture of the Emberá is very warm and inviting. I recommend to everyone. We were able to bring our kids with us without issue- ages ranging 1-8- but there were also college athletes in attendance as well as retirees that visited. An experience for all ages. Also, make sure to see the waterfall on your way in.

This was one of our favorite excursions that we've taken over the years! Our guide was very informative, describing much of Panama history and giving us a great overview of life in Panama today. This tour allowed us to see what the interior looked like as we traveled to the village from our cruise-ship. The village itself was a great experience. We arrived at the river and climbed into a facsimile of a dugout canoe ( it had a motor on it), which then took us on, maybe, a ten minute ride to the village. If you are sitting at the front, you will probably get wet! At the village we were allowed to wander around until the villagers put on a presentation that included a snack of tilapia and plantain, a talk (sales pitch?) about how tourism is how they now survive, and a dance demonstration that we were encouraged to participate in. after the presentation, we were able to browse the venders that were set up with their items for sale. We did really enjoy this tour as it did give you an idea of what their life may have been like at one time. However, we questioned the authenticity of what we saw. We noticed that the boys all had nice haircuts, their were no older people that we saw, and their outfits all looked the same, and probably were not handmade. We also saw people at the Colon cruise port dressed the same and selling the same "homemade" items! Aside from our questioning the realism of the village, it really was an educational and enjoyable excursion that I would recommend.