Minca is a small town in the mountains near Santa Marta, Colombia that is surrounded by waterfalls. If you rent a motorcycle (or hire a moto taxi), you can reach loads of waterfalls in the surrounding area. But if you’re on a budget, or just want to get out and get a little exercise, there are a few waterfalls close to town that make for a fun way to spend a day.
The Best Minca Waterfalls
All of the waterfalls listed in this guide are easy to reach from Minca. There are, of course, other waterfalls that you can visit in the surrounding areas, but if you’re heading off on foot and without a guide, these are the four waterfalls that I recommend you look at.
Also, easy is relative. I thought they were all pretty easy to reach from town, but you can absolutely hire a moto taxi to take you most of the way. Mototaxis are readily available in town and for a small price (typically 8,000 COP to 10,000 COP one way), they’ll take you as close as they can to the waterfalls. So if you’re not on a budget and don’t feel like walking the whole way (or at least the uphill portion), these mototaxis may be a great option for you.
Enough about logistics, let’s talk about the actual waterfalls near Minca.
Marinka Waterfalls
The first waterfall that I’m going to mention is the Marinka Waterfalls which is actually three waterfalls. In my opinion, these are the most impressive waterfalls near Minca so if you only visit one waterfall, make it these. Unfortunately, these also have the highest price tag and are the furthest from town.
From Minca, you’ll have about a 45 minute walk to the Marinka Waterfalls. It’s a pretty steady uphill walk for most of the way and you’ll be sharing the road with cars and mototaxis. I left town around 8:30, so traffic wasn’t too bad yet (though I passed way more people when I walked back to town around 10:30). The big thing to note is there are three stream crossings. I visited in January (dry season), so two of the three stream crossings were hardly noticeable and thanks to some strategically placed rocks, I didn’t even get my shoes wet. The last crossing got a little wet, but it was nothing crazy. Just something to be aware of.
When you turn of the main road, you’ll think you’ve reached the entrance as you walk by some restaurants, but this is not the entrance. Keep walking, nearly 200 feet uphill, and you’ll reach the actual entrance and pay your 22,000 COP fee. From there, you can enter and explore the waterfalls.
There are three waterfalls and in my opinion, they are ordered in a weird way. The highest waterfall is #2 and it’s the most impressive of the three. If you’re here early in the morning, I recommend coming here first so you can get some photos without loads of other tourists. Waterfall #1 is the middle waterfall and has some of the best water for swimming. Then waterfall #3 is the least impressive waterfall. I’m also not a fan of this waterfall because when I went to sit down, my phone slipped out of my pocket and into the river. It survived, but it was enough to make me not enjoy this particular waterfall.
All in all, I spent about an hour at Marinka Waterfalls. You could definitely stay longer, especially if you want to swim in the pools at the base of the falls. There’s also restaurants and bathrooms on site, which is more than you can say about any of the other waterfalls near Minca. So while the entrance fee is the highest, the Marinka Waterfalls feel like they are the best maintained of the four falls on this list.
Cascada Escondida
Next is a waterfall that I saw, but only from a distance. Cascada Escondida is a waterfall located a short 20 minute walk from Minca. You’ll pass the entrance on the way to Pozo Azul (covered next), so if it’s easy to combine the two into one trip and save yourself some walking.
The entrance to the waterfall is not obvious though. You’ll want to enter under the sign for La Veranda Hotel and Restaurant and just keep walking. You’ll eventually reach a booth where you’ll pay 5,000 COP for entrance to the river. Pay that fee and continue until you see the path to the river on your right. Follow that down. The path is walkable but it’s covered with roots and it narrow and steep in places. Go slow and watch your step.
As you make your way to the river, peek through the trees. You’ll be able to see the waterfall in the distance. At the river, you have a choice. You can either decide to chill here, which makes a great place for swimming, or you can continue on to Cascada Escondida.
If you want to visit the waterfall, note that you’ll have to cross the river and follow a trail to the waterfall where you’ll have to pay an additional 10,000 COP. I decided to skip this last section and just relaxed on the river. I came here after Pozo Azul and there was just one other couple here. It was so much more peaceful than Pozo Azul. So if you want a place to swim and relax that’s less crowded and popular, consider a visit here.
Pozo Azul
Pozo Azul is one of the most famous areas near Minca. It’s a swimming hole with some very small waterfalls that’s located a 50 minute walk outside of town. It’s a very steady uphill walk, covering about 500 feet of elevation gain in about 1.25 miles. It’s totally doable, but it’s a very steady uphill. There’s a reason why so many people take a moto taxi to the entrance.
At the entrance, you’ll need to pay a 6,000 COP fee to enter Pozo Azul. While some blogs may tell you that the entrance here is free, that’s outdated information and is no longer the case. You’ll need to pay to access the trail to reach Pozo Azul. From the ticket area, it’s another 3/4 of a mile to the actual swimming area.
So is Pozo Azul worth it? Honestly, I think no. While it may have been a nice spot at one time, it has grown in popularity and is busy. There are so many other, less crowded places to visit. Plus the small waterfall in the area, doesn’t make up for it either.
Note that there are two swimming areas here. The first is the most popular since it’s the first that people come to. If you keep going, there’s another swimming area that’s a bit less crowded.
I’m glad I visited Pozo Azul because I was able to see it for myself, but honestly, I’d recommend skipping it, especially if you’re short on time. Any of the other places on this list would be better uses for your time.
Cascada Oido del Mundo
The last waterfall I want to mention is Cascada Oido del Mundo. It’s located a 30 minute walk outside of town and can easily be combined on a visit to the Marinka Waterfalls. This was my original plan, but since I dropped my phone in a river and had soaking wet shoes and socks that I’d been walking back to town with, I chose to skip it and revisit another day.
Like with so many of the waterfalls near Minca, you’ll have to pay an entrance fee. The fee here is 10,000 COP and even if you visit early in the day (I was here just after 8:00 am), there will be people ready to take your money. The good news is that at least some of the money looks like it went in to the trail since a small bridge and stairs were constructed to avoid having to do a nasty rock scramble.
The waterfall is nice, but it’s not my favorite in the area. However, I was here early in the day so there was only one other person here and it was nice and peaceful. That said, there really isn’t a swimming area, so if that’s part of your reason for visiting, this may not be the waterfall for you. The water is mostly ankle deep, and goes up to your knees the closer you get to the falls.
It’s also worth noting that along the trail, there is a fork in the trail. One path takes you to the waterfall while another path points toward a coffee farm. I didn’t take that path to the coffee farm, but I thought I’d mention it here.
What is the Best Minca Waterfalls?
In my opinion, the most impressive Minca waterfall is the Marinka Waterfalls. Next, I would say it’s Cascada Escondida, even though I didn’t make it all the way to a close up view of the falls.
For swimming, I’d recommend the river near Cascada Escondida. Even at 2:00 in the afternoon, there were so few people here, compared to Pozo Azul and what I would imagine are at Marinka Waterfalls.
Getting Around Minca
Minca is a super small town and if you’re going anywhere in town, you’ll be walking. If you want to reach anywhere outside of town, whether that be a more remote hotel or one of the waterfalls, mototaxis are waiting in the main part of town ready to take tourists wherever they want to go.
I explored Minca on foot and never once had to use a mototaxi, so it’s up to you how you want to explore. For some of the waterfalls, consider taking a mototaxi to the waterfall (which will be uphill) and walking back to town (which will be downhill). Mototaxis also wait at the entrances to the popular waterfalls, waiting to bring tourists back to Minca.
More Things to Do in Minca
Exploring waterfalls is just one of the things you can do in Minca. While it was once described as a sleepy town, I think tourism has definitely made the town a bit more lively. That said, there’s still not a ton to do in Minca.
Beyond the waterfalls, you can look into visiting a coffee farm, take a chocolate workshop, or go on a birdwatching tour.
How Long Do You Need in Minca
It depends on the traveler. If you’re short on time, you could day trip into Minca from Santa Marta, either on your own or with a guided tour. You won’t see everything, but you can get a nice feel for Minca. If that’s your plan, and you’re traveling solo, I’d recommend looking at the Marinka Waterfalls, Cascada Oida del Mundo, and a chocolate workshop or coffee farm tour.
I spent three nights in Minca. I arrived in the afternoon and didn’t do much that first day. On my second day (first full day in Minca), I visited the Marinka Waterfalls and did a chocolate workshop in the afternoon. On day three (my second full day), I took an early morning birdwatching tour and then visit Pozo Azul and Cascada Escondida in the afternoon. On my fourth morning, I departed Minca and returned back to Santa Marta (after visiting Cascada Oido del Mundo).
How to Get to Minca
From Santa Marta, it’s very easy to reach Minca. Simply head to Mercado Publico on the corner of Calle 11 and Carrera 9. Here, you can catch a colectivo for Minca. Locals will point you to the correct bus. Then simply step into the office, sign in by writing your name on the paper, and pay the 10,000 COP fee. They’ll have you wait in the office until there are enough people to fill the van (typically 10-12 people) and then you’re off. Any large pieces of luggage will get thrown on the room and tied down, so I’d recommend keeping a smaller, second bag with your valuables on you.
Final Thoughts
Minca is a nice, small town to visit and in my opinion, visiting the nearby waterfalls is the highlight. Whether you visit only the Marinka Waterfalls or you visit all of the waterfalls on this list, you’re sure to have a good time. Just make sure to bring your swimwear for a dip in the cool, refreshing water.
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