Canoe Trip in Mangrove Forest in La Boquilla: Community Transformation & Conservation
4.6
29 Ratings
La Boquilla

A mere 20-minute distance from Cartagena lays one of the world’s most expansive mangrove wetlands, currently endangered. However, the local community has rallied together to protect it. You can participate in changing the life of a fishing community and know more about their blissful lifestyle.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Playas de la Boquilla - Arrive to La Boquilla where canoes and fishermen await to head to the Cienaga de Juan Polo and the Cienaga de la Virgen lagoons.
  • Cienaga de la Virgen - This canoe trip will take you through the channels and tunnels formed by dense mangrove swamp forests at Cienaga de la Virgen. Here, you will go deeply into the heart of this ecosystem, making stops at small hideaways where biodiversity reveals the treasures that surround this magnificent place.
  • Cienaga de Juan Polo - After visiting the Cienaga de la Virgen, you will continue your journey to explore the Cienaga de Juan Polo.
What's Included
  • English speaking tour guide
  • Cold coconut refreshment
  • Canoe tour with the fishermen
  • Transfer City Centre–La Boquilla–City Centre (Taxi)
What's Not Included
  • Travel or accident insurance.
  • Additional Drinks.
  • Personal expenses or tips.
Additional Information
  • Changes on the tour may occur due to external factors. These changes will be notified to you with anticipation.
  • We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes as well as taking sunscreen and a cap or hat.
Location
Playas de la Boquilla
Carrera 3, 4625
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(29 Ratings)
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Sightseer279394
Mar 13, 2024
For bird lovers - Spectacular encounter with nature. Close to the city, a very good option to share the tranquility of nature and the fishermen of the region. They teach the various fishing techniques. And a great option To observe the birds of the region. The locals are very friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidsachs1804
Jul 4, 2023
Get away from the tourists - Nice day in the mangroves. Everything went smooth from the pick-up to the tasty coconut at the end. Also, the fishing and the crab hunting was lots of fun. I recommend adding this. This tour is definitely one of my Cartagena highlights.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurencee_p
Feb 13, 2023
It was a very unique and... - It was a very unique and rich experience. The river was peaceful and the fishing was fun. The guides were friendly and warm.
Review provided by Viator
Briony_w
Feb 8, 2023
Amazing day - Amazing day! Fredo was great and it was incredible to watch Luis fish and learn from him. So much fun and a delicious meal! Thanks to all!
Review provided by Viator
Meganbk8486nl
Jun 16, 2022
Add to your "Must Do" list! - This was my favorite experience from our trip. Eduardo is an incredible guide, knowledgeable about the mangrove forrest, the town, and so much more. We truly enjoyed our time together, especially stopping to see the fish and raccoons. We were looking for an experience that would get us outside of Cartagena and this was absolutely great. Hotel pickup was very simple and easy, tour was absolutely gorgeous. 100% recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mateok2022
May 31, 2022
Pricey yet Rewarding Experience - You get a private tour with those that you book the experience with. The guide is very knowledgable about the history and ecosystem you explore. The forrest is one of a kind and very beautiful. We thought we would be canoeing (like us paddling) but someone else paddles for you. The only gripe we had was that the whole time out in the forrest is about an 1 and a half hours and from pick up to drop off the whole thing takes around 4 hours yet it was the most expensive thing we did while in cartagena when compared to 7-9 hour things we did other days. The private aspect is where the high price comes from and if you go in a large group it becomes a much better deal. All around great experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marianna_s
May 26, 2022
Beautiful nature retreat - This is the best experience in Cartagena. So serene and beautiful. The guides are patient. Getting to catch the fish with the net is difficult but fun. Crabbing was also fun and the crab was cooked for us at the end of the tour.
Review provided by Viator
Jessica
Apr 12, 2022
Peaceful and informative nature excursion - Our mangrove tour was fantastic! It was about 2 hours total. Our guide was phenomenal and gave us a ton of context on the community of la Boquilla as well as the environmental impact of various efforts to destroy or preserve the incredible mangrove forests. We saw many species of birds up close and even got to walk in the water on natural islands to enjoy the peaceful natural atmosphere. At the end, we were provided with refreshments of coconuts. It was a perfect way to experience Cartagena beyond the more touristy and crowded elements. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stardd123
Aug 23, 2022
Enjoyable tour - Great experience the people in the community were exceptionally nice and authentic, we enjoyed ourselves during this tour. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Betsyrob
Jan 16, 2024
It's a nice float - This tour was fine. We were schedule for 9am and 3 days before I received communication requesting we move our tour to 3pm. This isn't very professional or realistic. We had a flight out that night, so we agreed on a 2pm tour. Turned out this tour was more of a float - it was lovely for sure. But, essentially zero tour guide information and no information about fishing and the local people. It was a nice float and a nice hour, but not what was billed and frustrating to have the time changed on us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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