Private Tour Guide For Cartagena

[Christine Cruisin]

We will have a groupt of 4 to 6 of us for a 6 hour stop over in Cartagena and are looking for a english speaking guide for the old city (March 2008). Any recommendations. Thanx in advance!

[loriva]

We would be interested in finding a guide as well if anyone has any suggestions.

[stan1]

Will be in Cartagena in October 2007 (Celebrity Infinity). Any suggestions for a local tour guide? Thanks.

Stan

[evoni]

Stan, if you are on the Sept 29th Infinity cruise, please come say hi on the roll call. I know that someone else on that cruise posted they wanted to use a private guide at this port, and perhaps they have found some information on one.

 

Diana

[stl82]

I just found this thread. We'll be on Brilliance of the Seas Panama Canal cruise next March with a stop in Cartagena. There is a thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=409637&highlight=cartagena that has a website and email for a private tour in Cartagena.

 

I have visited Cartagena several times on business but the last time was 10-12 years ago and I never had a chance to do much touring. But I do remember the old walled city as being very nice and the people being very friendly. No security problems but I was always with a company representative.

 

David

[elaineagogo]

I went to that website and it is for a retailer who sells emeralds it doesn't say anything about a tour of Cartagena. Have you or anyone else contacted him about tours. We will be on the Island Princess in November and are trying to do our itineraries for the ports. We have never been concerned about just getting off the ship and taking cabs or just walking in the cities on our own but there is some question about doing so in some of the places and also the ports are not very close to what we want to do so we have to research and find guides. We have found guides for Costa Rica and Guatemala but not Cartagena or Nicaragua yet. My TA said to take Princess tours in both just for safety but so expensive I am not sure so any help would be appreciated

[dfb]

Lee Miles also has a tourism-related business and he will set up private tours as well as answer any questions you have about visiting Cartagena and make recommendations for your visit.

Try this website of his:

http://www.destinationcartagena.com/

We have not toured with him yet, but have been in email correspondence. I do not have any prices to report to you for comparison.

Debbie

[stl82]

I have not contacted the person mentioned at the site http://www.destinationcartagena.com/lee_news.shtml (Lee Miles). In looking at the other posts, I think you need to send an email to him leland@misteremerald.com. I just haven't gotten that far in my planning yet!

 

David

[elaineagogo]

Thanks for the info I have sent off an Email to the email address you gave me and told him what I was interested in and Hope to hear back from him. I will post when I do.

[ecslady]

Please post what you find out as we will also be there on November 5th. thanks in advance.

[stl82]

I look forward to hearing about what you find. There are a number of us on the Brilliance next March who have been talking about what kind of tour to do in Cartagena. Thanks in advance.

 

David

[Floflegs]

We have found guides for Costa Rica and Guatemala but not Cartagena or Nicaragua yet. My TA said to take Princess tours in both just for safety but so expensive I am not sure so any help would be appreciated

We are visiting the same places as you in Feb/Mar 2008. Could you let me know who you have booked with in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, please? Also if you have any luck with the other places could you let me know that too. Thanks.

[elaineagogo]

HI, I have booked www. GowithGus.com for Guatemala sounds like a great tour and he was so nice worked on the itinerary for us based on what I told him we wanted to do. For Costa Rica we are doing Okeydokeytours.com Charlie Soto came very highly recommended and we are doing theB2 tour. I have emailed and am working on the Nicaragua tours with Nicatour@ibw.comni his name is Richard I have emailed Lee Miles in Cartagena Leland@Misteremerald.com but have not heard back from him. Hope that helps. Elane

[Floflegs]

Thanks, Elaine. Let me know how you get on with the emails you sent.

Flora

[loriva]

Elaine -- I sent an e-mail to Lee Miles earlier this month, as we're on the Coral Princess stopping in Cartagena in early December. I heard back from him right away with a note that he had some visitors in town and would be back with details on tours soon. But now I haven't heard from him in several weeks, so not sure if he's on vacation or something else. He did tell me in his e-mail that he has arranged the tours--doesn't actually give them, just makes the arrangements I believe--for another cruise line. I don't know if it's a problem to give their name on CC.com, so here goes--it's Regent. So if you go to their website and pull up the port, you can see what his tours looks like.

 

Please post and let us know if you hear from him and I will do likewise.

 

Thanks,

[elaineagogo]

HI lORI, I HAVE SENT 2 EMAILS TO HIM AND NO REPLY. I THINK I AM GOING TO DO A TOUR WITH PRINCESS A 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR OF THE OLD CITY. I HAVE GONE TO OTHER SITES WWW.CARTASENAINFO.NET AND GOT SOME GOOD INFORMATION THERE AND I WILL WAIT A LITTLE LONGER TO SEE IF I GET A REPLY FROM LEE. I WILL ALSO CHECK THE CRUISE LINE YOU TALKED ABOUT AND SEE WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING. THANKS, I WILL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED ELAINE

[elaineagogo]

I SPELLED CARTAGENA WRONG IN THE WEB ADDRESS SO IT IS WWW.CARTAGENAINFO.COM

[Fogfog]

I have the FOOTPRINT Guide 2007 for South America from the librarey...

 

I was interested in the entrance fees for places of interest in Cartagena etc..

 

 

Taxis intown $3 US

Taxis from airport to Bocagrande $3 US

these are official taxi rate/prices.

 

The Casa de Cambio will change American Express travleers checks NOT Bank of America checks. Best rates at into banks NEVER change money on the street

 

Castillo San Felipe $5 US adult, $2.30 children and students

 

Museum of Modern Art--$1.30 US per adult

 

Church of San Pedro and Monastery

$2.20 (reduction with ISIC)

guides $3.00 in spanish, a LITTLE bit more in english

 

Musuem of Naval (Caribbean) $2.70 US per adult. Children half price

 

Palacio de la Inquision $2.75 US per adult, Children half price

 

Museo d Oro FREE

 

Several other churches, cathedral and monastery-- lots ---they are free

 

Museum Fortification fo Santa Catalina $1.50 US

 

Up on La Popa hill, Santa Cruz church and Monastery

$1.50 US per adult $0.75 per child

The public bus from Teatro Miramar at the foot of the hill to La Popa $0.50

Taxi - round trip $7.00US

 

Hope this helps

[cp556]

Hi--

I emailed Lee Miles at leland@misteremerald.com and have booked a 4.5 hour Cartagena tour that he's organizing. There will be eight of us on the tour.

 

He does not escort the tour himself, but has arranged a bilingual guide ... and Lee himself will be at the pier to greet us as we board the tour van.

 

His emailed replies to me have been prompt, thoughtful and accurate. I think his prices are fair, and he's worked out a timed schedule that includes everything we wanted to see in Cartagena. (LaPopa, Las Bovedas, Gold Museum, Naval Museum, Fort San Felipe, Old City drive, shopping stop at Pierino Gallo, plus lunch at a restaurant he has recommended.)

 

I couldn't be more pleased with what Lee has done for us. I'll be glad to report when we return from our Panama Canal cruise, but so far I can recommend him highly.

[stl82]

CP. thanks for the information on Lee. We will be in Cartagena next March so we are looking for a tour. I sent him an email sometime ago but I will try again; perhaps he was just behind in answering his emails.

 

I think many of us will be interested in how your tours are.

 

David

[Fogfog]

Hi--

I emailed Lee Miles at leland@misteremerald.com and have booked a 4.5 hour Cartagena tour that he's organizing. There will be eight of us on the tour.

 

He does not escort the tour himself, but has arranged a bilingual guide ... and Lee himself will be at the pier to greet us as we board the tour van.

 

His emailed replies to me have been prompt, thoughtful and accurate. I think his prices are fair, and he's worked out a timed schedule that includes everything we wanted to see in Cartagena. (LaPopa, Las Bovedas, Gold Museum, Naval Museum, Fort San Felipe, Old City drive, shopping stop at Pierino Gallo, plus lunch at a restaurant he has recommended.)

 

I couldn't be more pleased with what Lee has done for us. I'll be glad to report when we return from our Panama Canal cruise, but so far I can recommend him highly.

 

Whats that going to run..pricewise for the van and driver...is he a guide that tells you about what you are seeing or only a van/driver?

 

Your entrance fees are extrance or included?

Lunch is extra I know.

 

Thanks for your advice--may contact misteremerald as well.

[cp556]

Fog--

The van & guide (who is more than a driver) is about $36 per person. There are eight of us in the group.

 

Lunch is extra, and so are the admission fees, which should be about $10 per person.

 

So we're at about $46 per person ... our tour is longer and more customized than the cruise line, at a slightly lower cost, PLUS we're looking forward to being in a small group and not on a 47-passenger bus.

 

FYI, I've emailed Lee since my initial post and his replies have remained very quick. I hope you have the same great experience....

[Fogfog]

I did email Mr Miles today and we have begun a diaologue about what to see and costs...

 

His inial thoughts--based on my thoguhts--came up higher--but we are 4 not 8..

 

I would like to really see some things that make Cartagena special...especially given its history...

 

maybe I should see if there are 4 more to make a van worthwhile

[cp556]

Fog---

 

You might indeed want to see if you can get 4 more people from your Roll Call to participate ... that's how our group of 8 came together. And that's how our price dropped. You're right: the price is for the vehicle and guide: we just divided by 8.

 

Lee Miles told me that for 4 people, they use a car with 3 in the back and one in the front. For 8 people, they use a van that's apparently supposed to hold 14 (!) but he suggests a max of eight. (My guess is that 14 would be small people and squashed people...lol).

 

Hope it works out for you.....

[RevSmith]

I am also using Lee this December...his e-mails have been prompt and he has been extremely helpful. My husband is disabled (wheel chair bound) and he is will to work with that, when considering where we will go and what we will do. So far there are just the two of us...but that is really fine with me.

Rev