What to do in Minca Colombia | Minca travel guide
Are you planning to visit Minca (Colombia) and you are asking yourself what to do in Minca? This Minca travel guide will for sure come in handy!
If you want to get away from the busy streets and heat of Santa Marta, Minca (Colombia) is a great place to go. It is a small town, only 40 minutes away from Santa Marta, surrounded by beautiful green forest, coffee farms, and stunning views.
Minca sits 650 meters high above sea level, its located in the forest of Sierra Nevada mountain range. If you are into waterfalls, fresh mountain air, crazy motorbike drivers, huge hammocks with outstanding view, hiking trails, and toucans – go to Minca.
Do you want to know more about what to do in Minca Colombia? Then you should continue reading.
*Read also: a Travel Guide to Tayrona national park
How to get to Minca Colombia
If you come from Santa Marta I recommend you to take collectivo, a shared minivan, it’s easy and affordable. You just need to go to the corner of Carrera 9 and Calle 12, at the Marcado Publico del Centro (collectivo a Minca – shared minivan to Minca).
We got lost while searching for it, if the same happens to you just repeat this address to locals, they will show you the right way. When we reached the office, we bought the tickets and they took our big bags and put them on the roof of the minivan (make sure to take all the valuables out of the backpack). The ride takes approx. 45 minutes and it cost COP 8000 (2,1€:2,4$) per person (March 2019).
Transportation – What to do in Minca Colombia
Be ready for a motorbike ride because in Minca almost all the taxi service is by motorbike. We weren’t aware of that and it was for sure a surprise for us. This way of transportation is mainly because of the terrain, somewhere it’s impossible to reach some places with the car. We didn’t like motorbike taxis so much, the drivers can be super fast and it is also more expensive – one bike per person.
What to do in Minca Colombia
Minca is a small village with a lot of activities to do. Our main reason for the visit was relaxation but we wandered around as well. Minca really has so much to offer. What we did in Minca Colombia:
Visit la Cascadas de Marinka (the Marinka waterfall)
You can get to Marinka waterfall on foot, it takes about one and a half hours to get there from the center of Minca. The walk is not so demanding, just in the end you have to go a bit uphill, but nothing dramatic. We walked one way and took the moto-taxi back because it was getting dark already. If you decide to walk pay attention to magnificent toucans – we saw some of them while walking on the road!
The entrance fee is COP 3.000 (0,8€;0,9$) per person.
Take a swim in Pozo Azul
Less impressive than Marinka waterfall, but still totally worth visiting – the waters of Pozo Azul. The one-hour uphill walk is easy, it is almost impossible to get lost because you mostly walk on the scenic main road. If you do get lost by any chance, just ask the locals for directions, they will help you. If you are not in the mood for walking, you can take a moto-taxi, it shouldn’t cost more than COP 8.000 (2,2€;2,4$).
Once you reach there, cool down in one of three swimming holes and observe the waterfall.
There is no entrance fee for Pozo Azul and it’s a great way to swim, relax and spend your afternoon.
Take a tour in a local coffee farm – Finca La Victoria
Finca La Victoria was the first coffee farm that we visited in South America and we learned a lot of new things there. Because we visited in the off-season we, unfortunately, didn’t see the coffee plantations. We had a nice guide, she walked us through all the processes, she explained to us about all the processes on the farm. We learned how the coffee industry works and also about all the qualities of coffee.
In the end, we of course had to try the coffee, it was delicious! The tour cost COP 15.000 (4€;4,4$) per person, a cup of coffee is included in the price. If you want a souvenir you can buy some and bring it back home.
Finca La Victoria is just up the hill from Pozo Azul, so maybe you can combine to visit both of them on the same day.
Go for a hike – what to do in Minca Colombia
Just before Minca, we were on the Ciudad Perdida tour, which means, that we walked a lot for 4 days. We came to Minca to relax, but we couldn’t resist taking a hike, the scenery there is so beautiful. You have a lot of walks you can do in Minca, one of the most known ones is for sure the walk to Marinka waterfall.
Relax – what to do in Minca Colombia
Like I mentioned before, this was our main reason to visit Minca. I don’t see a better place just to enjoy the mountain air, lay in the hammock, listen to the birds and read a book.
Where to stay in Minca
Finca Carpe Diem Ecolodge
Finca Carpe Diem Ecolodge is a hidden gem for hiking and relaxation lovers in Paso del Mango, in the Minca region (Colombia). They offer three swimming pools, magnificent views over endless forests, and river access from the house. Finca Carpe Diem Ecolodge is focused on eco-friendly traveling and the perfect place to disconnect, hike, and relax.
Don’t forget your bug spray
Not just for mosquitos (a lot of them as well) but also for the flies. Be careful with sand flies there! You don’t see them, you don’t feel them biting. But the next day your legs will be all swallowed and itchy (and I mean really itchy). We had it for a week, it was horrible and there is nothing you can do about it. Use bugs spray or wear long clothes to cover your skin. Sawyer product insect repellent helped us a lot!
A real undiscovered gem
We went to Minca after our 4-day trek to Ciudad Perdida (The lost city) and before our visit to Tayrona national park. Waiting that Tayrona national park opens the gates for visitors – every year (usually around February) they close it for a month because of energy cleansing, Minca was the perfect option for us.
It was perfect to kill a couple of days we had to wait before Tayrona opened and we for sure didn’t want to spend our time in busy and noisy Santa Marta. All we wanted was to relax and enjoy ourselves after rough 4 days of trekking. Minca was the best decision we did.
