Description
Cultural Experience and Jungle Cacao Tour
Learn about cacao production and chocolate-making at the community level, where the knowledge from several generations of cacao farmers can be seen in action. This small Ngäbe community in the jungles of Bocas del Toro still makes cacao and chocolate in the same traditional way as their ancestors did before them. As a rural community-based tourism initiative, these farmers decided to open their doors to visitors and share their cultural tradition of cacao production.
The tour will be led by local guides from the community (Ngäbe indigenous farmers) that have been producing cacao over the last 60 years. They will take you on a walk through the cacao plantations to explain about cacao tree production, the process of growing and producing cacao, and finally, preparing chocolate in their traditional way.
Your day will begin with a walk through the village as you head up into the nearby farm. Along the way you can observe local tropical plants and animal life and understand how a cacao farm works. You can even try some of the local fruits along the walk!
During the tour, a member of the village will demonstrate the process of converting the dried, fermented cacao beans into edible pure chocolate. You can get a chance to try out the processing yourself and even taste some of the delicious finished cacao, both as unsweetened pure cacao and artisanal-made chocolate!
The tour ends with a visit to the local artisan house to enjoy a tasty local lunch and get an opportunity to purchase some of the local artisan products. This is a great way to get to experience a unique part of Panamanian culture that few see, while supporting a small community’s ability to sustain itself through eco-tourism.
Details about this tour:
- Location: Oreba Chocolate farm
- Departure time: 9:30 am. & 12:00 pm
- Duration: 2.5 hours (Approx.)
- Start/Finalize: Torres boat dock in Almirante
- Hike Duration: 1.5 hours approx.
- Level of difficulty: Easy
- Staff: Community Local guides
- Tour category: Outdoor & Cultural tour
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Amazing Nature Experience - It was a fantastic experience. Miguel is a wonderful guide—kind, funny, and extremely knowledgeable about wildlife. He respects nature and the animals, which we really appreciated. I highly recommend him... read more if you want to spend an amazing day in the Panamanian monkey forest.
tarnora
February 9, 2026
A fantastic day in Soberania National Park - My friend and I had a lovely time on the Soberania National Park walk tour with Panama Road Trips. Our tour guide (Miguel) and driver (Jorge) were the best.... read more We were picked up at our hotel, and enjoyed the day in the park looking for wild life. Miguel went out of his way to find everything from sloths, toucans, lizards, caimans, lots of birds..even the ants and plants! He compiled a list for us and gave us pics and videos! All very much appreciated and enjoyed by us.
Celia L
February 3, 2026
Pipeline/Gamboa Tour - We had a planned 8 hour lay over at PTY and honestly it was the best lay over ever! Natalia met us at the airport, we drove to Gamboa/ Pipeline,... read more and the driver stayed with our bags in the van as we explored several different areas. In addition to monkeys, a sloth, and a crocodile, we saw three different toucans, parrots, motmots, a trogon, a beautiful tiger heron, plus an additional 30 plus different birds. We also saw Natalia’s favorite - the ocellated antbird. Beautiful! Natalia was an excellent guide and we highly recommend her!
dezersky
January 6, 2026 -
Excellent time! - I cannot say enough great things about our guide, Miguel. He was excellent. So knowledgeable and so skilled at spotting wildlife! He was friendly and made our experience so enjoyable.... read more The communication from both Catherine and Miguel was excellent. Best experience with a tour company I've ever had. I highly recommend this company !
BrendaBKB
January 13, 2026
Literally, the best guides in Panama City - We had the most amazing time with Panama Road Trips! Catherine was so helpful arranging our time in Panama City, with 4 excursions over 4 days. From planning, to pick-up... read more and drop-off at our lodgings, to the expert guides, we could not have asked for a better and more seamless experience. Miguel Ibarra guided us hiking Ancon Hill and Metropolitan Park; on a rainforest boat tour and nature walk in Soberania National Park; and on a Caribbean beach trip. His expert wildlife spotting made our trip! The scope he brings along allowed us to see the animals up close and he also photographed them through the scope for perfect memories. Miguel is so personable and knowledgeable about the area flora and fauna. We learned so much from him and really enjoyed our time together. We were guided by Juan Carlos on our city and canal tour, and were equally impressed by his knowledge and attentiveness. He also recommended a great restaurant for lunch in Casco Viejo when our tour concluded, which we appreciated and enjoyed. Panama Road Trips is an outstanding company, with professionals who care about the environment and welfare of the wildlife. We hope to return to Panama and join Miguel in Bocos del Toro someday! Highly, highly, highly recommend!!
Susan K
December 11, 2025
Fun experiences with very good naturalist guides - Miguel ( first day) and Gaseth (boat, 2nd day) worked hard at showing us (my wife, young daughter, and myself) some of the most interesting wildlife and habitats in the... read more area around Gamboa, Panama. Both are excellent naturalists and were willing to flex so as to help us get close to and photograph quite a few wildlife species that we hadn't seen before.
Jet42756927473
December 3, 2025
What is included?
- Transportation from Almirante Torres boat dock – Oreba Chocolate farm
- Traditional lunch
- Local tour guide
What to bring:
- Comfortable shoes for the hike
- Insect repellent
- Extra snacks & water
- Camara
- Rain gear (Rainy season: May to Dec.)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Prices shown are in USD, per person, and based on a minimum of 2 people. For solo travelers the tour can also be arranged.
- Tour details may change due to severe rain, river conditions, or unforseen events.
- Lunch is usually rice, chicken, local vegetables, and salad. Depending on the season, other options like fish may be available.
- Prices shown apply for participants 6 years and up. Children 5 and under are free.
Is this experience for me?
This is the perfect tour for those that are interested in learning about other cultures, the detailed process of making cacao, and those who want to spend a day in a rural jungle community.
Please note that this activity does require participants to be comfortable walking at a slow pace for roughly 1.5 hours up and down some steep inclines on a dirt path, which can sometimes be slippery depending on the weather.
Reserve this tour
Please fill out the form below with your booking request. Payment is not requested until we verify availability for the dates that you are requesting, and also review any special request that you might have. By booking with us you are accepting our Terms & Conditions. If you have any question of how booking works, please see our Frequently Asked Questions for booking, and our 3 easy steps to book with us.
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