Minca day trip from Santa Marta: Waterfalls, coffee and cocoa

Walk mountain trails, learn to make chocolate, swim in crystal pools

A full-day guided tour from Santa Marta to Minca in the Sierra Nevada combines hiking through jungle trails, hands-on cocoa and coffee workshops, swimming in natural waterfalls, and a traditional lunch with views across the mountains. The bilingual guide leads all activities. Hotel pickup and an air-conditioned vehicle are included, and the day runs approximately 8 hours starting at 8 a.m.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Minca's nature and culture

• Transfer from accommodation to Minca
• Bilingual guided hiking in Sierra Nevada
• Artisanal coffee process and tasting
• Cacao ritual and chocolate making
• Waterfalls and rivers purification bath
• Lunch with intent and regional views
• Enjoy panoramic viewpoints
• Artisan ice cream tasting
• Try craft beer at hostel
• Shop coffee and cocoa products
• Walk through Minca center for shopping
• Return transfer to accommodation

The experience

Minca sits in the Sierra Nevada foothills above Santa Marta, a small settlement where coffee farms and natural springs draw visitors into the cloud forest. The tour departs your hotel in the morning and climbs into the mountains by vehicle, then splits the day between guided walking, workshops at working farms, and time in the rivers. A bilingual guide (English or Spanish) leads the entire route, so the pace stays manageable and the history of the place comes through as you move.

The coffee experience happens at Finca Moran, where you walk through the plants, learn the journey from grain to cup, and taste fresh-roasted coffee included in the tour. Later, at Hostal Alto de la Montaña, a cocoa ritual teaches the artisanal process: you taste raw cocoa straight from the fruit, try cocoa liquor, and make your own chocolate bar by hand. Both workshops sit at the heart of what makes the day different from a standard hike. You're not just seeing the crops, you're handling them and tasting them as they're prepared. A regional ice cream tasting (with a vegan option) and a craft beer from a local brewery round out the food side.

Two waterfall stops break up the walking: Pozo Cristal and the Ear of the World (Arimaka), both fed by mountain springs and ringed by jungle. You swim in natural pools and rest beside the falls. Lunch is a typical regional meal with your choice of protein (chicken, beef, pork or vegetarian with egg) served with rice, potatoes and a drink, eaten with views across Minca. Before heading back to Santa Marta, there's time to walk the town center for souvenirs or to buy coffee and cocoa products you tasted during the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• bilingual guide (English or Spanish) for all activities.
• coffee tasting at Finca Moran.
• cocoa ritual with chocolate-making at Hostal Alto de la Montaña.
• swimming at two waterfall sites (Pozo Cristal and the Ear of the World).
• regional lunch with protein choice and drink.
• regional ice cream tasting with vegan option.
• craft beer tasting from a local Minca brewery.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in Spanish08:00

Guide in English08:00

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (6 to 90 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Minca Magic

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided day trip with hotel pickup and return by evening: the bilingual guide paces all stops (hiking, workshops, waterfalls) so you absorb each place's context rather than self-navigating.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 6): free.

What's the coffee experience like at Finca Moran?

Finca Moran grows Colombian coffee on the mountainside. You walk through the plants, learn how the beans are processed from harvest to roasting, and taste fresh coffee included in the tour: a direct introduction to how the crop is grown and prepared in the Sierra Nevada.

Can I swim in the waterfalls, or is it just a viewing stop?

You swim in both waterfall sites. Pozo Cristal and the Ear of the World (Arimaka) have natural pools fed by mountain springs where you can cool off and relax beside the falls as part of the day's itinerary.

What does the cocoa ritual at Hostal Alto de la Montaña involve?

The cocoa ritual teaches the artisanal process used by indigenous cultures. You taste raw cocoa directly from the fruit, try cocoa liquor, make your own chocolate bar by hand, and drink 100% pure Xocolatl (the Mayan name for chocolate) while learning about its traditional properties and uses.

What's included in the lunch, and are there dietary options?

Lunch is a typical regional meal with your choice of protein: chicken, beef, pork, or vegetarian with egg, served with rice, potatoes and a drink. The cocoa ritual also offers a vegan ice cream option if you prefer it over the standard regional flavors.

How much walking is involved, and is it difficult?

The tour includes guided hiking along mountain trails surrounded by jungle, with the operator noting that it's important to be able to walk well to complete the excursion. It's suitable for all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.