MINCA: Eco-Walk, Coffee Farm, Waterfall & Chocolate Experience!
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Santa Marta, Colombia
- 6 to 7 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
There’s a lot to experience in the coffee-rich hills around Minca, but large group tours can rush through, making you feel as though you’ve only just scratched the surface. Receive personalized attention and get the chance to ask questions on this private full-day tour. Visit a farm where coffee and cacao are grown, hike to a waterfall, enjoy a local lunch with panoramic views, sample fresh chocolate, and more.
- Receive personalized attention on a private day tour just for you
- Enjoy getting active on a moderate walk to a waterfall
- Admissions and tastings are included, for your convenience
- The private tour can be customized to suit your needs and interests
What's Included
- Lunch
- Bilingual Professional Guide
- Local Coffee Farm Tour
- Entrance to Hidden Waterfall
- Artisan Chocolate Workshop
- Medical Insurance
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Minca Hostel MiradorHotel Mirador, Vía Minca, Minca, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
Minca Hostel "El Mirador" at 9:45am
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.10:00 am
Itinerary
1
Minca Hostel Mirador
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Minca
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Cascada Escondida Minca
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Hotel Alto de la Montaña
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Minca
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
We had an amazing day! They sent a cab to pick us up, right at our hotel (Didier was great) and drove us to Minca to meet the tour group. It was a mix of Spanish and English speakers (just us 😉) in the group but Christina was amazing at communicating all of the information to all of us. Learning about the coffee and Cacao production was really fun and educational. Be sure to wear good walking shoes as you do quite a bit of walking, with elevation, but it’s very doable for an “average”, in shape person. Didier then gave us a ride directly back to our hotel afterwards. We had an amazing day and Christina was an awesome guide. I’d highly recommend the experience if you want to get a true taste of what Minca is like! Thank you!
Reviews
4.8
based on 165 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
My tour guide was Mario and he truly made the experience unforgettable!! Minca was the highlight of my Colombia trip and it was all thanks to Mario. We were a small group but we all felt so safe and Mario made us all feel very comfortable not to mention he is hilarious. Minca is such a beautiful place, from swimming near waterfalls to drinking coffee in the coffee farms I could not have asked for a better tour or tour guide!! 100/10 would recommend :)
It was such a beautiful, fun experience in Minca! Mario was my guide, and he was very knowledgeable, friendly and funny. I felt safe the whole time and really enjoyed all the stops we made. It was an unforgettable experience I'll always remember!
Mario took great care of us and his passion for Minca was shining through the entire time.
Mario looked out for us and really got down to the details in each stop. We feel like we have a great sense of Minca, coffee, cacao and this area as a result of this tour. Highly recommend.
My guide’s name was Mario. He came in on his day off to do the tour. He’s a beautiful soul and showed me so much more than the tour described. The coffee farm was disappointing though. He explained the process but there wasn’t much to see. The waterfall was beautiful and almost nobody there! The hike is steep and rocky, but we took lots of breaks, about 1.5 miles to the waterfall and then another 20 minutes (maybe half a mile) to the restaurant. I wore Teva sandals during the whole tour (I had other shoes in my backpack in case I needed to change) and it was doable but felt a little unsteady coming down from the waterfall. The lunch was delicious, I ordered the chicken. The cacao/chocolate experience was cool. It was a nice little tour for the price.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for you honest review, we're glad you enjoyed your day with our guide around Minca. Also we appreciate your advice and will keep in mind for future reference. Best regards from Minca.
Tour was amazing! So immersive, fun, and informative. Mario was my tour guide, he did a fantastic job tailoring the tour to what I wanted to experience. I was a solo traveler and the only one on the tour, but it was super fun and Mario was a great guide! I felt safe everywhere we went. We went to local coffee farm, a beautiful waterfall, lunch at a hostel with incredible views and learned about local chocolate… and got to try some! Absolutely would recommend this tour to anyone who wants an immersive experience in Minca. Involved lots of hiking, be prepared for the outdoors!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your kinds words and for sharing your solo experience with us. As a local family run business we care deeply about our quality over quantity, and it makes us very happy that you felt safe with our guide and enjoyed your day with us. Best regards from Minca!
Outstanding Tour! Excellently informed Guide & enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge about coffee, chocolate & Minca. I would take this tour again ♥️
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you very much for sharing your review with our visitors; we are glad glad you enjoyed your day with us and yes come back anytime, you and everyone else are always welcome!
Absolutely fantastic Mario our guide is exceptionally knowledgeable and treated our group like his family sharing his incredible experiences at each and every step - thanks so much !
Response from Host, May 2026
Michelle, thank you very much for your kind review. We are glad you enjoyed our experience with our local guide and felt part of our family, since that´s always what we aim for with each and every one of our visitors. Best regards from Minca.
A great tour. We picked up (and dropped off) in Santa Marta by a friendly taxi driver to meet a bilingual guide, Mario. He was a very knowledgeable and interesting guy to spend a day. Activities were educational and a lot of fun. We had such a wonderful day in Minca. P.S. Wear good hiking boots would be easier to walk on the trail because it could be muddy and slippery.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your honest review, we appreciate it very much and are glad you enjoyed this experience with our guide. Best regards
It was a really fun tour ! When they tell you not to wear flip flops actually listen the hike to the waterfall was a bit steep but honestly me and my partner loved the tour Minca is beautiful! Mario and Christina are amazing!!! The whole experience was great!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your honest review, we're glad you and your partner enjoyed this experience with our local guides. Best regards
Really great tour! Mario might be the best tour guide that I've had. Funny and has a lot of knowledge!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We appreciate your kind words and are very glad you enjoyed this experience with our guide Mario. Best regards.
We went as a family of three (two adults and a 12-year old boy) and this was a perfect activity to mix with the beach and water tourist areas of Santa Marta. Christina was our guide and she was very knowledgable and patient with the group. It was obvious that she enjoys her work and has a background and education in environmental science. She is bilingual and very friendly. She even helped us to arrange local private transportation outside the tour. The tour involves hiking hills and trails so believe them when they say do not wear flip flops. The lunch was fantastic and included a presentation on the biodiversity of Colombia by Tony Martin, an educator and environmental evangelist. He is a compelling public speaker with a strong message on protecting the environment so that we can learn from it as a species. The coffee plantation was fun, educational and included the option of dipping in river and water cascading over large rocks. We did this instead of the regular waterfall hike because that section had been closed recently due to heavy rains. The chocolate processing presentation was informative and tasty. Plan for nearly a full day depending on where you are staying. The value for the price was exceptional and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We appreciate your honest and detailed review, and are very glad you and your family enjoyed your day around Minca learning about our unique environment and our efforts to protect it. Best regards.
We had an amazing day! They sent a cab to pick us up, right at our hotel (Didier was great) and drove us to Minca to meet the tour group. It was a mix of Spanish and English speakers (just us 😉) in the group but Christina was amazing at communicating all of the information to all of us. Learning about the coffee and Cacao production was really fun and educational. Be sure to wear good walking shoes as you do quite a bit of walking, with elevation, but it’s very doable for an “average”, in shape person. Didier then gave us a ride directly back to our hotel afterwards. We had an amazing day and Christina was an awesome guide. I’d highly recommend the experience if you want to get a true taste of what Minca is like! Thank you!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We are very grateful for you honest review and sharing your experience with others, and that you and your wife enjoyed your day around Minka with our guide Cristina. You're welcome anytime!
Great full day. The trail was awesome and since we had a private guide we were able to customized to us. The coffee and lunch locations have a wonderful view. Guide was very friendly and entertaining with great knowledge of the area.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for your honest review, we appreciate you sharing your experience with others and are very glad you enjoyed your day around Minka.
Our guide Cristina was one of the best our guides we have ever had. The hiking, coffee experience and chocolate making were fantastic. What a great day!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for your honest review, we are glad or guide offered a good experience and you enjoyed your day!
We had a wonderful time with Tony as our guide. He is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and caring. We learned so much and enjoyed a beautiful day in Minca.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you very much for your review, we are glad you enjoyed your day with us, come back anytime!
Pick up at hotel 10/10
Drive to Minca and we had to wait 30mn for other people. Supposed to hike a little but people arrived in flip.flop,instead of hiking Shops
800 m in 1 hours
If you had booked like me this tour to walk and hike,it was the worst choice
SAM the guide Was very fair and competent
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Hello, we are sorry for your inconvenience, but this is a walking tour. The walks are approximately 15 to 20 minutes, so it is important to read the tour description carefully.
This tour is well worth it, with the guides giving it their all (including the demonstrations). You have to go for a swim - it’s a must - so wear sensible shoes!
Awesome tour, we got to swim at the Oído del Mundo pond/fall walk thru nature, visit local coffee farm and have good lunch.
Highlight was Federico our tour guide, knowledgeable, funny, energetic who made our visit memorable. Kudos. Spanish tour only (I think).
Cons: They hire local taxis to transport us to Minca from Historic Center.
As a general rule, local taxis drive fast, carelessly and don’t know the meaning of Customer Service.
The good part of the tour starts once you arrive at Minca.
Cristina and Federico were extremely friendly and flexible. I appreciated the coffee experience, the cocoa experience and the trip to the waterfalls. This was one of my favorite days in a month long journey through Colombia. Thank you so much for an epic Minca experience.
I was absolutely impressed by this tour, our guide was great in telling stories about Minca and coffee, showed us lovely landscapes, toucan, parrots, wonderful waterfall, local plants!
And cacao-part of the tour was performed like a magical ritual.
I recommend this tour to everyone who visits this region.
Are tour guide was Mario. First class and very knowledge about the forest and surrounding area. Loved the day and a fantastic experience. Would highly recommend this trip .and be sure to ask for Mario
It started out great, Mario was very entertaining and informative about coffee production, and ended great with the chocolate demonstration at the Minca viewpoint.
But lunch was soso and served slowly at 1:30 or 2, and we did not have an English guide to the waterfall or coffee plantation, as was advertised.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Hello, it is impossible to serve lunch at an exact time, and as for the work staff, not 100% of the employees speak English. We have some kids in the waterfall who only speak Spanish, but that's why there is Mario who can translate whatever you need.
I think I would not recommend this particular trip although I did enjoy the drive up into the mountains ( they sent a taxi, not a guide) and seeing the interesting little town of Minca and the surrounding forest and streams. I just want to point out some facts without going into specifics about every little thing. As an experienced Airbnb host, I think the description of the offering should be specific and accurate and the description I saw was not.
The picture on the website of a waterfall is not what you visit, although we did visit a different site with very small waterfalls and had a nice swim in the river.
There is no visit to a coffee or chocolate plantation, both demonstrations are given sitting at a table in a restaurant and are about 20 minutes each of talking. We did not see a coffee plant or a cacao plant at all. Friendly and informative presenter, but hardly an immersive experience. The promise of “ make your own chocolate bar” consists of mixing a blob of paste on your palm (no napkin or utensil) and licking it off. Not professional.
Most importantly, the walk through the jungle did not have an English-speaking guide although he was a nice guy and did try. A bit. Therefore those who had no Spanish could merely follow along and pretty much the only information given was the name of a few fruits, which I think anybody would have already known. I was hoping to learn about the area and other interesting info, but no. And the hike, about 30 minutes in and 30 minutes out, had some challenging spots including crossing a wide rapidly flowing stream and scrambling over some difficult rock formations. No problem for the people in our group but this really should have been described in advance. There are other Minca trips that include hikes but this was not described as one of them.
That is some info you should have. Nice people, but the tour needs various changes to merit 4 or 5 stars in my opinion.
Mario was an excellent guide for this all-day tour. The coffee and cocoa information was top notch, and Mario was meticulous about the preparation of both, which made the tastings even more of a treat. The highlight for me walking to the Oido del Mundo waterfall and spending time enjoying the area. I appreciated that there was a little time to see Minca and a few of teh vendors in town. Also, the traditional lunch provided was delicious.
Excellent explanation and different coffee products to try, followed by a swim in beautiful refreshing waterfalls, a tasty lunch, and short but fun cocoa workshop where we made our own truffle ball (to eat immediately). It was a fun trip and nice to escape Santa Marta for the day.
Only negatives were the delay in arrival time due to confusion about the pick up location of other passengers coming into our car (their hotel was in the next suburb and not the Santa Marta one we waited at), and our group was made to choose between swimming at the nicer waterfalls or visiting the coffee farm - majority picked waterfalls but a couple of others were disappointed.
Awesome tour, our tour guide Mario was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and this tour exceeded our expectations!!!
We went as a couple and got lucky enough to get a personalized experience as we chose the tour to be given in English and we were the only ones that day. We arranged transport from Playa Salguero for an additional fee, and transport by taxi to Minca was punctual and the driver Didier was very good. Our guide Mario made the experience unique, by being super kind and patient, taking tons of pictures of amazing spots, and in general just being a great host and guide. He answered all of our questions and told us so many histories and explained both coffee and cocoa processing in a very fun and interactive way. The spot at the Arimaca waterfall is a lovely spot to visit, and we learned a lot about plants and the region along the way. We also were suggested and even tried some local shops produce, like a bakery and ice cream on our way from Minca to the waterfall. The viewpoint where the tour ends has wonderful views of Santa Marta. I would definitely recommend this tour and specially Mario!
Had an amazing tour with Christina and Frederico. They were so welcoming and took the time to show us everything we wanted to see and educate us. Definitely a great team and made me fall in love with Minca!
Cristina was a great host, we really enjoyed the tour. Wonderful combination of coffee, hiking and chocolate! The lunch was delicious too.
My only concern was the food pickup at our AirBnB was late and nobody was answering the phone at the local host, then we had to split up our family into multiple taxis, which wasn’t clear.
Mario was such an amazing tour guide! Could not recommend thus your more, just make sure to wear your mosquito repellent!
From $55.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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