Embera Indian Village Tours on Princess - Feedback Please

[crawford]

Any recent visitors to one of the Embera Indian village tours on Princess have some feedback to share?

 

I have explored the Panama, Princess and Princess Roll calls threads without the results I was hoping for.

 

We are on the Coral, January 20th 2018 (2 day canal experience) and have the following questions:

 

1.) Is the Princess tour authentic? Have read about satellite dishes, modern facilities, concrete homes behind the huts, etc. Other feedback says there are multiple Embera villages. Would really like to see the actual villages and not something fabricated.

 

2.) We'll be in port from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Would there be enough time to use an outside vendor (i.e. Anne Gordon). Was concerned about the potential timing and logistics.

 

Your shared experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[riffatsea]

Hi,

I am also interested in this experience.

In my research I have found that IF the excursion includes a 1 hr canoe ride to the village then it is the "real" one.

The other village is a shorter ride.

Thanks for mentioning this as I didn't realize that one was a demo village.

I would think that even if it is a "demo" it would still be interesting to learn about the culture of this native tribe.

[crawford]

Hi,

I am also interested in this experience.

In my research I have found that IF the excursion includes a 1 hr canoe ride to the village then it is the "real" one.

The other village is a shorter ride.

Thanks for mentioning this as I didn't realize that one was a demo village.

I would think that even if it is a "demo" it would still be interesting to learn about the culture of this native tribe.

 

Pretty sure that a lot depends on the weather, too. I know the "dry" season starts in December, so I am hoping

that the weather cooperates.

 

Agree with you that meeting the Embera people will be a great experience, regardless.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Until you get some first-hand experience here on CC, check out these reviews on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=embera+village+tours+reviews+

[spirit rev]

I did the Embera tour with Anne Gordon in 2012. It was wonderful and authentic. This village was established for sustainable tourism. There was no problem getting back to the ship.

In 2015, on a partial transit, I did the Princess tour to the Embera. It was actually to the village Anne had planned to take us but Princess was going to that day in 2012.

By and large, the experience was pretty much the same.

These were right at the top of my best cruise excursions ever. Be sure to bring some money to purchase their hand made wares at very reasonable prices.

[bluenoser2]

We did the Princess tour in February and after worrrying about this tour beforehand more than usual it turned out to be my favourite tour of all time! We did the long canoe ride and thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

[Zozizar]

I did this tour in February with princess and it was fantastic. Best excursion in 10+ trips. Tour guide did say they can't go up as far in the dry season.

 

Sent from my Z220 using Forums mobile app

[BillB48]

While Anne's village is probably the most authentic, all of the half dozen or so villages do fairly accurately represent their way of life. Sometimes what sets the more "touristy" villages apart from the more "authentic" is modern toilet facilities for the visitors in the closer in villages.

 

Boat access to Anne's village is dependent on the level of Lake Alajuela (formerly Madden Lake) and the village is on one of the tributaries to the Lake. The Lake levels can vary over 50' during the year causing areas of the Lake and tributaries to be very shallow. January is in the Dry Season, but it is at the beginning of the Dry Season so I would not the water levels would be an issue at this time. Unless of course there is too much water!

 

8:AM to 6:PM probably is enough time to do Anne's village, but keep in mind it is probably the more remote of the villages from Ft. Amador and Amador is a tender port also.

[skynight]

Any recent visitors to one of the Embera Indian village tours on Princess have some feedback to share?

 

I have explored the Panama, Princess and Princess Roll calls threads without the results I was hoping for.

 

We are on the Coral, January 20th 2018 (2 day canal experience) and have the following questions:

 

1.) Is the Princess tour authentic? Have read about satellite dishes, modern facilities, concrete homes behind the huts, etc. Other feedback says there are multiple Embera villages. Would really like to see the actual villages and not something fabricated..

Your shared experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

What we heard was that the Embera were re-settled from an area of Panama that was closer to Colombia. Drug traffic made it too dangerous to live on their original lands. One of their sources of income are tourists. The village we visited had two large pavilions, one with items for sale, and the other for for their tropical snacks and show. Each day the youth travel across the lake to local Panama schools just like other Panama youth. Their tribal area does have many on today's must haves, TV, Cell phones, computers, and they do have the immediate infrastructure to support these amenities. Around the main area are the homes. We did not go into that area, but noticed that they are mostly cement block as you would expect in a wet tropical climate. The Embera wore a modification of their historical clothing. I suspect that is done mainly for the tourists. It was a little muddy getting into and out of the canoes. Over all it was a very nice trip and I would recommend it.

[crawford]

Until you get some first-hand experience here on CC, check out these reviews on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=embera+village+tours+reviews+

 

Thanks! I looked them over previously and they look like great trips.

[crawford]

I did the Embera tour with Anne Gordon in 2012. It was wonderful and authentic. This village was established for sustainable tourism. There was no problem getting back to the ship.

In 2015, on a partial transit, I did the Princess tour to the Embera. It was actually to the village Anne had planned to take us but Princess was going to that day in 2012.

By and large, the experience was pretty much the same.

These were right at the top of my best cruise excursions ever. Be sure to bring some money to purchase their hand made wares at very reasonable prices.

 

Thanks for your feedback! Definitely will bring some cash with us.

[crawford]

While Anne's village is probably the most authentic, all of the half dozen or so villages do fairly accurately represent their way of life. Sometimes what sets the more "touristy" villages apart from the more "authentic" is modern toilet facilities for the visitors in the closer in villages.

 

Boat access to Anne's village is dependent on the level of Lake Alajuela (formerly Madden Lake) and the village is on one of the tributaries to the Lake. The Lake levels can vary over 50' during the year causing areas of the Lake and tributaries to be very shallow. January is in the Dry Season, but it is at the beginning of the Dry Season so I would not the water levels would be an issue at this time. Unless of course there is too much water!

 

8:AM to 6:PM probably is enough time to do Anne's village, but keep in mind it is probably the more remote of the villages from Ft. Amador and Amador is a tender port also.

 

Thank you for your reply. We're going to go with the Princess tour, just to be on the safe side. Very grateful to get so much input on my post. Thank you all for your replies!

[dfields1814]

Do it!!!!!!

[hikergirl100]

We went with Ann about 6 years ago. Long canoe ride but it was wonderful and she has a wonderful story to tell on the way. It was muddy getting in and out of the canoes and you had to go up a hill, could be a little slippery. It was a fabulous tour, one of the best I've taken.