Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip! 2023
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Looking at doing a Palenque tour in Cartagena? You’re in the right place! We visited San Basilio de Palenque on a day trip from Cartagena in 2023. Expecting very little from the tour (as we didn’t know what Palenque would be like), we ended up leaving the tour feeling an unexpected, overwhelming sense of gratitude.
We did the tour with Black Legacy Experiences (see their Instagram here) and I highly recommend booking the tour with them. But this post is in no way sponsored – it is a genuine reflection of our time in Palenque near Cartagena with Black Legacy Experiences!
If I can do anything in return for this special day we had, it’s to spread the word about their once-in-a-lifetime tour. We’ve been travelling full-time for nine months, and this experience will always be one that stands out the most. It’s worth it, I promise.
In the following post, I explain everything you need to know about San Basilio de Palenque and the day trip from Cartagena. You’ll read about why it’s so special, including a brief history behind this small community in Colombia. So, let’s get started!
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Palenque Tour Cartagena: A Summary
If you do the tour with Black Legacy Experiences as we did, it’s around 6-7 hours long, with transfers and a traditional home-cooked lunch included.
You’ll meet at a common location in Cartagena, board an air-conditioned bus and be introduced to your tour guide (in English), be taught a little about Palenque and told what to expect.
San Basilio de Palenque is around an hour’s drive from Cartagena, so you make a short stop at a petrol station for breakfast and to use the loo. Group sizes can be up to ten people, although we had seven, and it was perfect!
A traditional, homemade African lunch is served at the end of the tour by a chef who has won awards for their food around the world. There are plenty of options – including vegetarian – which you’ll be asked to order when you arrive.
The food was, of course, delicious and was one of our favourite parts of the day. We sat talking to our new friends and reflected on just how incredible the experience really was.
I won’t tell you too much about the day itself, as I really do urge you to experience visiting Palenque yourself. But, let’s chat a little more about why the Palenque community is so special and why it’s a must-do day trip from Cartagena!
About Palenque de San Basilio – A Short History
If you’re interested in the history behind this specific Palenque near Cartagena, here is some important information to know before you go.
- The term ‘palenque’ is a general word for all walled communities that were created by escaped slaves in the 16th-17th Century.
- This specific Palenque near Cartagena was the first free black town in all of the Americas.
- The Palenque that you visit on a day trip from Cartagena is the only Palenque to be in existence today. It is named the San Basilio de Palenque.
- San Basilio de Palenque was founded by a former African King; Benkos Bioho. He was sold to slavery in the 1500s and eventually escaped to the Palenque area to form a new and free community.
- There is a large sculpture of Benkos Bioho in the main square. He is seen reaching in the direction of Africa, with his hands broken from chains. It’s an incredibly moving and powerful monument.
- It is still an African-Colombian-based community today. It is full of locals wanting to tell their stories, history and spread stories of their culture.
- Walking around San Basilio de Palenque is similar to walking around a town in Africa. There are so many African traditions, such as food, clothing, buildings, music and dance.
- The main language in San Basilio de Palenque is Palenquero. This is spoken as well as Spanish. There are murals in the streets with some of the most common words and phrases used in the Palenquero language.
As you walk around Palenque, you will be greeted and welcomed by the locals. They seemed genuinely excited to have us there and loved to tell us stories of their past (and present!)
TOP TIP: Some locals may wear traditional Palenque clothing (see photo below). If you take any photos of the women in the colourful, Palenque dresses, be sure to tip!
What company should I book a tour to Palenque with?
There are quite a few tours to use when visiting Palenque. We toured Palenque from Cartagena with Black Legacy Experiences, and I could not recommend them enough. They were truly faultless.
The staff were kind and knowledgeable, and they made us feel welcome from start to finish. Plus, some of your payment goes to helping the community in Palenque! We were given umbrellas in the rain, a comfortable air-conditioned transfer, a tasty traditional lunch, and some thoughtful gifts and surprises along the way.
You can book your tour with Black Legacy Experiences here!
What to expect on a Palenque tour from Cartagena
If you are doing the Palenque tour, wear comfortable shoes and take a waterproof jacket. It will either rain or be scorching hot for your visit, so be prepared!
As I previously mentioned, I’m not going to go into huge detail about what happens, simply as I do not want to ruin the magic and surprises of the tour.
But you’ll make multiple stops, visiting locations such as a music house, a traditional dance hall, a natural medicine doctor and even walk around a traditional house with a kitchen, living room, bedroom and a garden to make rice and other foods.
You can expect to be involved in all of the stops whilst touring Palenque! There’s no backseat observing here – you’ll be playing the drums, dancing with locals on the dancefloor, pounding rice in gardens and even laying on the ‘baby-making’ bed in the traditional house (well, if you want to!)
At each stop, you’ll be greeted by a friendly local, eager to tell you more about the history and culture; all whilst including you in the process.
We loved meeting the locals who had generations of stories and tales from Palenque, including a doctor who treated patients with natural remedies throughout the pandemic (with zero deaths!) and a famous musician who sang and taught us how to play some traditional African instruments.
And don’t think you’ll get away without dancing! The final stop is a large warehouse where around 20 teenagers perform multiple African dances to champeta music.
You can feel the energy in the room – it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before! (And then you’ll, begrudgingly, be pulled up on stage to dance too. It pained me to do this, but it actually turned out to be pretty fun!)
The tour ends with a hearty African homemade lunch, where you’ll sit with your group and reflect on the day. Our tour guides from Black Legacy gave a short speech about how much the tours meant to them, along with a small gift. It was so thoughtful, and we all felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
Finally, we were taught the phrase: “to suto e lo memo”, which translates to “we are all the same”. As you can imagine, coming from locals who are from the first slavery-free, black town in all of the Americas, this was incredibly moving.
Food on the Palenque tour
As I mentioned previously, you will have the option to choose your lunch from a range of meats (such as chicken, beef, fried fish etc). This is served with rice and salad. If you are vegetarian, you will be given a bean dish with rice and salad.
Drinking water is provided throughout the tour; as well as a few extra drinks (and you’ll get to drink out of coconut shells!)
Why the Palenque Tour from Cartagena is so special
It’s hard to put into words how special this Palenque tour in Cartagena was. I’m not sure if it’s because we just didn’t know what to expect, or just the sheer amount of insight and knowledge you gain from it, or if it was just how the tour guides went above and beyond to make our day special.
It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It allows you to peer into another culture, and see a glimpse into what past life was like; and how life is for the locals now. Whilst learning about the hardships this community once faced, and now seeing how happy, joyous and vibrant the village is; it’s a unique experience that not many will see in their lifetime.
When you think about visiting a town that was once made of desperate people who had to escape the hardships of slavery in Cartagena, you don’t expect it to be so full of love. Yet that’s what Palenque is – a village full of love, hope and community.
Don’t just take my word for it; experience the vibrancy of Palenqye yourself. I can truly say it is a day that will stick with me forever.
If you’d like to book your Palenque tour, you can do so with Black Legacy Experiences here.
Where to stay in Cartagena
Cartagena is another big city in Colombia, and there are many different areas to stay in. I’ll be doing a post in the near future about all of the accommodation areas in Cartagena, but if you’re visiting for a short stay, I recommend booking accommodation in Getsemani.
Getsemani is the main ‘hub’ of Cartagena and is home to the biggest backpacker hostels. It’s also known for its colourful streets, range of restaurants, bars and nightlife.
For backpackers and short-term tourists in Getsemani (Cartagena), I recommend one of the following:
- Life Is Good Hostel: perfect for any short-term tourist. It’s a boutique hostel in an ideal location, and it was one of our favourite hostels in Colombia for a number of reasons. Stay here if you can!
- Viajero Hostel: another good location a few minutes from Getsemani; perfect for solo travellers or couples. We’ve stayed in a few Viajero Hostels and have loved them!
- Hotel Dorado Plaza Calle del Arsenal: a hotel with a rooftop in Getsemani.
Palenque tour Cartagena: FAQs
1) How to get from Cartagena to Palenque?
If you would like to visit Palenque from Cartagena, it is best to book a day trip with a company. The tour will take you around the village of Palenque, talk to you about the history and involve you in the local community. If you’re looking for the best tour group to visit Palenque in Colombia, I highly recommend Black Legacy Experiences.
2) Why is Palenque Colombia important?
Palenque in Colombia (which is one hour away from Cartagena) is important because it was the first free black town in all of the Americas. It was founded by Benkos Bioho, who escaped Cartagena and found freedom for himself and others in Palenque. It is the only remaining Palenque of its type still in existence.
3) When was Palenque Colombia founded?
Palenque Colombia was founded in the early 1600s by Benkos Bioho, a former African King. He escaped slavery in Cartagena and fled to Palenque, which is still an Afro-Colombian village in existence today.
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Palenque Tour Cartagena: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the Palenque tour in Cartagena. When you’re planning a trip to Colombia, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Colombia content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
