Panama Pete- Adventures in Panama

[mfs2k]

:)

I was in Panama on the Liberty 2/18 sailing where my group of 8 adults did a private tour with Patrick of "Adventures in Panama".

 

 

No Tours Just Adventures!

------------------------------------------------------------

Toll Free Number: 1-877-726-6222

Phone: (507) 236-8146 Fax: (507) 236-2275

e-mail: director@adventuresinpanama.com

web: www.adventuresinpanama.com

Pedro M. Garcia

Director

I have listed the contact and website above. In @ 7 hours we could not believe what we saw in Panama - Embera Indians, Panama City, ruins and the locks to name a few. Patrick was a knowledgable tour guide who made us feel comfortable. Adventures in Panama requires you to pay up front through PayPal.

 

Pedro, "Panama Pete", answered all of all of our phone calls and e-mails. We found the company to be very professional and they worked with us to plan our wonderful excursion.

 

Based on the above, on another thread, we booked with Panama Pete on Liberty March 18-26. We were in Panama (Colon) on March 23.

We were VERY pleased...

 

We were a group of 8, and we were uncomfortable paying the entire tour amount up-front. Pete agreed to a 25% deposit, which we sent via paypal.

 

Our ship arrived in Panama 2 1/2 hours late (930am instead of 7am). Despite this, the tour guide was there, waiting for us when we got off the ship (the tour was supposed to start at 7). We weren't sure if they were going to wait around for us.

 

There was a little minor problem that lasted about 15 min in the parking lot of the pier... Apparently, the tour operators that handle the Carnival ship tours (Adventures 2000?) have their own little monopoly going on, and dont want outside tour companies picking up passengers....... This was a bit annoying, but it got resolved......

 

We did the tour as outlined above. 2 of us, were going to do a jungle adventure including a jungle hike and rapelling down waterfalls, but because we were so late arriving, that part was cancelled. They joined us on the more sedate tour...

 

We took a beautiful long ride (at least 5 miles) in a rugged motorized dugout canoe up the Chagres River in the National Park to the Embera Indian village. Our group of 8 were the only ones there at the time. This was a different village that the ship tour went to, which, based on the travellog video shown in our cabin, was more touristy and crowded and less personal than the village we went to. The villagers gave us lunch of freshly caught, and freshly prepared fried Tilapia, and we bought some of their crafts..... Panama Pete met us at the village and he too, was a wealth of information. It was very educational and interesting and not boring.....

 

Then we took a drive to the Ruins, we went to Panama City (didnt have time to walk around), then the Old Quarter, finally to the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal where we got out, and went up to see the ships (in the distance) (unfortunately, our timing wasnt so great and there were no ships in that lock when we got there...) and eventually back to the ship on time, despite a rainstorm in the afternoon... We really enjoyed what we saw..... The tour guide was knowledgable....... It was well worth the $100pp.

 

I strongly recommend Panama Pete....!!! If you want real adventures, check out his website. some of the tours sound pretty incredible.......

 

-Michael

[samnjoc]

Hello - I hope someone can respond to this - the thread is pretty old. I have contacted Panama Pete as his adventures look great and he suggested the same tour as you tried to book (jungle adventure rappelling tour) but were too late for. Since his payment terms are upfront, I am a bit nervous about booking with him. I think he may jut try to say we were "too late" for the tour we want and get us to go on the Indian Village Tour - which I have no intention of paying $100 pp for.

 

My questions are - was the time difference b/c of ship vs. port time? How much time did he give you for the rappelling tour? What about your payment - did you have to pay everything upfront?

 

Has anyone else ever used this company before??

 

Any assistance is appreciated!

 

:)

 

Based on the above, on another thread, we booked with Panama Pete on Liberty March 18-26. We were in Panama (Colon) on March 23.

We were VERY pleased...

 

We were a group of 8, and we were uncomfortable paying the entire tour amount up-front. Pete agreed to a 25% deposit, which we sent via paypal.

 

Our ship arrived in Panama 2 1/2 hours late (930am instead of 7am). Despite this, the tour guide was there, waiting for us when we got off the ship (the tour was supposed to start at 7). We weren't sure if they were going to wait around for us.

 

There was a little minor problem that lasted about 15 min in the parking lot of the pier... Apparently, the tour operators that handle the Carnival ship tours (Adventures 2000?) have their own little monopoly going on, and dont want outside tour companies picking up passengers....... This was a bit annoying, but it got resolved......

 

We did the tour as outlined above. 2 of us, were going to do a jungle adventure including a jungle hike and rapelling down waterfalls, but because we were so late arriving, that part was cancelled. They joined us on the more sedate tour...

 

We took a beautiful long ride (at least 5 miles) in a rugged motorized dugout canoe up the Chagres River in the National Park to the Embera Indian village. Our group of 8 were the only ones there at the time. This was a different village that the ship tour went to, which, based on the travellog video shown in our cabin, was more touristy and crowded and less personal than the village we went to. The villagers gave us lunch of freshly caught, and freshly prepared fried Tilapia, and we bought some of their crafts..... Panama Pete met us at the village and he too, was a wealth of information. It was very educational and interesting and not boring.....

 

Then we took a drive to the Ruins, we went to Panama City (didnt have time to walk around), then the Old Quarter, finally to the Miraflores locks of the Panama Canal where we got out, and went up to see the ships (in the distance) (unfortunately, our timing wasnt so great and there were no ships in that lock when we got there...) and eventually back to the ship on time, despite a rainstorm in the afternoon... We really enjoyed what we saw..... The tour guide was knowledgable....... It was well worth the $100pp.

 

I strongly recommend Panama Pete....!!! If you want real adventures, check out his website. some of the tours sound pretty incredible.......

 

-Michael

[samnjoc]

Anyone out there? Looking for recent reviews of their services - thanks!!