Tour De Palenque, Road to Emancipation.
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Cartagena, Colombia
+14
- 5 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Ditch the guidebooks and learn about Cartagena's Afro-Colombian heritage at the source on this group tour of San Basilio de Palenque. Relax in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup as you drive to the UNESCO-listed village. Participate in traditional dancing and drumming, and learn about local history as you visit a museum, traditional medicine house, and more.
- Go beyond the guidebooks and gain insights directly from your guide
- Keep comfortable as you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Relax with stress-free hotel pickup from select locations
- A great excursion option for cruisers
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Native guide.
- Dance Show.
- Almuerzo.
- Botella de Agua.
- Transportación
- Tips - Propinas
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
San Basilio De Palenque
5 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Palenquito
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Turbaco (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Children from 1 to 4 years old do not pay but must sit on their parents' laps.
- After booking please contact me to confirm pick up details. +573188202888
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 2,164 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Tracy_L, Sep 2026
An absolute must-do experience in Cartagena! The Tour De Palenque, Road to Emancipation was without a doubt the highlight of our trip.
Our host, Romeo, was absolutely amazing. He brought the powerful history of San Basilio de Palenque to life with so much passion, pride, and deep knowledge. His assistants were just as wonderful, ensuring everything ran smoothly and making us feel incredibly welcome from start to finish.
Beyond the eye-opening history and beautiful cultural traditions, the food was spectacular—easily some of the best and most authentic flavors we tasted. If you want a meaningful, deep dive into living history, do yourself a favor and book this tour!
Oluwadamisi_f, Aug 2026
Roméo was a great guide, we had a fun group, and the Palenque town and people did NOT disappoint! Highly recommend.
Tiarah_M, Aug 2026
This experience was amazing, we got to explore the Palenque with an extremely well-informed guide. I loved everything I learned about the culture, and everyone was so welcoming. I would 1000% recommend this tour
Darla_J, Aug 2026
It took us almost three hours from the time we met at the designated location to finally be on the way out of Cartagena. It was a poorly coordinated pickup which could have been avoided if everyone met in one location and headed out from there. We were later delayed even more when there was an unexpected roadblock which held up traffic longer. We had no air conditioning in a small van with 17 people crammed in. The actual content of the tour was minimal and honestly not enough to justify such a long time getting there and back. I expected a lot more from this tour to learn more history and culture. All four of us in our group became sick the next day we believe from the lunch on the tour. Not a good experience and I really wish I didn’t spend the time and money. We are all still feeling sick days later.
Nekia_T, Aug 2026
Excellent experience! Be prepared to walk in the heat. You'll learn a lot of history and wrap up with an authentic, delicious meal.
Shaima_A, Aug 2026
I cant urge you enough to take the time and go on this tour if you are in Cartagena. A lot of people come for the beaches and surface history, but you really should do a political tour of the walled city and Gethsemane while here, and definitely a tour of Palenque.
Our guide was Romeo, and he was HILARIOUS and informative. Loved him!
Shukri_S, Aug 2026
I do wish that they had air-conditioning inside like a room where they can go over things instead of the van, but it was overall a good experience. I would go again
Shania_S, Jul 2026
I learned so much about the history of Palenque! The traditional fish was also amazing! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun time but still want to learn about this great community of people.
Eric_M, Jul 2026
The perfect trip for those who are interested in history or culture. Palenque is the living heart of Afro-Colombian culture, preserving the best of the past while moving forward with the times. A fascinating and informative experience.
Desiree_V, Jul 2026
The tour company communicated with me on the morning of the tour and kept me posted on my pickup time. The trip to Palenque was smooth and our guide, Romeo, was knowledgeable and funny. We met local guides in Palenque who were also were kind with their time and sharing of information. The dance show with the kids was really cool and learning about the traditional medicine approaches. The food was delicious too. Overall, a great trip and worth supporting the local community!
Athena_c, Jul 2026
Had a great time in palenque… the dancers are amazing and the food was good… host was fun and engaging… great way to learn about the culture and history… definitely a good experience
Tamara_S, Jul 2026
Romero was an outstanding tour guide—funny, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. He made the history and culture of Palenque come alive and kept the group entertained throughout the day. Although it was extremely hot, this was one of the most educational and rewarding experiences of my trip.
The lunch was hands down the best meal of my vacation. Absolutely delicious and tasted like it was cooked with love. It was authentic, homemade, and was a highlight of the entire experience. I also loved browsing the local vendors, who had beautiful souvenirs and plenty of unique items to choose from.
The only minor downside was that the air conditioning in the van wasn't working very well because the air wasn't coming through the vents. Even so, it didn't take away from the overall experience. I would absolutely AND highly recommend it to anyone visiting Cartagena.
goldsmcfarlane, Jul 2026
I had an amazing experience visiting San Basilio de Palenque. This tour gave me a much deeper understanding of the town’s incredible history, culture, and significance.
Our guide, Romeo, was outstanding. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about sharing the history and traditions of Palenque. We even learned some words from the Palenquero language, which made the experience even more special.
The tour also included the opportunity to try delicious local cuisine, explore the town, and meet members of the community. It was authentic, educational, and inspiring from start to finish.
I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Cartagena who wants to experience something beyond the city’s main attractions. Thank you, Romeo, for making it such a memorable day!
Shay_J, Jul 2026
This was such an amazing experience to book! We had a GREAT time with everyone we encountered! They all were so nice and professional! From Romero our guide to our driver Gustavo, including everyone else in between! 10/10! The laughs were nonstop! I loved it all!
Sam_B, Jul 2026
If you’re visiting Cartagena, do yourself a favor and book the Tour de Palenque: Road to Emancipation with La Perla Viajes y Turismo. It was, without question, one of the most meaningful travel experiences I’ve ever had.
Our guide, Romeo, was outstanding. He didn’t just give us facts, he brought history to life with passion, knowledge, and deep respect for the people and culture of San Basilio de Palenque. You could feel his pride, and it made every stop more impactful.
We experienced traditional music and dances, learned about ancestral medicine and healing practices, walked through the town while hearing the powerful story of resistance, emancipation, and the community’s ongoing commitment to preserving its language, culture, and freedom. This wasn’t just sightseeing, it was an invitation to understand a living history.
I intentionally chose this tour on July 4th, and I honestly couldn’t have picked a better way to spend the day. While many Independence Day celebrations overlook the Black experience, spending the holiday in Palenque, surrounded by a community that proudly celebrates its own history of freedom, resilience, and cultural survival, was incredibly moving. The unapologetic Black pride, joy, and sense of identity throughout the community made the day unforgettable.
Thank you to La Perla Viajes y Turismo and especially Romeo for creating an experience that was educational, inspiring, and deeply personal. I left with a greater appreciation for the history of Palenque and a renewed sense of the enduring power of freedom, culture, and community.
This is much more than a tour, it is an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime.
Brittany_B, Jul 2026
I loved everything about this tour. From the history to
the food, everything was amazing. If you’re thinking about booking this tour, do it !
B_C, Jun 2026
What an amazing day learning about this amazing place and it's history. I would tell anyone that if time is short do this trip. It's also an opportunity to have your picture taken with the Palenquera women without the stress of haggling in the walled city. The lunch was amazing too. Thanks to Romero for a great day.
Janice_P, Jun 2026
Long ride and Very hot during tour. Received some education . I would not recommend this tour. I was charged 300 for two people, when only two people signed up and I am having problems getting my 100.00 refunded.
Ricky_L, Jun 2026
Great experience and great tour guides. If you travel to Cartagena please put this tour on your list of things to do.
Grady_G, Jun 2026
This was an amazing experience led by Romeo. His personality and knowledge jumps out at you immediately. They are great host and i highly recommend .
Theresa_C, Jun 2026
This was a great experience the tour guide Romeo was awesome and our driver got us around safely. The tour was very informative and really allowed us to connect to the culture and the community of Palenque. Lunch was phenomenal best food I've had so far in Colombia.
Revanno_S, May 2026
This was a culturally enriching experience. My favorite experience was witnessing the traditional dances.
Jacquelyn_C, May 2026
Everyone visiting Cartegena should do this tour. Yes, it's hot, but the show of resilience and perseverance is history every one coming through the area should want to learn about. Our tour guide brought a great energy and took us through multiple areas. You see traditional dances, learn local medicine, see the icons of town memorized in monuments and art, enjoy a good meal, then get an air-conditioned van to travel in.
Andrea_J, Apr 2026
Ramon was an amazing guide as well as those from Palenque whom spoke their native language.
Leaving this history was so eye opening. It was fun and informative.
I would recommend this to everyone
Hugo_D, Apr 2026
The experience was great but I would never ever book again it with Viator, overpriced most of the people in my group paid a lot less than I did. The guide was exceptional Romeo and David. If you can book with another site, this site was a rip off. I paid $100.00 people in the same group paid $50.00 to $60.00, the same experience, the same guide, the same driver, the same van.
Lynn_A, Apr 2026
Interesting tour. The bus is crowded and small and not air-conditioned. The stops hard, not air conditioned, but out in the open. So if you don’t mind the heat and standing in the sun for the talks, it would be fine. The dancing part is in a room with fans going but not air-conditioned. And the ride to and from is very long.
Anaxet_J, Apr 2026
The actual tour was great. Our guide Romeo was so knowledgeable and obviously passionate about Palenque and Palenque culture. This is a must do trip for anyone visiting Cartagena.
The actual tour coordinator was non communicative and never responded to urgent messages requesting a reschedule after an accidental booking, resulting in me having to pay for the tour twice.
A note to those who are heat sensitive : Palenque is HOT; hotter than Cartagena. Dress accordingly! Our tour guide was great about stopping in places with shade.
Ashley_W, Apr 2026
I did the tour in 2024 with a different agency! I recently came back to Colombia with a friend that wanted to visit Palenque. I didnt care for the guide. There was no real connection and passion with his intormation. I learned so much and saw much more when Jermin Padilla Valdez was alive. The cost is way too much to miss things like history of the church, the music studio, the palenque wall that has the words. We made a stop prior to coming into the village to a local food stand. I starter to record the experience but was quickly told put away or phone will be taken (by the residents).. I guess we stopped to a rough part, but if that were the case, there should’ve been a briefing before we hopped out of the van on what not to do there. I was quite startled. I felt anxiety this time around. The stories of Catalina who disappeared and never seen again was used as emphasis to stay with group. We didnt go see the mural painting of the beloved Jermin. There was no honor for him. I didnt like that. I wont be back. The Spirit of this nation seems to have gone down. Everything was tip driven this time, although it was “no obligation”. I love the Palenque people but did not like this tour guide company. God Bless the people of Palenque!
Princess_D, Apr 2026
I loved the tour! I highly recommend it! One David and Roméo were amazing tour guides! Very patient and knowledgeable! Jhon is a great driver and had the ac on blast! The dancers are extremely talented and friendly! I learned a lot about Palenque culture! 10/10 experience!!
Craig_H, Apr 2026
I have done many tours in many countries and vary my expectations accordingly and didn’t expect a polished experience. We paid £230 for 2 adults and a child. Horrendous value for money. I feel bad for our guide “Romeo” who has a very pleasant, articulate and engaging young man. We took a huge detour to pick up 2 travellers who were staying up towards Barranquilla which turned a tour advertised as 5-6 hours to almost 8 and half. Our pick up was 8am at the bell tower and then a second pick up was made in Bocagrande. After the pick up in Bocagrande we then head back towards the bell tower! After conducting the tour and massive detour to drop off the 2 passengers towards Barranquilla, we then drive within close proximity to the bell tower to drop off in Bocagrande before finally returning to the bell tower!
Here is what what we experienced:
Photo with ladies at the Palenque sign (no pressure to tip but tips could be placed at discretion in a tips box)
Engaging dance show, about 20 minutes long. We were encouraged to tip at the end and loitered far too long outside where there were vendors selling souvenirs
Historical overview from a local guide
Photo opp with local ladies under the freedom monument (as before no tip pressure)
Visit the local doctor. Given a very small sample of both a tea style and rum based local medicine (option to buy a bracelet and protection blessing for a reasonable cost of 20,000 pesos
Lunch served with sugarcane based soft drink. Chicken was tough, probably would have been fine if eaten earlier in the day had we not been delayed by our detour
Bus journey was uncomfortable. Bus itself was old and air conditioning barely working
£77 per person. Sorry totally ripped off. £30-40 tops for this experience
Hate to give a bad review but it is what it is. Need to schedule the logistics properly, need a separate driver for guests staying outside of Cartagena and sort out local pick ups to avoid passing the clock tower so many times
From $100.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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