Cartagena Mud Volcano Tour — VIP Exclusive Crowd-Free Access!

Rhona

Worth the $99 for exclusive use of the mud volcano, nice car, good driver John that cares about his passengers not to be taken advantage of. A must for everyone to experience. Would like to go back for a longer time

via Viator

Overall the experience...

Overall the experience was great. It's definitely an excursion to try. I was disappointed by all the confusion amongst the staff not knowing if my group paid or not. There wasnt one person there who spoke basic English. Thank goodness for Google translate. I didnt appreciate being bombarded for tips. It was quite tacky and unprofessional. Each person wanted a separate tip. It became ridiculous, but if you decide to partake please bring small bills for tipping.

Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your experience—we’re really glad to hear you overall enjoyed the visit to the Volcán del Totumo. It’s definitely one of the most unique excursions in the region! We also appreciate you pointing out the areas that felt confusing. The mud volcano is managed by a local community rather than a centralized organization, which can sometimes lead to a bit of disorganization or language barriers on-site. That said, we do provide all guests with clear instructions beforehand, and the funds we give to the staff are intended to cover the full experience, including the services they provide. Regarding tipping, we completely understand how that situation may have felt overwhelming. While tipping is customary in this setting and supports the local workers directly, it should never feel excessive or uncomfortable. We’ll continue reinforcing guidance with both our guests and the on-site team to help keep the experience smooth and enjoyable. Thank you again for your feedback—it truly helps us improve while continuing to support the local community.

via Viator

Exceptional experience

Having the early morning private tour was amazing. It gave us all the time we wanted in the mud and we were the only ones there. This experience exceeded our expectations. Transportation was comfortable, the company takes care of your tips to the workers, so you don’t have to worry about anything. The tour company kept in contact and was responsive to any questions. Highly recommend spending the extra for a private and going early.

via Viator

Unique experience

Had some funny moments with our driver and the translation app on my phone. Traffic was crazy to watch as we zipped through the city. The volcano is more or less a giant mound of dirt with a hole in the top. Great views though. Our driver was fantastic about making sure we left everything important in the vehicle and locking it all in. Our "guild" for the experience was friendly enough, he seemed to think he deserved more and was rather pushy about saying how "good" he was to deserve more (our tips were included in the price of the excursion, and anything extra was an added bonus for them, would have been willing to give more to the mud massage people since they did something but this individual just seemed full of himself. Didn't even manage to get fully back to the vehicle before he was at our driver with his hand out). Once we changed and left, our driver asked and pulled over to this roadside type stand, helped us determine which was safe with our food allergies to eat. Overall, it was an interesting experience and once in a lifetime excursion , our driver took all the stress out of it, between the pushy taxi drivers selling you rides as soon as you get out of the port doors to the pushy "guild " and insane city drivers weaving in and out of everywhere

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your detailed review and for sharing your experience! We’re really glad to hear you enjoyed the unique nature of the mud volcano, the beautiful views, and especially the professionalism of your driver—our team takes a lot of pride in making guests feel safe and well taken care of from start to finish. For future travelers, we’d like to add a bit of helpful context: the mud volcano is a very authentic, local experience, and part of what makes it so memorable is exactly that—it’s not a commercialized attraction, but rather a natural site supported by members of the local community. The individuals assisting on-site (such as the mud massage providers and attendants) work independently and often rely on optional gratuities as part of their income, which is a common cultural practice throughout Cartagena. That said, we always aim to prepare our guests ahead of time so there are no surprises, and we truly appreciate feedback like yours as it helps us continue improving communication and the overall experience. We’re especially happy to hear your driver went above and beyond—whether it’s navigating Cartagena’s lively traffic or helping you find safe food options, that’s exactly the level of service we strive for. Thanks again for choosing us for such a one-of-a-kind adventure—we hope to host you again on your next visit!

via Viator

Spectacular

This is a must do when in Cartagena and if you can afford the private tour, do it. I arrived solo at 7am and had personalized experience one on one and was able to stay in the volcano for 20min, had a wonderful massage and then got washed off. Being a solo female traveller I felt safe. This is a one of a kind experience and ai highly recommend. Watching the sunrise was a bonus.

via Viator