Hike and Music Day Trip Cartagena: Indigenous Culture & Workshop

Petroglyphs, a morning hike, and hands-on music in one day

A full-day activity from Cartagena that combines hiking through Montes de María to discover indigenous petroglyphs and local flora with a hands-on Gaita music workshop in San Jacinto. The day includes a local guide, typical regional lunch, transport, and runs about 11 hours total, with roughly 3.5 hours of walking and 4 hours of driving.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hike and music workshop near Cartagena

• Drive from Cartagena to Montes de Maria
• Hike to see flora, fauna, and petroglyphs
• Have typical regional lunch
• Visit San Jacinto for Gaita music workshop
• Drive back from the region

The experience

You leave Cartagena at 6 a.m. and drive to Montes de María, where the hike begins. The walk takes you through the region's flora and fauna to see petroglyphs left by indigenous people: the physical marks that anchor the day's story. You'll learn the history and culture of the area as you move through it, not from a bus window. Around noon you stop for a typical lunch made from local ingredients, then head to San Jacinto.

In San Jacinto, starting around 1:30 p.m., you learn to play Gaita, the region's traditional music, in a workshop led by someone who knows the instrument. This is not a performance you watch. You hold it and play it. The guide and a local instructor walk you through it, and the workshop runs until around 3 p.m., when you begin the drive back to Cartagena. Breakfast, bottled water, and all fees are included in the price.

The hike requires at least a moderate fitness level: 3.5 hours of walking over terrain with petroglyphs and natural features. The day is long and involves both physical activity and cultural learning, so it suits someone who wants to move through a place rather than observe it from a distance.

What’s included

• Private transport from Cartagena to Montes de María and San Jacinto.
• breakfast and a typical regional lunch.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• a full-day guide and local instructor.
• the hands-on Gaita music workshop.
• all entrance fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 2 Feb 2027

Book up to15h before

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Taroa adventures

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you choose the language that works for you when you book. The hike and music workshop both move at a pace that lets you absorb the culture rather than rush through it, making it a fit for someone who wants to learn by doing rather than by listening from the sidelines.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 17 years). Children under 10 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 exactly are the petroglyphs I'll see on the hike?

The petroglyphs are marks left by the indigenous people of Montes de María. The guide explains their significance and the history of the region as you encounter them during the walk, connecting the carvings to the culture you learn about later in San Jacinto.

How difficult is the 3.5-hour hike?

The hike requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. It covers terrain in Montes de María where the petroglyphs are located, and the guide leads the group at a pace that allows time to observe the flora, fauna, and cultural sites along the way.

Will I actually learn to play Gaita in the workshop, or just watch a demonstration?

You learn to play Gaita hands-on in the workshop held in San Jacinto. A local instructor teaches you the instrument during the session, which runs for about an hour and a half in the early afternoon.

What's included in the price, and what should I bring?

The price covers private transport from Cartagena, the hike with a guide, breakfast, lunch, bottled water, the Gaita workshop, and all fees and taxes. Bring comfortable hiking shoes, sun protection, and a water bottle. The operator provides bottled water as well.