My husband and I decided to visit Cartagena, Colombia for our very first trip to South America. We had no idea what to expect but knew that we wanted to explore more than the beautiful old walled city. We found Taroa Adventures online and after researching them found they had many rave reviews for those wanting to experience and learn about the people and places of this part of Colombia. We couldn’t choose between the the Jaguars Footprint and the Baru tour, so opted to do both. Olinto was the perfect guide as he is passionate about his country and want to share his knowledge and the beauty of the people and the country with tourists. Taroa Adventures get 5 stars from us, we are so glad we did both tours. The Jaguars footprint was a beautiful peaceful experience walking in the dry forest to the ancient temple ruins. The walk is very easy, through a few streams to see the fauna and flora in this beautiful part of Columbia. We saw a few howler monkeys and some beautiful birds. Afterwards we visited the town of San Jacinto, which was the perfect spot for a traditional lunch where we welcomed by the owners, I forget the name of the soup from Yucca, but you have to try it! We were treated to a local award wining band for some traditional Colombian music and then learnt how to play the instruments. Olinto was so well prepared, he took care of every little detail. Everything ran on time and was thought out well. I would highly recommend this tour, you will eat a traditional breakfast and lunch, you will be introduced to everyone one you meet, we felt very safe at all times and the Colombian people are so welcoming. The second tour to Baru was a different experience. Again Taroa Adventures picked us up right on time from the hotel. Olinto was happy to point out all the sights along the way. The trip really taught us about the local people, it was such a privilege to be able to tour some of the houses, hear the local stories, drink beer at the local and meet the wonderful people of Baru. The boat tour from Baru was so well organized, Olinto certainly knows the best people to provide the services and it was nice to know that the local people benefited from our tour. The boat was comfortable, the journey to the lagoon through the mangroves will be something we never forget. Five stars for this tour, you will learn so much and come away with a deep appreciate for the culture and the country.

My #1 highlight of my trip to Cartagena. Qe hiked the Howling Trail with Oli, an amazing and passionate guide. Were we lucky?… We saw lots of monkeys, saw three sloths, and birds and butterfly. Oli explained and shared lots of is knowledge about the dry forest and the animals! It almost felt like a ritual this hike. We were often quiet, listening to the forest, it was calming and contrasting with the noisy Cartagena and the crowded beaches. If you like authentic experience, and sharing a real nice moment with a Colombian and also a family (cause you eat your snack in a little house with a family), go, and book it!

My friend and I went on the Howler hike and it was a fantastic experience. The jungle was teeming with life: we saw howler monkeys, an anteater, thousands of butterflies, lizards, snakes and much more. I've traveled alot and can say without hesitantion that Olinto was one of the best tour guides I've ever had. He has endless information about the forest, Colombia and cartagena and you can really see the passion he has for his job. As an additional cherry on top, I had the fish option for lunch and it was fantastic. This was a perfect day and should be a must do for any nature lover visiting cartagena. 10/10

Nature lovers in Cartagena: this day adventure is for you! During my honeymoon with my husband, I was looking for a way to get out of the city on a hike/into green space to see new animals and creatures, and Olinto's magical immersion checked all of the boxes. Since my husband had been experiencing some foot injuries, I signed up for this solo - the only time we split up during our trip; I do not travel often, have rarely been out of the United States, and speak/understand very little Spanish, but I was in 110% great hands with Olinto. He picked me up right at the front of my hotel in his van and it was smooth sailing all the way to the hidden gem of a tree lined path that he has private access to due to his connections with local farmers/land owners. Once there, two other fellas who lived on the land joined us through the trail, helping to point out all of the monkeys, spiders, snakes, and other creatures and plants at our fingertips. The 3.5 mile walk ended with a delightful rest at the finca with the most deliciously sweet mango and freshly sliced open coconut, sipping the refreshing water right from the source and scraping out the pure white coconut shavings (it is actually soft like egg whites - who knew!?). It was also fun watching the chickens/birds peck at the fruit remnants once we were done. On our drive back to the city, we stopped for lunch at a hostel which included all of the best native fixin's, and Olinto made sure to accommodate my vegetarian food requests for breakfast (which I ate on the drive) and lunch, both of which were included in the cost of the excursion. We had great conversation throughout and it was so fun watching him get just as excited as I was on the trail - he says every day is different and he is always making new discoveries! It was a wonderful energy to be around. :-) Oh also he electively took photos/videos of me using his phone on the trail since I didn't have my husband around to do so, which was so sweet. Definitely a highlight of the trip, and I would love to do another one of Olinto's adventures if we come back for more immersions in Colombia. :-)

I went with 2 girlfriends on the “Jaguar” excursion yesterday and if you like the idea of hiking and walking through unique environments like a (tropical, dry) rain forest, meeting new people (especially musicians!) hearing and learning about indigenous music; it is a wonderful way to spend a day! Oli and Rodrigo were wonderful guides! We saw petroglyphs, wildlife including monkeys, toucans and other birds and even a small crocodile that Rodrigo caught with his bare hands! Following the hike, we went to a good restaurant for lunch where we got to to drink guanabana (delicious!) and were treated to a live concert with drums, flutes and maracas! We even got to choose our own instrument so we could participate. It was so much fun! A great shared family and or friends’ experience. We all highly recommend this experience!

Our experience with Olinto was great! We visited the dry forest near Cartagena! Olinto is an experienced guide and he explained a lot of things about the vegetation and the animals! we saw a lot of monkeys and birds, and beautiful landscapes. Last but not the least we had a super delicious breakfast and lunch! Thanks Olinto for sharing your knowledge with us :)

This is my second time in Colombia and I wanted something different than the typical attractions. We all love hiking so I stumbled upon this tour, and let me just say it was worth every penny. The forest was BEAUTIFUL, it was so many terrains in one, we literally felt as though we were in a National Geographic documentary. We could have not asked for a better guide, Olinto was so kind and professional. Every time we thought he couldn’t top his customer service he did! He was so knowledgeable and passionate that it made everything an amazing experience. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone that costs especially if you need a break from all the noise. You don’t even go that far which suprised me the most! Also the food provided on the tour was actually delicious especially the lunch! I hope I’m privileged enough to do this tour again soon!

Amazing private tour with pristine beaches My boyfriend and I joined Olinto for his Baru Island tour in August 2015 and had a wonderful time. He picked us up at our hotel in the walled city around 7 am and we joined one other couple for the ride out to the island (very comfortable car!). We drove to the very tip of the island first to a remote village, where Olinto is clearly very popular among residents. There a local man gave us a tour of the village and a bit of its history, which was very interesting. (If you are staying in Cartegena I recommend visiting the Museo del Oro for a little background information on the tribe that originated in the region). After that we drove to a dock where we waiting for our boat to take us to a private island. While we waiting we cooled off by swimming in the private lagoon, which was very refreshing after being outdoors for an hour. We traveled by motorboat (stopping along the way to check out mangroves and other points of interest) to the first of two islands, where we could just swim and relax or rent jet skis, get massages, buy beer, all the usual island things. We stayed maybe an hour then headed to our final destination, a private island that really had only our group of 5 people and a few locals making lunch. It was completely gorgeous and so relaxing. Here we had the traditional lunch of fish, coconut rice, and plantains and spent another hour or so. (Olinto even kindly bought me a fruit salad as I don't eat fish). From there, we returned to where we left the car and headed back into the city, arriving about 5 pm. Olinto is a wonderful guide and the experience really felt like being showed around by an old friend. He clearly has a passion for the culture and nature he shows you and enjoys sharing it with others. While the trip costs significantly more than the "beach trips" they sell you in the city, the two experiences are not at all comparable. (We loved the beach so much we went back to Playa Blanca on the bus a few days later, sadly it was quite dirty and full of peddlers and didn't come close to measuring up to the beaches Olinto showed us). Olinto's tour is a completely private look at areas you wouldn't see otherwise, and the small group allows you to spend as much or as little time at each destination. Highly recommended for a day trip from the city, especially if you are staying more than a few days. We had a great time and felt like we did something really different from other people we know who have visited.

Amazing Tour Company and Dry Tropical Forest Experience ! We had an unforgettable experience with the Howling Trail Tour with Taroa Adventures. The tour picked us up from our hotel (right on the minute agreed) and drove us to breakfast and then to the tropical dry forest where we spent a few hours exploring plants, insects, trees and the beautiful animals that the forest allowed us to see that day (Howler Monkeys, Cotton-top tamarin monkeys, sloths and birds endemic to the region). The Cotton-top Tamarin monkeys are endangered species with around 7000 left. After the hike and forest adventure we ended with a local lunch on our return to Cartagena. Oli, the guide is amazing and is passionate about the ecosystem and the tours he curates giving travelers a deeper lens to Columbia's Carribean nature! I highly recommend the tour company and Howling Trail.

We had a great time with the “Howling Trail” excursion! Olinto is a very knowledgeable guide and was able to share his passion about the tropical dry forest with us. This is a special excursion for those who would like to escape the usual touristic routes around Cartagena and immerse themselves in the nature of Colombia. We were also able to see the various types of monkeys which was a very unique excursion. A fully recommended experience!

I went on the Howler Monkey tour. The guide Olie was super knowledgeable and passionate about the forest and all the animals we saw (I saw howler monkeys, cotton-top tamarinds and a sloth). It was lovely to be out in nature just one hour away from Cartagena. With free breakfast, lunch, a very small group, and pickup right from your hotel, this is a great adventure for a great deal!

Our day hike with Taroa Adventures was awesome. We saw a great variety of wildlife and learned so much about the dry tropical forest from our knowledgeable guide. The entire experience was very smooth, friendly, and professional (plus lunch was delicious). I can’t recommend this enough if you want to see some of the beautiful biodiversity of Colombia and meet great people - definitely a highlight of our trip!!

We did the Howler Monkey Trail with Olinto (Oli) and could not be more impressed. This was truly so authentic and amazing that it couldn't be recommended any stronger by my wife and I. It's a tiring but well worth it tour where on our day we got to see 3 separate howler monkey troops and also some cotton-top tamarins. The experience was heightened by Kike and Ali who guided us through the forest. Unforgettable and if you're reading this review just go and book with Oli now, you will not regret it. He is the most interesting AND interested* host, he was just as excited to see new things in the jungle as we were. Spectacular does not say enough.

Jaguar Footprint!!! Are you a tourist or a traveler? To get the true feeling of a country and its people we believe that a traveler moves out of the tourist mode to experience the broader culture of wherever you are visiting. It can be difficult to do this in a limited travel window. Taroa Adventures Jaguar Footprint daytrip certainly provided an immersion with the flora, fauna and people of this lovely country. We highly recommend Olinto and his guide for the hiking as well as providing the experience to share food and music in an authentic setting with the residents of San Jacinto. I wasn't sure that I wanted to start my vacation by getting picked up at our hotel at 6 am! It takes approximately 2 hours to reach the Montes de Maria and we needed to start the hike when it was cooler. Our breakfast on the way was delicious with a empanada style egg and yam...and coffee! Now awake we thoroughly enjoyed the ride with Olinto discussing all aspects of conservation, global warming, our expectations for the day and whatever else was on our minds. His English and grasp of world connections is first rate. The hike is so interesting to observe indigenous birds, animals, plants and trees in a natural setting. The hiking taxes your body enough to make you feel accomplished, but at a pace that is doable. We saw Whooping Mot Mo, Jacamar (large hummingbirds), Oropendola, Puff Bird, Black Crested Jay, Chestnut Macaw, Egret, Northern Screamer and Kel Bill Toucans! We were fortunate to observe Howler Monkey and the adorable Cotton Top Tamarind along with awesome vegetation like the Caracoli Tree and one with a trunk full of thorns--I can't remember the name!! The ancient petroglyphs at the end of our trail were unique and offered a glimpse into the old tribes that settled here far earlier. Back at the car (a newer SUV!) we drove into San Jacinto for a bathroom break, change of clothes, terrific lunch and then onward for an interaction with a group performing Gaita music. The sound from 3 drums, 2 flutes and maracas inspired by Indian and African beats was nothing like we had ever heard. What a delightful way to end our day! We were immersed in nature, food, music and shared thought together! This tour was so awesome that we would have taken his Baru Island tour too, but alas Olinto was already booked. Highly Recommended!!!!

My family and I went on the Jaguar tour with music with Olinto. We cannot recommend this tour and experience enough! Olinto was super knowledgeable and thoughtful and made our day very special. My kids (16 and 19) had a wonderful time and we made great memories. We saw monkeys and birds on our hike and learned about the culture and how it’s connected to nature. We would highly recommend. If you’re on the fence, take the trip! It’s so worth it!

We absolutely loved our experience with Taroa Adventures! We did the Howling Trail: Hiking and Wildlife Watching which was a 6 mile hike through Columbia's dry forest. What makes this tour unique is that our tour guide, Olinto (Ollie), spent two years curating this hike on his own, forming relationships with locals. This trail is not available by any other company, it is a completely unique experience. Ollie was absolutely amazing as he helped us through the process of booking our tour, and personally picked us up from our hotel. He had an authentic Colombian breakfast ready for us in the car and also reserved our lunch at an amazing street side Colombian restaurant for when we returned from our hike. During our hike, Ollie along with an additional tour guide walked us through each animal and plant species we came across and were extremely patient as we made our way up and down rocky mudslides - they were so fun to take this adventure with! We were able to see the red howler monkey as well as several different plant and animal species. This tour was more than just any jungle hike - we were learning about the climate in Cartagena and the specific species that are abundant in that area. At the end of the hike, we were given coconut water and fresh mangos from local's that our tour guide had set up for us. This was an extremely culturally immersive experience with great company and amazing service - HIGHLY recommend taking this tour if you find yourself in Cartagena!

We did the Howling Trail hike with Marina and were so thrilled with it! Everything about Taroa Adventures is great! From booking with Olinto to the tour with Marina - we couldn't have been happier. On the hike we saw two kinds of monkey, a sloth and numerous birds. The breakfast and lunch were delicious and the transportation safe, comfortable and efficient. If you're an English-speaking tourist, know that their English is perfect and you need not worry about communication. I hope to take more trips with them in the future. Thank you so much!!

Olinto gave an incredibly unique experience that was vastly different from the rest of our week in Cartagena. We had spent a week doing private tours with knowledgeable guides throughout Cartagena - the city itself, Rosario Islands, La Boquilla, Bazurto, etc. but our trip out to San Jacinto was our first real trek well outside the city. We were traveling with our nine- and six-year-olds too. An hour plus from the city, Colombia looks and feels incredibly different from where we had been (our first time in Colombia). Olinto, our guide, was knowledgeable and passionate about nature in Colombia, and having the chance to walk trails and discuss nature/flora/fauna...was great. We had hiked to see petroglyphs, which was fascinating. We could have ended the day there, but continued on to San Jacinto to have a fantastic meal and essentially have a private concert from (world class and Grammy-award-winning) musicians who were playing instruments made from the plants and trees we had just encountered on the hike. It was a long day, but an enjoyable and informative one. Would recommend to anyone.

The whole experience was really amazing ! A beautiful walk in the dry forest, animals of all sorts and a very soothing atmostphere. Olinto is a great guide, who has a lot of knowledge and shares it with a lot of passion. He was also more than happy to give a lot of tips for a private trip that I wanted to make in the region. As far as I know, Olinto / Taroa Adventures are the only one to organize such trips in nature around Cartagena. Much recommended !

Olinto was an amazing tour guide! Knowledgeable and friendly. There was a lot of planning and care put into the howling monkey trail. The food was great. The trail was not too difficult but be prepared to sweat a little.

We did the Howling Trail Tour. From start to finish this was a fabulous day! Oli is a great guide (and host) full of knowledge and love for this unique ecosystem and everything in it, especially this rare type of monkey. You will get unique information from the locals living on the land and share with them in the excitement of exploring all the wonders to be found. You will also enjoy some tasty local food! Highly recommend this off the beaten path adventure so close to Cartagena! Many locals still have yet to learn of this treasure. :)

Wonderful easygoing hike exploring this spectacular, special forest habitat. Ollie is a wonderful enthusiastic guide who showed us all the biodiversity this environment has to offer. We saw and learned about the different monkeys, birds, insects and plants. Loved every minute!