Palenque African Roots Day Tour

Recommended by 91% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Cartagena, Colombia

6 hours 5 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

What's Included

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
UMBRELLA
Lunch
Bottled water
Soda/Pop

Raspado (tropical flavor slushie)

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Travelers who are in an area with difficult access will be contacted to meet them in a public place with easy access.

Operating hours
.8:30 am

Itinerary

San Basilio De Palenque

6 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Monumento a Benkos Bioho

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 33 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Disappointing

Joyce_W, Apr 2025

I was excited to do this tour but when our van broke down, the tour was cut short plus the tour guide had to go to school. So disappointed we missed experiencing a few other places.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

We sincerely regret that your experience was not what you expected. We understand your frustration and appreciate you sharing it with us, as every feedback helps us improve. That day we had an unexpected issue with the vehicle's air conditioning system, but fortunately, we were able to resolve it quickly with on-site technical support, without affecting the scheduled return times. The tour was completed as planned, and the included stops were available to the entire group. Regarding the Boxing Museum, we understand that several participants, due to fatigue, preferred not to enter and take a lunch break, a decision we respect as part of providing a flexible experience. We are sorry you weren't able to enjoy it as you expected. Even so, we greatly value your participation and hope to provide you with a more satisfying experience in the future. Thank you for choosing us!

My particular experience...

Paul_T, Feb 2025

My particular experience was nice, however I did feel cheated, simply because I never got to see the dance portion. My guide had to go to the University. If I or anyone else pay good money for a experience. They want the full experience. Don't cut my experience short because of your obligations to something else. Not my fault. Other than that it was a wonderful experience.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed much of the tour, but we are very sorry that you were not able to experience the full experience, including the dance performance. We are committed to always providing a quality and complete service for each visitor. We will investigate what happened with your guide to ensure that this does not happen again. We appreciate your feedback and, if you decide to give us another chance in the future, we would love to offer you the complete experience you deserve.

10/10 Tour

Milan_H, Aug 2024

This was such an amazing experience and absolutely my favorite tour in Cartagena. We learned so much about Palenque, and it was so inspiring. Can't wait to go again!

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such an amazing experience and that our Palenque tour was your favorite in Cartagena. It's great to know that you felt inspired by what you learned, and we can't wait to welcome you back. It would be an honor to have you join us again for another memorable experience!

Must do

Dawn_A, Jul 2024

A very informative experience. With this group, we were not given bottled water or an umbrella to use. Due to the heat, the umbrella would have been nice.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Thank you for your review and for highlighting the informative aspect of the experience. We apologize for not providing bottled water or an umbrella, especially on such a hot day. We appreciate your feedback and will take it into consideration to improve our services. We hope that despite this inconvenience, you still enjoyed the tour, and we would love the opportunity to offer you an even better experience in the future.

Highly recommend

Ingrid_M, Jun 2024

The experience was extremely rewarding. The guides were extremely informative and lunch was AMAZING!

Response from Host, Jun 2024

We strive to offer enriching experiences and it's great to know that we achieved our goal with you. We are also pleased to know that lunch was to your liking. We hope to welcome you again in the future for more amazing adventures.

Palenque tour

Melvin_D, Dec 2023

Today I got the chance to see some black history! Palenque was founded in 1603 and recognized independent by Spaniards in 1713. It is the first black (African) territory in the Americas to be free‼️That’s almost a 100 years before the Haitian (Revolt) Revolution ended‼️Just like in most areas in the Americas, African people were brought in from different parts of West Africa; Senegal, Ghana, and etc. Some of those people were brought to Cartagena, Colombia to work for free as slaves. A man named Benkos Bioho the founder of Palenque led a revolt in Cartagena with about 40 other slaves. They fled Cartagena and settled in an area in Bolivar, Colombia, which is about an hour and twenty minutes from Cartagena and they named this place Palenque. When other slaves in Cartagena heard of this place created by black people and for black people a lot of them fled to Palenque as well. The people of Palenque are warm and welcoming. The tour consisted of Palenque’s history in music, medicine, and food. This is the part of black history that does not get taught in schools! #blackhistory365🖤✊🏾🇨🇴 #blackexcellence #blackculture #Palenque

Response from Host, Dec 2023

It's amazing that you had the opportunity to explore Palenque and learn about its rich history. The history of Palenque, its founding by Benkos Bioho and its importance as the first free black territory in America are truly remarkable. It is essential to share and celebrate these often untold aspects of Black history. Their experience adds valuable perspective to the larger narrative. #BlackHistory365 ✊🏾🖤🇨🇴

Victor was a great guide and this was a wonderful peek into a unique culture. My only complaint is that it did feel a little "touristy" in that you went from stop to stop where different traditional demonstrations were given, rather than just seeing the community as it is today (though you do walk around town some so you can get some sense that way). Overall it was very informative and interesting and I would definitely recommend. And lunch was great!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

It's great that you found the experience informative and interesting, and that lunch was a highlight. Every trip has its nuances and expectations, and it is valuable to share your impressions.