Deciding between 4 different Tours in Cartagena

[CactusRoot]

We will be in Cartagena at end of February 2023 and trying to decide between 4 different tours.

Briefly listed below. Any feedback will be helpful.

This will probably be the only time we are there and want a good experience.

 

#1 Old Cartagena Walking Tour                      ( 3 hours and includes shopping)

#2 Exploring Magnificent Cartagena             ( almost 5 hours and includes Folk Show and Beverage)

#3 San Felipe Fortress & City at Leisure       ( 4 Hours Getting dropped off)

#4 Amazing Cartagena Bay & Walled City    ( 4 Hours and with Audio Guided Tour)

 

All the tours are similar but the wording a little different.

Are all the guided portions of the tours, audio guided or do they have a person speaking to the group?

 

Thankyou, very much!

[Turtles06]

Are these ship-sponsored tours?  If so, you should also ask your questions in the forum for your cruise line, in the hope of finding someone who has taken one.

 

As a general matter, I avoid tours that specifically include things like “shopping” and 

“folk shows,” as that time imho is typically a waste, especially for a first-time visitor. But your interests may vary. Also, for a first-time visitor to Cartagena, I would not recommend merely getting dropped off and left on your own. 
 

I will offer the following: I strongly recommend that you take a private tour with one of the highly rated local tour operators — Dora De Zubiria (aka Dora the Explorer).  Put together a small group from your Roll Call. Dora or one of her colleagues will give you an excellent tour of the Old City (and help fend off the aggressive street vendors).

 

http://www.cartagenatour.com

 

If you do a search here for Dora’s name, you’ll find she’s highly recommended for a good reason. 
 

Have a great time! 

 

 

[CactusRoot]

Yes, ship tours. We are eliminating the one with shopping and the one with folk show.

Agree and thanks for the info. My spouse is fluent in Spanish, so that helps with some of our travels.

 

[v3cruiser]

NCL used to have water taxis to old town so you can walk about and see things on your own. I think we are going to just get a taxi and head to old town. Wish we were in port longer. 

[willift]

On 10/13/2022 at 1:48 AM, Turtles06 said:

 

 

 Dora or one of her colleagues will give you an excellent tour of the Old City (and help fend off the aggressive street vendors).

 

 

Just got back from Cartagena and took Dora's Tour. I didn't see any effort on her part to keep back the Vendors. The Vendors in Caragena where the most aggressive and intimidating of all the ports we've been to. We were disappointed with the City and would recommend a tour that avoids any of the Old City areas. We weren't the only guests who complained about Vendors. Dora was nice but don't book her if you think she'll protect you from aggressive vendors. She was twice as expensive as the guys standing outside the port

JMTC

[Turtles06]

On 10/16/2022 at 1:30 PM, willift said:

Just got back from Cartagena and took Dora's Tour. I didn't see any effort on her part to keep back the Vendors. The Vendors in Caragena where the most aggressive and intimidating of all the ports we've been to. We were disappointed with the City and would recommend a tour that avoids any of the Old City areas. We weren't the only guests who complained about Vendors. Dora was nice but don't book her if you think she'll protect you from aggressive vendors. She was twice as expensive as the guys standing outside the port

JMTC

 

I'm sorry about your experience.

 

I would say, however, that if someone were going to avoid seeing the Old City of Cartagena, they probably should just stay on the ship.   We've enjoyed both of our visits there, the second on our own touring the inside of San Felipe.

 

As for the vendors, give them a firm "No, gracias" and keep walking. 

 

 

[willift]

5 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

As for the vendors, give them a firm "No, gracias" and keep walking.

 

Maybe you haven't been there in awhile.

The polite "No Gracias" often doesn't work and if it does your next step brings you to another and the same abuse all over again. For us, a senior citizen tourist couple, the constant barrage prevented us from appreciating the Old City or relaxing and enjoy the Square.

[Rockymaya]

I did a tour with Dora and did not have a problems with vendors.This was November 2021

[styles27]

Yikes will be visiting Cartagena on our 12/30 cruise and not liking what I’m reading on these boards. 
We were thinking of booking the hop on hop off bus. 

[Nashna]

On 11/15/2022 at 3:36 PM, styles27 said:

Yikes will be visiting Cartagena on our 12/30 cruise and not liking what I’m reading on these boards. 
We were thinking of booking the hop on hop off bus. 

Please do come back and let us know what you experienced.  We are currently booked on the boat trip/walking tour/shopping tour.

[styles27]

15 minutes ago, Nashna said:

Please do come back and let us know what you experienced.  We are currently booked on the boat trip/walking tour/shopping tour.

I definitely will report our experience. I usually do a live review if the WiFi signal is strong enough 🤞

 

We ended up booking this tour through MSC. I wasn’t comfortable doing the hop on/off bus on our own after doing further research. It seems the aggressive vendors tend to go easy on people who are with a tour guide. 

[styles27]

[Nashna]

That's why we decided to give up on the Hop On option.  We are booked on the boat ride/bus option but are rethinking the self-guided walking tour part.   I'm looking forward to your report back.