The Complete Guide to Minca, Colombia’s Sleepy Hidden Gem

The tiny city of Minca, Colombia isn’t on the standard Colombian backpacker path. Perched on high of a mountain within the Colombian Sierra Nevadas overlooking Santa Marta and the Caribbean Sea, with a inhabitants of 800, Minca feels a bit remoted.

However at solely 45 minutes away from the rather more common coastal city of Santa Marta, and solely 5 hours away from bustling Cartagena, Colombia, it’s effectively definitely worth the detour. In case you are planning a visit to the northern coast of Colombia, you’ll wish to embody Minca in your itinerary!

The primary time I (Lia) visited Minca was 5 years in the past. It was the primary time I’d ever been to Colombia, and I fell in love with it, exhausting. Since then, I’ve been again 3 instances (and counting) and Jeremy’s been again twice. It’s one of the particular locations we’ve ever been, and we predict you’ll find it irresistible too!

We’re so excited to share all the perfect issues to do in Minca. Right here’s what you discover on this full information to Minca:

Psst: We’ve obtained a ton of different assets for Colombia that you just’ll wish to have a look at earlier than your journey!

Minca, Colombia: Off the Overwhelmed Path

We got here throughout a duplicate of Lonely Planet’s “South America on a Shoestring” in Santa Marta. It was two years previous. Minca wasn’t in it. We weren’t shocked.

Lia really visited Minca on her very first journey to Colombia, 5 years in the past. She cherished it a lot that she deliberate our journey to retrace her steps, together with staying in the very same hostel, Casa Loma Minca. 5 years and three journeys later, the city of Minca hadn’t modified a lot, however there are a LOT extra backpackers!

Since Lia’s first journey to Colombia, Minca has boomed (comparatively). It’s lastly made the Lonely Planet! It even has its personal web page in WikiVoyage – which is form of like the large leagues, when you’re the form of individual that makes use of WikiVoyage religiously (me).

Vacationers are flocking to Minca as a result of it’s the main gateway to La Cuidad Perdida, The Misplaced Metropolis. Quickly, Minca would be the solely gateway, based on a volunteer working at a non revenue store on the town. For these questioning if Minca is protected – sure it’s! However as at all times, be sure you observe these safety tips when touring.

However there’s extra to Minca than trekking, the most famous hammock in South America, recent natural espresso, artisanal bread, waterfalls, mototaxis by way of the jungle, cool mountain breezes,  and unimaginable sunsets.

In opposition to all odds, tiny Minca, Colombia was considered one of our favourite locations in Colombia!

Tips on how to Get to Minca, Colombia

The simplest strategy to get to Minca is from Santa Marta. Santa Marta is definitely accessible from Cartagena or most locations close to the coast because it’s a significant vacationer vacation spot (particularly when you’re in search of a celebration. Spoilers: it’s probably not our scene).

To get to Santa Marta, you’ll wish to hop on a bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta, about 5 hours away. For extra particulars, we’ve obtained an enormous information on how to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta!

From Santa Marta, you may have a number of choices relying in your price range. Minca is about 45 minutes away from Santa Marta.

You’ll be able to rent a taxi or perhaps a moto-taxi, however hiring your individual driver makes these the costlier choices. Additionally, when you’re carrying a heavy backpack or a suitcase, or it’s raining, a moto-taxi isn’t an amazing possibility. Should you do go for a moto-taxi, like Lia did on her first go to to Minca, make sure to put on a helmet!

The budget-friendly possibility is to take a collectivo, a shared shuttle. You will discover the Minca collectivo in Santa Marta on the nook of Carrera 9 and Calle 12, within the Mercado Publico in Centro. We mainly repeated this deal with to random individuals again and again till sufficient useful Colombians had pointed us in the correct course and we lastly discovered it! The collectivo price 8.000COP/$3 per individual (as of February 2018, our most up-to-date go to to Minca).

Once we lastly discovered the “shuttle,” which was really only a common automotive, we hopped in with two different People. Each time People meet one another in off-the-beaten-path locations, it’s tremendous thrilling as a result of it’s fairly uncommon. So after all, all of us obtained to speaking.

They informed us they had been simply staying in Minca for the day. However 3 days later, we noticed our new pals once more – waving to us from the again of a pickup truck, laughing as they headed off to have some superb journey within the jungle. That they had by no means left!

What to Do in Minca, Colombia

Minca has a great deal of actions for vacationers and backpackers. Listed here are a few of our favourite issues to do in Minca.

1. Cliff leaping off a waterfall!

Pozo Azul is a set of three swimming areas on the river that runs by Minca. It’s an amazing swimming gap with an enormous waterfall and an ideal spot for cliff leaping!

To get there, you’ll must both take a moto-taxi from city for about 6.000 COP/$2, or take a scenic hike on the highway previous jungle and rolling hills and farms. The hike takes about an hour.

We want to moto-tax to the waterfall, as a result of it’s uphill, and hike again downhill admiring the view. To take a moto-taxi, simply head to the principle nook on the town (it’s simple to seek out – search for a bunch of moto-taxis and guys standing round) and hop on. The trip by way of the jungle is thrilling!

Should you choose to hike from city, you’ll observe the highway up the hill for about 45 minutes. Benefit from the surroundings, drink loads of water, and search for fallen mangos on the aspect of the highway as you stroll. You’ll move a number of small eating places and companies and ultimately see an enormous signal for Pozo Azul. Take the marked path downhill for 10-20 minutes to succeed in the water.

There are three swimming pools, so if the primary one is simply too crowded (or too shallow) to your tastes, simply cross the water and head for the path on the left aspect of the pool. Climb the brief path and also you’ll quickly attain 2 extra swimming pools, considered one of which has EXCELLENT waterfall cliff-jumping!

Should you don’t really feel like climbing again, there are at all times moto-taxis ready on the entrance of the swimming pools, and in our opinion, it’s definitely worth the $2 to expertise using by way of the jungle on the again of a bike.

2. Tour a espresso farm!

Though it’s not within the well-known Coffee Region of Colombia, Minca boasts some superb native espresso.

Some of the common ones is Finca La Victoria Plantation, up the hill from Pozo Azul. It’s a totally self-sustaining espresso farm, working solely on water energy from close by mountain streams.

From the principle intersection on the town, it takes about 90 minutes of climbing by way of completely gorgeous surroundings. Excursions price 20,000 COP/ ~$5 USD and embody a cup of espresso. The final tour of the day is at 4:15 PM, however keep in mind sundown is at all times round 6, so give your self loads of time to hike again down.

3. Tour a CHOCOLATE and low farm!

The one factor higher than recent, scrumptious espresso is recent, scrumptious chocolate, and you may have each at Finca La Candelaria.

From the principle intersection, head out of city in the direction of Santa Marta (away from Pozo Azul). Instantly, you’ll move a bridge, then a police station. Flip proper to discover a path. Observe that path for about 75 minutes and also you’ll hit La Candelaria Farm.

4. Have an outside journey!

Jungle Joe is a neighborhood chicken collector and tour information. He’s form of a one cease store for guided excursions.

He affords tubing, canyoning, chicken watching (of the 300 species of birds in Colombia, the Sierra Nevadas have 162 of them), espresso excursions, and extra. You’ll be able to select a tour a la carte, or e book a full day of actions.

5. Trek to La Cuidad Perdida!

La Cuidad Perdida, aka The Lost City, is probably the most well-known trek in northern Colombia and top-of-the-line issues to do in Minca.

You’ll be climbing for 4 days by way of the jungle of the Sierra Madre, previous properties nonetheless occupied by native indigenous Kogi & Wiwa Indians, to the famed Misplaced Metropolis: Teyuna.

Teyuna was deserted by the Tayrona Indians once they realized the hazard that Conquistadors posed to thriving indigenous civilizations. Somewhat than undergo the conquistadors, with their roving ailments and weapons, they quietly withdrew. It was a wise tactic: they’re nonetheless peacefully residing and farming as they please to this present day.

You’ll want an official, state sanctioned tour information to do that trek, very like Machu Picchu. Search for a tour information of Wiwa or Kogi heritage – it’s nonetheless their dwelling, in spite of everything these years, and welcoming you into it needs to be on their phrases. We didn’t do the hike ourselves, however after studying the Ciudad Perdida guide by Wandering Bajan, we want we might have!

6. Eat recent baked artisanal bread!

Talking of native Tayrona Indians, Duni is an artisanal bread store in Minca that serves scrumptious fresh-baked treats produced from domestically sourced wheat and chocolate, a lot of which is grown & farmed by Tayrona Indians.

You might simply meet a historically dressed Tayrona Indian dropping off a number of provides. Seeing historically dressed Indians is definitely only a common factor in Minca – they dwell subsequent door!

Read up on Duni in our highlight submit. You’ve obtained to go there! If the scent of recent baked bread wafting throughout the city doesn’t tempt you, the robust WiFi ought to.

7. Store for domestically made presents!

As a result of improve in tourism, some new retailers, and pop-up companies have taken maintain in little Minca that includes native artisans and craftspeople. Store there to help the local people.

A few of the retailers even donate their proceeds to native communities: one throughout from the church, for instance, provides all of its earnings to Mision Gaia, a non-profit group that gives the various stray animals in Minca with spaying and neutering.

Within the retailers you will discover native handmade luggage (made by the proficient Tayrona Indians), clothes, scrumptious sizzling sauce (severely, it’s superb), postcards, jewellery, natural bug repellant, and extra. Maintain your memento wants and profit the native economic system unexpectedly! We love sustainable and conscientious tourism.

 8. Chill out in a large hammock!

Sierra Minca is likely one of the hottest hostels in Minca, and definitely considered one of its claims to fame: at Sierra Minca every of the cabins have big hammock nets overlooking the view!

It’s a two hour hike (or 20 minute taxi… or mototaxi!) from city, however the views are superb.

From the principle intersection, head in the direction of the church, however preserve going…and going. It’s extra like a trapeze web. You don’t have to remain there to get pleasure from it both! You should buy a day move for 15,000 COP, or get a move with lunch included for 40,000 COP (about $10).

9. Go on a hike!

Minca is an outside lovers paradise, and climbing in Minca is likely one of the finest methods to discover this stunning a part of Colombia – plus, you simply would possibly meet some monkeys or toucans!

Though most of Minca’s finest hikes will take you thru lush, humid jungle, the mountains present a little bit of reprieve from the warmth – and a waterfall doesn’t assist, both. Listed here are a number of the finest locations to go climbing in Minca:

• Simple: Las Piedras: Simply quarter-hour out of city you’ll discover Las Piedras, which marks a wonderful spot on the River Minca. It’s solely quarter-hour from the village, so it makes a good way to spend a calming morning.
• Medium: Las Cascadas de Marinka. Should you converse a bit of Spanish, you already know what’s ready for you on this hike: waterfalls! The hike takes about an hour and also you’ll be rewarded with cool water and a surprising picture op. To get there, stroll previous the church on the principle city highway) (conserving the church in your left) and head up the hill. Preserve going till you see an indication that reads “Finca la Esperanza, La Cascadas Minka.” Deliver some money: it prices 5,000 COP/~$1.30 to enter the falls.
• Laborious: Los Pinos. This 5-7 hour lengthy trek will take you previous Pozo Azul and Las Cascadas in a pleasant, lengthy loop. The toughest a part of the hike is about 2 hour uphill climb. It’s finest when you begin your journey early within the morning, particularly as a result of on a transparent day on the highest level of the trek, you possibly can generally catch a glimpse of snowy mountains within the distance! Pack loads of water and snacks.
• Even Tougher: Cierro Kennedy. Trekking to Cierro Kennedy will take you 2 days and 1 in a single day, however you’ll be rewarded to your efforts with a surprising view of the snowy peaks of Los Nevados! Should you’re like, SUPER rugged, you possibly can try this trek by yourself, however we advocate hiring a information on the town as a substitute.

For extra particulars and instructions for every of those hikes, ask for assist on the town: Casa Loma Minca, our favourite place to remain in Minca, is a good useful resource for all of those hikes.

10. Simply sit quietly and watch the sundown.

Watching the sundown is the equal of Minca’s film night time. If you can also make it as much as an honest vantage level, you’ll have an ideal view over the inexperienced Sierra Nevada mountains all the best way to the blinking lights of Santa Marta and the Caribbean Sea.

At our favourite hostel in Minca, Casa Loma Minca, sundown is a nightly occasion. Everybody gathers within the lounge to sit back and watch the sundown on the world’s largest display screen. Then they hang around taking part in video games and listening to music and studying and enjoyable till dinner is served on the shared group tables, at 8pm.

It’s peaceable, social, and enjoyable as hell. Seize a hammock, carry a e book (and possibly a digital camera), or simply be within the second.

Journey Suggestions for Visiting Minca, Colombia

We extremely advocate spending a number of days having fun with Minca! Earlier than you go, listed here are a number of suggestions that will help you put together.

• Minca’s climate is VERY totally different from the warmth of Santa Marta. The nights can get chilly. Deliver layers. We swear by our travel sweatpants – They’re light-weight and tremendous stretchy – excellent for decent nights or lengthy airplane rides. They’ve a number of pockets, considered one of which is hidden inside one other pocket (pocketception!). And most significantly, they’re ethically produced and made with sustainable supplies
• Talking of bugs, carry loads of bug spray. We swear by light-weight Picaridin lotion for our pores and skin and Permethrin spray for our clothes. We had been far much less itchy than everybody else we met.
• Through the summer time it rains each day round 2, as we came upon after we arrived at 2 (whoops). The rain begins like clockwork, pours for about an hour or two, after which vanishes. To ensure it doesn’t cramp your model, pack some travel-friendly Extremely-Mild Rain Jackets (His & Hers) and Waterproof Socks for climbing!
• Deliver a whole lot of money. There are not any ATMs, and nearly nobody takes playing cards. Cease in Santa Marta to top off.
• Pack or purchase water, or carry filtration. The water is just not protected to drink in Minca. I converse from dismal expertise myself. We watched people at our hostel drink ONE glass of faucet water and turn out to be sick nearly immediately.  We purified our water utilizing a chargeable Steri-Pen Water Purifier. (Observe: you too can use a Sawyer mini filter or water purification tablets, each of which we introduced simply in case, however we discovered that we most popular the Steri-Pen for ease of use and style.)
• Pak a backpack, not a suitase. Minca’s dusty streets aren’t nice for dragging a suitcase round on, and suitcases are troublesome to hold on moto-taxis, the principle type of transportation on the town. We love this carry-on sized Pacsafe backpack, and convey it with us on all of our brief backpacking journeys!

• Deliver some Imodium, simply in case. Simply belief me on this one. I’ll spare you particulars, however the first time I visited Minca, a sort stranger gave me a number of blessed Imodium capsules and so they had been extremely useful. My 2nd time in Minca, I did the identical for another person in want. Greatest to have them readily available.
• Be prepared for a hike. A few of our favourite issues to do in Minca can solely be accessed through climbing. We might have been screwed with out my Camelbak Hydration Pack that matches 100oz of water and our anti-bacterial Merino Wool climbing shirts (his & hers). I do know it sounds counter-intuitive, however merino wool is severely the finest climbing material ever. It retains you cool when it’s sizzling, heat when it’s chilly, resists smells, lasts ceaselessly, and we’re completely obsessive about it.
• Should you plan to sleep in a hammock, carry a Silk Liner Travel Sheet sprayed with Permethrin! It’ll reduce down on bug bites and preserve you toasty heat (and clear!) while not having to schlep round an precise sleeping bag.  I used to be by no means as grateful for these tiny, light-weight lifesavers as I used to be in Minca!
• Deliver a flashlight in case you wish to go for a night-time stroll (or lavatory go to).  Minca, as you possibly can think about, is just not blessed within the streetlamp division and it’s very darkish at night time. We’re obsessive about our Solar Powered Flashlights. We haven’t had to consider batteries as soon as, however we at all times have mild after we want it.
• Say hello to the locals in Minca. The individuals we’ve met in Minca had been all extremely pleasant!
• Respect Minca’s relative isolation. Blossoming tourism is an thrilling however unpredictable phenomenon. This group is heat and welcoming, nevertheless it’s nonetheless theirs. Be respectful. Within the 5 years that we’ve been visiting Minca, not terribly a lot has modified, and that’s one thing we love about it.
• Plan to remain a number of days. Keep in mind the People with whom we shared our taxi to Minca? We noticed them three days later in Minca hopping into the again of a truck with some locals, with no thought what journey awaited them (actually, they mentioned they didn’t know the place they had been going, however had been excited to seek out out). I suppose they realized sooner or later wasn’t sufficient – we agree!

The place to Keep in Minca, Colombia

For such a tiny city, there are a stunning variety of choices for locations to remain in Minca! However for us, there’s 1 place that we preserve coming again to time and again… and once more: Casa Loma Minca. 

Casa Loma is a hostel, and in our opinion, top-of-the-line hostels in Colombia and admittedly, all of South America. We love staying in budget-friendly hostels after we journey as a result of not solely do they unencumber funds that can be utilized for superb excursions, meals, and different trip splurges, however they’re a good way to satisfy different vacationers! And Casa Loma Minca is a really particular form of hostel.

The entire place seems like a large treehouse, perched on high of a lush hill with probably the most unimaginable view on this planet overlooking the Sierra Nevada Mountains all the best way to the intense blue Caribbean sea.

To get to this treetop paradise, you’ll want to seek out the trail and climb up the hill, which isn’t the best process (and also you undoubtedly received’t wish to be hauling up a clunky suitcase!). There are extra particulars in our Casa Loma review.

We’ve stayed at Casa Loma Minca in a shared double room, a hammock (the most cost effective possibility) and in considered one of their gorgeous non-public huts overlooking probably the most unimaginable sundown on this planet (we aren’t even exaggerating).

Household model meals and a WiFi free zone domesticate an superior social vibe that we fell in love with. However look, one sentence doesn’t seize our love for this place – we’ve obtained a whole evaluation right here. 

Let’s simply say that Casa Loma was an enormous a part of why we cherished our keep a lot, and why we’ve been again to Minca 3 instances – and stayed in the very same hostel 3 instances!  Check prices.

Different Locations to Keep in Minca

Not thrilled by the concept of a hostel, or the climb. to get to it? In Minca, you’ll discover all the pieces from eco-friendly inns to fincas/farms, to hospedajes/dwelling stays!

It doesn’t matter what you select, a lot of the locations to remain in Minca are surrounded by and built-in into their lush pure environment, whereas nonetheless being tremendous snug.

• Minca Ecohabs is as eco-friendly because it will get! Attractive thatched roof bamboo huts within the jungle will make you are feeling such as you’re one with nature. There’s a toucan that eats papaya each morning which is the cutest factor ever. Munch on unique fruits as you watch the solar rise over the mountains, you stunning jungle princess, you. Check pricing.
• Finca San Rafael is an eco-friendly cacao farm. Sure, y’all: there’s chocolate! And it’s environmentally pleasant, too! Finca San Rafael has superior espresso too, which is essential to espresso snobs like us. This finca is a 30 minute stroll from city, or a fast jaunt on a moto-taxi which is my favourite type of transportation ever. Take a horseback trip, hike, or simply chill out (WiFi free) at this genuine finca. Check pricing.
• Casa Colibri is a beautiful hospedaje that we stayed in on considered one of our journeys. We had a pleasant non-public room strolling distance from the middle of city. Most significantly, there was nice espresso each morning, and the host household was pretty! Check pricing.
• Sweet Harmony is an eco-friendly lodge situated a 12 minute stroll away from central Minca, nestled into the hillside and overlooking the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. The lodge is a haven for birds: preserve a watch out for toucans and hummingbirds! Check pricing.

Hey, we’ve obtained a ton of different assets for Colombia that you just’ll wish to have a look at earlier than your journey!

We hope we satisfied you to make a cease in Minca subsequent time you’re touring by way of Colombia!  What questions do you may have about journey in Colombia? Go away us a remark beneath.

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