We are a team with over 30 years of passion, turning visits into unforgettable experiences. Enjoy the flexibility, culture, and warmth of a Cartagena family.
Discover Our ToursUnforgettable experiences for every type of traveler. Choose yours.
We are more than a company; we are heirs to a tradition. Our founder, Martín Rosales, learned the art of guiding from his father, William Rosales, one of the pioneers of tourism in Cartagena.
This heritage allows us to offer a unique perspective: that of a local who loves his city and knows its secrets. Our values: honesty, responsibility, and passion.
Learn more about our story →Download our exclusive guide "Cartagena Without Traps" and get the local secrets to avoid common scams, know fair prices, and discover the authentic soul of the city. Your passport to a safe and unforgettable experience!
Ratings that inspire us to be better every day.
Unforgettable Experience
"Martín is an exceptional guide. His knowledge and passion for Cartagena are contagious. The best tour we have ever taken!"
- Sarah J.
The Best Part of Our Trip!
"Total flexibility. They adapted the tour to our interests and time. We felt like we were seeing the city with a friend."
- Michael B.
Professionalism and Warmth
"Perfect for cruise passengers. They picked us up on time and showed us the highlights without any rush. 100% recommended."
- Emily R.
Culture and Flavor
"We didn't just see places; we learned about the culture, the people, and the food. A total immersion in Cartagena life."
- David L.
Yes, the main tourist areas like the Walled City and Getsemani are generally safe, especially during the day. However, it is always recommended to be aware of your surroundings, avoid walking alone late at night in unlit areas, and travel with a certified local guide for the best experience.
The best time to visit Cartagena is from December to April. During these dry months, you will experience sunny skies and a pleasant tropical climate, making it ideal for walking tours, beach trips, and boat excursions to the Rosario Islands.
Hiring a private tour guide ensures a personalized, flexible, and stress-free experience. A knowledgeable local guide can help you avoid tourist traps, navigate the city efficiently, translate when necessary, and provide deep historical and cultural context that you would miss on your own.
Key attractions include the UNESCO-listed Walled City (Old Town), Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Getsemani neighborhood, La Popa Convent, and the beautiful Rosario Islands.
While some high-end establishments and tour operators might accept US Dollars, it is highly recommended to use Colombian Pesos (COP) for daily transactions, restaurants, and street vendors to get the best exchange rate.
A 4 to 5-day trip is usually enough to explore the historical center, enjoy a local food tour, visit the main fortresses, and spend a relaxing day at the Rosario Islands.
You must try Arepa con Huevo, Ceviche, Coconut Rice, Fried Snapper, and exotic local fruits like Lulo and Granadilla. A local street food tour is the best way to taste these delicacies.
You can get by with English in major hotels, restaurants, and tours, but having a bilingual local guide significantly enhances your experience and helps you interact authentically with locals.
The cruise port is about a 10-15 minute taxi ride or private transfer from the Walled City. Pre-booking a shore excursion with a private guide ensures you are picked up exactly on time without haggling for rides.
The city beaches (like Bocagrande) are decent but have darker sand. For pristine, white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water, taking a boat trip to the Rosario Islands or Baru is highly recommended.
Real reviews from real travelers — updated every 15 days from TripAdvisor.
I am grateful to Martin and our guide Margarita for organizing a wonderful private sightseeing tour of Cartagena by car. Martin was the only organizer who provided a very clear description of the service, a transparent p…
Kateryna G.
My husband and I took a cruise to Cartagena and contacted Martin to be our tour guide. Neither one of us can walk far — we use scooters. Martin and his staff got the scooters into his car and off we went for four wonderf…
Rosemarie G.
West Islip, New York
We were pretty happy about our tour guide.
Xiu Y.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Our family of four had a very interesting private tour of most of Cartagena's touristic sites, very well organized by Mildred. A comfortable car, a great driver and Jaime — the perfect guide for such a tour. We had a lot…
Hansruedi S.
Riedholz, Switzerland
Initial contact was with Mildred who was very helpful. Her husband Martin was the guide — very knowledgeable, and the driver was very good. We were able to visit the aviary and even got in a few minutes before it opened,…
Joyce P.
Perfect Cruise Excursion in Cartagena. Wonderful, Informative Tour from Start to Finish. Great Way to See Cartagena in One Day. Outstanding Service and Knowledgeable Guide. Stress-Free and Well Organized Experience. A Mu…
Caren C.
Martin was so easy to contact and gave us a wonderful experience. Saw some amazing sights and we were looked after very well. Our group were travelling on a world cruise and were very happy to get such a reasonable rate.…
Sue A.
Martin was a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide! We really enjoyed the walking tour — and it was 45 degrees outside! I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cartagena.
Ankita S.
This was the second time in 3 months that we took this tour with Señor Martin — first in Dec. 2024 with my wife, and now in March 2025 with my son. Señor Martin is very knowledgeable, very kind, his English is very good.…
Dan R.
Florida
Martin was fantastic! He customized a tour for our 2 families. We only had 4 hours to see the city and he picked us up from the airport, gave us a 3-hour tour of the city and transported us an hour to our hotel in Baru. …
abuscaglia
Highly recommend Martin and Cartagena Tour Guides. Martin was easy to communicate with via email. For the day of the tour, we were set up with JJ (Jacinto) and he was terrific! He knew so much about Cartagena and was ver…
Karen C.
Don Martín tiene un gran conocimiento de la ciudad y de su historia. Nos dio un tour sumamente completo, lleno de explicaciones sobre la historia de Cartagena y sobre su vida actual. Sin duda es una forma muy completa de…
Alberto Tomás A.
Ciudad de México, México
Martin is amazing. We booked a private tour of Cartagena with only ten hours' notice, after midnight, via WhatsApp. He picked up our party of 7 (3 generations of family) in a luxurious, air-conditioned van, holding up a …
Swiss-American All Over
I cannot recommend Martin highly enough! I am in a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury. Martin secured a vehicle I could get in and out of with assistance. The elevator at the monastery had been knocked out by lightni…
Larissa B.
En los 10 días de estadía en Cartagena hemos compartido muchas excursiones las cuales fueron acompañadas por distintos guías de los cuales sólo puedo decir que son personas con mucho carisma, muy amables y serviciales. T…
MONI1607
Villa Ballester, Argentina
Martin was a great guide. The entire family enjoyed our two-hour walking tour of the old city. Highly recommend it if you are planning a visit to Cartagena.
SLF
We had an outstanding tour with Martin. He showed us the best of Cartagena as well as some unique areas. We highly recommend Martin — we had a nice time. Driving in an air-conditioned vehicle was also a comfort. Thank yo…
Jim D.
Florida
Eduardo did an amazing job during our touring around Cartagena. We have 2 kids and he really took them into consideration during the tour regarding content, stamina and the heat! Highly recommend.
afurie
Malvern, Pennsylvania
We had a great guide called David — really interesting facts and took us to a tasty ice cream shop! Great city, would recommend a visit. We were on a cruise and ended with a walk through a wonderful bird sanctuary with l…
Dawn 23
Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom
Great Tour around and through the beautiful Old City of Cartagena, with one of the greatest guides — Captain Kirk! Very good explanations about the city and visit of some special places away from the typical tourist spot…
PatKay72
Excellent tour with much consideration for elderly guests, such as not walking to the top of the fort. He kept a great pace to see as much as we could in the time the cruise ship allowed, yet provided needed breaks at so…
Ole D.
Kansas City, Missouri
El día de hoy tuvimos el placer de tomar un tour en la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias con Cartagena Tour Guides y fue de lo mejor. Martin Rosales nos recibió en el puerto de cruceros e iniciamos nuestro tour en un auto pr…
Carmen
I booked this tour through Martin Rosales and received prompt replies to all correspondence. We were 17 people from a cruise ship wanting a private tour. David was our guide and William our driver. We had a lovely tour o…
marija10
We returned this past November and did a tour again with Martin. It was a very nice day spent with Martin and his driver. We were not rushed in any way — we avoided the crowds and had a very nice day. As we will be retur…
uitvlugt1
Zürich, Switzerland
My husband and I opted for the private Taste & Eat Cartagena food tour and it was well worth it. I definitely recommend going on an empty stomach as you are eating throughout the tour. The first thing we ate were arepas …
Zoraya V.
Chicago, Illinois
My only regret about our tour with Martin is that we didn't book it for the first day of our trip! Martin is a local and he knows so much about Cartagena. He responded to my request within an hour, and we scheduled a tou…
katiwithani
Denver, Colorado
I must praise Martin Rosales on how quickly he responded to my frantic email trying to arrange a private tour with a walker only 4 days before we needed it. Martin came through with a wonderful guide JZ and driver Oscar.…
tmt57
Lecanto, Florida
Martin Rosales is a 'Cartagenero' — he has lived here all his life as has his family. He is extremely knowledgeable and speaks very good English. My wife and I booked a private tour and he and his driver picked us up at …
kschw9883
Atlanta, Georgia
Last updated: 2026-02-27
A glimpse into the beauty, culture, and joy of Cartagena.
