8 Days Colombian Caribbean Express

This is an example of a fully customizable 8-day package tour.

Full list of Cartagena day tours, Full list of Santa Marta day tours

You’ll walk through a Caribbean jungle discovering hidden beaches and wildlife along the way; Enjoy a  tour of Minca, a coffee Finca, a cocoa farm, and a refreshing swim under a hidden waterfall in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada; Enjoy a day on the Rosario Islands, explore Cartagena by night, and have options to visit an indigenous village, rejuvenate your body in a Volcanic mud bath, cruise through mangroves in a canoe, and still have some free time to explore other hidden gems. 

Please note during the month of February Tayrona National Park is closed in order for the park to rest and recover for another year. 

Beautiful beaches, tropical jungles, lush mountains, amazing deserts, and so much more...

Arrive at any time to be collected from the airport and taken to your accommodation. 

Depending on your arrival time we can provide you with another tour or with suggestions of places to see and where to go.

Travel to the small town of Minca where you'll breathe in the fresh mountain air and enjoy a tour of this wonderful little mountain pueblo, including its wonderful cafes and artisan shops.

Following this, you'll receive a coffee tour, where you'll learn everything about the production of Colombian liquid gold, from the seed to cup.

Next, it's time to uncover the process of creating delicious chocolate! You'll discover the wonderful flavors of Colombian Cocoa, and perhaps you'll enjoy a chocolate facemask as well!

To finish off you're mountain adventure you'll explore some hidden waterfalls, with the opportunity for a refreshing swim (don't forget your swimming trunks)! Of course, throughout your journey, you need to keep an eye out for any exotic birds that happen to be hanging out close by!

Cabo San Juan in the Tayrona Park is a mixture of environments where you can find tropical jungle on one side of you, beautiful white sands, and the Caribbean blue ocean on the other. Together this mix of nature forms a perfect Caribbean landscape. 

You’ll be taken to Tayrona park and enjoy a 2-hour ecological walk through the jungle and visit 4 beaches along the way including Arenillas, La Piscina, Cabo San Juan, and Los Arrecifes. 

You'll also enjoy some fantastic beach time (approx. 3 hours), along with time to explore the area or partake of some watersports, such as snorkeling.  After your beach-time has passed you'll enjoy a 1.3-hour walk through the jungle and your waiting transportation. 

During your ecological walks, you will learn about the local environment and the local indigenous. You'll learn about what native animals can be seen and or heard. Your guide will also be safeguarding your possessions while you're relaxing in the temperate waters and taking as many photos as you may need. 

NB.

• For those not so inclined to walk for 3-4 hours during this tour there are horses available to ride to and from the beach.
• The recommended start time is 7 am to avoid the queue to enter Tayrona Park. This time can be adjusted if needed.
• The estimated finish time is between 4 - 5 pm. But this can vary depending on the weather, traffic, and tour conditions.

Optional Tour: New Venice, the city on water

You'll journey across the largest coastal lagoon in Colombia; La Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 this lagoon is considered the most important in this region and vital for the livelihood of the locals.

Making a stop along the way at Buenavista, another city floating atop the Caribbean Sea. You’ll enjoy experiencing this close encounter with the amphibian culture that lives entirely on floating pontoons and houses on stilts.

Continuing onto New Venice (Nueva Venecia), you’ll travel through this town suspended on sticks, to visit several of the most important watermarks (landmarks lolol) such as the Mona y Sábalo Bakery, the only carpenter's house, the house of María la “bossy” (who is the living figure of the New Venice carnival), the aqueduct, the drugstore, the village apothecary, and the craftsman's house. Finishing your tour of the town with a walking tour to the police station, the town church, the soccer field Falcao donated, and the school.

You’ll not only love the colorful wooden houses and the canoes parked at almost every house, creating a unique and unforgettable landscape. But you’ll also enjoy a cultural exchange with the families that make their living fishing in these very waters.

Optional Tour: Playa Cristal (Crystal Beach)

You'll be collected from your hotel and enjoy a relaxing drive to your first stop; the amazing Seven Waves Beach vantage point where you'll enjoy some wonderful views and an excellent opportunity for some wonderful photos.

Next, it's just a short drive to Neguanje Beach, where you'll be changing transportation for a motorboat ride to your final destination; Playa Cristal!

Once here you'll enjoy a wonderful 3-4 hours of beach time, where you'll also have the opportunity to go swimming and hire snorkeling gear as well. 

After your time is up, it'll be on to the boat to start your journey back to your hotel and a peaceful night's rest. 

Relax in a morning drive along the coast to your waiting hotel in Cartagena.

Once here you’ll check into your hotel and enjoy some Free Time in this wonderful setting.

Cartagena City Tour

With our bilingual guide explaining the history behind every important site you visit. You'll discover panoramic views of the city from Cerro de La Popa; a convent built in 1606, and the highest peak overlooking Cartagena. Explore inside the historic Castle San Felipe, learning the paths and methods of defending this heritage-listed structure from pirates and invaders around the world. 

Enjoy an in-depth private tour of the Jewel of Colombia, the magical UNESCO heritage-listed city of Cartagena de Indias Colombia. Including the must-see stops, plazas, restaurants, cafes, and bars within the walled city, along with one of the oldest and most bohemian neighborhoods in Cartagena; Getsemani.

You’ll step back in time on a journey through the layers of history uncovering some surprising, surreal, and sometimes scary stories as you explore every aspect of the city's charming colonial streets and take in all the main landmarks of Cartagena's famous walled city. All the time learning of the true history of this city's historic struggle between the Spanish colonialists and pirates from many different nations.

Your tour will include the Clock Tower monument, the original entrance of the fortified city, and your starting point for the tour through the historic center of Cartagena de Indias. Your tour will also include unmissable locations such as Bolivar Park, the Plaza Saint Pedro Claver, the Plaza de Los Jagüeyes, San Diego, and of course the colorful streets of Gertsemani.

This truly is the most complete journey of the main areas of Cartagena, and the perfect tour to enjoy not just the history, but to also get acquainted with the most important Cartagena landmarks.

Enjoy a wonderful ocean cruise on a speedboat to the Rosario Islands; arriving at a beautiful picturesque beach for a typical Caribbean lunch, crystal clear waters, water-sports, white sands, and palm trees. 

You'll be assigned your personal beach space which will be exclusive for yourself and members of your group. 

You'll receive full beach service, a fantastic typical lunch; use of deckchairs and umbrellas; a cocktail on arrival, and English-speaking hosts. 

You will have the full day to relax and enjoy your space along with kayaking, and the ability to hire gear for snorkeling or paddleboarding.

This will be one of the highlights of your Caribbean adventure!

Travelers need to be at the wharf at 7:30 am for the 8:00 am departure from Cartagena. 

Day 7: FREE DAY or Optional Tour

Optional Tour: Mud Volcano

After a short 45-minute drive from Cartagena, you’ll discover El Volcán de Lodo El Totumo (The mud volcano of Totumo). With an approximate elevation of just 20 meters (50 steps to the top) this volcano houses a natural pool of mineral-infused volcanic mud, with an amazing relaxing effect and attributed healing powers of the skin. Locals will actually tell you the mud contains many medicinal properties which can help with a number of ailments, such as normalizing blood circulation, reducing any stress, and replacing any negative energy with positive. Not only all of this, but it also leaves your skin smooth and soft to the touch and is anti-inflammatory! This is one of the most desirable tours of Cartagena.

Optional Tour: Horse Ride on the Beach

Enjoy an excursion on horseback to the beautiful beaches of Manzanillo del Mar and a spectacular show of Paso Fino horses.

Visiting the traditional Ranch (Pesebreras) to meet the Colombian Paso horse which has been declared genetic and cultural heritage of the nation, there you can see several specimens, in the exhibition that lasts one hour, you will know the history and the different modalities of the horses.

Next, it's off to the beach to go horseback riding. Before starting, the guide will assess the riding experience of each visitor and will give you instructions on how to mount and handle your horse.

Optional Tour: Sunset Catamaran Cruise

One of the most romantic moments of the day is to enjoy a sunset, and Cartagena has one of the most beautiful in the world!

You can enjoy it from the imposing bay of the city aboard a catamaran for 2 wonderful hours from 5-7pm.

nb. excludes Wharf Tax of $9,000 COP (approx $2.50)

Hablamos pronto, safe travels home, and visit again soon!

We’ll have transport waiting to take you to the airport at your desired time.

Not ready to leave? 

Let us know if you’d like to extend your stay in this beautiful region. Perhaps you’d like to add a tour to San Basilio de Palenque, the first slave-free African settlement in the Americas? Where you can try traditional African food and listen to a unique African dialect that is still spoken today.

Or perhaps a trip to the National Aviary of Colombia. Here you’ll enjoy 2-3 hours strolling through the grounds and enjoying more than 1700 birds, from over 170 different species living in 3 different climate zones; the coast, rainforest, and desert.

• Accommodation - 3-5* hotels
• 7x breakfast, 1x lunch
• All airport transfers
• Private excursions
• English-speaking bilingual guide on all excursions
• All entrance fees
• 2 free days with optional additional tours
• 24 hr support group

Exclusions

• International and domestic flights
• Travel Insurance