Chilly water, cool breezes, and slightly-less-oppressive temperatures: after enjoying the heat of the Caribbean coast and Tayrona National Park for a week, is it any surprise that the prospect of exploring the delightful Pozo Azul and Marinka Falls tempted us to explore the waterfalls of Minca, Colombia?
Whether you’re coming from Tayrona, Cartagena, or Colombia’s famous Ciudad Perida trek, Minca is an excellent place to decompress when you’re tired of the heat.
We set off to Minca from Santa Marta with the hope of cooling off and enjoying some of the laid-back charms of Colombia’s mountainous Sierra Nevada, and that is exactly what we found!
While the town of Minca itself was delightfully charming, the coffee was interesting, and the views in the area were beautiful, it was the waterfalls in Minca, Colombia that really caught our eye.
We independently visited two of the most popular waterfalls in Minca, Pozo Azul and Marinka Falls, during our trip, and loved our experiences at each of them.
Here’s what to know before you set off to chase waterfalls in Minca yourself!
Table of Contents
How to Visit Pozo Azul, Minca, Colombia
Pozo Azul is arguably the most famous waterfall in Minca, and is popularly featured on guided day trips like this.
Home to two swimming holes stacked on top of each other, these falls are crisp, beautiful, and a popular hangout for locals and tourists alike.
The line between “refreshing” and “too cold to enjoy” is definitely a matter of personal preference: I didn’t want to do much more than dip my feet in, but Jeremy enjoyed a long swm!
Getting to Pozo Azul from Minca
There are 3 main options for getting to Pozo Azul from Minca, each with their own pros and cons.
Rent a moto-taxi.
When we visited in 2018, you could rent a moto-taxi for about 10,000 COP (about $2.75 USD at the time of updating this post in 2026) each way to drive you to and from the falls.
A quick overview of online sources suggests the rate hasn’t changed much, but if you have an updated experience, I’d love to hear about it!
Technically, there are also collectivos that run to Pozo Azul, but they are pricier, require four people to run, and can only take you about 2/3 of the way, because there’s a locked gate that they can’t maneuver around (the moto-taxis manage just fine).
Hike to Pozo Azul.
Alternatively, you can hike to Pozo Azul from Minca.
The hike takes about an hour and is fairly simple. Just be sure to pay attention to the signs along the way!
There are occasional restaurants selling juice and snacks along the road/trail, so there’s usually someone around to ask for directions if you need them.
Book an organized day trip.
If you’re staying in Santa Marta and want to visit Minca’s waterfalls without worrying about logistics, guided day trips like this well-reviewed one are another option for visiting Pozo Azul.
Organized day trips are far from the most economical option, but they can be lots of fun and generally include more experiences than you would likely fit into one day on your own (for example, this tour visits not only Pozo Azul, but a coffee farm and a cocoa workshop!).
What to Expect When Visiting Pozo Azul
We found Pozo Azul to be popular and populated, but not crowded.
There were plenty of people around, but there was enough room to spread out that everyone was able to relax and have a good time.
Unsurprisingly, the higher of the two pools (you have to cross the first swimming hole on foot and climb along the ridgeway to get to it) was less crowded than the first swimming hole everyone sees when they arrive.
There’s a small restaurant on-site, so if you need to pick up snacks or water, you do have that option.
There was no entrance fee for Pozo Azul when we visited, and some accounts still report the waterfall as free. However, some visitors report paying a 6,000 COP fee to visit.
We’d recommend carrying cash with you, just in case! (And you might want to have some on hand for snacks and drinks anyway).
How to Visit Marinka Falls, Minca, Colombia
While Pozo Azul is Minca’s most famous waterfall, Marinka Falls are arguably the prettier of the two.
Taller and more majestic, Marinka Falls also boasts two swimming holes set on different tiers (though there’s a further climb between these pools than the ones at Pozo Azul!).
They are beautiful to observe, and that first whiff of the cool breeze coming off the river will be a very welcome feeling if you made the climb up on foot as we did!
Getting to Marinka Falls from Minca, Colombia
There are three ways to reach Marinka Falls from the center of Minca, and they are very similar to Pozo Azul.
Hike to Marinka Falls.
This is the way we chose to reach Marinka Falls.
The hike took a little longer than an hour, and while the bulk of it was very shaded and quite peaceful, you do need to keep an eye out for fast-moving trucks and moto-taxis barreling around corners.
Don’t be afraid to ask for directions along the way! We needed to a few times, but everyone was very helpful.
For the most part, the path is self-explanatory.
Rent a moto-taxi.
Like Pozo Azul, rates ran about 10,000 COP (about $2.75 USD at the time of updating this blog post in 2026) each way at the time of our 2018 visit, and more recent reports suggest that the price hasn’t moved much.
Keep in mind that this isn’t the safest form of transportation.
You are riding on the back of a motorcycle on a bumpy dirt road with no helmet, so ride at your own risk!
Take a collectivo.
Tourist collectivos leave from the center of town, and require a minimum of at least four people to run.
They are pricier than the other two options, but unlike at Pozo Azul, there’s no gate preventing them from taking you all the way to the falls.
What to Expect When Visiting Marinka Falls
Marinka Falls is privately owned, and there is an entrance fee.
As of 2026, it appears that the fee is currently 16,000 COP ($4.40 USD).
In exchange for the fee, the family who owns Marinka Falls has put a lot of development into the area.
There are treehouses to sit in, a large hammock overlooking the falls to lie in, picnic tables, and a restaurant on-site.
You can swim in both the upper and lower pools, but be prepared for a climb between the two!
We would recommend heading out to Marinka Falls earlier in the day in order to give yourself plenty of time to relax and enjoy your time there.
We made the mistake of heading out too late in the day and weren’t able to enjoy the falls for as long as we would have liked.
Where We Stayed in Minca, Colombia
Hotel Restaurante Casa d’Antonio — This pretty property was the perfect budget stay: it had decent wifi for the area, big rooms, a beautiful front porch, and back garden, and served a tasty (included) breakfast every morning.
The location was perfect, right on the edge of town and a 5-minute walk to popular Minca spots like the Lazy Cat.
We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again!
Check rates & book your stay in Minca, Colombia!
What to Pack for Chasing Waterfalls in Minca, Colombia
Bug Spray
The mosquitos will try to eat you alive.
Just look at the legs of all the other tourists when you get to town! The ones who didn’t bring bug spray are easy to pick out.
Sunscreen
Put on sunscreen before every hike!
Bathing Suit — Don’t get all the way to the falls without something to wear swimming!
Sunglasses and Hat — The more sun protection, the better.
Comfortable and Cool Hiking Shoes — You don’t need full-on hiking boots for these Minca waterfall hikes, but you do want to be comfortable.
I personally love my KEEN Whisper Sandals and found them perfect for visiting Minca (there’s a similar men’s option, too).
Getting to Minca, Colombia from Santa Marta
Getting to Minca from Santa Marta is very simple.
Collectivos leave from the center of Santa Marta about every half hour (any taxi driver will be able to get you to the right place). We paid 8,000 COP/person in 2018, more recent reports suggest 9,000 COP is now the norm.
Alternatively, taxis are said to cost about 80,000-120,000 COP per car in 2026, however, that price can be highly negotiable.
We paid less than half of that for a taxi ride out to Minca. Granted, our experience is somewhat dated, but the going price was said to be 100,000 COP back then, too.
The ride takes about 30-45 minutes and does go through some winding mountain roads.
If you’re prone to motion sickness like I am, this is a great time to break out your Sea-Bands and/or Dramamine
Only interested in visiting Minca on a day trip? If so, signing up for an organized day trip like this is another reliable option!
Can you drive yourself there to the place? Is there parking available? Do you need to book a your guide?
Hi Benjamin,
If you rent a scooter, no reason you can’t drive yourself.
You don’t need to book a guide, at least when we were there. We essentially hired taxis (but via scooter) to go out there.
Based on your photos, I would agree: Marinka Falls is the best option out of the two! Although I don’t swim (I never learned how to!), I would love to hike up to the falls and sit there in a hammock enjoying the view and the nature. I find it really nice that the people who own the place actually invested the money that they are earning. You do not see this being done so much!
Colombia is still an unexplored destination. I had no idea it is so beautiful! Pozo Azul indeed is great for those who love outdoors. I think I would skip the taxi and hike to Pozo Azul. It is surprising to read that there is a restaurant as well.
I love waterfalls and both of these waterfalls are incredibly beautiful. Pozo Azul is less crowded which sounds very peaceful and relaxing. Also Marinka is equally good because it is majestic and famous too. Good to know more about hidden treasures of Colombia from your posts.
Hi Those Waterfalls are beautiful! I love hiking and at the end reaching a waterfall and going for a swim. I am reading more and more about Colombia I think its a very unexplored beautiful place.
That is such a beautiful waterfall in Colombia. The pictures too are amazing especially the underwater one is fabulous.
Love exploring hidden waterfalls! What a stunning place!! Never heard of it before but now I’ve had to add it to our bucket list after seeing your beautiful photos. Great set of tips and recommendations will have to make sure we remember the insect repellent!
It’s definitely worth an add on the bucket list!! All of Colombia is, really–this is a beautiful country.
How rich and green is the landscape!!
Lottie
It’s absolutely incredible how green it is. And yet… Minca isn’t even the greenest place we’ve seen in Colombia, if you can believe that!
Oh wow, this looks like an incredible place. Of the two, I’m sold on the Marinka Falls. I know there’s an entrance fee, but for that price to see the waterfall, I’d pay double! I hope this area stays unspoiled a bit longer before more people head there!
So true–for the most part, Colombia has been a bargain! Our only regret is not coming early enough in the day to spend a long time swimming.
I love this guide! Going down to colombia has been on my bucket list! It looks a lot like Costa Rica from your photos.
It definitely does–but I have to admit, I think Colombia is an even better deal than Costa Rica (cheaper + bigger + even more things to do!).