Which my friend Mario tour?

[smoothsailingagain]

I want to do one of Mario's tours, I just can't decide which one. I am trying to decide between the rainforest/San Lorenzo/canal tour and the canal/beach/Portabello tour. If anyone has done either of these tours, do you have any recommendations. Also, we will have 12 & 14 yr. old boys on the tour with us, if anyone thinks one would be more interesting for them than the other. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

[Richard in Panama]

My recommendation: neither! The kids would be absolutely fascinated by the Embera Village Tour. Unfortuantely Mario goes to the close-in, more touristy village. Anne Gordon goes to Embera Puru which is the authentic village deep in the jungle. It's a National Geographic moment and an opportunity for your kids to enjoy a cross cultural experience unique to Panama with a warm and friendly village. While interesting from an historical perspective, IF you know the history, the ruins of the Spanish forts at both Portobelo and San Lorenzo are still pretty much in ruins. They have become UNESCO sites but as yet little money has been invested in protecting and restoring th e areas. Portobelo is a tiny, unfortunately pretty dirty, West-Indian town (read: "Jamaica-like") town.

 

Just my opinion, having been to all the above.

 

Regards, Richard

[smoothsailingagain]

Thanks for the advice Richard. This sounds like a lot of fun too. This is the first I've heard of Anne,I'll have to look into one of her tours. It's always nice to have different options!

[joanne1]

Richard - the tour that Anne gives sounds amazing; however, from looking at the description it does not sound like it is available to us (partial transit). There is an excursion, through the ship, to an Embera tribe - is this the same group of natives that she visits or is it one that Mario does, a little more touristy?

 

Thank you for all of your help . . .

[Richard in Panama]

Richard - the tour that Anne gives sounds amazing; however, from looking at the description it does not sound like it is available to us (partial transit). There is an excursion, through the ship, to an Embera tribe - is this the same group of natives that she visits or is it one that Mario does, a little more touristy?

 

Thank you for all of your help . . .

 

Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure . . . if it is the long 6 hour tour -Authentic Embera Indian Village -PC1-398 It is most likely the one going to Embera Puru. There is another one that combines a Gatun Lake and Locks & Embera Indians & Kitchen Sink tour - PC1-110 which goes to basically a demonstration village and doesn't have enough time to go to the real thing. You can check with the Shore Ex manager on board. They can email the operator if you need clarification, but most likely they will know.

 

Regards, Richard

[cruisinez]

We will be going to Colon, Panama in November and was thinking of doing the rain forest, fort and canl tour. My question is in regard to the rain forest. I have a group of about 20 people of multiple ages that is interested in the tour. I have seen comments where the walk is rather long and was wondering if the walk was too long for some in the group if there would be an option for them not to walk the entire trek.

[dapperdonny]

My parents just got back from vacation and took the canal and indian village tour. They loved it. Which ever tour you choose with Mario will be great. Email the company they may have suggestions for you.

[leg]

We are 9 adults that just arrived home from the Panama Canal Tour and we took My Friend Mario's tour guide Laurie to the Indian Village which was our favourite tour. The boat ride was amazing through lots of scenery and the village and the lunch excellent. We also go to tour the docks from the observation tower. We had different types of mobility in our group so the boat ride and village tour was just long enough.

[digitl]

Was the village you were taken to one of the 'authentic' villages, ie inhabited 24/7/365?