Best Cartagena shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Cartagena is "Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Tour, Lunch, & Beach Clubs" (4.6★ from 6,588 reviews, from $73). The biggest saving against the ship is food & tasting: $139 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Cartagena are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food & tasting | NCL | $197 | $58 | $558 |
| Beach break / beach club | NCL | $148 | $44 | $415 |
| Beach break / beach club | Carnival | $140 | $44 | $383 |
| City / island tour | NCL | $113 | $33 | $322 |
| Party / sunset cruise | NCL | $89 | $29 | $240 |
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | NCL | $158 | $98 | $238 |
Without a tour: near the pier
- Walled Old City: ~10 min by road (3.1 km).
- Castillo San Felipe: ~10 min by road (2.3 km).
The terminal sits in an industrial port, so every outing starts with a 10 to 15 minute taxi to the walled city.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Cartagena?
On ratings, "Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Tour, Lunch, & Beach Clubs" leads with 4.6 stars from 6,588 reviews. On value, food & tasting saves the most against the ship ($139 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Cartagena?
"Cartagena: Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour" from $15 per person (4.9★, 3,619 reviews).
What can you do in Cartagena without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Walled Old City (~10 min by road), Castillo San Felipe (~10 min by road).
All Cartagena prices and pier guide · Carnival in Cartagena · NCL in Cartagena