Embera Village Tour: Cultural Immersion in Panama

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the rainforest and the rich indigenous culture of the Embera tribe on this eco tour from Panama City. Explore the village, enjoy traditional food and dances, and shop for unique handicrafts.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Chagres River - Ride a canoe up the Chagres River for 30 minutes to get to the Embera Tribe
What's Included
  • Seasonal fruits (pineapple, banana, orange)
  • Bilingual guide English or Spanish
  • Round trip A/C, comfortable transportation
  • Car insurance per seat
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • $35 per adult & $25 per child (collected to support the Embera preservation efforts)
  • Most people can participate as we don’t visit the rocky Waterfall
  • Rain ponchos (apply from Jul to Dec)
Additional Information

On this tour is designed for people who do not want to go to the waterfall or take risks.

Start with a pickup and a 45-minutes drive from Panama City to Chico River, inside the Panama Canal watershed.

Board a motorized canoe for a 40-minute trip along the river, then stretch your legs on a short walk and meet Embera village, who have traditionally lived and worked at the edge of rivers and are known throughout Panama for their distinctive songs, dances, and costumes. 

You’ll have time to explore the village, get to know some local people, and learn about life in the community. Sit down for a traditional lunch, then watch a dance that depicts the Embera’s relationship with the natural world. 

Before departing the village, shop for traditional handicrafts and souvenirs made by the local people. Head back down the river by canoe, and board the vehicle for the return trip to Panama

  • We recommend to wear water shoes, hiking sandals or sport shoes that you don’t mind if get wet, avoid beach sandals, flip flops or crocs similars because you will be walking on mud, slippery rocks and water.
  • We suggest to bring US dollar cash in case you want to buy souvenirs or have a temporary tattoo.
  • NOT pickups offered for Amador Port
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(67 Ratings)
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Jenniferhan
Sep 8, 2024
A great tour! - Riding a boat on Chagres river was very nice with beautiful scenery. It was a great experience mingling with Embera tribe, learning about their heritage and culture. Really enjoyed a tribal dance and lunch. Our guide, Alex was excellent. He was very professional, knowledgeable and spoke fluent English. It was one of the best tours that I had taken in Panama. Don’t miss it.
Review provided by Viator
Willfz5809lo
Aug 31, 2024
Culturally rewarding your team visit the Embera tribe! - This was the most amazing cultural experience that my family and I got to do during our trip across Central America. Our tour operator and driver Raphael was very friendly, funny, and informative. The tour was well organized, the boat ride to the Embera community was scenic, and the tribe was very welcoming. Highly recommended this tour with this tour operator. We truly enjoyed our experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dinahjg
Aug 16, 2024
Great tour wit a great guide! - The waterfall is beautiful and visiting the tribe was a wonderful experience! We loved the hike and swimming. Levi was fun, extremely knowledgeable, and a great tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Ismaelle2021
Aug 4, 2024
You HAVE to book this!!!!!!!!! - Out of all my experiences in Panama. This was by far my favorite one. And I give credit to the tour guide Rafael. He did an amazing job explaining the beautiful culture of the embera tribe. The hiking was a bit difficult and he was very attentive and helpful. So were the indigenous people, if you fell they were there to catch you! The boat ride and seeing the rainforest was such an amazing experience. The locals of the embera tribe were awesome they did a performance that I really enjoyed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jasoastuto
Jul 31, 2024
Amazing!!! Without words, we have already come several times in these years and we like it more every day. - Excellent guide that has helped us learn more about this experience!! I will definitely recommend it! Super friendly and helpful!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Msjudah41
Jul 16, 2024
Phenomenal experience - Rafael was a marvelous tour guide. He spoke clear English, was courteous, professional, and made this such a exceptional experience. He provided the guide of information about the land, embera people, showed us the wildlife as we passed by in the boat which by the way was handcrafted by the embera people. The lunch of fish and fried green plantains was out of this world delicious, along with the succulent fruits. Cold bottled water was provided. The water was too low for us to take a swim by the waterfalls, but they plan to resume by December. I would highly recommend this tour and the price is so much lower than similar tours providing the same experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Geovannia_w
Jul 4, 2024
This tour was amazing! - Our most memorable experience was interacting with the Embera Indigenous Tribe and being introduced to their way of life.
Review provided by Viator
Kathleenrk8100zc
Jun 26, 2024
Absolutely worth the rain - Absolutely worth the rain. Best Tilapia I have ever tasted. People were nice, it was a very enjoyable and informative visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J5642niandrewp
Jun 5, 2024
A must do in panam!! - Visiting the Embera native village in the rainforest of Panama was an extraordinary experience that deeply moved me. Seeing the culture of the Embera people was both enlightening and humbling. The warmth and hospitality they extended to was nothing short of amazing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gina_l
Jun 4, 2024
a neat experience! - had a great time. it was a beautiful ride in the canoe. the embara people were super nice. the food was excellent.
Review provided by Viator
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