Embera Indian Village (Entrances Included)

It was a great experience. Getting to receive input from other civilizations is really satisfying. People were great and lunch was delicious. Our guide Juan, was excellent.

What a great day!!! We loved every minute of this day. From the pick up to the drop off. Our guide Alejandro was very nice and friendly. I highly recommend this tour ❤️

This was an amazing experience - especially the waterfall! Our guide was great, and we enjoyed learning about the indigenous Embera people. Lunch consisted of fresh fruit and fish. Be sure to bring sunscreen and bug spray. You will be in the rainforest. Shoes with good traction are also a must, as the walk to the waterfall is more of a hike.

We are very grateful to the Embera indigenous families that welcomed us into their village. They took good care of us and shared their beautiful sights and crafts. The also shared with us a delicious meal of fruits fish. They shared with us an education of their communities. The shared in a dance with them. The hand crafted water vessels were worthy for our travels along the river. They were very safe as they navigated the waters. Make sure you bring a bathing suit under your clothes if you want to swim in the waterfall pool. We were extremely pleased with this tour and highly recommend it. The tour company communicated well and was prompt at pick up and drop off. We were cruise ship passengers and used the topical vibes hotel as our meeting point. It was about a 30 minute walk from the gangway along the sidewalk, out the port, crossing the road to the right. Continuing on sidewalks to the strip mall where tropical vibes is located behind the stores.

There was a bit of walking involved to get to the waterfall which included walking through water and climbing over some rocks. Other than that, we had an excellent time and our guide, Juan, and the driver were both excellent.

I highly recommend this tour. The Embera tribe members were all so pleasant and welcoming! Good food and entertainment!

Juan was extremely professional and helpful throughout the trip. Embers tribe was very welcoming and did a wonderful job of explaining and showing us how they live. Food was refreshing

Canoe ride was so beautiful and peaceful. They were very helpful and happy to help you in/out of canoe. Lunch of fish, plantains, and fruit was delicious. The native people were very friendly and showed us their crafts and dances. The van picked us up on time, but the guide, Lucia, spoke Spanish to the other 4 people almost exclusively, especially on the way back. We found this rude and awkward. The other 4 passengers understood and spoke both English and Spanish, but seemed to be happy to converse with her in Spanish. She made no real attempt to interpret what they were talking about. Hike to the waterfall was mostly in the water or on a slippery trail climbing over big rocks. The waterfall was nothing special.

My friend and I did this tour from the new Fuerte Amador Cruise Ship Terminal. Juan Berrío Guía picked us up in a nice air conditioned car and drove us the 45-60 minutes to Chagres. He made one stop at the park office to pay the fee and we used the toilets. We got into the dugout canoe with the Embera “captain” and another Embera “mate” and enjoyed a peaceful ride on the river and saw an osprey. We were welcomed to the village and soon were ushered to the kitchen area to learn about the Embera life. Lunch was delicious deep fried tilapia and fried sweet, ripe plantains followed by fruit. Juan had water for us. We shopped and my friend bought a wood carving for $30. In 2013 I bought a flat basket for $20 and today they cost $30. No bartering occurs. The Embera did dances and each woman was presented with a headpiece made from hibiscus flowers. Too soon it was time for our boat tide back to the car and then our ride back to the ship. It was a great day.

Second visit in 5 years and just as good. Yes, it is a sort of living museum but not the least detrimental. Ride along the river in a canoe then a long visit. Great fun.!!

Beautiful culture, exciting adventure, enjoy the delicious food, traditional dances, clothing and handicrafts of the tribe

Guide was not knowledgeable. Very bad attitude. Our conoe driver was not trained and we all felt in the water conoe upset down. My friend got injured badly. Guide don’t had first aid kit. Provide from other conoe passing by. We were feeling like we are not going to survive. It worst experience of my life. Road going to Conoe is very scary. Not recommended at all.

We really enjoyed visiting the Embera Village and seeing the wonderful culture and friendliness of the tribe. Additionally, our guide Ariel was amazing! He provided so much information about the tribe as well as Panama in general and also spoke multiple languages, which was very cool! Definitely recommend for anyone to try this tour.

The dugout canoe trip was fun and lovely, and the village was interesting. We had the feeling, though, that the tribe exists for tourists to buy merchandise, and that the "authentic" dances were not so authentic. The children were delightful, and the scenery was outstanding. So, overall, a good but not superior experience.

Erica was amazing!! The waterfall and river were beautiful and the village was very unique and interesting!

It was an incredible experience!!!! Ariel was excellent, with a perfect knowledge of what he was talking, very interesting information about the tour to the Embera Village and about Panama itself. The tour is perfect, beautiful and this are such nice people letting us inside their home. I will definitely recommend this.

The Embera Village experience was so interesting! We learned about their culture, how they live, the challenges they face to provide for themselves. They prepared a delicious lunch for us, danced for us and showed some of their crafts. Oliver was our guide and he was so knowledgeable and thoughtful and kind. I highly recommend this experience!

This was an amazing tour and one of the best tours we’ve ever been on and we’ve been all over the world. The experience was so unique and the tribal people were so friendly and were fantastic hosts. The meal they provided was fantastic. I can’t express how pleasurable and educational this tour was. We wholeheartedly recommend Monkey Tours and our tour guide, Juan bosco Berrio ayola.

Most important thing you should know is that, yes, it was worth the money . We booked the tour through TripAdvisor with Monkey Excursions. The process was easy, and we did receive an email from the company with the tour guides name and pick-up time. Juan, our driver, was on time, and he was a delightful guide. Turns out that we were the only clients, so we traveled in a sedan and had our own guide and translator. The drive was a bit less than an hour to the boat launch where these 20+ ft dugout canoes are waiting to transport you on a five minute boat ride to the village. The Embera were dressed in their native clothing, although they do also wear regular clothes. This is really kind of a cultural class on the Embera in how they did live and how they currently live. Very nice people, nice crafts, and interesting to learn about their culture. A simple meal of fish, plantains, and fruit was provided. We stayed there about two hours. I do recommend the trip although I wouldn't pay any more than this for the tour. Juan and Monkey Excursions did a great job.

It's truly difficult to describe how amazing this tour was for me! I love traveling, exploring, and meeting new cultures, and this is one of my favorites! I enjoyed traveling by river to the village, being greeted by live cultural music, learning their history, culture and dance, and eating their delicious homemade food cooked in front of our eyes. The people are very welcoming. Special thanks to our knowledgeable and multilingual guide, Ariel, and our safe driver, Miguel. What an awesome experience!!!

Learning about the Embera’s history and traditions was enlightening and my favourite part of the day was their dancing and singing. Juan, our driver/tour guide and translator was so friendly, helpful and professional. This tour was perfect for beginning our trip to Panamá because it wonderfully showcased Panamá’s deepest roots.

Dear all! I want to recommend this trip. It was soo amazing. Our guide, the vehicle, the organization and the amazing view and culture of the Emberá Tribe was unique.

The Embera Village trip was a fun experience, we learned about how the natives live & their culture. Lunch was yummy. The trip on the piragua boat was beautiful. Only complaint was that the tour guide never took us to the "Mono Waterfall" which was one of the highlights of booking this excursion to begin with. The worst part was that she never even informed us about it, we had to ask why we didn't go to the waterfall and her explanation was that there was a low tide and too muddy around the waterfall. We had our bathing suits/water shoes on the whole day and for nothing. We found it very unprofessional for her to not disclose anywhere during the tour that the Mono Waterfall wasn't going to be done. Too much time was spent in Embera village. Price was too much just to go see one thing. Also do not recommend at the Embera Village to do the temporary tattoos, the natives say it lasts 8 days which is a lie, once you shower it starts coming off!

An amazing adventure. Juan our tour guide; he is exceptional. The tribe was friendly and informative.

Such a fun adventure. Our guide, Esteban, was friendly, knowledgable, and made the day so much fun. Lunch was delicious - fried fish and fresh Panama fruits!

This is a very memorable day trip - complete with a canoe trip and hike to a waterfall for a leisurely swim, followed by a return by canoe to an Embera community of indigenous Panamanians. This community has remained warmly welcoming and very proud of their traditions. We were a group of FOUR! Excellent tour guide (Juan). Absolutely worth the trip out of the city.

Wonderful tour to allow me to experience a simpler life and experience their culture. Really suggest this tour to visit some amazing people

This tour is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Juan did a fantastic job from beginning to end. My Husband, Daughter (8) and I all had a fabulous time. If you're visiting Panama, I/We would HIGHLY recommend this tour! Thank you Viator!

Juan was our tour guide, he was excellent! He picked us up on time. Private travel to our destination. The tour was awesome. Please be prepared when you come on this tour. There is a 15min boat ride (small motorized boat that holds 5 patrons) I was nervous but we made it and the native people are quite capable. There is a 20 min hike to the waterfall. Please bring water shoes and be prepared to hike through water that comes to your knees- this we weren't prepared for. The trail is moderate difficulty, I wouldn't bring young children. The waterfall was beautiful, bring your bathing suit if you want to take a dip. The Embera people were very interesting. Delicious food. Good cultural interaction and knowledge gained. I would do this tour again as long as I come prepared. Great experience

I cannot say enough good things about this once in a lifetime experience! Tour bus was prompt, clean and well labeled at pick up. Our tour guide was fun, sweet and gregarious. We learned a ton from him about The village we visited and the people. The ride from center of Panama City was about 40 minutes on smooth paved roads. Once you arrive at the pickup point you are taken by a large motorized canoe to where the jungle hike begins. This hike is not rated as easy, in fact you’ll need to be quite fit and a little brave. You will get muddy, climb over rocks, trudge through water (waste deep at one point) and make your way over slick and wet surfaces. We thought it was a fantastic adventure and the waterfall was well worth the 20 minute journey from the boat. We were given ample time to enjoy the reward and our guide swam with us, took pictures for us and showed us how to get behind the waterfall. After making our way back to the boat it was a short ride to the village. We were kindly welcomed and enjoyed a dance with the children of the tribe. They were adorable, happy, and friendly! There are bathrooms there. We then had a delicious lunch cooked in front of us and fresh fruit. We then learned more about the tribe and had the opportunity to try some of their woven handcraft. After we got “tattoos” (like henna) painted in our arms for $5 each and had the opportunity to chat with some of the tribe members & purchase any of the things they’ve Made that they were selling. The day lasted about 6 hours. 10 out of 10!! Book this adventure!!!

Visiting Panama I’m a well traveled, BUT visiting Panama and this community and spending time to learn about how they live and get to know about their culture, was One the most AMAZING experience that I had in my entire life. Panama is one the most beautiful and safe country that I advise everyone to visit. My tour guid name was Gil (Panama Crucero Tours). He was so professional, so knowledgeable about his country, well English spoken, and he could answer any questions. Gil was making sure that I got everything that I needed as a visitor in his country. I strongly suggest to visit Panama , have tour with this company and ask for Gil.

This was an awesome excursion and well worth the price. From the moment we were picked up at the hotel to when we were dropped off was enjoyable. We had the best tour guide, Juan from Monkey Adventures. The canoe ride, the waterfall, the village folks, their dancing and food, everything was great!!

This was the coolest and most educational tour I have experienced!! Everything was amazing. Not only do you get to hike to and swim at a waterfall, take the hollowed out wooden canoe back to Embera village, but you also are welcomed by the incredible indigenous people of the Embera tribe. My mom and I visited for a Mother's day trip and we were so touched to embrace another culture and learn all about it by way of music, dances, fresh food, and the exploration of handmade wares. The children were adorable and the adults hospitable and welcoming. Shoutout to our tour guide Juan who was the sweetest and most accommodating guide. He was incredibly polite, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about the Panamanian ecosystem and he helped my mom keep her balance as she walked through the small river crossings. Don't forget you're walking into a jungle, so be prepared clothing wise, though my mom did do this in a Lily dress... lol. I recommend this trip to everyone for a new life experience!

I have Never had an experience like this one. I was so pleased to have lived this experience. My tour guide was so ch a friendly person. The Indigenous village people was so pleased to see us and so warm to receive us. I loved the canal ride and the food. If I have the opportunity I would come back with my children. Alejandro our tour guy was awesome. My wife and I loved it. Thank you very much.

We booked a trip to the Embera Village with Monkey Adventures, who picked us up from our hotel at 8:00 am and took us out to the river, where we would then get on a boat to go to the village. After a short canoe ride in a traditional boat with a motor (these are typical in the villages), we were greeted by the Embera people playing traditional instruments. They gave us an education about the indigenous people of Panama and specifically about the meaning of symbols and clothing and how the items offered for sale by the families are made. The presenter spoke in their native language and this was then translated to Spanish and English. A few of the villages in the Embera community invite visitors but most do not. Our guide said that the money they earn from hosting tours and selling their items is then divided among the people living in that village. The food was very good - tilapia, plantain, and fruit. We brought our own water. It was a great day. In addition to meeting the wonderful Embera people, we spent the day with a fun group of travelers from all over the world. Highly recommend!

Augusto was our tour guide and the 5 star goes to him, he had high spirits and was fully engaged with each of us the whole tour, english was perfect, and just overall a friendly and fun vibe. In the midst of the tour, there were moments we had to wait our turn for presentation at the village, Augusto made sure that we were in the loop and updated to the best of his knowledge. Overall I would recommend this tour 100%

This tour is the best tour ever. The Embera are such lovely people, they welcomed us with open arms and shared their culture and traditions with us.

I booked the Embara Tour with Monkey Adventures. The customer service was top-notch from the start! We paid for the tour and everything was set up, however, due to a positive Covid Test result, our planned trip to Panama got cancelled! The people at Monkey Adventures were so understanding and promptly refunded our money, NO QUESTIONS ASKED! This showed the level of integrity that this company has, and for this reason, I highly recommed them and their staff to take care of you. We are so sad to miss this tour, but we will be re-booking when we finally make it to Panama! Don't hesitate, your money is safe with this quality company!

The guides and staff were very friendly, professional and shared all the important informations with us. Great tour and adventure!

We used Monkey Tours—great prompt service, private groups, reasonable cost. This tour took us down the Rio Chagres to a local village. There is a short talk about the tribe and how they live—presented by a tribe. They play tribal music and dancing. It’s all in Spanish or the native language so your guide would need to translate. Yes, the tribes do cater to tourists but it’s wonderful to learn a little about a different tribe and their life. Good for people of all ages.

We took the day tour to the Indian village located 1 hour from Panama City. Tour guide was very friendly and transportation was in an air conditioned van. The car trip brings you to a motorize boat rid of 20 min to a waterfall (you need to walk 5min on some slippery rocks to get to the waterfall) the crew of locals is friendly and help carry our young daughter. Don’t expect too much of the waterfall...the way there is beautiful but the waterfall itself is rather disappointing. After the waterfall thx boat brings you to the Indian village, this tribe is very welcoming and friendly. Please support them by buying some of those art and crafts as this tribe can only survive on tourism (they are located in a natural reserve so are prohibited by law to cultivate lands or hunt). Tour starts at 8am and brings you back to the city at 2pm.

This was an incredible experience thanks to Alejandro and Monkey Tours including our very careful and good driver Andrea We were in a very good group of 6 people coming from Spain Greece and Canada It was really perfect!!! We started from the hotels and one hour later travelling in the nature we arrived at the river shore where our canoe with the very kind Embera people was waiting Life vests were given to all of us and got into this hand made wooden boat 🚣‍♀️ After a special time of canoeing in the river Gatun near the Chagres one , sliding on calm waters in between all kind of trees and animals from turtles to horse we arrived at this gem of the planet the Embera Quera meaning Person Perfume Unique atmosphere, very kind people belonging to one of tge last seven tribes We the oldest we made a worthy hiking to know about the plants and their special characteristics We saw thei school their artifacts their houses their heliport!!! We had a delicious lunch prepared with kindness and generosity by them with fresh fish and platanos well served after a huge offer of exotic fresh fruits 🍉 They played the hand made flute and drams and other organs they danced with us under their original rhythms Alejandro has organized everything to the last detail bringing with him fresh water for us , raincoats for us hust inncase He is a very good guide very sympathetic person and he didn’t stop to translate both in Spanish and English You must not miss it As about price , it is really reasonable and compared to what you get finally from the whole trip to culture, its nothing

What an amazing tour! We took a beautiful trip by canoe to the a rainforest waterfall, then visited the Embera community. Thomas was a knowledgeable and helpful guide and it was fascinating to learn about the Embera people and their way of life. They danced for us and made us a traditional lunch. A can't miss experience!!

Thomas and Alejandro were great Tour guides and it was a wonderful experience to visit the Embera. The nature is beautiful and swimming in the natural pool by a waterfall was so cool. The tour is absolutely worth every cent.

Amazing tour! Got aquainted with embera community in Panamian rainforest, but until we got there we have visited Monkey Waterfall where we had the opportunity to swim. The water in the waterfall was clean and even good to drink. The guide, Alejandro, that actually was the owner of the company picked us up at our hotel, and the whole day he did not left us. He is very smart, well informed and surely knows everything about Panamá. Very sociable, speaks well English and is ready to help you anytime. And the most important - he is not annoying with excessive information and stories - straight to the point. We were so happy about him that we have booked with him the second day another tour on San Blas isles that was another amazing experience day.

Alejandro was an excellent tour guide and his company provides an unbeatable price. You will enjoy the canoe ride, hike to the waterfalls, delicious food, buying handmade crafts, and participating in the indigenous dance and culture. I highly recommend going with Monkey Tours!

The best tour operators in Panama hands down. Exceptional service, the owner was so willing to take pictures of me for my insta blog @sheriffa_monroe. He explained everything and was very knowledgeable. Very good experience so much so I went with him to San Blas

I went with Alejandro to the Embera community and it s such a nice souvenir. Alejandro is a very nice guy, and a good guide wich makes your day amazing ! Don't look somewherelse, you are at the right place ! There are not so many companies running tours like that in Panama and many of them are charging a lot of money ! Alejandro makes it affordable wich is really nice !

We booked a tour with Monkey Adventures to the Embera Indian Village. The guide Alex picked us upon time and was very friendly and professional. The boat ride on the Chagres River was very nice and we even saw a couple of Crocodiles on the banks. The hike to the waterfall was very nice as well. And it was very interesting to learn about the Embera’s life and culture. The lunch they prepared was amazing, properly the most perfectly cocked fish that I have ever tasted. I would definitely recommend Monkey Adventures.