mundo nuevo minca sierra nevada de santa martaPin

Minca is among the most beautiful villages in Colombia. the location is just perfect, and Minca is definitely a Must see place if you come by Santa Marta.

You are maybe wondering :

But where to go in Minca ? Obviously,  in 1 or 2 days you’ll probably don’t know, and could miss some opportunities.

I’ve been living in the region for 4 years now, and visited many places around Minca.  I’ll get straight to the point and tell you right away the best of the west 😉

In this Article, we will cover the best places to go, what you can’t miss and above all try get you inspirational ideas for your pictures.

First Place to see in Minca : Mundo Nuevo Ecoproject

The number 1 place to go is Mundo Nuevo in Minca. It is the best location and spot to chill for a few days. For photography it is amazing, you’ll get a 360° view over Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Caribbean sea.

mundo nuevo minca sierra nevada de santa martaPin
mundo nuevo minca sierra nevada de santa marta

Here are some of the highligths of the Hostal :

  • Super friendly people
  • Excellent vegetarian food
  • Affordable for sleeping in hammock
  • Very nice rooms
  • Many hammocks to read
  • The best sunset point of the region
  • Original activities : cacao and coffee tour, bee tour, permaculture tour, and many more…

Don’t miss any sunsets, every night they are different :

minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

The day after it can look like this :

minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

If you like stars and night pictures during the night you can get also amazing shots :

mundo nuevo minca colombiaPin
mundo nuevo minca colombia

During the milky way season

minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

To get this kind of shots, You’ll need a firm Tripod, and and semi pro Camera, like a canon 500D. Settings would be 30sec exposition and opened at maximum like f 2.8 and iso 3200 max

Another spot : la Culebrera before sunset :

minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Have a ride around the farm in the morning.

minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca mundo nuevo sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

2nd perfect place to stay in Minca : Casas Viejas

If you like having great views, Casas Viejas is as well a perfect you can’t miss in Minca. It is located upper in Minca, in a VIP location : inside Victoria property. That mean that you have access to private 600 Acre of land  that anyone else can see.

People are very friendly, the restaurant is excellent, and have a lot if nice places and hammocks to chill during the day !

To get the most of your stay there, I recommend you to enjoy  horse rides, a walk to the private waterfall, longer hikes, birdwatching activities and many more…

minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Day Activities in Casas Viejas Minca : Visit Victoria Coffee Farm

la Victoria is the oldest coffee factory in the whole region. Old machines from last 19’s were imported from England. You’ll learn all the process of the coffee in the region.

minca la victoria sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca la victoria sierra nevada de santa marta colombia
minca la victoria sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca la victoria sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

 

Morning Lights in Minca

Just try to enter in nature rhythm in Minca. You’ll get to bed early, and wake up before sun. during the morning you’ll get amazing lights as well as bird dancing and singing show. 

minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Night Time in Casas Viajas Minca

Night comes quite early, try to take pics a Blue Hour, just after sunset, you’ll get nice moody pics as well. Here is a shot on the very confortable lodge of Casas Viejas. (I didn’t stay to long to take this picture, it was mojito time ! 😉 Life is made of priorities ! )

minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Chill a Sunset from Casas Viejas Mirador

minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

 

Cloudy Days in Casas Viejas Minca :

Even in Cloudy days, you’ll be able to take nice pics. Just wait a bit before sunset, and focus on the trees surrounding ( Bosque Humedo ). With the light rays, sometimes you can achieve nice results !

minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca casas viejas sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

At just 50 meters from the Hostal, you can dive into the Coffee plantation. You can play with the fog as well and make some tests like this :

minca casas viajas madgalena colombiaPin
minca casas viajas madgalena colombia

Essential Activities in Minca : Have a swim in Waterfalls

Pozo Azul natural swimming pool

Here is the most famous waterfall in Minca. It is in the must see activities. Nevertheless, it is victim of it’s own success and is a bit popular now. If you prefered quiet places, I would recommend you to go early in the morning to avoid crowd pick of traffic. Despite, on sundays, it is very fun to enjoy and participate to Colombian local life, as many families spend the day there.

minca pozo azul sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca pozo azul sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Best Waterfall of Minca : Marinka

This is my prefered waterfall in the around Minca. This is a private one as well. You’ll need to pay 1 dolar ( ouch, so expensive ! ) to spend a good time there.

You ‘ll  ejnoy a natural swimming pool, and have a refreshing shower.

minca marinka sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca marinka sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Markinca has another hidden waterfall a bit upper, don’t miss it !

minca marinka sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
minca marinka sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Best thing to do above Minca : Cerro Kennedy

This is the most beautiful panorama that you can get from the region : a fantastic view of Sierra Nevada. And Bonus : it is over the clouds.

You’ll have 2 options to get to Cerro Kennedy :

First option

If you have few days to spend around minca, so go for the sunrise option. For this you can take a moto taxi for 150.000 Cop go and back, or 100.000 Cop each way.

Nevertheless, you need to be fit for moto taxis. If not, or if you are 3 or more people you can rent a 4×4.

Anyway it really worth it, the show is unforgettable. Here is one pic of the first time I went there :

cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa martaPin
cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa marta

Second Option :

If you travel with time ( which is always what I recommend ) , then take a 2 days or 3 days trip and stay at Finca Santa Helena, a small farm lost in the highlands of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta .

You’ll need a 2 hours hike to get there, and a tough climb. There is not electricity and the owners live almost in total self-sufficiency.

Furthermore they just have the most incredible garden of the world, a pure view on all Sierra Nevada.

Definitely one of the best experience I had in all Colombia.

Here are some other inspirational pics if you get there

These place is probably my preferred landscape of Colombia

sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

A bit later in the same day , but turning the head over the sea.

cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa martaPin
cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa marta

And still the same day, but later in the night :

cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
cerro kennedy sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

And in the folling morning, another show :

Cerro Kennedy Sierra nevada de Santa Marta ColombiaPin
Cerro Kennedy Sierra nevada de Santa Marta Colombia

5 minutes later :

Cerro Kennedy ColombiaPin
Cerro Kennedy Colombia

On the way back from Cerro Kennedy

Before returning to Minca, try to have a stop in Reserva El Dorado, where you can take gorgeous pics of Colibris (Minca is also one of the place where there is the widest variety of birds in the same place, with only a few 365 tropical birds species)

reserva el dorado sierra nevada de santa marta colombiaPin
reserva el dorado sierra nevada de santa marta colombia

Wrap up

In this article we cover the essential things to do and places to Stay around Minca.

Best places to stay in Minca :

  • Mundo Nuevo Hostal
  • Casas Viejas
  • Santa Elena’s farm (if you have a bit extra time)

Esential Activites to do in Minca

  • Cerro Kennedy for a Sunrise (if you can’t go to Santa Elena)
  • La Victoria Coffe Farm (Coffe Tour)
  • Candelaria farm (Cacao Tour)
  • Marinka Waterfall
  • Pozo Azul

 Original activities for original people :

  • Horse riding
  • Birdwatching
  • Photo tour ( with me 😉 !! )
  • Permaculture lesson
  • Yoga

Don’t hesitate to browse my site if you would like to see more inspirational pictures of Colombia

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments section below, I’m still living close to Minca, and will give you some advices or tips with pleasure.

top pictures minca colombiaPin
top pictures minca colombia

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