Colombia · FULL-DAY
The good full-day tours fill up weeks ahead and the best ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and how they differ once you read past the title.
Island hopping from Cartagena with Isla Grande snorkeling, Playa Blanca beach time, Cholón party water stop, plus Anaho pool and views.
“Our experience with The Backpackers staff was great. Our guide Nicher was beyond welcoming and attentive. We had a blast!”
Full-day speedboat island hopping from Cartagena with San Fernando Fort, short snorkeling on Isla Grande, party Cholón, and Barú beach lunch.
“Yes it was good to get out on the water and venture to different islands on a fast boat. It felt like we were in our own movie”
Speedboat to the Rosario Islands for a full day at Bora Bora Beach Club near Cartagena, with beach bed, lunch, and activities.
“Pros- The property was nice. The service was good. The food was good. The ride was smooth. Cons- Completely unorganized and no communication. Complete chaos at check in with really long lines. They asked us to arrive at 7:30 am and the boat did not leave until 10:30 am. We waiting for three hours under the scorching sun. Our trip was cut short and no compensation or apology was provided. They seemed not to care. The delay was due to a marathon race that had been scheduled months ago. They decided not to communicate or provide refunds/rescheduling. Our trip ended up only being 5 hours long with 2 hours of…”
Cartagena’s full-day private island cruise mixes reef time, a famous sunken plane stop, and included beach clubs with lunch and drinks.
“Lovely experience, seemed a little disorganized at first, but turned out to be a beautiful, fun day, islands are beatiful”
Guatapé and Piedra del Peñol day trip from Medellín with breakfast, lunch, Guatapé Dam boat tour, town stops, and a climb option.
“This is a very complete and well-organized tour with a total of six stops. You truly get more than what you pay for. The tour included both breakfast and lunch, which was a great bonus. The guide managed the time very well, giving us enough time at each stop without feeling rushed. There were restrooms available at every stop, which made the experience very comfortable. Everything felt very pleasant and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour.”
Five-stop island day from Cartagena with snorkeling at Rosario, drinks, party-boat Cholón, Barú beach club lunch, and Tierra Bomba finale.
“Amazing day trip to Vista Mare Beach Club in T-Bomba Island, Encantada Beach Club in Rosario Islands and Mambo Beach Club in Playa Blanca, Baru. Milton was a great guide and our boat driver, Jairo, was very nice to all of us. The food was very good, the welcome drink too and i enjoyed my day very much.”
Private Guatapé day trip from Medellín with El Peñol Rock, Zocalos Square, and optional lake boating. Hotel transfers included.
“The operator for this tour, Camilo was and has been very helpful during our entire trip to Medellin. For this trip, Silvio, our tour guide was absolutely amazing. He was very engaging and funny. Unfortunately, I came down with a bad case of food poisoning from something I ate before the trip started. Halfway through the trip I became very ill and Silvio was very accommodating. He stopped every time I needed a break. I would definitely use this tour company again and I hope to see Silvio on our next trip to Medellin.”
Cartagena to Playa Blanca by minivan for a full beach day with lunch, sun chair, and Caribbean swimming. Expect crowds and vendor pressure.
“The service was really nice , they picked up us from hotel and The ride was nice. Beach was beautiful and we got there early so the locals did not arrive yet. One reason I took one star , you will be aggressively pressured into buying stuff and services from vendors always coming into the private canbana and they should do more a job to not let them just walk in and wait on the beach”
4-hour Cartagena escape to El Totumo mud volcano and La Boquilla beach, about $48 with pickup, snacks, and buoyant mud for photos.
“The tour was very refreshing. Especially with our tour guide Charlie. He was very knowledgeable of the history and personable with the entire group which made my excursion worth the time and money. We were able to eat at the local restaurant addition to the volcano and pink sea. If Charlie is leading your tour your in for a goooood time ✌🏽”
Cartagena five-island day trip with Rosario stops, Isla Grande snorkeling, Cholón party island, beach swim, and bioluminescent plankton timing. Lunch included.
“Overall, it was a pretty good experience. Tour guide was helpful, good lunch, interesting islands... the only thing is they PACK you into the boat- no room to move and no shade from the sun. Also the drink prices on the island were outrageous. 12 dollars for a tiny drink and no one takes card. BRING PLENTY OF PESOS if you plan on having a few drinks and dinner on the beach. It also was a pretty long day (12 hours) if you stay for the bioluminescent trip so just plan accordingly.”
Cartagena Rosario Islands day trip with snorkeling, island hopping, a fort visit, and seafood lunch, plus party or calm beach options.
“The boat was very new and top notch. Snorkeling equipment was good, as well as the life jackets. Melanie, our guide was enthusiastic and quite bilingual. The ride home was fast and fun, and a bit scary. The snorkeling was not stellar, as the coral reef is dying. We were two “older” couples, so did not enjoy the party island. The food was nothing special. I think all tours out to the islands are a similar service, so I don’t really think that it really matters which one you go with. Also we went on a weekend, so I’m sure that it was much more crowded.”
Full-day marine tour in San Andrés with mangrove walks, snorkel stops, Cayo Acuario beaches, and a manta ray swim.
“This was advertised as an English-speaking tour, but neither of the two crew members could speak any English at all. This meant that we missed all of the information that was being given, so we didn't get the added value (fun facts?) nor really did we understand what was coming next, so as to make best use of our time. In addition there were more passengers than the max 16 that was advertised. If you sign up for this tour, make sure ahead of time that they're planning on giving you what was advertised, unless, of course, it doesn't matter to you.”
Full day guided Medellín highlights: historic center color, Comuna 13 street art, Pueblito Paisa views, lunch, Metro and Metrocable, and Cremas.
“Oscar was the best guide: he knew everything about Medellin history and culture. He also knew every corner of the city. The lunch was amazing.”
Cartagena to Cholon Island for a party day on the water, Rosario Island stops, lunch, and speedboat rides, plus guidance on the money game.
“This was absolutely the best damn tour I’ve ever been on. Ask for Randy to be your tour guide. Randy was kind and very attentive. He made sure we were not scammed by any vendors, we were safe and well taken care of. Book the the tour with this group. No one else will give you the same dope add experience. We had such a good time and I’m definitely coming back.”
A 7.5-hour Minca jungle hike with coffee tasting, Lost Waterfall time, lunch at Jungle Joe, and a hands-on cocoa workshop.
“This is a good way to see the eco friendly town of Minca. The waterfall and chocolate factory at Jungle Joe's were really something special. This may have been the best chocolate I've ever had.Lunch was also surprisingly good. Unfortunately the coffee plantation was a let down, with average coffee and prices roughly 2x what you'll see anywhere else. Even considering the artisanal, organic practices, there is no reason to charge that much for thoroughly average coffee. The guide was also pretty good and knowledgeable. I'd recommend if you're looking to explore the city”
Pick a base, pick a kind of day, read the reviews.
