Guide at a Glance
Company
Locations
Cartagena De Indias, Colombia
Activities
Cooking Tour, Heritage-History Tour, Lifestyle, Nature, Ocean Tour, Private Tour, Sightseeing, Walking Tour
Guiding Experience
23 years
Languages
Canarian Spanish, Castilian Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Awards
Best tour guide by the Princess cruise line.
Favorite Trip
Old City Walking Tour
Licenses/Certifications
International Tour Guide Certificate, , National Tourism Certificate and License
Guide Bio
Get To Know Cartagena Guide Durán Angel

In order to become a tour guide, I went to a national school named SENA for 4 years. SENA is Colombia’s National Service of Learning (in Spanish it is Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje)
If you could only take a visitor to one place in Cartagena, where would you go?
The old city. It is spectacular!
It’s crazy hot and beautifully sunny just about all the time in Cartagena, how do you help customers who are not used to hot temperatures deal with the conditions?
Walking in the shade and offering them cool water always helps a bit.

The best part of my job is having fun with visitors, sharing culture and history.
Colombia is the home of salsa dancing, right? Where is the best place to go in Cartagena for Spanish music and dancing?
There is a place called Crazy Zalsa where people have lots of fun and shyness is not allowed.
What’s the most bizarre experience or odd request from a client you’ve had on a guided tour?
Hmmm, a bizarre experience? Well, a long time ago, I was guiding a couple from the USA, and they asked me why I did not offer them drugs.
Every job has its ups and downs. Are there any aspects of your job that you don’t like or aren’t that keen on?
I love my profession! I love my job specifically because I feel like an ambassador of my country to the world.

When I am not sharing my time with tourists, I love being at home with my wife and kids. I also I love reading and I love to ride cycles.
As an experienced guide yourself, can you explain to our readers what the benefits of hiring a guide are?
The benefits of hiring a guide are:
- In Colombia we must have a licence, meaning you will be with a professional
- We really know what is going on first hand in our country and the areas where we live
- Tourists can see our world through our eyes
- We know our history and can explain why this or that is going on or went on
- With a licensed tour guide you are in good hands!

In the Colombian Caribbean coast, you must try our coconut rice and fish, our Agua de panela made out of sugar cane, and our Chicha de Arroz.
Tell us something about Cartagena that only a guide would know.
Something that only a tour guide would know is how an underwater wall is built, and also that the brother of George Washington fought in a battle in Cartagena, Colombia.
In your view, what makes a good tour guide?
What makes a good tour guide is passion, love, and caring about people.
And finally, have you got any tips for people who are interested in booking a guide like yourself, but aren’t too sure what to look for?
The main tip is to tell me honestly what they expect from me and the city.
I am a sightseeing tour guide. I invite visitors to enjoy my tours by laughing, learning culture, hearing stories, trying local food cooking recipes, diving and adventuring throughout the region! I enjoy sharing the amazing fortress, going to Palenque and leading a city tour in Cartagena. With more than 20 years of experience, I am dedicated to providing full satisfaction to my customers.
I love to travel and always hire a tour guide. I have learned from my work that the best guides give you a better chance to connect with the local culture. I also enjoy learning about the history of my own region as well as others.
When I am not working, which is normally six days a week, I enjoy cycling. I also love to read history books and continue my learning of the English language. My favourite days are spent on the beach with my wife and children.