Marinka Waterfalls in Minca: The Ultimate Guide

Minca is becoming more and more popular among outdoor adventurists and one of the most well-known spots to visit is Marinka Waterfalls. Deep in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Marinka Waterfalls in Minca and the surrounding region are a hiker’s dream.

Sara and I spent a lot of time in and around Minca, exploring every nook and cranny of the area we could find. When we found ourselves at Marinka Waterfalls, we were pleasantly surprised by the level of infrastructure and found a dip in the waterfall’s plunge pool one of our more refreshing moments during our trip.

So in this ultimate guide to Marinka Waterfalls, we want to cover every piece of information you may need to know for your own visit. This includes getting there from Minca, what you can expect to find there, what you need to bring and where you should head after you finish at the waterfall!

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How to get from Minca to Marinka Waterfalls

Marinka Waterfalls are a couple of kilometres north of Minca, further into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. There are two ways you can make your way there, one cheap but requires a bit of effort and one that costs a small amount of money but requires no effort.

Hiking to Marinka Waterfalls from Minca

The most popular method of reaching Marinka Waterfalls is a favourite of outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking from Minca is the best way to protect the budget and also provides a bit of exercise – perfect if you’ve been stuffing yourself with bandeja paisa like we had!

The trail, well road really, begins in Minca centre just east of the bridge. We started by heading down Carrera 5a, past the white church, until we found the unsealed Cerro Kennedy Oriente road. 

It’s at this point the road becomes muddy, wet and very uneven, so we were glad to have our sturdy hiking boots on!

Then we simply followed the road for about 3.5km until we reached a fork. At this particular fork, there’s a big sign for Marinka Waterfalls and the Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro. We swung left and continued uphill a few hundred metres more until we made it to the entrance!

HINT: en route you’ll also find Cascada Oído del Mundo, a great place to stop and chill for a bit on the climb up!

Hiring a moto taxi from Minca to Marinka Waterfalls

The second way of reaching Marinka Waterfalls may be better for those adverse to physical exercise – I like to call it the Sara method!

When you arrive in Minca, you’ll notice a group of moto taxis in the centre of the village. Just hire one!

All the drivers work for the same company so all the prices are fixed. For a short 10-minute ride from Minca it’ll set you back 10,000 COP ($2.54). Just beware that they don’t often provide helmets, but you can always ask ‘puedo usar tu casco’ (can I use your helmet) if they have one!

Hold on tight because the road is super bumpy and the drivers don’t hang about!

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What to expect at Marinka Waterfalls

Before we arrived at Marinka Waterfalls, we were under the impression that it would just be another waterfall in the nature of the mountains. Oh how we were wrong!

Unlike all other waterfalls in Minca, Marinka Waterfalls is actually a full tourist complex! So let’s go over what you can expect during your own visit.

Entrance fee

Yes, unfortunately there is an entrance fee!

As it’s a tourist complex, there are staff working the area, there are stairs and railings, there are toilets and more. All of these things don’t fund themselves!

So expect to pay a humble 10,000 COP ($2.54) entrance fee when you arrive.

Facilities

So what do you get for your 10,000 COP?

Well, when we arrived we walked down the first slope and noticed two beautiful white rope hammocks to the side. We found these hammocks all over Minca but here, with a backdrop of the waterfall, they were stunning! Just make sure to remove your shoes before hopping on for a photo.

We also unexpectedly found clean, working toilets and a set of changing rooms – no having to put your bikini on in front of strangers!

At the first waterfall, the staff have decked out the area with paving stones! They’ve laid down a flat smooth surface so we could wander around without shoes on and not worry about hurting our feet.

Honestly, the entire area is like a modest resort or sorts.

The Marinka Waterfall complex

In lieu of covering the available facilities, what about the complex itself? Well it’s actually split into different sections, so here’s all the information you need.

First waterfall

As we made it to the bottom of the entrance slope, the path forks left and right. Left takes you to the first waterfall and right will bring you up to the second waterfall.

The first waterfall is the most popular area of Marinka Waterfalls. This is because the lower falls are where you can swim!

We found the aforementioned paving stones as well as a wooden bench built into the length of the rocks. We undressed and left our belongings on the beach without any issues, we could see them from every angle.

The pool itself is cool and super refreshing, especially on a hot, humid Minca day (don’t forget, you’re still in the tropics!). It’s about 2.5m deep in some areas and you can walk, or swim, right up to the waterfall for nature’s shower.

As a bonus, this area is the closest to the toilets and changing rooms!

Second waterfall

When we swung right at the fork, we followed the trail uphill and up some stairs for about 5-minutes to the second waterfall.

The upper Marinka falls is a lot quieter (crowds-wise), mainly because the plunge pool here is more of a plunge puddle, so no swimming!

Instead we could still get that natural shower by standing underneath the cascade and this area makes a great photo opportunity. However we didn’t spend too long at the second falls and we doubt you will either!

Marinka Waterfalls Restaurant

If you hiked from Minca and stopped off at Cascada Oído del Mundo along the route, we can safely assume that you’ll be at Marinka over lunchtime.

Don’t fret, there is a fully functioning restaurant within the complex so you don’t have to go far!

I ordered myself a beef burrito, because I had a hankering for Mexican food, and Sara opted for a juicy chicken salad. Altogether, with two juices, the meal set us back 95,000 COP ($24.10). A bit steep in our opinion, but what else would we expect from a place as touristy as Marinka Waterfalls!

Best time to visit Marinka Waterfalls

We arrived at Marinka Waterfalls super early in the morning, around 9am when it opened! We decided to head straight down to the lower falls for a dip and were lucky enough to be the third and fourth people there.

However by 10am, the lower falls, and Marinka Waterfalls in general, had already gotten fairly busy. By 11am the complex was heaving with tourists. Therefore we suggest arriving at opening time for the best photos and least crowds.

Also it’s more likely to rain in the afternoon!

You’ll be surprised to know that Colombia is the proud owner of 18 different public holidays! During these holidays domestic tourism booms, so it’s best to try and avoid them. Oh, and avoid weekends if at all possible for the same reason!

Lastly, it’s worth noting that the rainy season in Colombia is between April to November and dry season is between December and March. We visited in November and honestly, although we did catch a few storms, it wasn’t too bad. But my moto taxi driver did say the humidity is much more bearable in the dry season! 

Tips for visiting Marinka Waterfalls

There are a few things we were glad for during our visit to Marinka Waterfalls and a few things we’ve, let’s say, learned since our visit. So here are our top tips for you so you don’t make the same mistakes:

• Wear hiking boots – the road up is easy to follow however it’s very uneven and gets incredibly wet during the rainy season.
• Don’t forget swimmers and a towel – yes you still might be able to jump in in your underwear, but you’ll definitely get some stares.
• Mosquito repellent – this is a must, don’t forget you’re still in the tropical rainforest!
• Bring a raincoat – the weather in Minca is unpredictable, especially in the rainy season, so be prepared.
• Have a change of clothes  – you’ll be happy for them if you get caught in a torrential downpour.
• Food alternatives – if you’re not keen on the high restaurant prices, there are a couple of much cheaper, local restaurants at the fork in the main road.
• Don’t worry about a guide – you’ll be wasting your money, visiting Marinka Waterfalls is more than possible to do alone, we’d say it’s even easy!

Marinka Waterfalls or Pozo Azul

We know that the big question on your lips is “should you visit Pozo Azul or Marinka Waterfalls?” Both are waterfalls, both have huge plunge pools to swim in, but they are on either side of Minca!

Honestly, we would recommend trying to visit both if you have the opportunity to, but if we had to pick just one we would choose Marinka Waterfalls.

Pozo Azul is cool, we also got there early before the tours from Santa Marta arrived and had it to ourselves. But it’s a lot more raw in comparison to Marinka, there are no toilets, changing rooms or food options.

Pozo Azul is free though, so if you’re on a budget it could be the waterfall for you!

Where to head after Marinka Waterfalls

There are so many activities to do in Minca so we’re not going to name them all. But these are the places that are easily accessible from Marinka Waterfalls that we think you should check out!

Cascada Oído del Mundo

If you followed the hint above in the hiking to Marinka Waterfalls section, you may have already stopped at Cascada Oído del Mundo! If not, and you plan on heading back down to the village, this is your opportunity!

Oído del Mundo (Ear of the World) is another great waterfall that offers a 1.5m(ish) deep plunge pool to swim in. It’s about a 45-minute hike back down the mountain from Marinka Waterfalls on the side of the road. 

The short trail is marked by a wooden sign, so you’ll know when you’ve made it!

Los Pinos Viewpoint

In the opposite direction of Oído del Mundo, we recommend continuing the hike up the road to Los Pinos Viewpoint. This is also great to combine with a visit to Hostal Sierra Minca (coming up next).

There are actually two hiking routes to Los Pinos, one up the same road from Minca which is the easier option. The second trail means swinging a left when you leave from Marinka Waterfalls and continuing up the trail past Finca Semilla and further. 

Be warned, the second trail is fairly difficult and should only be attempted by seasoned hikers. We hiked it for about 30-minutes before the trail became a bit too far outside of Sara’s skill and comfort zone.

Los Pinos itself isn’t anything special, just a patch of grass on the side of the road. But the view is what makes it worth it! Enjoy panoramic views across the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta all the way down to the city of Santa Marta itself and the Caribbean Sea!

Hostal Sierra Minca

We teased it a minute ago but Hostal Sierra Minca is one of the most popular places to stay in Minca, and for good reason!

Spending the night here was great and we thoroughly enjoyed the social atmosphere, the pool with a view and the multiple hammocks to chill in. We booked a private double room which honestly wasn’t too bad. The food was decent too!

We decided on a sunrise trek to Los Pinos from the hostel and it was a great decision!

How to get to Minca from Santa Marta

We published a full guide on how to get from Santa Marta to Minca so we’re not going to go into too much depth in this article. But essentially there are two main ways.

By bus

The most popular and cheapest way to get to Minca is by bus. You can catch the colectivo bus from the Mercado Publico de Santa Marta for only 9000 COP ($2.28) one-way. The company to travel with is called Cootransminca!

We took the bus back from Santa Marta to Minca and it was cramped, hot and the winding roads weren’t great for the belly. But it is cheap!

By taxi

We decided to take a taxi from Santa Marta to Minca because we didn’t want to deal with buses at 7am. We ordered our cab on an app called InDrive which is similar to Uber, but you can also hail a yellow street taxi. 

The journey was actually only 45,000 COP ($11.42) for the 45-minute drive, so we thought it was super affordable!

Where to stay in Minca

Minca has a great range of both luxury and budget accommodation options. If you’re not sure where to stay or what you’re looking for, here are a few options:

Hostal Sierra Minca – as we mentioned, we loved our stay here! It’s 1600m up in the mountain range and offers both dorm and private rooms. There are three meals a day, a cheap bar and a pool and hammocks with a view all the way back to Santa Marta.

Hotel Minca Express Relax – the accommodation we chose in the centre of Minca, this was by far the best budget option! At just $17/night for a double room, we were very content and we couldn’t argue with the location!

Masaya Casas Viejas – for a more boutique stay in the mountains, Masaya Casas Viejas offers an infinity pool, massages and views of a lifetime. It’s 30-minutes outside of Minca though so only book this hotel if you’re looking for a jungle retreat with hiking, waterfalls and more!

Mini Cabaña TANOA – for a more unique stay, booking a night or two in these beautiful forest cabañas. Only a 15-minute walk outside of Minca and near Pozo Azul, it’s a great compromise between being close to town and in the middle of nature.

Final thoughts on Marinka Waterfalls

Overall we had a really good time at Marinka Waterfalls. The place is clean, the water is refreshing, the food is fairly average but the experience is one-of-a-kind. There was no better feeling of jumping in the waterfall after a long hike to wash off the sweat and dirt!

We hope you guys have just as much fun at Marinka Waterfalls, and in Minca, as we did. It’s an adventure enthusiast’s paradise!

Check out our other Minca guides!

• 19 Epic Things to do in Minca: A Complete Guide!
• Los Pinos Minca – A complete guide to the hike and more!
• Cascada Oído del Mundo in Minca: A hidden waterfall!
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Pozo Azul in Minca, Colombia
• Visiting Finca La Victoria: The Best Coffee Tour in Minca
• How to get from Santa Marta to Minca
• 29 Must-Do Things to do in Santa Marta: An Ultimate Guide
• Is Colombia safe to visit in 2024?