Cartagena Mangroves Fishing Tour: Learn Traditional Techniques

Fish the mangroves the way locals have for generations, using only hand-made nets and traps.

A four-hour fishing class in the mangroves 11 miles outside Cartagena where you learn to cast nets, set crab traps and steer wooden boats by hand, then eat the fish and crabs you caught in a traditional Cartagena dish. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian; children from age 8 are welcome; hotel pickup is included.

The experience

You start in one of Cartagena's oldest fishing neighborhoods, then head into the mangroves in a small wooden boat. The guide teaches you three core techniques: casting a hand-made net to catch small fish for bait, setting manually woven crab traps, and steering the boat by hand. Every 15 minutes you check the traps to see what you've caught (crabs, shrimp, small fish, seashells), and the guide shows you how to handle each one. The whole time you're moving through the ecosystem itself, not watching from a distance.

Once you've fished enough, you head back and eat what you caught. The meal is a typical Cartagena dish (fried fish, green salad, fried banana, coconut rice) all prepared with your own catch. Bottled water is included throughout. The guide handles the air-conditioned vehicle pickup from your hotel and the return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• instruction in hand-cast nets, crab traps and boat steering.
• the meal you catch prepared as a traditional Cartagena dish with fried fish, salad, fried banana and coconut rice.
• bottled water throughout the four hours.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 14:00 and 15:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 49 years) · Senior (50 to 60 years) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (8 to 10 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by WeTrip Colombia

Is this one for you?Book this if you want hands-on fishing experience in mangrove ecosystems rather than a guided tour. You'll learn traditional net techniques and actually catch bait yourself in small wooden boats.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (8 to 10 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What fishing techniques will I actually learn to do?

You learn to cast a hand-made net to catch small fish for bait, set manually woven crab traps that you check every 15 minutes, and steer the wooden boat by hand. The guide demonstrates each one and walks you through it in the water.

Where exactly in the mangroves do we fish?

You fish in the Lagoon of the Birds, which sits in the heart of the mangrove ecosystem about 11 miles from downtown Cartagena. You travel there in a small wooden boat after meeting in the fishing neighborhood.

What happens to the fish and crabs I catch?

Everything you catch becomes your lunch. The kitchen prepares it as a traditional Cartagena dish with fried fish, green salad, fried banana and coconut rice, all cooked with your own catch.

How long does the whole experience take?

The activity runs four hours from start to finish, including the boat ride into the mangroves, the fishing instruction and practice, checking traps, and eating the meal you caught.

Do I need to arrange my own way there from my hotel?

No. Hotel pickup is included. The guide picks you up in an air-conditioned vehicle and brings you back after the meal.