From Riu Playa Blanca - Embera Tribe & River Tour with Lunch

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

8 hours

Mobile ticket

The Embera Tribe Tour is an 8-hour cultural adventure designed for travelers of all ages, including children and seniors. Starting with a scenic ride to the Chagres River, guests travel by traditional canoe to an Emberá community, where they are welcomed with music, dance, and the opportunity to learn about their traditions, crafts, and way of life.

This shorter tour does not include the waterfall visit for safety reasons, making it a comfortable and enriching experience for anyone seeking to explore Panama’s indigenous culture in a safe and accessible way

Additional Info

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

We do not visit the Walterfall because of safety concerns. Many accidents occur because of the slippery path and rocks.

Please note: There is an additional fee of $35 for adults and $25 for children, payable in cash only on the day of the tour to your guide.

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

What‘s Included

Bilingual Guide (Meet you in the city)

Bottled water

Seasonal fruits (pineapple, banana, orange)

Tilapia Fish and fried plantain

No Waterfall Walk (due to safety concerns we do not visit it)

Indigenes Embera

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Gran Evenia Bijao

Carretera Interamericana km 108 Santa Clara Panama

Grand Decameron Panama, A Trademark All-inclusive Resort

Avenida Principal Farallon. Km 115, Carretera Interamericana Penonomé El Farallon del Chiru Panama

Hotel Riu Playa Blanca

Finca 43.668 El Farallon del Chiru Panama

What To Expect

Chagres National Park

Chagrea NP is the most accessible national park from Panama City and the perfect nature-filled day trip for the whole family.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Indigenes Embera

The Emberá people, one of Panama’s most authentic indigenous groups, live along the Chagres River within the lush rainforest of the Chagres National Park. They preserve a traditional lifestyle deeply connected to nature, building their homes from palm leaves and wood, navigating the river in hand-carved canoes, and relying on fishing, hunting, and crafts for their livelihood. The Emberá are known for their rich cultural heritage, expressed through vibrant handmade baskets, wood carvings, and tattoos made from natural dyes like jagua, which are used for both decoration and spiritual protection. Visitors are welcomed with rhythmic traditional dances, music played on handmade drums and flutes, and freshly prepared local dishes such as fried fish and plantains. The community proudly shares their ancestral knowledge of medicinal plants and their deep respect for the rainforest, offering an inspiring glimpse into a way of life that remains harmonious with nature.

4 hours • Admission Not Included

Options

From Riu Playa Blanca Hotel

From Riviera Pacifica or Riu : The Spanish driver will collect you from the lobby. Please, be on time.
Pickup included

Reviews

4.92

84 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Wonderful experience!
estelm2024,
Aug 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A very interesting visit to get to know the Emberá Puru and their culture. The guide who accompanied us, Levy, was super friendly and attentive at all times, answered all our doubts and explained everything about the Emberá. It was a wonderful experience that we will not forget, especially my daughter, that I was amazed! Highly recommended to do it with Layover, they are very professional and punctual.
The trip was...
Blanca M,
Jun 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The trip was expectaucular , the view , the ocean the boat was smooth regardless of the wind and the personnel were very professional
Met and exceeded all my expectations
Aryeh S,
May 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The guide Raphel was so imformative and helpful. Ot was such a pleasure to go on this trip to see the indiginous tribe.The excursion was famtastic
Once in a lifetime experience
sierra j,
May 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
First you take a hour long drive through the countryside and learn about the area. When you get to the water you take a canoe to the tribe where you’re welcome. Learn about the history of the tribe in their native language also in English in Spanish, get a chance to eat fish and plantain and fruit and learn dances. This was an amazing experience. Thank you Levy😁
A great ending to my Panama trip!
Navigate29248301427,
Apr 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I really enjoyed learning about the Embera history and culture. The food was great! My tour guide lead me throughout the experience and he was very knowledgeable and personable!
Once in a lifetime experience!
Kingtut204,
Mar 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The Emberra people were genuine, down to earth and incredibly welcoming. Our guide Saul was informative, insightful and lots of help. I wouldn’t do anything differently.
It was a fun day on the...
Terri P,
Mar 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
It was a fun day on the water in a motorized canoe! We learned about the Embere people and ate an excellent lunch.
Great tour! Highly recommend!
Devi R,
Mar 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The experience was exactly as described, we were looking for an option of this tour that didn't include the waterfall hike and this was it! We got picked up at our hotel and drove to the Chagres River where we took a very nice trip in a motorised canoe down the river and to the Embera Village. We were welcomed by members of the village and learnt about their history and way of life. The lunch was delicious along with the fruits that we were treated to. The music, dancing and crafts by the Embera people were all fantastic. We encourage you to support them by buying crafts or getting a temporary tattoo. Levy is a great and knowledgeable guide and we truly enjoyed every moment of the tour! Highly recommend! ❤️
A wonderful visit to the (Embera Express Tour) on the chagrin River … the best!!
margie t,
Mar 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Not knowing what I was going to observe for this morning tour I was totally surprised that during the ride to the Embera village our driver and host, Rafael, gave us a very informative history of the different tribes still active, and the Panama Canal, and much about the country’s history. Upon arriving at to the village, we were greeted with a warm welcome by a women dancing and a man playing a drum…We were given a tour of all the native homes, the wildlife, flowers, and fruit and then we gathered in this big open room to learn about the different tribes and rituals, especially of the Embera people. The highlight of the day was watching several native dancers by manyin the tribe, and at the end of their performance, we were invited I grown-ups and little ones to dance, and everybody was celebrating. That was followed by a beautiful lunch wrapped up in a banana leaf plant of fish and tostadas and an abundance of fruit for dessert!! Our group had a lot of fun together and all of us could not have been more different. I highly recommend RNK tours and our tour guide Rafael who was absolutely WONDERFUL!!
A wonderful visit to the (Embera Express Tour) on the chagrin River … the best!!!
Margie T,
Mar 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Not knowing what I was going to observe for this morning tour I was totally surprised that during the ride to the Embera village our driver and host, Rafael, gave us a very informative history of the different tribes still active, and the Panama Canal, and much about the country’s history. Upon arriving at to the village, we were greeted with a warm welcome by a women dancing and a man playing a drum…We were given a tour of all the native homes, the wildlife, flowers, and fruit and then we gathered in this big open room to learn about the different tribes and rituals, especially of the Embera people. The highlight of the day was watching several native dancers by manyin the tribe, and at the end of their performance, we were invited I grown-ups and little ones to dance, and everybody was celebrating. That was followed by a beautiful lunch wrapped up in a banana leaf plant of fish and tostadas and an abundance of fruit for dessert!! Our group had a lot of fun together and all of us could not have been more different. I highly recommend this tour company and our tour guide Rafael who was absolutely WONDERFUL!!