Day 1: Arrive + Welcome Dinner

 

Arrive in Cartagena by 2pm and transfer to your boutique hotel. Meet the group to head to our welcome dinner at the beautiful (hello, IG photos!) Mar y Zielo Restaurant for a three-course dinner to cheers to an amazing long weekend with new friends!

 

Day 2: Explore Getsemani

 

Enjoy breakfast and a morning at the hotel at your leisure before embarking on a Street Food Tour.  We’ll eat our way through Getsemani, Cartagena’s most colorful neighborhood, with a local guide, tasting Colombian food from queso to patacones to arepas to beer and cocktails and more. Of course, we’ll also indulge our sweet tooth with buñuelos and fresh, local fruit. 

 

In the evening, we’ll put on our dancing shoes and head out on the town with an evening salsa tour! Cartagena boasts over 100 salsa venues, and we’ll begin with a salsa lesson before venturing outside of Getsemani’s walls to one of Cartagena’s most venerated salsa venues. Our local guides have taken care of entrance fees, air conditioned transport and, of course, (pretty much) unlimited drinks so we can relax and salsa the night away!

 

Day 3: La Boquilla Cultural Immersion

 

La Boquilla is a side of Cartagena few tourists see. For years, La Boquilla struggled without basic services, left behind by Cartagena's booming tourism districts. When a decline in fishing threatened their livelihoods, local fishers organized to secure essential services, restore their ecosystem, and revive the mangroves, leading to a resurgence of native fish and bird species vital to the community’s identity. We’ll navigate these mangroves by canoe, experiencing the biodiversity firsthand. 

 

Next, we’ll head to the beaches of La Boquilla for a drum session with a local Afro-Colombian music school! We’ll learn about La Boquilla from its local residents, then have a basic drum lesson and jam session with the group. This usually includes some dancing! This activity supports the music school, which keeps kids out of trouble and child labor by providing an alternate activity while keeping the cultural rhythm of La Boquilla alive. 

 

Our last activity of the day is back in Getsemani, where we’ll visit one of Cartagena’s finest restaurants for a rum and chocolate tasting. We’ll try five different rums, learning about the distillation process and the diverse aroma profiles that make each rum unique, and let chocolate tastings serve as the palate cleanser. 

 

Day 4: Rosario Islands Getaway

 

It’s time for what will no doubt be a highlight of this trip - our night away in the Rosario Islands! We’ll board a speedboat in the morning and arrive at Hotel Coralina Island before noon. This is our chance to unwind on pristine white sand beaches and explore the turquoise waters surrounding this eco-resort. The island offers a wide range of activities, from snorkeling or paddleboarding in turquoise waters to kayaking or exploring mangrove forests. Enjoy beach volleyball or join a yoga session to connect with the surroundings. For those seeking ultimate relaxation, indulge in a soothing massage or spa treatment. Whether you seek adventure or tranquility, this island paradise offers a perfect escape to nature, where you can truly unwind and recharge. 

 

We’ll spend the night here, dining at the onsite restaurant, and falling asleep in our rustic chic hotel rooms to the sounds of the sea.

 

Note: Some activities like massages and snorkeling may come at an extra charge.

 

Day 5: Departure + Sad Goodbyes

 

In the morning, we’ll have breakfast together at Hotel Coralina Island and say our goodbyes before taking the boat back to Cartagena. We’ll arrange transfers based on everyone’s flight times and next destinations (if you have extra time in Colombia, we recommend heading to the San Andres Islands or Medellin!), and leave with new friends and amazing memories.

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While we do our best to stick to this itinerary, some activities or venues may not be available, and if this happens, we will work to find a comparable alternative.