Emberá Overnight: Live, Sleep & Explore with an Indigenous Tribe

There are moments that one can read about in books however, for my son and I we had an opportunity to experience in real time the beauty of the Embera people while visiting Panama this summer.   Two weeks ago my son and I took an adventure of a lifetime when we decided to spend a night with the Embera tribe and our amazing guide Jose of Destino Panama 360.  Our cost for this adventure was $688.00 for the two of us; however, I am convinced it was money well spent because my teenage son had an opportunity to experience and truly learn and appreciate the culture of the Embera people.   In addition, the success of our journey is first due to the dedication of our guide. José is not your typical guide; he is extremely professional, enthusiastic, engaging, knowledgeable, and committed to providing one with an experience that is enlightening, meaningful, and memorable.   Please note that the Embera people speak their own language and some speak Spanish thus, it is imperative to have a great guide to have a meaningful understanding of the Embera people and the culture. Our guide Jose is fluent in both English and Spanish.  His fluency in language was one of the primary reasons why our adventure was successful.  Jose was able to translate for us which provided us with a realtime experience on the beautiful life of the Embera people. If we did not have a tour guide with the ability to communicate our experiences would not have been as impactful.   In addition, prior to our departure José communicated effectively the time of our private pick up from Panama City (1:00pm), a picture of the vehicle that would be used to transport us, and the items we needed to bring for comfort.  I loved his effectiveness with communication because another tour company that I used for a different excursion failed to provide such information and that made the journey much more difficult.  I appreciated Jose’s professionalism before our journey began.  In addition, Jose does not depart; he also spend the night at the Embera village which provided us with the confidence and comfort that we would  always have someone who could effectively address our questions and concerns and communicate with the Embera people. I was pleased with our guide before our tour began. However, our amazing expedition would officially begin when we arrived at the boating dock. The Embera community are indigenous people who primarily live in the rainforest of Panama thus, we had the opportunity to take a beautiful journey down the Chagres River.  Our first encounter with the two Embera men that would navigate our journey along the Chagres River was very positive.  Though they did not speak English their polite nature was evident as they took our backpacks and loaded them on the boat. The ride down the Chagres River was calming and breathtaking and definitely allows one to forget about daily life and simply enjoy the beauty of untouched nature.  Our first stop was the waterfall in which we took a short hike where we were able to enjoy the quiet and splendor of the nature.  We were on a private tour and so upon our arrival it was only us.  We enjoyed the beauty and coolness of the waterfall immensely.  Next, we took the boat to reach the Embera Drua village.  There are a few villages however, this one would be the one for our overnight tour.  Upon our arrival the children were swimming along the banks of the river.  Their laughter and simplicity was my reminder of what so many are missing in life, human connection and life outdoors.  We were welcomed to the community by the Embera and as I write this review I find myself missing the serenity of this place.  The people, the food, the sense of community is something simply unforgettable.  Shortly after our arrival we had the best lunch ever! We had an opportunity to first sit in the kitchen and learn how the meals are prepared.  The fried fish, plantains, and the fruit were so delicious that I only wished I could have had more.  I enjoyed all of our meals prepared by the Embera woman.  Our dinner was chicken and rice which was delicious as well.  We had some type of Embera bread for breakfast, an egg dish, and the most delicious fruits served on banana leaves.  I also loved how a special type of water was prepared to clean our hands before eating.  Life with the Embera tribe was simple but so fulfilling.  There is an amazing Chief that leads the community and I love how despite a missionary group spending the night he made sure we were always comfortable and never overlooked.  The Chief explained many of the ritual dances and the women, men, and children of the community performed.  The Embera community members wore beautiful attire and their performance and the sharing of their culture was so engaging and enjoyable.  We immensely loved interacting with the children and despite language barriers there is beauty that can be found in simply interacting. The smiles of the children are indeed priceless.  I also had an opportunity to receive a temporary flower tattoo.  The Embera use a fruit called quepera.  A dye is made from this fruit which allows one to receive a temporary tattoo. In addition, the Embera use this dye to provide protection from mosquitoes.  Once the performance was over we had dinner, sat around, watched the sun set, and I participated in a moment that I haven’t experienced for a long time life without technology.  This moment was my reminder of what we all need: a sense of community and human interaction minus the overload from technology. My son truly enjoyed the evening as well because he experienced for the first time life without all the screen time.  We departed from the outdoor activities to bed around 8:50pm in the home of an Emberá family.  I must say that we felt so welcomed into their home.  It felt so unusual to be invited to stay in the home of strangers who welcomed us with open arms.  The Embera homes are traditionally built high off the ground so a ladder is needed to enter. It was amazing experience to wake up the next morning to the rainforest and sounds of birds.  This experience is quite different for those accustomed to all the conveniences found in the United States.  However, as I reflect on our journey it was so beautiful and will be remembered always.  I found that the life of the Embera is a simple life of nature, community, and togetherness which is what yields such happiness in the community.  I watched children play, a community working together, supporting one another, and from that observation we experienced the beauty of kindness that was on a totally different level from which I am accustomed.  The Embera people truly have a gift of community and we enjoyed each and every moment of our journey. If you desire to engage in not simply an excursion but a moment of exploration I encourage you to spend a night with the Embera people.  I believe this journey is excellent for a teen in order that he or she can learn in real time the value of community and the joy that can be experienced when we simply put technology away and enjoy the moment.  José, we are eternally grateful for having you as our guide. You helped us make absolutely beautiful memories! We enjoyed the moment so much we could definitely spend another night with the beautiful Embera people.  Also, thank you Chief for inviting us into your community with such love.  This was so much more than another excursion it was a transforming experience for us and we are forever grateful! Thank you!

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