Cartagena & Cali Music Tour Featuring the Petronio Álvarez Festival
Limited to just 8 participants
August 11th-17th, 2026 | Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque & Cali, Colombia
Every August, Cali becomes the gathering point for musicians from Colombia’s Pacific coast during the Petronio Álvarez Festival, the country’s leading celebration of Afro-Pacific musical traditions. Marimba de chonta ensembles, chirimía groups, violin traditions from Cauca, and vocal collectives from river communities share a stage in a festival that has become a major cultural institution.
The music presented in Cali reflects living traditions rooted in ceremony, community life, and regional identity along the Pacific rivers of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and Nariño. The festival offers a rare opportunity to hear these traditions performed by the communities that sustain them.
This 7-day journey places the festival within a broader Afro-Colombian context. The program begins in Cartagena, where Afro-Caribbean history is present in neighborhoods like Getsemaní and in San Basilio de Palenque, a UNESCO-recognized community with deep cultural and musical heritage. These experiences provide context before traveling to Cali.
In Cali, the group attends the Petronio Álvarez Festival while also participating in a marimba workshop and guided cultural experiences with local specialists. The goal is not only to hear the music but to better understand its instruments, regional styles, and cultural role.
Beyond the main stage, the festival also features Pacific cuisine, traditional viche producers, and artisan communities connected to the region’s cultural life.
This year marks the 30th edition of the Petronio Álvarez Festival, highlighting three decades of recognition for Colombia’s Pacific musical heritage.
Sample Itinerary
Arrive independently at Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena. Private transfers will bring guests to our boutique hotel located in the historic center or the Getsemaní district.
After time to settle in, the group gathers for a welcome orientation and dinner featuring Caribbean Colombian cuisine.
Meals: Welcome Dinner
After breakfast, we explore Cartagena’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its colonial architecture, plazas, and cultural history.
The tour continues into the neighborhood of Getsemaní, where street art, music, and community life reflect the city’s Afro-Caribbean identity.
Afternoon and evening free to explore the city or enjoy recommended restaurants and live music venues.
Meals: Breakfast
Today we travel to San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town of formerly enslaved Africans in the Americas and a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage community.
Local cultural leaders introduce the history of the town, its language, and its musical traditions rooted in drum ensembles and vocal forms.
A traditional lunch is prepared by members of the community before returning to Cartagena in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our domestic flight to Cali.
Upon arrival, the group checks into our boutique hotel and has time to settle in before gathering for a welcome dinner featuring Pacific regional cuisine. This dinner introduces some of the culinary traditions connected to the music and communities represented at the Petronio Álvarez Festival.
Later in the evening, we head to the festival grounds for the first night of performances and cultural programming.
Meals: Breakfast
The morning begins with a cultural introduction to Cali, a city known internationally for salsa music and dance.
Later in the day, we participate in a marimba workshop with musicians connected to the Pacific traditions represented at the festival.
In the evening, we return to the Petronio Álvarez Festival for additional performances.
Meals: Breakfast
Today is dedicated to the festival. Participants can explore performances throughout the day and evening, including ensembles representing the four major musical traditions of the Colombian Pacific.
In addition to music, the festival also features:
• Pacific regional cuisine
• Viche producers and traditional beverages
• Artisan markets
• Cultural demonstrations
Group members may attend performances together or explore the festival independently.
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, private transfers will take participants to Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) for their departure flights.
Meals: Breakfast
Small Group Tours Up to 8 Participants
August 11th-17th, 2026
Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque & Cali, Colombia
Boutique Musician-Led Cultural Immersion
The Petronio Álvarez Festival offers one of the most important opportunities to hear Afro-Pacific musical traditions in Colombia performed by the communities that sustain them. Each August, musicians from across the Pacific regions of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and Nariño gather in Cali to present marimba ensembles, chirimía groups, and other regional traditions that are rarely heard outside their home communities.
Beyond the performances themselves, the festival presents a broader cultural landscape that includes Pacific cuisine, traditional viche producers, artisan markets, and community cultural spaces. Experiencing the festival within the context of a journey that begins in Cartagena and includes a visit to San Basilio de Palenque provides deeper insight into the historical and cultural roots that connect Afro-Colombian communities across the Caribbean and Pacific regions of the country.
Your Host
Chaz Chambers
Chaz Chambers is an American drummer and music educator with a deep-rooted passion for music. His expertise in drumming and love for cultural exploration make him a captivating guide for music tours. Known for his warm approach and professional insight, Chaz is an avid music enthusiast, often sharing his favorite styles with travelers.
What’s included
Daily breakfast plus select curated meals featuring regional Colombian cuisine. The itinerary includes welcome dinners in Cartagena and Cali, along with lunches during cultural visits such as San Basilio de Palenque. These meals highlight Caribbean and Pacific culinary traditions connected to the music and communities visited during the journey.
All ground transportation during scheduled tour activities, including airport transfers, cultural excursions, and transportation to festival venues. Domestic flight transportation between Cartagena and Cali is included as part of the program.
Participate in a marimba de chonta workshop with musicians connected to Colombia’s Pacific traditions. These sessions provide insight into instrumentation, ensemble structure, and the musical practices represented at the Petronio Álvarez Festival.
Curated cultural visits including the historic center of Cartagena, the Getsemaní neighborhood, and a guided visit to San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town of formerly enslaved Africans in the Americas and a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage community.
Six nights of accommodation in carefully selected boutique hotels located in the historic center of Cartagena and in a central neighborhood of Cali, providing comfort and convenient access to cultural sites and festival activities.
The journey is hosted by Musical Getaways with local guides and cultural collaborators who provide context for the music, history, and regional traditions encountered throughout the tour.
Attend multiple evenings of the Petronio Álvarez Festival in Cali, the most important celebration of Afro-Pacific music in Colombia. The program includes guided attendance to performances and time to explore the festival’s stages, food traditions, and artisan spaces connected to the Pacific region.
This journey is limited to just 8 participants, allowing for a more personal travel experience and easier access to cultural spaces, festival venues, and meaningful conversations around the music and communities visited.
What’s not Included
- Round-trip flights between your hometown and Colombia.
- Comprehensive travel insurance is highly recommended.
- Any recommended or required vaccinations or travel-related medications are the responsibility of the traveler.
- Lunches and dinners not specifically listed.
- Activities not included in the official itinerary, as well as personal expenses.
- Tips for guides, drivers, hotel staff, and musicians.
- Alcohol is only included where mentioned.
- Extra stays before or after the tour are not included but can be arranged at an additional cost.
Dates And Pricing
Booking in advance ensures a wider selection of options and benefits from lower prices. Plus, flexibility is at your fingertips; feel free to switch to another trip without any fees before your final payment. For personalized assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our travel specialists at info@musicalgetaways.com.
August 11th-17th, 2026
Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque & Cali
Price Per Person
*Contact us for room upgrades!
We also design custom music and cultural tours tailored to the Petronio Alvarez Festival for small groups, couples, and private gatherings. These itineraries can include specific folk music workshops, walking routes, local dining, and live performances when available. For personalized assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our travel specialists at info@musicalgetaways.com
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