Colombia Travel Blog & Itinerary
8-Day Colombia Itinerary: Cartagena & Barú Island
Colorful colonial streets, Caribbean water, nightlife, history, adventure, and a few days where the only plan is to slow down.
- Trip length
- Day 1 – Day 8
- Bases
- Cartagena · Barú Island
- Nights
- 4 · 3
- Getting around
- Car service, taxis & boats
Colombia is one of those destinations that gives you a little bit of everything in one trip: colorful colonial streets, Caribbean water, nightlife, history, adventure, and a few days where the only plan is to slow down.
This itinerary focuses on Cartagena and Barú Island. It is built around a mix of sightseeing, adventure, time on the water, and a quieter resort stay at the end. It works especially well for travelers who want to experience Cartagena without rushing through every day.
Book Colombia activities
My Colombia picks on GetYourGuide · My Colombia picks on Viator
Why this Colombia itinerary works
This route gives you two very different sides of Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
Cartagena gives you color, nightlife, history, architecture, restaurants, adventure, and easy access to the Rosario Islands. Barú Island gives you the opposite: quiet beaches, tropical scenery, and time to actually relax.
Instead of trying to fit multiple Colombian cities into one short trip, this itinerary lets you experience one region properly while still getting a good mix of activities.
Quick travel tips
- Cartagena is hot and humid, so lightweight clothing, water, and sunscreen are essential.
- Stay aware of your surroundings just as you would in any major tourist city, especially at night and in crowded areas.
- Use official transportation or prearranged car services when traveling between Cartagena and Barú.
- Bring cash for smaller vendors, beach purchases, tips, and situations where cards may not be accepted.
- Book major tours ahead of time, especially the Rosario Islands catamaran and adventure tours.
- Leave at least one flexible day in Cartagena so you can revisit places you liked or adjust around weather.
- Give yourself plenty of time when returning from Barú to CTG because road traffic can vary.
Day by day itinerary
-
Day 1
Home Airport to Cartagena
Fly in, check into Getsemaní and start your first night on a Chiva bus.
- Flight
- Fly from your home airport to Cartagena Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG).
- Transfer
- Take a prearranged car service or taxi to your hotel and check in.
- Stay
- Arsenal Hotel, Cl. 24 #8B-58, Getsemaní, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia. I stayed here, and it puts you in a great location for exploring Cartagena.
- Evening
- Start your first night with a Chiva bus experience. These colorful party buses are one of Cartagena’s most recognizable nighttime experiences and are a fun introduction to the city.
- How to book
- No need to book ahead. In the evening the Chiva buses park around the main center near the Clock Tower, so walk around, compare a few, negotiate the price, and pick your favorite.
Getsemaní at night -
Day 2
UTV + Horseback Adventure
Start the morning with one of the more adventurous experiences of the trip: a UTV and horseback riding tour outside Cartagena.
- Morning
- UTV and horseback tour with wildlife views Tours on Viator. The experience combines off-road riding, horseback riding, and views of the countryside and surrounding wildlife.
- Timing
- Morning pickup is ideal because temperatures become much hotter later in the day.
- Afternoon
- Use the rest of the day to relax, grab food in Getsemaní, or walk through the nearby historic center.
Horseback riding outside Cartagena 
The view from the saddle 
With the tour's owner and his dad after the UTV and horseback ride -
Day 3
Rosario Islands Catamaran, Snorkeling + Lunch
Spend the day on the Caribbean Sea with a catamaran excursion to the Rosario Islands.
- Full day
- Rosario Islands catamaran trip with snorkeling Tours on Viator. One of the best full-day experiences to add to a Cartagena itinerary: sailing, swimming, snorkeling, lunch, and plenty of time on the water.
- Meeting point
- Muelle de la Bodeguita, Puerta 3, Cartagena. If you are staying in Getsemaní or the Walled City, the marina is generally easy to reach on foot.
-
Day 4
Explore Cartagena + Sunset on the Water
Keep this day flexible and explore Cartagena at your own pace.
- Getsemaní
- Walk through the colorful streets, murals, plazas, cafés, and local restaurants. This neighborhood has a completely different feel from the polished historic center and is one of the most energetic parts of Cartagena.
- Walled City
- Spend time walking through Cartagena’s historic center, stopping at plazas, churches, shops, cafés, and the city walls.
- Bocagrande
- If you want a more modern side of Cartagena, head toward Bocagrande for high-rise buildings, restaurants, shopping, and beachfront views.
- Sunset boat ride
- In the late afternoon, head back toward Muelle de la Bodeguita and look for a sunset cruise or boat ride. You can book ahead, or compare options at the marina and choose the boat and atmosphere that fit what you want.
The Walled City 
Bougainvillea streets in the historic center 
Quiet lanes in the historic center -
Day 5
Cartagena to Barú Island
Leave Cartagena in the morning and transfer to Barú Island.
- Transfer
- Plan roughly two hours for the drive depending on traffic and road conditions.
- Stay
- Hotel Las Islas, Ciénaga de Cholón, Barú, Bolívar, Colombia: a secluded luxury property surrounded by tropical vegetation and Caribbean water.
- Afternoon
- Once you arrive, check in, explore the property, and settle into island mode.
- Optional evening
- Ask the hotel about a bioluminescent plankton tour. These tours are typically offered after dark when the glowing plankton is easier to see.
Hotel Las Islas, Barú Island 
Island mode -
Day 6
Barú Island Free Day
Keep the day completely open and enjoy Barú at your own pace.
- At the resort
- Book additional experiences directly through the hotel, spend the day lounging at the different hotel beaches, relax by the pool, enjoy the spa and restaurants, or simply unwind in your room. At Hotel Las Islas, intentionally doing very little is part of the experience.
- Something more active
- Look for additional excursions, water activities, and day tours: Colombia tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator
Doing very little, on purpose 
A local visitor at breakfast -
Day 7
Barú Island Free Day
Use your second full day on Barú to slow the trip down even more.
- At the resort
- Spend another day enjoying the hotel, lounge at one of the different beaches, relax in your room, book an activity or attraction through the hotel, or repeat whatever you enjoyed most the previous day.
- Beyond the resort
- Check for additional tours and activities around Barú and Cartagena: Colombia tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator
- Why two free days
- Having two free days here makes the itinerary feel like an actual vacation rather than a nonstop checklist.
One of the hotel beaches 
Making friends on Barú -
Day 8
Barú Island to Cartagena Airport to Home Airport
Check out and head back to the airport, with plenty of buffer for the drive.
- Transfer
- Take a prearranged car service back to Cartagena Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG).
- Timing
- Allow approximately two hours for the drive from Barú, plus extra time for traffic and airport check-in.
- Flight
- Fly from CTG back to your home airport.
Book tours for this trip
These are the tours and experiences I recommend for this route, all bookable on GetYourGuide.
Browse more: all my GetYourGuide recommendations · all my Viator recommendations
Book Colombia activities
My Colombia picks on GetYourGuide · My Colombia picks on Viator
Affiliate disclosure: Tour links in this post are David Inflight affiliate links through GetYourGuide and Viator. David Inflight may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.