Jacqlyne Mba-Jonas
Cartagena Itinerary - Tours and Activities
Updated: Mar 13
Located along the Colombia's Caribbean coast, Cartagena is a popular beach destination. It is home to an old walled town filled with colorful colonial buildings. With it's close proximity to many Caribbean islands, Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in South America. Below is my extensive list of what you can do while visiting.
Disclaimer
Part of the job of a travel agent is to save clients time and money. I looked through hundreds of tours and picked out the best tours to book in various categories that are both the best in quality and price.
Prices listed below are subject to change. Rates are typically discounted for larger groups and children, so use the links provided to see the exact cost for your specific scenario and book what is of interest to you.
Guided City Tour w/ La Popa and San Felipe Castle

Visit the Cartagena essentials on this half-day, small-group city tour. Hop on an air-conditioned van to discover the main sites such as La Popa, The San Felipe Castle, the history within the Walled City, and the Old Shoes Monument.
Duration
4 hours
Availability
Everyday at 2pm
Price
$35 per person
Alternative
The Walled City in Cartagena - $13 per person
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour - $15 per person
Biking Tour Cartagena - $19 per person
Historic and Movie Bike Tour - $40 per person
City Tour in Chiva - $26 per person
Get to Know the Getsemanà District - $13 per person
Getsemani Highlights and Graffiti Walking Tour - $26 per person
Cartagena Instagram Mobile Workshop - $56 per person
Walled City, San Felipe, La Popa Tour & Tastings - $82 per person
Freedom Tour of Palenque

If you want to dig beneath the tourist sites and really learn about the culture and history of Colombia, this 'Freedom Tour' of San Basilio de Palenque is ideal. With a knowledgeable local tour guide you'll visit a variety of places that demonstrate how the distinct African culture has been maintained for centuries. Learn about traditional music and dance, folk medicine, and Palenque's unique language.
Duration
5 - 6 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8am
Price
$96 per person
Cartagena's Vibrant Nightlife Walking Tour

You will enjoy the Cartagena-style nightlife, with a bar tour through the most particular, local and popular places in the Getsemanà neighborhood, enjoying typical Colombian cocktails and drinks. This will be a night full of fun, with drinking games, quests and the opportunity to show your best steps in our salsa or champeta classes. You will also be accompanied by a local guide who will make sure you have the best night!
Duration
6 hours
Availability
Fridays at 9pm
Price
$16 per person
Alternative
Bar Tour for Guys and Bachelor Parties – $20 per person
Party Bus Tour – $21 per person
Private English Pub Crawl Tour – $26 per person
Dance Class In a Secret Rooftop Of The Old City – $26 per person
Crazy Rumba - Salsa and Champeta Workshop – $44 per person
Full-Day Mud Volcano and Galerazamba Town

Be amazed by nature's unpredictability on this Totumo Volcano and Galerazamba day trip. The impressive Galerazamba salt flats give a pink hue to the nearby sea between December and April. Enjoy magnificent views of the pink sea from a lookout point and learn more about the local area at the Ethnoindustrial Museum.
Duration
5 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8am
Price
$32 per person
Alternative
Totumo Mud Volcano Experience – $24 per person
Pink Sea of Galerazamba – $58 per person
Sunset Cruise with Open Bar

Enjoy this 90-minute trip on a yacht to see the sunset on the bay. Grab a drink from the open bar of rum and coke, rum punch and soft drinks while enjoying good music, good company, and a lovely crew.
Duration
1.5 hours
Availability
Wednesday - Monday at 5pm
Price
$30 per person
Alternative
2-Hour Sunset Cruise – $20 per person
Sunset Cruise with Open Bar on a Pirate Ship – $31 per person
Cruise by the Bay with Dinner and Wine – $55 per person
Dinner Cruise on Cartagena's Bay with Sibarita Master – $70 per person
Island Beach Trip on a Pirate Sail Boat – $85 per person
Tierra Bomba Beach Club, Lunch & Walking tour of Fort San Fernando

Enjoy Tierra Bomba Island where you will find the charming beach of San Fernando and discover the history of one of the oldest military forts in Cartagena. Talk a walk accompanied by a native guide to the Fort of San Fernando located next to the beach club and enjoy its warm and quiet beaches. It is the only beach in the city that has the perfect combination between a military fort and the tranquility that our visitors look for.
Duration
6 - 7 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8am
Price
$35 per person for standard admission
Alternative
Playa Blanca Experience – $25 per person
Terrestrial Baru Island, Pasadia in Premium Tranquil Beach – $31 per person
Islabela Full-Day Tour – $58 per person
Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour – $59 per person
Rosario Islands Day Tour with Snorkel & Lunch – $69 per person
Isla Barú Full Day Tour – $75 per person
Bora Bora Cartagena - Beach Club – $88 per person
Full Day 5 VIP Islands & Snorkeling – $89 per person
Mambo Beach Club Baru VIP Experience – $99 per person
Private Boat Tour Around the Islands – $468 per group of 10
Jet Ski Rental

Explore Cartagena beyond its historic center with a jet ski rental. Zip around Cartagena Bay and take in the views of Laguito, Tierra Bomba Island, and the Castillo Grande beaches. Get tips on where to go from an instructor and about other watersports including windsurfing and paddleboarding. After your ride, relax with a drink at the beach bar.
Duration
30 mins
Availability
Everyday from 11am - 4pm
Price
$53 per pair
Alternative
Paddleboard Tour – $24 per person
Sunset Glow Tour Paddleboard – $27 per person
Surfing Lessons – $43 per person
Walled City Kayak Tour – $43 per person
Sunset Sea Kayaking Tour – $46 per person
Private Surf Class – $50 per person
Kiteboarding Lesson – $57 per person
Canoe Trip in the La Boquilla Mangrove Forest

Get away from the crowds and explore an area rich with wildlife and tradition on this tour to the Cienaga de la Virgen mangrove forest. Paddle through winding mangrove channels on a canoe along with your guide, stopping to admire the scenery and learn about wildlife along the way. As you go, you also learn about the traditional fishing villages and people who call La Boquilla home.
Duration
3 hours
Availability
Everyday at 6am, 9am and 3pm
Price
$58 per person for a Canoe Ride
$123 per person for a Fishing Experience
Alternative
Full-day Magic Tour in Isla de Barú – $90 per person
Beach Horse Ride and Colombian Horse Culture

Go off the beaten track to enjoy an amazing experience riding horses on the beach of Cartagena. Benefit from hotel pickup and drop-off, free time at the beach, and lunch. Learn about and watch an exhibition of the Colombian Paso Fino horse breed.
Duration
4 hours
Availability
Monday - Saturday at 8:30am and 2:30pm
Price
$140 per person (2 people minimum required to reserve)
Alternative
Horse Riding in Cartagena – $80 per person
Emerald Jewelry Making Class

Make your own emerald jewelry at a 3-hour class at Cartagena’s Caribe Jewelry and Emerald Museum. You’ll work with Colombian emeralds and sterling silver wire, making four projects: a ring, earrings, a pendent, and a bracelet. At the end of the class, choose one piece to take home, with the option to purchase your other projects at the cost of materials. This 3-hour Cartagena jewelry-making class includes pickup and drop-off in the city, with both morning and afternoon classes available.
Duration
2 - 3 hours
Availability
Monday - Friday between 9am-3:pm
Price
$90 per person
Alternative
Emerald Museum and Factory Tour – $10 per person
Taste Cartagena Food Tour

Walk with us through Cartagena's downtown while eating and tasting real local finger food. We meet right in front of Cartagena University (look out of Juan Valdez Cafe) to live an amazing experience where you will taste more than 7 typical Colombian street food, You will discover not only the amazing history of each food but also understand our cultural uses for all of them, You'll be immersed in this sea of flavors and nice people, our experience will take you beyond of just stopping on the spots, you will interact with the traditional families who have owned these stands for years and who will be really happy to see you taste our delicious Colombian street food.
Duration
2.5 hours
Availability
Everyday between 9am - 3:30pm
Price
$30 per person
Alternative
Brunch And Paint in a Secret Rooftop - $26 per person
Cooking Class In A Real Restaurant At Old City - $30 per person
Bazurto Market Food Tour - $47 per person
Bike & Bite Food Tour - $50 per person
Best Street Food with Local Chef - $50 per person
SkyKitchen 4 Course Cooking Class - $79 per person
Specialty Coffee Workshop

In Colombia, coffee is an artform. From the mountain terraces where the beans are grown and picked to the rich aroma as you take a sip, every step in the process is carefully considered. This morning tour of some of Cartagena’s best cafés will take you on a journey of discovery, learning all there is to know about Colombia’s rich coffee culture and sampling some of its finest brews along the way.
Duration
3 hours
Availability
Thursdays at 9am
Price
$35 per person