Umbera Indian- Grand Tour Of Panama --Fabulous!

[SKB]

sptrout, that is a very welcome post I just read, thank you so very much.

Quick question, which cruise line did you book with to do the tour ???

[sptrout]

SKB - - Our tour was booked through Celebrity.

[SKB]

sptrout, thanks. I'll make a few enquries with RCI :)

[Judynharold]

This is our first post so please excuse our ignorance!

We are taking a 14 day Summit through the Panama Canal -12/05.

We are interested in visiting the Embera Indian Village. When we take the tour where do we reboard the ship (we are going East to West)?

Would it be better to stay on the ship for entire transit through the Canal?

[tampadee]

Our cruise does not go through the Panama Canal, just stops in Colon. Will this the Grand Panama tour be available for us too? I can't tell from Celebrity's website.

[Lsimon]

Our cruise does not go through the Panama Canal, just stops in Colon. Will this the Grand Panama tour be available for us too? I can't tell from Celebrity's website.

 

I beleive it is offered - I think its what we just signed up for on our upcoming Summit cruise! Go to the celebrity site. On the bar/menu accross the top click on plan your cruise and pick "shore excursions" from the drop down menu. This will open a window where you can see excursions and even dowload a brochure for your particular cruise!

[tampadee]

Thanks, Lsimon!

[cruisingschool]

Just got back from Legend cruise, March 19, 2005. Panama is a city that needs an excursion. The city of Colon is big, dirty, and dangerous. The people are very aggressive. I book a "grand tour" through Mario at myfriendmario.com His tour was $55.00. The ship charged $155.00 for the same tour. He picked us up at the dock. Took us to a river dock where an Embera Tribesman and his canoe were waiting for us. We rode to his villiage. There we met the chief who told us of the EMberan ways. A dance was performed. A authentic lunch was cooked...the fish is delicious. We then got to shop from their wares. Mario then took us to the canal. He was very entertaining. I can recommend him.

[cruiserus]

We just returned from a 10 day cruise on the Coral Princess (3/18/05) and this tour was one of the highlights of our trip! At first we had balked at doing it, because the cruise tour brochure referred to a visit to a replica of an Embera Indian Village. After reading a previous entry here, we decided to take a chance and were we ever glad we did. As someone previously reported, first we took a tender off our ship in Gatun Lake and boarded a bus that took us to the Gatun Locks, which we had just passed through. From the observation platform, we got a whole different perspective of the canal transit as we watched a large freighter go through. The tour operator provided us with a sandwich of turkey and cheese on a roll, a muffin, and mint and a bottle of icy cold water, which we really needed because the heat and humidity really drain you. Next we drove to a lovely hotel and then boarded the small motorized boat to cruise around the shoreline of the lake. We saw a few monkeys, crocodiles, birds, a sloth, and some other animals. Then we arrived at an island on the lake. A group of men playing flutes and drums greeted us at the dock, and a smiling group of small children took our life jackets and hung them up. The triabl members do not wear much clothing, but it was not offensive. Then men and bouys had on loincloths, and the women wore skirts, Most of them also had some kind of necklace of other covering over their breasts, but some did not. We proceeded up a slight incline to a large ceremonial hut. The Embera chief told us about his tribe's lifestyle and answered many questions from us. A guide translated for the chief as he did not speak English. They showed us how the craft items were made. Then the chief's wife led the other women and children in some dances. After a few such dances, the whole tribe joined in. Then the tribal members came over and asked some of us to join them in a last dance. I was chosen to join a young mother and her little girl. What an experience!

 

After the dancing we were free to look around the entire village, including the raised huts where the families lived. I had brought stickers of various animals with me: iguanas, monkeys, dogs, butterflies, etc. and started handing them out to the children. Before long I had a swarm of kids around me, all very polite. It was such fun to see their smiling faces as they peeled off the stickers and put them all over their bodies, adding them to the dyed designs that were already drawn all over their bodies. We also had a chance to buy some woven baskets, and a wooden carving of an eagle which the chief himself had carved. It was beautiful. They also sold masks and various necklaces and bracelets. After about an hour and a half, we returned to the hotel, and then by bus to the pier in Colon. Our ship had arrived there about an hour earlier. There is a large covered market place by the pier, which also had wonderful handicrafts to sell. Go passed the commercial businesses and you will find lots of local handicraft sellers. They sold carvings, mulas, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, and much more. There also were some places selling beverages and food at very cheap prices. We had about 2 and a half hours to shop before we had to reboard the ship. There also were some native dancers to entertain the crowd. From what I saw as we drove through Colon, I would shop there and not venture into the city itself. From what I heard, it is a crime-ridden area and not safe for tourists.

[sparks]

We did not take the tour because we couldn't make up our minds & were too late. I met some of the indians in the marketplace & really regret not taking this tour, but we bought some really beautiful items & spoke with them a bit in Spanish. I do have one question though. With so many Westerners going through their village it seems impossible for these indians to live as they did in the past. I figure after the tours leave, they put their t-shirts & pants back on & drive home!

[motherchic]

i think you all answered my question but in my case i would always rather recheck.

I have a back problem, On the Grand Tour of panama tour, is their anything that is not doable. I am ok, but i need to sit in a regular seat preferably with a back (when i am on the boat ), and can do stairs , but are they steep,? do they have a rail ? Sorry for the petty questions but i would rather know ahead then be suprised

Thank you for any help

Nadine

[sptrout]

The boats we used for the "Grand Tour" had wood bench seats with hard wood backs. Not very comfortable, but the boat ride was not very long (~15 minutes maybe) so I image that you will not have a problem at the Indian Village.

 

At Gatun Locks, there is a long steep stairway that goes up to the main viewing area. I do not remember if there was an elevator available or not (my guess would be no), or how much of the locks you can see if you do not climb the stairs, but I think you will enjoy the visit to the Locks even if you cannot do the stairs.

[palmtre2]

Thinking of taking this tour "off ship" but I have a few questions - has anyone heard of a good private tour operator? I have one but I can't imagine they are it. I have seen pictures of the woven baskets the Emberas make and was wondering how expensive they were?? Did you take boats to their village? The stickers were a great idea, did you run into any objections from the elders?

[motherchic]

cathykins,

Have we met ?

Nadine