Cool Off with Two Days in Minca

Minca, a dust bowl of a town 3000 feet above sea level in the Santa Monica Mountains, offers a nice change from the scorching heat of Cartagena and Santa Marta. Surrounded by streams and waterfalls, nothing about Minca is spectacular when taken on its own, but when the attractions are mashed together, they provide a refreshing detour from the coast.

TIP: Unless you simply want to lie in a hammock all day, two nights in Minca is plenty

Arrive early the first day by taking a collectivo from the Santa Marta market (mercado) for $7.000COP per person. The 45-minute ride will take you on a winding road into the mountains and drop you off in the center of the two street town.

Check into your hotel before spending the rest of the day at Pozo Azul, a refreshing set of pools that, despite their name, were pretty far from blue when we visited. The pools are about an hour walk out of town on a well signposted road. We recommend real shoes unless you want blisters!

Lina doing yoga in front of one of the Pozo Azul pools

The days in Minca end early, at around 5:30pm, when the sun puts on a spectacular show above the Santa Monica Mountains. The view is best enjoyed from a hotel a bit out of town, with a cold beer in hand.

We stayed at Casa Loma. Read our review here.

If you’re up for it, day two offers a great opportunity to do the loop walk up to Los Piños. The entire way is about 20 kilometers, so put on your hiking shoes and allow at least 6 hours.

Lina not too happy about being semi-lost on this trail

You’ll walk up past the waterfalls (Cascadas) until you reach the top of the hill and the main dirt road. From there, it’s a short walk left toward the mirador, which offers a nice view all the way out to the ocean and Santa Marta. Lina instead opted for the hairy Giant Schnauzer, Hugo, who likes to ride motorbikes.

Continue back down the other side and make sure to stop in at at La Victoria, a family run coffee farm operating since 1892.

Completely hydro-powered and using original machinery brought over from London, this little farm will let you see how much work goes into the making of your morning cup. For less than US$2 ($5.000COP), you get a one-hour tour complete with a cup of joe.

original coffee machine from brought from London in the 1800s. still working

You’ll learn all about the coffee making process, from harvesting and weighing the beans to sorting them by grade and roasting the few batches that the farm will keep for friends and family.

From the coffee farm it’s about a 1.5 hour walk back to town, so if you’re feeling too beat to attempt it, ask the tour guide to arrange a ride on a moto. You’ll arrive back “home” right in time for sunset number two.