Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Cartagena, Colombia
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch"From the fire pit to the bijao" stewed and fried fish, fried chicken, steak meat, stewed pork and vegetarians.
- Bottled water
- Presentation of traditional music and dance Batata
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Itinerary
1
San Basilio De Palenque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
San Basilio De Palenque
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
San Basilio De Palenque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 56 reviews
Jay_T, Apr 2026
Really cool and interesting place with great people. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and the meal was delicious.
Angeline_M, Apr 2026
Waste of money took us 3 hrs to get there just to walk around for 30mins looking at old homes with colorful pictures and paint. People and children are out there asking for money, selling stuff. Only thing I love about the trip was the food. Best fried fish and chicken ever. I would only recommend for the food but that is it. Also took us another 3 hrs to get back
Tasha_T, Aug 2025
The trip was very informative and gave an in depth look into the Palenque community. It was great to see how the community was able to retain a lot of the African culture that one will see in the main land of Africa today. It provided a look at the similarities that the African Americans experienced attempting to rebel against the slave master’s. The community was welcoming and made one feel apart of the community. The driver Ignacio was punctual, sociable, and knowledgeable. The tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, receptive, and passionate about the community. Overall, GREAT and organized trip.
Abdul_Y, May 2025
This tour was amazing. Our tour guide Romeo was an excellent guide. He took the time in narrating the history behind the tour. The people, the culture, the food etc.
The community was amazing, the dance and the food was excellent. Overall, I grade this an A+.
I’ll recommend this to everyone.
Dr_Y, Mar 2025
The tour of the Palenque Village was amazing. I learned so much about the culture and its origin story. The tour touched on all aspects of their society, from their language to their music to their medicine to their original homes to their food. Royman, my guide, did a spectacular job of sharing his home and its story.
Sandra_G, Mar 2025
I enjoyed the culture the learning opportunities of understanding their language. Our tour guide Royman was very informative and you can tell he has a passion for his culture. The food that was provided was amazing!
Marcia_M, Feb 2025
It was a great educational experience. There was more depth to the tour than we expected.. Our tour guide was well known to many of the people in the town. We were able to interact with several residents.
grizel_u, Jan 2025
I like the fact that the entire tour is not only about educating you but it is very interactive, engaging you to participate in the activities that help you learn and understand the history and culture of this small neighborhood and its significance.
Royland_M, Oct 2024
We had an amazing experience with Benkos Tour in Palenque! Our tour operator, Neudis, and translator, Gabriel, made this journey truly unforgettable. Neudis’s deep knowledge of Palenque’s history and culture as a native brought every moment to life, and Gabriel’s translations ensured we didn’t miss a thing. From learning about the first free African village in the Americas to experiencing the vibrant culture firsthand, this tour was educational, moving and interactive. If you're looking for a meaningful and immersive experience, I highly recommend Benkos Tour!
Cheryl_M, Sep 2024
Overall, I am pleased with the services. However, I did not get the sense this group were official tour guides. I understand this was a tour with a “local” but I expected more of seasoned/well versed tour guide. I will probably visit the community again, with a larger tour operator.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Kind regards, dear customer, thank you very much for being a supporter of local tourism. We deeply understand your comment, and from the experiences department we will analyze this case for a better solution. A thousand blessings.
ATT: Neudis Marimon
Alicia_S, Aug 2024
I had a great time. My guide and my interpreter Gabriel made the experience unforgettable. On the drive to Palenque they shared some history of the nearby towns and I got to listen to local music. We visited a traditional house, visited a local boxing gym, a medicine man, a local artist and had delicious food. Make sure you wear sneakers and bring water because it’s very hot and you will be waking a lot and there’s basically no ac in any building.
My favorite part was learning some Palenque words and hearing about the rich history from our very knowledgeable guide.
Highly recommend!!
Kai_W, Jul 2024
Great tour! Palenque is awesome to learn about. Our tour guide, Neudis, was very informative. And our translator, Gabriel, was spot on. This was a win experience even though it was extremely hot. Be sure to take water, umbrella, water spritzer, fan, and/or hat to stay cool.
Troutman220, Jul 2024
Most amazing tour ever! Sooo glad We did it. I left feeling extremely inspired to do more for the people of Palenque! I was reminded just how Beautiful Beinv black is. How resilient we are! We boxed, made music, spoke their language, ate good! And my favorite was learning and seeing the different braid styles! The list goes on! What an amazing experience! 5STARS! Follow them! IG:@Benkos_tour
Brian_R, Jun 2024
My friends and I traveled to Cartagena to celebrate my birthday and we ended our amazing five day trip with a tour of Palenque with Benkos Tours. Our tour guides were incredibly friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about the town of Palenque, its history, and its people. They picked us up on time (actually, early!). It was incredibly hot this day but they supplied us with several bottles of iced cold water. When one of the people in our group wasn't feeling well, one of the tour guides went out of his way to get her a Gatorade (or the Colombian equivalent). Our tour guides showed us an amazing time and taught us a great deal. I would highly recommend a trip to Palenque with Benkos.
Parrish_P, Jun 2024
This tour of San Basilio de Palenque was an experience I will cherish forever. The tour was led by Leo, who took us around to hear from other natives of the town, which added an authentic and deeply enriching layer to the visit. They shared not only the history and culture of Palenque but also their personal stories and traditions, making the experience intimate and unforgettable.
One of the highlights was the vibrancy and resilience of the Palenque community, beautifully conveyed through their music, dance, and cuisine. We were invited to participate in making music with a known Palenque musician, learn boxing moves in the local boxing gym, experience a day in the life of traditional Palenquera women, meet with the doctor to learn how they treat different ailments using local herbs, and more! The opportunity to taste local dishes was another deliciously standout moment.
Our English translator, Gabriel, was very knowledgeable and friendly. His fluency and ability to capture the essence and emotion behind the natives' words made the tour accessible and engaging for everyone in our group. The translator's knowledge and passion for Colombia's history in general, but also Palenque's heritage was evident, and his skillful interpretation ensured that nothing was lost in translation, allowing us to fully appreciate the rich tapestry of Palenque's culture. Our driver, Richard, was also very pleasant and picked us up from our Airbnb. He also got us there and back in a timely manner as we had a flight to catch.
Overall, this tour was an unforgettable journey into the heart of a community that has preserved its unique heritage against all odds. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. If you want to truly understand and feel the spirit of San Basilio de Palenque, this is the way to do it. Bring several 10K COP bills to tip each of the native representatives who teach you about their specific part of the culture.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Thank you so much, Parrish, for those beautiful words! It means the world to us. It was more than an honor to have such a sweet group of friends as our guests. We were able to tell that you guys were having tons of fun and this lovely review just confirms that you were indeed satisfied to have us as your guides! Please, come back soon. We'll be waiting for you!
Medina_M, Jun 2024
The entire experience was superb from beinging to the end !! Very Informative tour thanks to Laos and Gabriel !! We learned so much about Palenque how they live what they eat and how they got the name. The murals the food the medicine man the musician the boxer trainer very unique tour one of my kids favorite so far thanks again !
Loriel_S, May 2024
Victor was absolutely amazing! He's very knowledgeable, personable, funny, and engaging. We couldn't ask for a better guide. The residents of Palenque were all so kind and welcoming to us. It really felt like home. Also, the lunch.... it was the best meal I've had since being in Columbia! I would take this tour again in a heartbeat just for the feels!
Kelmo7777, Apr 2024
Wonderful experience! So glad I booked! Gabriel was a wonderful translator and kept us engaged the entire trip! The musical performances were the best part! The people of the town are very friendly and the food was delicious! We all learned so much and were privileged to be allowed into the community.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for supporting community tourism dear, it has been a pleasure for our company to welcome your group to our community. We hope to see you in the near future and on behalf of our city we send you an ancestral hug.
Nadia_M, Jan 2024
The tour today was very interesting and we enjoyed it even more because we know that the tour guide is a native. We highly recommend this trip, if you have a spare day in cartagena.
Sherice_A, Nov 2023
The enhanced knowledge that I have gained as a result of this tour has changed my entire life. Learning about The Palenque Natives has been enlightening and inspiring. Our private tour guide, Neudis was pleasantly intelligent along with our translator, Liliana who is a jewel and a joy to know made the tour an unforgettable experience. This tour is a must while in Cartagena
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you very much for preferring us my dear, it was a pleasure to receive you and assist you in the first free black town in America. 💪🏿🖤
Rahjshiba_K, Jul 2023
The tour was very good. My friends and I learned a lot of new information and enjoyed the different stops on the trip. The tour guides were very thoughtful and attentive. Also, the food on the trip was delicious. Everyone was friendly. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Muchas Gracias por vivir esta maravillosa experiencia con nosotros.
Diana_J, Jul 2023
This was such a great informative experience. It was very interesting to learn about the history of Palenque and learn more about the people and their culture. 10/10 would recommend!!
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Thank you very much for living this wonderful experience with us
Yuna_A, May 2026
Palenque es un lugar con mucha historia, cultura y tradiciones por conocer. Con una energía única y sus murales representan el orgullo por sus ancestros.
La comida estuvo deliciosa y el recorrida de Cartagena a Palenque y de regreso fue muy cómodo, pudimos parar para comprar y probar fruta de la región ☺️☺️
Response from Host, May 2026
Gracias por vivir esta experiencia con nosotros. Más que un servicio, compartimos historia, resistencia y tradición. Su visita fortalece nuestro territorio y nuestra identidad. ¡Vuelvan pronto!
From $108.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy
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