Full-Day Mud Volcano from Cartagena
Description
Here are the key elements that make the El Totumo Mud Volcano Tour truly stand out: 1. A One-of-a-Kind Natural Spa The Volcán El Totumo offers an experience you won't find anywhere else. The mud pool is a dense, mineral-rich slurry that makes it impossible to sink—you simply float effortlessly. This natural buoyancy is incredibly relaxing, while the mineral content provides a powerful natural exfoliation, detoxification, and renewal for your skin. 2. The Power of Customization Unlike standard tours, you get to choose the pace and style of your day based on your schedule and preferences: Relaxation Focus: Choose the Morning or Afternoon Option for a quick, focused wellness treatment. Full Day VIP: Upgrade to the Full VIP Day Option to combine the volcano with a transfer to an exclusive Beach Club for a relaxing. The entire tourism operation at El Totumo is managed by the local community in Santa Catalina. By booking this tour, you are directly supporting the families and residents
Tour Options
Itinerary
The day start when we pick up you at your hotel between 7:30 am and 8:00 am in a mini van. You must be patient because the traffic sometime is a problem, but don't worried, we will pick up you anyway. we will pick up another travelers too.
A Natural, Mineral-Rich Spa Unlike volcanic cones that erupt lava, El Totumo is a mud volcano, which is a fissure in the earth that constantly vents mud mixed with water and gas from deep underground. Size: It's small, standing about 50 feet (15 meters) high, accessible by a wooden staircase. The Mud: The mud is highly viscous, warm, and packed with minerals like silica, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, and iron. This composition is believed to have exfoliating, detoxifying, and therapeutic properties for the skin and muscles. 2. The Floating Sensation The most fascinating part is the density of the mud. It's so thick that it's impossible to sink. When you climb down into the crater, your body is naturally held afloat, creating a bizarre and wonderfully relaxing sensation of weightlessness. The Experience Visitors climb the stairs to the top, descend into the crater (which can only hold about 10–15 people at a time), and immerse themselves in the buoyant mud bath.
If you choose to spend more time on the tour you will visit a club in front of the beach with facilities where you can enjoy the beach and the local vibe.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
- Valuables Security: Upon arrival at the volcano, please keep your valuables secure. We make the vehicle we travel in available as a safe space where all guests can leave their belongings. The vehicle will serve as your secure location.
- Tipping and Local Community: The native community of this village relies solely on the commercial activity of the volcano. It is common for local residents to offer assistance with items you carry and subsequently ask for a tip. Tipping should be voluntary and at your discretion. To simplify the process and avoid solicitations, we highly recommend ascending the volcano without any personal items—just go in the clothes you intend to enter the mud with.
- Massage and Exfoliation: Once inside the volcano, there are local individuals who offer massages. Please make it very clear if you do or do not want this massage and exfoliation service.
- Cleaning Service: When exiting the volcano, a group of local women will offer to clean the mud off your body in a natural lake. If you do not wish to use this service, you are also welcome to clean yourself on your own.
- Extra Costs: Please note that any assistance you receive, regardless of whether it is offered by the guide or not, will incur an extra cost.
Reviews(357)
Awesome guide and great experience for kids also. They loved it and wanted to go again. The backpacker guide Cesar communicated everything properly and was friendly and helpful.
What a fantastic review, Sheela_P ! We are so happy to hear that it was an incredible experience for both adults and the little ones; there is no better compliment than knowing the kids wanted to do it all over again. We are very proud to have Cesar as part of our Backpackers team. We will make sure to congratulate him on his excellent communication and the kindness that helped your family feel comfortable and well-taken care of throughout the tour. Thank you so much for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you all back on your next visit to Cartagena! Best regards for you and your family! Claudia MR
We had an amazing time with our driver Jesus and travel guide Ninche. However once it was over we were bombarded with the staff aggressively telling us we need to pay them tips not even giving us the opportunity to. Besides that it was a good mud experience. I would do it again
Stepha! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are thrilled to know that you had a great time with the mud experience and that you enjoyed the company of our driver Jesús and our travel guide Ninche. On the other hand, we sincerely apologize for the uncomfortable situation at the end of the tour. We understand how frustrating and stressful it feels to be pressured about tips, and we want to ensure that your experience with us remains positive from start to finish. We are addressing this with our staff on-site to ensure that tips are always treated as entirely voluntary and handled with the utmost respect and courtesy. We would love to keep helping you create unforgettable memories. We have put together a beautiful collection of island getaways, beach clubs, and exclusive experiences just for you. Plus, as one of our valued guests, we are excited to share special perks and tailored offers whenever you're ready to pack your bags again! We look forward to welcoming you back for a much smoother and more enjoyable adventure soon. Warm regards, Claudia MR Backpackers Travel SAS For travel lovers
The tour guide is very informative and knowledgeable. Very friendly staff. Very accommodating. Felt at home.
Franklin was an amazing guide, we had so much fun. This excursion is advertised exactly how it is.
Milton was an amazing tour guide and truly made our mud volcano experience in Cartagena unforgettable. From start to finish, he took great care of our group. He rode with us in the car and on the bus, watched our belongings while we enjoyed the experience, and helped us navigate everything with ease, including how to tip and pay for things without any stress. What really stood out was how attentive and personable he was. He made sure everyone felt comfortable, answered questions, and kept the vibe fun the entire time. On the ride back, he even played the music we liked, which was such a nice touch and had everyone in great spirits. If you are booking a mud volcano tour in Cartagena, I highly recommend asking for Milton. He goes above and beyond and genuinely cares about his guests having a great time.
Milton was an exceptional tour guide who made the entire experience unforgettable. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and storytelling brought each location to life, providing fascinating insights and historical details that enhanced every moment. He went above and beyond to ensure everyone felt comfortable and engaged, answering questions thoughtfully and tailoring the tour to the group’s interests. Milton’s friendly personality, professionalism, and passion for his work created an enjoyable and educational atmosphere throughout the journey. His attention to detail, sense of humor, and genuine care turned an ordinary tour into a memorable adventure we’ll always appreciate and recommend.
Jesus and Nicher were great tour guides. Amazing experience overall. Mud volcano is a must try. Very peaceful and the massage was great too
Jesus and Nicher made our experience a breeze. They shared guidance on how to go about the tour. Highly recommend this crew
Best experience ever! Professional, courteous and our tour guide Jennifer was world class! Everything from start to finish was truly unforgettable.
Great time, Nicher and Jesus were awesome helping us out. Fun ride with music, helpful and all details explained, food at the end, great overall. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to book a tour.
