2-Day Jungle White Water Rafting and Embera Village Tour from Panama City
1st day: The Chagres Challenge
Start at 5am after your picked and taken in an all-terrain vehicle from your hotel to the remote village of San Cristobal.
After enjoying a typical Panamanian breakfast, visit a campesino survival agricultural farm in the Chagres National Park.
Next, hike for about 2-hours up to Rio Piedras. This area is a Chagres River tributary, where you will get into your rafts and begin to float downstream, (Class II-III rapids) floating into the untouched jungles of the Chagres National Park. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as monkeys, sloth, river otter, iguana, toucan and fish.
From late February through early June you might have to hike all the way to the Chagres River (which takes 3-hours) because Piedras River might be to low to raft on.
After lunch, continue rafting further downstream passing an impressive granite canyon with some white water rapid action, and ending just before encountering Madden Lake where you met by a "piragua" (native wooden canoe equipped with outboard motor). Ride in the pirgua further downstream to visit an Embera Indian Village and the riverbank where you will spend the night.
2nd day: Embera Village
After breakfast, meet the villagers and learn about their customs, beliefs and legends.
These natives migrated to Chagres River banks more than 20 years ago, where they found the same habitat they were so familiar with in the Darien Jungles.
The Embera will display their crafts, dances and they'll invite you to their huts to appreciate the constructions and living habits of hut life.
Go to nearby areas ,in which you will appreciate their cultural adaptation to the jungle and river and enjoy the ride.
At the end of our journey, a "piragua" will take you to the nearest road where a driver will be expecting you and ready to bring you back to civilization, and to your hotel in Panama City around 3pm.
Who can come? Anyone from 12 to 70 years old, in good health, ready to walk for about an hour and a half through an irregular and muddy path. Minors must travel with a responsible adult.
What to bring? Swimsuit or a pair of short for navigating, sneakers or light boots with good soles, a cap, sun-block, a light jacket or windbreaker (in case the weather turns chilly), a towel and dry set of clothes for the trip back.
What to leave home? Any objects than can be deteriorated by water or valuables like jewels, cash, credit cards, etc.
