English-speaking shore excursion from the port of Colón, with a dugout-canoe ride to an Emberá village in the rainforest by Lake Gatún and a visit to the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal.
Highlights
- Visit an Emberá village in the rainforest
- Get to know the culture and way of life of the Emberá
- See the Panama Canal at the Agua Clara Locks
Emberá Shore Excursion from the Port of Colón
A visit to a village of the Emberá people in the rainforest is something truly special. We travel by dugout canoe to the Emberá and get to know their culture and way of life, while the rainforest stretching along Lake Gatún near their village is every bit as impressive. On the same day we also visit the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal. The contrast could hardly be greater.
Our team of experienced English-speaking guides is with you throughout the excursion.
Type of trip: Shore excursions
Duration: 8 hours
Participants: 6-19
Price: from €115 per person
Highlights
- Visit a village of the Emberá in the rainforest
- Get to know the culture and way of life of the Emberá
- See the Panama Canal at the Agua Clara Locks
Itinerary
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
| 06:40 | Meeting point at the port |
| 06:50 | Departure from Colón |
| 07:30 | Canoe ride to the village of the Emberá |
| 08:15 | Arrival at the Emberá village, culture and customs of the Emberá |
| 10:00 | Walk through the village and medicinal plants, lunch and dances |
| 11:30 | Canoe ride back towards the port |
| 12:15 | Bus transfer to the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic Bridge |
| 13:00 | Visit to the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal |
| 14:00 | Return drive to Colón |
| 14:30 | Arrival at the port |
Below is a sample description of this shore excursion from the port of Colón, with a 6:50 a.m. departure. For the 10:00 a.m. departure the excursion is adjusted, and we’ll send you a matching detailed description by e-mail.
Detailed Description
Our English-speaking guides welcome you right at the port of Colón. We then ride through the city in an air-conditioned bus and on to a landing on the Gatún River, which gives its name to the reservoir. Our friendly hosts are waiting for us there, and we climb into traditional dugout canoes. The boats glide slowly through the landscape, with countless birds to spot on the banks to either side. We follow the river for a while, and then the Emberá village comes into view ahead.
We’re given a warm welcome, and in the community house you learn more about their culture, history and way of life. The Emberá show off their craftwork with great pride. The colourful baskets, masks and plates of natural fibre, which the women weave by hand in painstaking detail, are famous for being so tightly made that not a drop of water can leak through. The men carve pieces from tropical wood and from the seed of a palm called the tagua, also known as vegetable ivory.
The Emberá are one of Panama’s seven indigenous peoples and live mainly in the rainforests of the Darién, in the far east of the country. We then take a walk through the village and along a short rainforest trail, where the village healer explains the medicinal power of the forest’s plants.
After that we sit down to a traditional Emberá lunch of fish freshly caught from the lake and plantains grown in the village’s own fields. Well fed and full of wonderful impressions, we head back to the landing by dugout canoe.
From the landing it’s about a 40-minute drive to the Agua Clara Locks. Around midday and in the afternoon you can watch the ships pass from Lake Gatún out into the Caribbean and Atlantic. The lock complex opened only in 2016 and is considerably larger than the old Gatún Locks of 1914. From the visitor platform you see at close range how huge ships make their way through. After the locks we drive across the Atlantic Bridge, which opened in 2019. Its 212-metre-high pylons are striking and give the ships coming from the canal a clearance of 75 metres. From the bridge you can see the old Gatún Locks and the new Agua Clara Locks at the same time. We stop at the Gatún Locks and, with a little luck, can watch the towing locomotives at work.
From there it’s a 20-minute drive back to the port of Colón, returning you to your ship on time and with a comfortable buffer to spare. A beautiful day in Panama comes to an end, and it’s time to say goodbye to this remarkable country.
We always tailor the excursion times precisely to your ship’s docking schedule. You’ll receive the detailed timings for your particular ship along with your booking request.
Our quality promise to you:
- Every tour is led by experienced English-speaking guides; we’ve been guiding groups from cruise ships since 2007.
- Easy registration, with payment on site in US dollars or, if you prefer, by bank transfer.
- Small groups of up to 19 people make for a personal experience of the country and its culture.
- Our guides can adapt the tour on the fly, so that you don’t miss the ships locking through the Panama Canal.
- Careful planning, years of experience organising excursions, and punctuality are what we’re known for.
Services
Included Services
- Travel in air-conditioned buses
- English-speaking guide: Guaranteed!
- Visit and guided tour in the Emberá village
- Lunch with the Emberá and drinks
- Entrance to the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal
Services Not Included
- Tips
Notes, Info & FAQ
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination, and which vaccinations do I generally need for Panama?
The standard vaccinations recommended in Germany are enough to keep you well protected. The tales of malaria and yellow fever epidemics go back to the building of the Panama Canal from 1881 onwards and were overcome long ago. The last locally acquired case of yellow fever in Panama was recorded in 1972.
More information on health, tropical diseases and vaccinations can be found here.
Weather and Clothing
Wear light, comfortable summer clothing (shorts and a short-sleeved shirt). Panama’s rainy season runs from mid-April to mid-December. The heaviest downpours come at the tail end of it, in October and November, so up to mid-December we’d recommend packing an umbrella or rain jacket, though heavy rain can fall in the dry season too. In the dry season from December to April it barely rains and the sun is strong throughout; around midday the temperature climbs to about 34 degrees Celsius, so good sun protection and plenty of water are essential. Be sure to use sunscreen, wear a hat or cap and bring sunglasses.
Currency
Officially the country’s currency is the Panamanian balboa, but in practice it’s the US dollar that circulates. To be exact, only dollar notes are used, while the coins include both US dollar coins and balboa coins, which are minted for Panama in the USA.
Credit cards are widely accepted in restaurants and shops. A tip on cash: don’t bring large notes for the souvenir shops and the like. It’s best to carry four 5-dollar bills and the rest in 20s.
How do I find the meeting point?
We have an easy-to-find meeting point right inside the port area, where we wait holding a sign with the Panamatura logo. Along with your excursion voucher we send you a map and detailed directions for finding us.
Port info Colón
Click here to find information on the port of Colón.
General country and travel information for Panama
Follow this link to read detailed country and travel information for Panama.
Dates & Prices
This excursion runs on every date when the cruise ships Aida and Mein Schiff call at the port of Colón. For other ships, please tell us the ship’s name, the port and the docking time.
Please enter your date in the booking form.
Prices
| Number of participants | Price |
|---|---|
| 16-19 participants | EUR 115 / USD 125 |
| 7-15 participants | EUR 125 / USD 135 |
| 6 participants | EUR 140 / USD 155 |
Reduced rates for children: up to 6 years – EUR/USD 55, up to 11 years – EUR/USD 25.
You’re welcome to pay in cash in US dollars on the day of the tour in Panama, or to transfer the amount in advance in EUR (please put the excursion date and name in the reference). Panama’s currency is the US dollar, which you can also withdraw from an ATM at the port.
