The Emberá are one of Panama's seven indigenous peoples, and the community inside Chagres National Park offers one of the most authentic cultural experiences in the country. This is not a staged performance — it is a living community that has maintained its traditions through centuries of change.
After a scenic motorized boat ride up the Chagres River, you arrive at the village where community members welcome you with traditional music and dance. The afternoon unfolds at a relaxed pace: traditional medicine explained through the forest, craft demonstrations of tagua nut carving and woven baskets, and a lunch of plantains, corvina and coconut rice cooked over open fire.
A portion of every tour fee goes directly to the community fund. This is our favourite cultural experience in Panama — the most powerful argument for slow travel we know.
What's Included
Round-trip transport from Panama City
Motorized boat up the Chagres River
Community welcome ceremony
Traditional dance and music performance
Jungle medicine walk
Craft demonstration and community lunch
Not Included
Personal purchases — crafts, tagua carvings
Gratuities to community members — appreciated
Alcoholic beverages