Which private Rosario Islands tour from Cartagena is worth booking?
5 min read
If your group has six people or fewer, book the private speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú: €322.45 per group, rated 4.2 from 37 reviews. If you are seven to ten, the 9-hour private boat tour is the only private option here, at €811.54 per group, and it has no reviews yet.
Both listings reserve a boat for your party alone, so the real question is not “private or shared” but how many of you there are and how much evidence you want before paying.
The two private boats side by side
| Tour | Group size | Duration | Price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú | Up to 6 | Not stated | €322.45 per group | 4.2 (37) | Families and friends who fit one small boat |
| Private boat tour to the Rosario Islands | Up to 10 | 9 hours | €811.54 per group | No reviews | Larger groups who want to pick their beaches |
The speedboat for up to six
The listing promises different beaches and islands, snorkelling and a boat just for you. What it does not give is a duration, and that is the first thing to settle with the operator: when you leave, when you are back, and whether lunch and snorkelling gear are part of the €316.05.
Its strength is the review record: 36 ratings averaging 4.3 are real evidence, and the other boat has none. At full capacity the price works out at about €52.68 per person; with two people it is €158.03 each, which is hard to justify against a shared day.
Check dates and prices for the private speedboat
The nine-hour boat for up to ten
This one is built around choice. The listing offers a panoramic view of the Rosario Islands and a free choice of beaches, naming Cholón, “blue water” and “white beach” as examples, and says a driver, an assistant and ice are included, together with “everything you need”. It does not spell out lunch, snorkelling equipment or any entry fees, so ask what “everything” covers before you pay.
With ten people the group price is about €78.26 each; with seven it is about €111.80. Nine hours is long on the water, and with no reviews there is nobody to tell you how the day actually runs.
See availability for the 9-hour private boat tour
Who should skip both
Couples and solo travellers pay a premium for space they do not need. Shared trips are priced per person and start far below these group prices; our comparison of Rosario Islands day trips shows what those cost and how they are rated.
Our recommendation
Take the private speedboat for up to six whenever your group fits it: it is the cheaper boat and the only one with real reviews. Choose the 9-hour boat only for seven to ten people, and only after the operator confirms what is included.
