Fuerte Amador excursions removed from HAL

[grandmaR]

When I go to book excursions for our transit through the Canal, I see we will be in Fuerte Amador from 7 pm on one day to 5 pm on the next day. But there are no excursions showing. I'm sure that I saw some previously. Why can't I book any excursions in this port?

[Richard in Panama]

Surprises me that there are no tours . . . But you can book your own, or take a cab and have him give you a tour. Should run about $15-20 an hour. I've posted answer to a similar question "What to do with 12 hours in Amador" on my blog at http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/qa-for-cruisers/

 

You probably have time to do an Embera Village tour on your own, and there are some contacts and recommendations for that as well. Mario gets a lot of press on this board. I don't know him or anything about him, but you might want to check it out. There are a number of different smaller outfits that do independent tours.

 

Regards, Richard

[grandmaR]

I've posted answer to a similar question "What to do with 12 hours in Amador" on my blog at http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/qa-for-cruisers/

 

Regards, Richard

 

Your blog answered a lot of my questions. I wasn't sure the train trip would be the thing, and since we've gone through locks in our own boat a fair number of times, and seen others, I didn't know how informative a tour of the locks would be or the ferry boat trip (which were ones that I remember being listed).

 

Even though you make a good case for the Indian Village, I'm not sure that I have been convinced to do that. Maybe I will just have to convince my husband to have a taxi tour. I would really prefer to have a car with a driver that speaks English as my Spanish is extremely rudimentary.

 

I do know some people who have boats there at the Yacht Club, including one who is building a house in Panama. Unfortunately I think they will be at a meeting in the US during that time.

[grandmaR]

Someone has recommended Panama Private Tours to me

 

 

8:00 am: Panama Vieja (City of 1500's).

9:00: Casco Viejo (City of 1800's).

1100: Visit to the Embera Indian Tribe

1200: Lunch at the Embera Community

100: Trail Walk inside the Village

200: Back to Marina.

 

How does that sound as a schedule?

[Richard in Panama]

There are no boats at the "Gatun Lake Yacht Club" . . . other than tenders from the ships.

 

Regards, Richard

[grandmaR]

By the Yacht club, I meant the Panama Canal Yacht Club. I know by internet the previous Commodore whose wife was a canal pilot. Unfortunately he's not going to be there during our transit.

[Richard in Panama]

Grandma, Would that be Craig and Sarah by any chance?

 

Regards, Richard

[grandmaR]

Grandma, Would that be Craig and Sarah by any chance?

 

Regards, Richard

 

Yes.

 

I guess you know them too - probably better than me as I only know them from email.