Cartagena Excursions

Most of the cruise ship shore excursions focus on Cartagena's Old Town section, where you'll find a number of interesting 16th and 17th century venues to visit. In addition, excursions take you to La Papa Monastery with its marvelous views of the city, and the city's imposing fort (the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas), the largest and strongest fortress built by the Spanish in all of their colonies.

Your ship will dock at the Cruise Ship Terminal, which is located adjacent to the industrial dock area. Most people going on shore excursions won't actually step into the Cruise Ship Terminal itself, instead picking up their transportation at the dock. If you're going to the Terminal, you'll find an ATM, a restaurant, taxis and a marketplace of vendors selling everything from coffee to locally-made textiles and handicrafts. A shuttle will take you from your ship to the Cruise Terminal.

If you plan on doing Cartagena on your own, make sure you check out our suggestions in the accompanying Cartagena On Your Own section.

If you have taken any of the tours listed below, we'd like your feedback on your experience. Please click on the link of the tour you took, and then click the "Write a Review of This Tour" link and tell us what you experienced.

Beach, Snorkel & Sail

Panoramic Tour Around the Bay/ Spanish Galleon Harbor Cruise/ Cartagena Bay Cruise/ Sailing A Spanish Galleon
2 hours

Set sail on a tour of Cartagena Harbor aboard a replica of a Spanish Galleon. Enjoy the panoramic views of the city as you pass the Spanish fortifications built in the 17th and 18th centuries. You'll also be treated to a folkloric show.

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Rosario Island Tour/ Best of Rosario Island
6 hours

Visit the beautiful Rosario Islands, declared a National Nature Park, where you'll find some great snorkeling, an aquarium featuring a dolphin show and a feeding of the sharks. And the speedboat taking you to the islands is an experience in itself.

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City Tours

Best of Cartagena & Fortress by Van (8 Guests)
4 hours

Designed for larger groups traveling together, this guided tour takes you to Las Bovedas, the Inquisition Palace, San Pedro Claver Church, and a folkloric show. Your last stop is at the Pierino Gallo Shopping Mall, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Best of Cartagena & Fortress by Car (3 Guests)
4 hours

For those looking for a more personalized tour, this guided excursion allows you to design your own day in Cartagena. Take in the Old Town's historic sights, shop for handicrafts at Las Bovedas, or find the perfect emerald as a souvenir of your visit.

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Cultural Tours

Architecture & Museums of Cartagena
4 hours

This excursion focuses on the architecture and museums that help bring Cartagena's history to life. You'll visit the Rafael Nunez House and Museum, the Enrique Grau Museum, and then take a 30-minute walk through the Old Town. You'll visit the Gold Museum and have time to shop for handicrafts at Las Bovedas, and for emeralds at some of Cartagena's finest jewelry shops.

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Best of Cartagena
3¾ hours

Begin your tour with a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then shop for handicrafts at Los Bovedas. You'll visit the Church of San Pedro Claver, the Navy Museum, the Inquisition Palace, and end the tour at the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Best of Cartagena & Fortress
4 hours

Take a guided tour of the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then enjoy a guided tour of the La Popa Monastery. You'll also take a walk through the Old Town, including the Church and Cloister of San Pedro Claver, the Inquisition Palace and Plaza de Bolivar. The tour ends at the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Cartagena by Land & Sea
4 hours

Begin with a 1-hour cruise in Cartagena Bay, during which you'll see the array of sea-level fortifications built by the Spanish. Then make a visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods. The tour ends with a tour of the San Felipe de Barajas fort for a defender's view of Cartagena.

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Cartagena Panoramic Sightseeing
2½ hours

Start with a short photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then continue to the Old Town section of the city for a 30-minute narrated drive. Next, stop at Los Bovedas for handicraft shopping, followed by a visit to the Navy Museum for a folkloric show. The tour ends with a drive through the modern Bocagrande peninsula.

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Cartagena Sightseeing
2½ hours

Start with a short photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then continue to the Old Town section of the city. Here you'll enjoy a 30-minute guided walk through the narrow streets and charming squares of the town. You'll end your tour with a visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds.

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City Drive, Shopping & Inquisition Palace/ Inquisition Palace & Shopping
3¼ to 3½ hours

Begin with 35-minutes of shopping for handicrafts at Los Bovedas, Then, transit to the Plaza de Bolivar, home of Cartagena's infamous Inquisition Palace. After your tour of the building, you'll end your day's tour with a 50-minute visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Colonial Cartagena
3½ hours

Begin with a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then visit the Rafael Nunez House and Museum. Next, take a short walk through the narrow streets and interesting plazas. You'll make a shopping stop at Los Bovedas, then head for the Plaza de Bolivar, where you'll tour the Inquisition Palace and the Gold Museum. You'll also have some free time to shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Colonial City Explorer
3½ to 4 hours

Enjoy a narrated ride from the Cruise Terminal to the walled Old Town section of Cartagena, learning some of the fabled history of what was once the wealthiest cities in the New World. Then you're on your own to explore the sights, sounds and people you'll find in this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Deluxe Cartagena & Fortress/ Highlights of Cartagena & Fortress
4½ hours

Begin with a 30-minute stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then visit Los Bovedas for handicrafts shopping. Next, tour the Inquisition Palace, San Pedro Claver church, and the Naval Museum for a folkloric show. You'll end your tour with a 45-minute visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Exploring Magnificent Cartagena
4 hours

Begin with a visit to at the the La Popa Monastery for a guided tour of the chapel. Next, make a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then head into the walled Old Town for a walking tour of some of the city's most impressive buildings and monuments. You'll visit the San Pedro Claver cloister and church, and have some free time for shopping before returning to your ship.

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Scenic Drive of Cartagena
2½ hours

Start with a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, then you'll head into the walled Old Town for a scenic bus tour of some of the city's most impressive buildings and monuments. You'll stop at Las Bovedas for some shopping, followed by a folkloric show at the Naval Museum. Lastly, you'll drive through Bocagrande, the city's modern district of hotels and shops before returning to your ship.

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Historic Cartagena Old City Walking Tour/ Cartagena "Old City" Walking Tour/ Old Walled City Historical Walking Tour
3 hours

On this walking tour, you'll visit the plaza adjacent to the San Pedro Claver church, pass through the Customs Plaza, admire the Cathedral, pay a visit to the Governor's house and see the Inquisition Palace. Next, transit to Los Bovedas, where you can buy local art and handicrafts.

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La Popa Monastery & Gold Museum
4 hours

Begin with a tour of the La Popa Monastery, followed by a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort. In the walled Old Town, you'll take a walking tour of some of the city's most impressive buildings and monuments, visiting the San Pedro Claver cloister and church, the Plaza de Bolivar and the Gold Museum. The tour ends at the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can do some serious shopping.

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Panoramic Cartagena by Horse Drawn Carriage/ Cartagena by Horse & Carriage/ City Views with Carriage Ride/ Medieval Cartagena by Horse Carriage
2 to 3 hours     Rated:

After a brief photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, proceed to the walled Old Town. At the Los Bovedas market, you'll board a horse-drawn carriage for a romantic ride through the narrow streets and wide plazas of the Old Town. After your ride, you'll have free time to explore the town on your own, or do some shopping.

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Old City & Folkloric Show/ Folkloric Show & Old Cartagena
4 hours

After a brief photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, proceed to the walled Old Town. Here you'll begin a 5-block tour of the Old Town, visiting the San Francisco Battery and the San Pedro Claver cloister and monastery. Then head to the Heredia Theater for a folkloric show. The tour ends with a visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Old City & Inquisition Palace
3½ hours

After a brief photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort, proceed to the walled Old Town. Here you'll begin a walking tour of the Old Town. At the Plaza de Bolivar, you'll visit the Inquisition Palace for a tour of this center of medieval torture. The tour ends with a visit to the Pierino Gallo Shopping Center.

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Scenes of Cartagena with Less Walking
3½ hours

Begin with a visit to the La Popa Monastery, then make a photo stop at the San Felipe de Barajas fort. You'll begin your exploration of the Old Town with a visit to Las Bovedas, then transfer to the Naval Museum for a folkloric show, followed by a visit to the Inquisition Palace. The tour ends at the upscale Pierino Gallo Shopping Center, where you can shop for emeralds and other goods.

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Shopping and Historical Sites
4 hours

Begin with short photo stops at the San Felipe de Barajas Fort, the Rafael Nunez House and Museum and the Chapel of La Hermita. Then head for the Bocagrande peninsula for shopping at the upscale Pierino Gallo Mall. You'll then make your way to the Old Town for more shopping at Las Bovedas and a walking tour of nearby plazas and streets before returning to your ship.

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Eco Tours

Mangrove & Swamp Ecological Tour
3¾ hours

This excursion takes you along the coastline to the Cueva del Manglar, where you'll board a local canoe, propelled by a pole handled by your captain. You will be immersed in the beauty and tranquility of the Swamp of the Virgin, a sanctuary for tropical birds, fish and crustaceans. Afterwards, enjoy a folkloric show and relax at the pool or beach at the nearby Las Americas Hotel.

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Mangrove Eco Canoe Journey
3 hours

Experience the beauty and tranquility of the Swamp of the Virgin, a sanctuary for tropical birds, fish and crustaceans. You'll take a local canoe ride--propelled by a pole handled by your captain--as you glide through the mangrove tunnels and across a shallow lake.

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Mangrove Tunnels & "Old City" Stroll
3 hours     Rated:

Visit the Swamp of the Virgin, where you'll take a canoe ride through the mangrove tunnels and across a shallow lake. This area is a sanctuary for tropical birds, fish and crustaceans. After your eco journey, return to Cartagena for some shopping and a stroll through the city's Old Town area.

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Villa-Babilla Reptile Sanctuary
4 hours

See some of the interesting reptile and amphibian species at this reptile sanctuary. You'll also take a panoramic tour of the city's Old Town area, including a photo stop at the historic San Felipe de Barajas fort. A brief shopping stop is also included.

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Exotic Tour

Mud Volcano & Scenic Drive/ Mud Volcano & City Sights
4 hours

This is one of the more unusual tours offered by the cruise lines. You'll take a 45-minute drive to the El Totumo mud volcano, and then enter the small crater for a dip in the mud. After your time being one with the earth, you'll wash off in the nearby fresh water lake.

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Important Information

Notes on the above cruise excursions:

• The information on the cruise excursions listed above was developed from publicly available sources.
• The cruise lines may elect to add to, change, delete or otherwise alter the itineraries of the excursions above;
• The cruise lines may restrict the number of passengers allowed to go on any particular excursion.
• The cruise lines may impose other restrictions on any particular excursion, including height, weight, minimum age, etc.; make sure to check with them to determine if there are such restrictions.
• There may be seasonal limitations on certain excursions or tours, such as whale watching. Be sure to check with your cruise line to determine if the tour in which you're interested is available when you're on your cruise.

Why buy a tour through the cruise lines?

• They have selected tour operator partners who are safe, reliable, licensed and insured.
• They offer a wide selection of tours, purchasing convenience and can provide expert advice on the most appropriate tour for you.
• They offer a one price, no surprises policy, with no hidden fees.
• They will be happy to credit your onboard account if you've already booked an excursion and there is a change in itinerary of the ship.
• They will wait for you if your tour is late.

Footnotes