Recently Viewed
Private Tour of San Basilio De Palenque: Engage with Native Palenquero Traditions
5.0
41 Ratings
San Basilio De Palenque
Immerse yourself in the ancestral traditions of the Palenquero people on a private tour of San Basilio De Palenque. Engage with the locals, learn about their daily life, and discover the rich black history from 100% black palenqueros.
Immerse yourself in the ancestral traditions of the Palenquero people on a private tour of San Basilio De Palenque. Engage with the locals, learn about their daily life, and discover the rich black history from 100% black palenqueros.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Monumento a Benkos Bioho - Our Native Guide takes you around the square where the statue is located and will show and teach you about the ancestral culture of this town and its traditions.
- San Basilio De Palenque - In the journey of ancestral knowledge, they will visit the main sites of interest and will be able to enjoy a live music and drum…
- Monumento a Benkos Bioho - Our Native Guide takes you around the square where the statue is located and will show and teach you about the ancestral culture of this town and its traditions.
-
San Basilio De Palenque - In the journey of ancestral knowledge, they will visit the main sites of interest and will be able to enjoy a live music and drum show, at the same time, and they will be able to practice the basic steps with musical instruments.
They will learn to make and taste the traditional sweets made from coconut with tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple, guava among others.
They will have a class on the famous and award-winning gastronomy of Palenque. In this class they interact with the native cook learning from her the traditional techniques with which they prepare these delicious dishes.
The town of Palenque stands out for its traditional medicine, here you will visit the garden of the local doctor where he grows the plants with which he makes ancestral medicine.
The Palenqueros are recognized in the field of boxing, so they will visit the coliseum and put on their gloves to learn about this great local sport.
What's Included
- Boxing class
- Native tour guide (English and Spanish)
- Cooking class and sweet tasting with a native cook
- Alcoholic beverages
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Music Show
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Boxing class
- Native tour guide (English and Spanish)
- Cooking class and sweet tasting with a native cook
- Alcoholic beverages
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Music Show
- Breakfast
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- On-board WiFi
- Gratuities
- On-board WiFi
Additional Information
In this tour the traveler will connect with the natives of the Palenquero people knowing their ancestral traditions. They will get to know from the hand of their local guide all the daily life of the inhabitants of the town and they will immerse themselves in the culture that characterizes our people so much. In addition, it is better that they tell you the black story told by 100% black palenqueros.
In this tour the traveler will connect with the natives of the Palenquero people knowing their ancestral traditions. They will get to know from the hand of their local guide all the daily life of the inhabitants of the town and they will immerse themselves in the culture that characterizes our people so much. In addition, it is better that they tell you the black story told by 100% black palenqueros.
Location
Monumento a Benkos Bioho
Plaza Principal
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
(41 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Christoffer
Mar 31, 2026
Amazing - The tour guide victor was incredibly knowledgeable and made the tour super fun and informative. From now on I will recommend all my friends that visit Cartagena to do this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shara_f
Mar 5, 2026
Incredible experience - The tour was an incredibly rich experience that framed the history of chattel slavery in the America’s through the remarkable strength, resilience, and cultural persistence of African people. The people of San Basilio de Palenque generously share their skills and stories. It was interactive and great for all ages!
Review provided by Viator
557becw
Feb 22, 2026
A must do! - Wow! What a journey! Highly recommended to experience! We toured with Vicktor & Manuel who were knowledgeable, friendly, engaging, funny & an absolute pleasure to learn from. From the moment we were picked up from the Port to the moment we got back, every moment was memorable. Certainly my favourite part of my holiday! Do yourself a favour & support PaleTur by visiting this amazing village!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Otrt2026
Feb 22, 2026
Generations of Resilience!! - The Palenque historical tour really impacted me. Learning about the history was powerful, but what amazed me most was how the traditions, language, and culture are still being preserved today. It doesn’t feel like the past it feels alive. That’s what made the experience special for me.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jene
Dec 20, 2025
Fabulous tour! - I had a really wonderful experience with Sophia as my guide for a private tour of San Basilio de Palenque. She was knowledgeable, thoughtful, and deeply respectful of the history and culture, which made the experience feel meaningful rather than scripted.
The tour felt personal and well paced, with plenty of space for questions and real conversation. Sophia shared context and stories in a way that made Palenque come alive, and I left with a much deeper understanding and appreciation of its significance.
If you’re considering a visit to San Basilio de Palenque, I highly recommend touring with Sophia. It was a truly enriching experience and one of the highlights of my time in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Harold_f
Sep 26, 2025
A fantastic Palenque experience - Vincent was a great and I formative guide. His cheeky humour and deep knowledge made this a wonderful experience — informative and fun.
Review provided by Viator
Keisha_c
Aug 25, 2025
The best - This tour was so authentic. It was amazing. We got history, we got to taste sweets and have a delicious full course lunch. Our translator was so sweet and it was very informational.
Review provided by Viator
Pamcap52
Aug 24, 2025
One of the best days in Colombia - After researching different tours to Palenque, I chose this private tour and could not have been more pleased. Our guide Sofia, born and raised in Palenque was delightful and informative. We experienced learning the history, enjoyed local dancers, learned a few phrases of the local language, toured the town, met the local healer and had an amazing lunch. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_s
Jul 16, 2025
Great Day Trip from Cartagena - Highly recommend the day tour to San Basilio de Cartagena to learn about the history and culture of this important place in African history in the Americas. Sofia is a terrific guide. A knowledgeable and proud representative of the town.
Review provided by Viator
Nakia_b
Jun 10, 2025
A hidden gem worth exploring - This tour of Palenque was amazing! This was an eye opening cultural experience that will forever stay with me. There are other people that can give a tour but if you are blessed to have Sofia as your tour guide, you’re in for an unforgettable, fun and highly informative tour. Walking through Palenque you’d feel welcomed and the warmth of the people and enjoy the art of the scenery. It felt like a hidden gem in Colombia which in my opinion it is. Sofia kept us engaged throughout the whole tour. She took the best footage of my friends and I when we wanted to film or photos. She taught us the language, communicated and demonstrated perfectly. She made us comfortable and is so down to earth. So kind and caring. Sofia alone made the tour more memorable and enjoyable. The tour was interactive which contribute to the experience. So much knowledge of the culture was shared. Me and my friends genuinely enjoyed ourselves to the fullest with so much joy and laughter. I highly recommend to make this tour apart of anyone’s Colombia trip. It definitely was the highlight of mine and it’s a different special place in Colombia that people should be more aware of. I came with an open mind and left with my heart full. FYI the pickup was smooth and they are very prompt! Also the food is chefs kiss. Worth every moment and money well spent.
Review provided by Viator
