Immerse yourself in a relaxing warm mud bath and let its minerals rejuvenate your skin.
An Unforgettable Natural Spa
Escape the bustle of the city and experience a true phenomenon of nature. The Totumo Volcano, filled with warm, dense mud, awaits to offer you a therapeutic and fun experience. You’ll float effortlessly as the natural minerals in the mud soothe your body. It’s a truly refreshing and incredible experience you can’t miss. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a swim in the nearby lagoon to rinse off the mud.
Your Relaxation Day Itinerary
A perfectly planned getaway for your comfort.
Hotel Pickup
We start the day by picking you up in a comfortable, private, air-conditioned vehicle directly from your hotel in Cartagena.
Immersion in the Mud Volcano
We arrive at the Totumo Volcano where you'll climb a rustic ladder and immerse yourself in the warm mud crater. Relax and float!
Rinse in the Lagoon
After the mud bath, you'll head down to the nearby lagoon where local women will help you rinse off the mud, leaving your skin fresh and renewed.
Return to Cartagena
We end the excursion with the trip back to your hotel, leaving you feeling relaxed and with an incredible story to tell.
Benefits of Your Private Excursion
Everything is included for a worry-free experience.
Private Guide & Driver
Private A/C Transportation
Hotel Pickup and Drop-off
Volcano Entrance Fee
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Totumo Mud Volcano?
El Volcan del Totumo is a small active mud volcano located outside Cartagena. Instead of lava, it is filled with warm, thick mud that is believed to have healing, therapeutic properties.
How far is the Mud Volcano from Cartagena?
The volcano is located approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Cartagena, which is about a 45 to 60-minute drive by car.
What should I expect when climbing into the volcano?
You climb a wooden staircase to the top crater and descend a ladder into the mud. It is dense, so you float effortlessly! Local attendants offer optional short massages.
How do you wash off the mud after the volcano?
After your mud bath, you walk down to a nearby lagoon where local women will assist you in thoroughly washing off the mud with buckets of warm water.
Is the mud safe for the skin?
Yes, the mud is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and aluminum, making it a natural exfoliant that leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft.
What should I wear to the Totumo Volcano?
Wear an old swimsuit that you don't mind getting extremely dirty, as the mud can sometimes be hard to fully wash out.
Are massages and washing services included?
The local community provides the massage and washing services inside the lagoon for small tips. Your private guide will explain how the tipping process works.
Is the mud volcano tour a full-day or half-day activity?
It is a half-day activity, usually taking about 3 to 4 hours in total, making it perfect for a morning trip, leaving the afternoon free.
Can the volcano tour be combined with other activities?
Yes! Many guests combine the Totumo Volcano with a visit to the Pink Sea (Salinas de Galerazamba) when it is in season (typically February and March).
Is transportation included in your private tour?
Yes, our tour includes round-trip private transportation with air conditioning from your hotel or accommodation in Cartagena.
Inquire about Totumo Volcano Tour
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What Travelers Say About Us
Real reviews from real travelers — updated every 15 days from TripAdvisor.
★★★★★ February 2026
"Sightseeing tour of Cartagena by car"
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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.…
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.
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.…
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. …
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…
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…
"Fantastic, incredibly accommodating and great atmosphere"
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 …
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…
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…
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.
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…
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.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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.…
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 …