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Comuna 13 Private Tour: Explore African Music Roots in Medellin
5.0
5 Ratings
Medellín
This excursion is incorporated in our H.E.A.R.T. Experiences at Impulse Travel - Delve into Comuna 13 and engage with tenacious artists who revitalized youth and communal areas through a rekindling of their African heritage in music, dance, and ingenuity.
This excursion is incorporated in our H.E.A.R.T. Experiences at Impulse Travel - Delve into Comuna 13 and engage with tenacious artists who revitalized youth and communal areas through a rekindling of their African heritage in music, dance, and ingenuity.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- San Javier Metro Station - Guests will be picked up from their hotel and taken to San Javier, the gateway to Comuna 13, before proceeding to the highest area of the Comuna, the Nuevos Conquistadores neighborhood.
- Escaleras Electricas De La Comuna 13 - This location offers a view of Medellín’s rural outskirts and a stunning panorama of Comuna…
- San Javier Metro Station - Guests will be picked up from their hotel and taken to San Javier, the gateway to Comuna 13, before proceeding to the highest area of the Comuna, the Nuevos Conquistadores neighborhood.
- Escaleras Electricas De La Comuna 13 - This location offers a view of Medellín’s rural outskirts and a stunning panorama of Comuna 13 and the entire city. As you descend through the neighborhoods of El Corazón, Independencias, and El Salado, you will discover the remarkable story of how dance and musical culture empowered local youth and contributed to a more peaceful environment. The transformation’s magnitude becomes clear as locals share their past experiences with gang wars, paramilitary groups, and urban guerrillas.
To provide a firsthand experience of the community’s unifying activities, visitors will explore Son Bata’s music studio, where local musicians recorded their hit “Estamos Melos.” Here, you can learn to play it on percussion instruments under expert guidance. After this fun and simple activity, you can relax and learn to dance with one of Son Batá’s top dancers, who will teach you impressive steps quickly and effortlessly!
- San Javier Metro Station - Finally, enjoy a local snack before returning to your hotel, accompanied by our guide.
What's Included
- Knowledgeable guide fluent in Spanish and English
- Enjoy a typical Colombian snack
- Experience the city with public transportation rides
- Convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off via public transport
- Knowledgeable guide fluent in Spanish and English
- Enjoy a typical Colombian snack
- Experience the city with public transportation rides
- Convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off via public transport
What's Not Included
- Optional tips and gratuities
- Unspecified food and beverages
- Personal expenses
- Optional tips and gratuities
- Unspecified food and beverages
- Personal expenses
Additional Information
- Taking this tour you will support two local initiatives that rely on tourism to survive. We can arrange private transportation from and to your hotel for an additional cost. The local street artist doesn’t speak English, our guide will serve as translator.
- We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes and sunscreen.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Taking this tour you will support two local initiatives that rely on tourism to survive. We can arrange private transportation from and to your hotel for an additional cost. The local street artist doesn’t speak English, our guide will serve as translator.
- We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes and sunscreen.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Location
Estación metro san javier
Carrera 95
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(5 Ratings)
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1 star
Letsrunawaytogether
Jan 26, 2026
A Truly Special Experience - My friend and I are just back from the INCREDIBLY MOVING Afro tour with Froilan and Nene. They were so knowledgeable and thoughtful and charming and open — it was a real highlight and a very necessary experience exploring Comuna 13. (Yovony, the driver, was a lovely and calm presence as well). I travel for a living and take many tours — this was truly special. I feel like it should be required education (and entertainment) for anyone traveling to Medellin.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore63232633506
Dec 30, 2023
Experience the reality of a transforming community - This was the best experience of the visit to Medellin. Our guide through the Comuna was an activist and a community organizer, giving us insights into the lives of the residents. We appreciated and were inspired by his commitment to the people of his community.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mommd2003
Aug 11, 2023
Much deeper dive into the communa! - This was an amazing tour that gave you the history of the communa 13 community with an emphasis on the emergence of an Afro Colombian culture there. It was physically demanding walking and climbing through the narrow walkways amongst the houses, so not for the physically challenged. We got to the touristy part of the tour and I was so glad we had spent the majority of our tour learning about the communa. It was crowded, commercial and loud. The artwork was beautiful but you could hardly appreciate it because of all the people everywhere. If you’re going for the cart, go early in the day! In the end, this particular communa 13 tour was worth the effort!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
6lorena8
Mar 11, 2021
A different way to see Comuna 13 - This tour was very different from the previews Comuna 13 experience I had had. Comuna 13 is actually pretty big and the hyper-touristy part of it is just a small bit. With this tour, Impulse and their local partners show you a different face. I loved that we were barely the only visitors and people were very friendly and open. Also, the drumming class and the local snack were a highlight. Carlos our local guide is an amazing person and what they have done for their community is remarkable. Really recommended tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P2480nojaimer
Mar 9, 2021
The best off the beaten track local experience I had in Colombia - We are grateful that our Travel Consultant at Impulse insisted us to take this experience in Medellin. We had been in Colombia for some weeks already and until that point, we hadn't really felt like we had experience something that was impossible for us to do by ourselves without the help of a tour company. This tour was exactly that. Although Comuna 13 is a big destination for tourists, this tour is at a part of the Comuna where travelers hardly get to. Our guide Carlos is an amazing host, full of energy and passion to share his story and the story of his music collective Sombata who has fought against gangs and crime with peaceful resistance and music. It was such a privilege to listen to him and it was key to have the logistic support and interpretation by Impulse. I strongly recommend this company for travelers who are looking for great local experiences and who are conscious about creating a positive impact.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
