Written by Chillie Falls for Accessadventure.net, April 27, 2023
I will return to Cartagena, Colombia May 6, 2023. Since I now have the option of using my Scootaround scooter, or a light weight power wheel chair, I have begun investigating accessible excursions. Most of my past cruises had little or no accessible excursions and almost all of the Norwegian Joy recommended ones are not accessible. Please understand I am in no way endorsing any of those listed as I have not done any of them yet. But if you are going there and looking for yourself, maybe my findings will give you a leg up in finding an excursion in Cartagena.
Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkel
Set sail for the Rosario and San Bernardo Corals National Natural Park on a full-day tour from Cartagena. The catamaran departs from the Muelle de la Bodeguita pier in front of the walled city. After your welcome drink, enjoy the journey to the Rosario Islands, sailing and motor sailing on the catamaran. The vessel is equipped with comfortable seats, where you can sit both in the shade and in the sun. There is a bar service on board, so you can enjoy a variety of soft drinks throughout the excursion. Experience paradise with a stop in front of an idyllic beach of turquoise waters and white sands, where you can swim and play with fun inflatables. Practice snorkeling, if you wish, and admire the fascinating underwater life with colorful tropical fish and various types of coral.
The crew will prepare a delicious lunch for you to enjoy on board while you sail back to Cartagena at the end of a relaxing day.
Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour
Cartagena, a city that bewitches, welcomes you to the best tour of the beautiful and magical city of Historic Cartagena full of stories, sayings and fascinating myths of its walls, streets, convents and houses of the walled downtown and San Diego that transcends the city limits. Discover the secrets, customs and legends of the tradition inherited from the Spaniards and popular from our Caribbean miscegenation, among which Gabo (Nobel Prize for Literature) accompanies us through his writings, such as his book “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, one of the most read in the world. We start, at the agreed time, the shared tour, in the Camellón de Los Mártires – Plaza de Cervantes where we will learn about the indigenous people who were before and during the arrival of the Spanish. We move to the “Golden Key of Cartagena” or Clock Tower entering the Plaza del Ecuador, before the Plaza del Esclavo, a prelude to continue part of the enslavement route through Porto Carrero and Candilejo streets. But first, Pedro de Heredía welcomes us.
Paratriking Flight from the Beach
Ever want to know what it feels like to fly like a bird? Spread your wings and feel the flow of the free air above Cartagena on a paratrike, a variety of the classic paraglider with an engine in its rear part, allowing it to take off from the ground. Together with a professional pilot, soar above the beautiful landscapes beneath your feet and gain a new and unique perspective on Cartagena de Indias. Just sit and let your body go as you make ascents, descents, and turns during an experience suitable for everyone. Choose between 10 or 15-minute flights, and upgrade to the all-inclusive options for included hotel pickup and drop-off, as well as photos and a video of your adventure. Before or after the flight, you can also enjoy the beach at the facility. Relax under the sun with beach chairs, umbrellas, a bar, massages, and much more.
Walled City, San Felipe, La Popa Tour & Tastings
If you’re wanting a complete Cartagena experience with no corners unturned, this private full-day tour is made so you can see the city in the most complete way possible. Taste local foods and visit sights such as San Felipe Castle and the city’s main squares. Enjoy optional entry to La Popa Convent.
Start the day by meeting your local guide, who will pick you directly up from your hotel or address. Then, head first to the historic San Felipe Castle, the city’s old fortress built by Spaniards (entry tickets included).
Walk through the castle and let your guide bring back to life adventure stories of conquerors, treasures, and pirates. Learn more about how Colombia became so mixed due to African, Indigenous, and Spanish roots.
Visit afterward the Walled City of Cartagena and stroll around the colonial and colorful houses as you get to know more about the main squares and bastions that traced the city’s path to independence. See Santo Domingo Square, the church, and the Cathedral of Santa Catalina de Alejandría.
It wouldn’t be the perfect tour of Cartagena without tasting Colombia’s flavors, so you’ll get to try typical coconut sweets and, fried arepa with egg, a traditional snack famous on the Caribbean Coast.
If choosing the longer tour option with entry tickets to the Convent of La Popa (Convent of the Stern), round off your tour by visiting the convent and a viewpoint located at the top of a hill where the city, its sea, and one of its islands can be seen and photographed.
Cartagena is not only the touristic capital of Colombia but one of the most memorable cities that holds Colombia’s history, making it a place for culture, tradition, and diversity, with many historic places and unique corners to discover.
Private Bird-Watching Tour with Breakfast
Discover the natural side of Colombia’s Caribbean coast on this bird-watching tour with your own private guide. Get picked up from your hotel and travel to a nearby nature reserve to spot native and exotic birdlife. Savor a traditional breakfast along the way.
Get picked up from your hotel early in the morning to catch the birds at their most active before the day begins. Travel to a nature reserve located 45 minutes outside the city to begin your bird-watching. The reserve has areas of both tropical forest and gallery forests for optimal bird-spotting.
Spot native and exotic birds such as pygmy owls, squirrel cuckoos, and rufous-tailed jacamars. You will also have the opportunity to spot hummingbirds, tanagers, flycatchers, and wrens.
Continue bird-watching until 9:00 AM when you will stop for a traditional Colombian breakfast before continuing your tour until noon, when you will be dropped off back at your hotel. Your guide will send you the photos of your tour when you get back.