Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours
Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours
Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours
4.5
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About
Alternative Travel Cartagena was founded on the base of love for the city of Cartagena de Indias. We arrange dynamic, alternative and reliable tours in Cartagena in the Colombian Caribbean. If you don't want to follow the beaten track, our different and various tours help you to become more than just a tourist. Our specialties are: different City-Tours, Coconut-Workshops, Fishing-Tour with the locals, Visit of the local market, Horse-Riding on the beach, Palenque, Bird-Watching, Rosario-Islands.
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Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
99 reviews
Excellent
82
Very good
10
Average
2
Poor
4
Terrible
1
Justin C
2 contributions
Feb 2020
Trips are about unique experiences, and my most recent trip to Cartagena with Alternative Travel was not only that but also unforgettable. The intrepid Josmary Palacio, our Asesora de Ventas, made much of my dreams come true as I was not only my group’s trip planner but, undesirably, also the birthday planner. For this role, Josmary was extremely accommodating to my questions and had a keen eye for planning out whatever I needed on our stay in Cartagena. One memorable experience was Alternative Travel’s Mangroves Tour experience, which is genuinely immersing and peaceful. Juan Lombana, our tour guide, is a bright young man who enjoys putting a smile on his groups’ faces. He was informative and charismatic, which helps to fully appreciate the mangroves, the people, and wildlife that play a vital role in this Caribbean ecosystem. My overall experience with Alternative Travel is an absolute 10, but I imagine that anyone that chooses to go with Alternative Travel will also feel the same way afterward. Enjoy!
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael T
1 contribution
Feb 2023 • Friends
We stayed in Cartagena for 6 nights and did 3 tours with Alternative Travel. Our guide for two of them, Roberto Lopez, was absolutely fantastic! He was so personable and knowledgeable and truly made our experience memorable. We learned a lot about the art and history of the city and ate some of the best foods the city had to offer. The rum tasting was also fantastic and far exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend this company!
Written March 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TexPick
Houston, TX68 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
Looking for something to do in the Walled City, we selected a tour with Simon with Alternative Travel. He took us to the Choco Museum and we make fresh chocolates then to San Alberto Coffee for Coffee College. It was a unique way to spend the day.
Written April 3, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spoonbill
Senningerberg, Luxembourg68 contributions
Sep 2022 • Solo
I asked for a morning birdwatching tour in la boquilla mangroves and was first told is would be 243 000 pesos. The night before the tour I was eventually asked to pay 464 000 pesos (129 USD!!) . Facing such an in reasonable price I decided to contact the local agency Ecotours La boquilla which is run by locals and which organise the exact same tour for a price of... 90 000 pesos (20 USD) !
Written September 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
southendgirl05401
Burlington, VT30 contributions
Feb 2016 • Family
It all started out alright. The owner of the company even met us and directed us to the chiva bus. Though we were barely on time, the bus sat there for 20 minutes before leaving, then, drove around various parts of town (not part of the tour) picking up and letting off apparent "tour guides." After 45 minutes, we circled back to the place we had started. Though the tour was advertised as being in English as well as Spanish, the only explanations given to passengers for this detour and delay were only in Spanish. In addition to all these stops, the bus stopped to take on added passengers, trying to squeeze them into seats next to us.
Eventually an English speaking guide joined the bus, but his English was very difficult to understand.The bus was loud and dirty. The tour went through a residential neighborhood of high rise construction and then, eventually to La Popa Convent, up a steep windy road, along with 40 other chiva buses. My elderly mother was unable to walk up to the fortress, which was the last stop, and the English speaking guide gave us no real help to find a taxi back to our hotel. He acted somewhat offended that we were leaving the tour even though I explained that she had hurt her leg.
I wish I could have gotten my money back and enjoyed that time elsewhere. Save yourself the trouble!
Eventually an English speaking guide joined the bus, but his English was very difficult to understand.The bus was loud and dirty. The tour went through a residential neighborhood of high rise construction and then, eventually to La Popa Convent, up a steep windy road, along with 40 other chiva buses. My elderly mother was unable to walk up to the fortress, which was the last stop, and the English speaking guide gave us no real help to find a taxi back to our hotel. He acted somewhat offended that we were leaving the tour even though I explained that she had hurt her leg.
I wish I could have gotten my money back and enjoyed that time elsewhere. Save yourself the trouble!
Written April 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are really sorry to hear about your troubles during the tour. As we never heard back from you we assumed that everything went well. We would have loved to hear from you directly after the tour to make it up to you. The tour you booked was a group tour to for a very low price concerning that the entrance fee to the fortress and the monastery was included. Please accept our apologies. I recommend for all tours to inform any disabilities or handicaps, so we can advise in advance if this is the right tour for you and your mom.
As our customers are very important to us we would love to refund the tour price to you. Please send us your details via email to (info@alternativetravelcartagena.com).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Written June 14, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sgomez478
Fort Lauderdale, FL3 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
We pre booked a bike tour and horseback riding on the beach. on the first day of our trip Samuel was 10 minutes early picking us up and he was full of energy ready to show us around. He made us feel safe which is very important especially in a country where we do not speak the language. The bike tour was intense but breathtaking. He was stocked up with water and made sure our safety was his number one priority. He made us feel so comfortable that we ended up booking a city tour for the following day.
The following day we did the horseback riding in the morning then he came to pick us up for the city tour. He is very knowledgeable about the history of Cartagena and pinpoints all landmarks throughout the tour. Our first stop was La Popa. WOW! What a view, he walked us through the whole building inside and out explaining absolutely everything. Next stop was the Castillo De San Felipe again more history amazing views and great places for picture taking. We ended the tour at Las Bovedas which is in the old city that is where we were able to do some shopping. He was very patient and professional. Nina actually met us there to introduce herself.
Overall if it wasn't for Samuel our trip wouldn't have been as memorable and fun.
Defiantly recommend them.
The following day we did the horseback riding in the morning then he came to pick us up for the city tour. He is very knowledgeable about the history of Cartagena and pinpoints all landmarks throughout the tour. Our first stop was La Popa. WOW! What a view, he walked us through the whole building inside and out explaining absolutely everything. Next stop was the Castillo De San Felipe again more history amazing views and great places for picture taking. We ended the tour at Las Bovedas which is in the old city that is where we were able to do some shopping. He was very patient and professional. Nina actually met us there to introduce herself.
Overall if it wasn't for Samuel our trip wouldn't have been as memorable and fun.
Defiantly recommend them.
Written September 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leah C
New York City, NY2 contributions
Dec 2015 • Friends
This experience was PHENOMENAL. My sister and I went horseback riding in La Boquilla, an incredibly beautiful remote fishing village about 20 minutes outside of historic Cartagena. Scenery was unlike anything i've ever seen, riding along the beach past boats and tiki shaks, seeing the locals play stick ball, and the horses were so well behaved. Nina was awesome and next time I am back in Cartagena I will definitely do this again. If you like horses or want one of the most unique experiences, you have to try this! Nina was very professional and helpful, making the experience perfect.
Written December 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hayley
17 contributions
Jul 2017 • Friends
Easy to book, prompt replies, transfer arrived on time, no problems. Early morning mangrove bird watching tour was great. Guide knew all the birds and plants. Tour ended with a coconut to drink and eat which was nice.
Written July 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Krystle W
4 contributions
Jun 2017 • Solo
I booked a private mangroves tour and was met at my accommodations by Carolina, who I has been going back and forth with via email. Carolina was prompt and super friendly. Emailing with her was amazing, she was quick to respond and thorough. Her and I got on well and had a great time. I was treated almost as a local and a friend, which I appreciated. Her friendly demeanor and shine just added to the day and made it all that much better.
The tour itself was beautiful. It was organized in conjunction with ecotours LA boquilla (to navigate the mangroves). Finishing with a fresh coconut was Wonderful. I would recommend this to a friend, colleague, fellow travellers, anyone!
The tour itself was beautiful. It was organized in conjunction with ecotours LA boquilla (to navigate the mangroves). Finishing with a fresh coconut was Wonderful. I would recommend this to a friend, colleague, fellow travellers, anyone!
Written June 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
helenkr
Tarporley, UK99 contributions
May 2017 • Solo
First the positives. I found the trip really easy to organise, the communication was great and it was very easy to book and pay.
I booked a 2 hour horse ride. I was recommended to start at 4pm (so finishing at 6pm). It starts going dark at 6pm. I suppose this is so you have the sunset on horseback, which is good in theory. The downside is the taxi driver on the way (not organised through this company) said it is a dangerous place to hang around at dusk or in the dark. How accurate that is I don't know but it's something perhaps to think about.
I was told the taxi would take 20minutes to La Boquilla. However, due to the traffic caused by long term roadworks, the 1 hour I had allowed to get there was not sufficient. So don't believe the 20 minute time estimate if you're going any time around May 2017 and however long these roadworks will take. I arrived 1 hour late for the ride (it was about to be cancelled with 50% of the price returned to me but they managed to persuade the horse owner to wait until 5pm). Other companies would have cancelled outright.
Tabea who met me there was lovely. She went off and I met the horses and the guide.
At this point I will address some negatives. The horse I was given was an appropriate weight but had many sores (none where the tack went thankfully) The horse was friendly and engaged though so didn't caused concern. The guide rode a palomino. This wasn't emaciated but was far too thin, even for Colombian horses. The hip bones were protruding , the rump sloped away and the spine was visible. The neck was weak. I did ask the guide about the state of his horse but he simply said it's the way it was built. It was forward going but did not seem as happy in its work. When given the option of continuing or heading back during the ride, I chose to head back as I was not happy with that horse being worked in that state.
The ride was up and down the beach. This is a less affluent and less touristy area. The beach wasn't that clean but that didn't bother me. It was really busy which meant we never went out of walk/troncha. That was fine for me as I didn't want the horse to over exert itself anyway but others may be disappointed. The guide said it is always very busy in the afternoons and evenings, so perhaps an earlier ride is better.
The reason I'm rating this company highly is I truly believe it is a very well organised company and one that people should use. I just wouldn't recommend the horse riding. Although European horses tend to be overweight that's not the reason I was not happy with the state of the horse. It wasn't as bad as one review here, I hasten to add. But having ridden Colombian horses at two other locations this trip I know that they don't have to be so skinny. I also don't recommend the horse riding to experienced riders as it was very basic. I am also a bit concerned that no questions were asked about my height and weight, as I'd hate to think of the palomino carrying even an averaged size person (the guide was very small).
But do use this company. The organisation is great, they have loads of tours on offer, they speak great English and they are very friendly and helpful. If they are not horse people they may not realise so much about the condition of the horses.
I booked a 2 hour horse ride. I was recommended to start at 4pm (so finishing at 6pm). It starts going dark at 6pm. I suppose this is so you have the sunset on horseback, which is good in theory. The downside is the taxi driver on the way (not organised through this company) said it is a dangerous place to hang around at dusk or in the dark. How accurate that is I don't know but it's something perhaps to think about.
I was told the taxi would take 20minutes to La Boquilla. However, due to the traffic caused by long term roadworks, the 1 hour I had allowed to get there was not sufficient. So don't believe the 20 minute time estimate if you're going any time around May 2017 and however long these roadworks will take. I arrived 1 hour late for the ride (it was about to be cancelled with 50% of the price returned to me but they managed to persuade the horse owner to wait until 5pm). Other companies would have cancelled outright.
Tabea who met me there was lovely. She went off and I met the horses and the guide.
At this point I will address some negatives. The horse I was given was an appropriate weight but had many sores (none where the tack went thankfully) The horse was friendly and engaged though so didn't caused concern. The guide rode a palomino. This wasn't emaciated but was far too thin, even for Colombian horses. The hip bones were protruding , the rump sloped away and the spine was visible. The neck was weak. I did ask the guide about the state of his horse but he simply said it's the way it was built. It was forward going but did not seem as happy in its work. When given the option of continuing or heading back during the ride, I chose to head back as I was not happy with that horse being worked in that state.
The ride was up and down the beach. This is a less affluent and less touristy area. The beach wasn't that clean but that didn't bother me. It was really busy which meant we never went out of walk/troncha. That was fine for me as I didn't want the horse to over exert itself anyway but others may be disappointed. The guide said it is always very busy in the afternoons and evenings, so perhaps an earlier ride is better.
The reason I'm rating this company highly is I truly believe it is a very well organised company and one that people should use. I just wouldn't recommend the horse riding. Although European horses tend to be overweight that's not the reason I was not happy with the state of the horse. It wasn't as bad as one review here, I hasten to add. But having ridden Colombian horses at two other locations this trip I know that they don't have to be so skinny. I also don't recommend the horse riding to experienced riders as it was very basic. I am also a bit concerned that no questions were asked about my height and weight, as I'd hate to think of the palomino carrying even an averaged size person (the guide was very small).
But do use this company. The organisation is great, they have loads of tours on offer, they speak great English and they are very friendly and helpful. If they are not horse people they may not realise so much about the condition of the horses.
Written May 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
peachist
Jackson, WY94 contributions
Hello, we are visiting 12/29-1/6 and I and my 7yo want to have horse riding lessons everyday. How much it will be? Thanks!
Nina S
Cartagena, Colombia2 contributions
Hi, thanks for contacting us. It will always be a pleasure for us to serve you. Each day you would like to ride per hour costs $75,000 or $140,000 two hours per person. We do not offer classes as such but we can put in an experienced bilingual guide who will introduce you as to how to horseback ride. This guide has an additional value of $150,000. All values are in Colombian Peso.
hope you decide to take the tour. I look forward to your inquiry. Here is my number with whatsapp: +573044084127 if you want to contact us directly. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Jose Baena commercial advisor of Alternative Travel Cartagena
Anie B
Houston, TX7 contributions
What are the prices for the tours? I can't find them on the website. I'm specifically curious about the cooking class and the dance classes.
amytorgeson
Corte Madera, CA12 contributions
Yes, email Nina. She is very responsive and will get back to you with prices.
Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours Information
Excellent Reviews | 82 |
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Very Good Reviews | 10 |
Alternative Travel Cartagena - Day Tours Photos | 81 |