Excursion Botanic garden & turbaco traditional village tour at Cartagena

The traditional village of Turbaco is located 45 minutes from Cartagena and is famous for its folkloric traditions and connection with the local indigenous cultures. On arrival, members of the local community dressed in traditional costume will welcome you in the main square of the town and a band playing the traditional Colombian music of "Cumbia" and "Vallenato" will greet you.

The welcome continues with an interactive & comical theatrical performance and storytelling of the history of Turbaco in which you may be invited to participate before commencing a walking tour of the village. Strolling through the well-kept streets with your guide you will see the historic architecture of the houses, built in the post-colonial style, and public buildings including the attractive church of Santa Catalina and the Town Hall. Visit the small local museum with exhibits of the Yurbaco indigenous community, which show case their history, culture, customs and religious rites. The final highlight is a visit to a private family home where the family will welcome you with a refreshing drink and invite you to look around their home, built in the traditional style of mud & straw walls with a palm-thatched roof.

Colombia is one of the most bio-diverse countries on the planet and this tour is an introduction to the amazing variety of flora and fauna that can be found in this fascinating country. Re boarding the motor coach, it is a 20-minute drive to the Botanic Gardens. It occupies an area of 20 acres and contain some 1200 species and varieties representing the flora of the region. In the same area where once, the German Scientist, Humbolt

conducted his botanical research, the garden was started in 1978, and since then many thousands of species from all over the Caribbean coast have been planted.

Accompanied by expert local guides, explore the many different themed gardens such as the Medical Garden, which includes specimens used in both homeopathic medicine and also in modern pharmacological practice. There is also the Paimentum, a collection of the largest family of palm trees as well as an area dedicated to fruit trees where you can see mangoes, papayas, calabash, mamey apple, jack fruit & bread fruit to name but a few and there will a an opportunity to enjoy some of them during a fruit tasting.

With the many animals such as Squirrels, Frogs, Birds and Butterflies resident in the gardens you will get a small flavour of the variety and intensity of nature in Colombia, from the Caribbean & Pacific coasts to the jungles of the Amazon and the mountains of the interior.

Note

Please note: This excursion is not recommended for guests with limited mobility as there approximately 90 minutes of walking, some of it over uneven terrain, including sandy terrain and a trail at the garden, which can get muddy and slippery. Comfortable, lightweight clothing and walking shoes, insect repellent, sun protection, sunglasses are recommended. The driving time from the ship to Turbaco is approximately 45 minutes in each direction.