Fly into Cartagena today. You’ll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the city where you stay for three nights. In the afternoon, you have a tour of Cartagena’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cartagena is a beautiful city on the Caribbean coast, with colorful colonial buildings. However, it has a dark past. Starting in the 16th century, thousands of African slaves were brought to Cartagena by the Portuguese. On this tour you can visit a number of sites significant to the Black history of Cartagena, including sites such the Clock Tower and Plaza de la Aduana where slaves were sold.

Champeta is a type of music which originates in Cartagena from African roots. In particular it is associated with the village of San Basilio de Palenque which you’ll visit tomorrow. Spend a few hours with Charles King, a champeta icon, learn about the music and dance while exploring the Basurto Market where he took his first steps towards fame. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Cartagena further on your own, or take a break from the heat at your hotel.

San Basilio del Palenque (known locally as Palenke) was the first African liberated village in the Americas, founded by Benkos Bioho in 1603 together with 36 other escaped slaves. The village is an hour and a half from Cartagena and is recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage. Until the 1960s, there was no road connection to the village. This means the language and culture of the village has been preserved. The creole language Palenquero is not spoken anywhere else. You’ll have a guided tour of the village with a local Palenquero guide. Learn about the language, music and dance, and visit the village’s cultural center. You’ll have a typical Palenque lunch before returning to Cartagena.

You’ll be driven from your hotel to Cartagena airport today to return home, or continue your tour of Colombia. Cartagena is easy to combine with Tayrona National Park a few hours drive away along the Caribbean coastline.