On the back of the motorcycle past waterfalls and coffee fincas
The first few miles on the bike went smoothly and I was relaxed. As the road got worse with deep holes, mud puddles and rocks, I got a little anxious. Chauffeur Ney manoeuvred past these “obstacles” flawlessly, so I trusted all would be okay.
Bucket list
When I went to Minca, I had several things on my wish list: I wanted to see the Marinka waterfall, do a cocoa tour and chill in “the biggest hammocks in the world” at Casa Elemento.
Mototaxi for a day
Marinka and Casa Elemento were easy to combine, but for the cocoa tour I had to be at finca La Candelaria, in the opposite direction. Not a convenient combination! Sonia, the employee of the hotel, advised me to hire a moto taxi, which could take me everywhere in one day. To be honest, I was not immediately enthusiastic about the idea of sitting on the back of a motorcycle for so long. My poor back, I thought! When Sonia said she knew a good driver and that the moto tour was very safe -and quite comfortable-, I changed my mind.
Route
Driver Ney came to pick me up and we agreed on this route:
- Cascada de Marinka
- Casa Elemento
- Mirador los Pinos
- Coffee finca la Victoria
- Pozo Azul
- Finca La Candelaria
This private tour with Minca Tours cost me COP120,000 / $33 and i thought this was a good price for this trip and itinerary. Lunch, drinks, entrance fees and the cocoa tour were not included.
When I had installed myself on the back of the bike, I felt like a small child about to embark on a big adventure -:) The first few miles on the bike went smoothly and I sat relaxed on the motor bike, when looking around. As the road got worse with deep holes, mud puddles and rocks, I got a little anxious. Driver Ney manoeuvred past these obstacles flawlessly, so I trusted it would be okay.
Cascada de Marinka
On the way to Cascada de Marinka, we saw quite a few tourists walking. We got there around 9 a.m. and were the first visitors. It was nice to chill for a while in the giant hammock near the restaurant. From there you have a nice view of the waterfall.
Giant hammocks
After this, the trip went to Casa Elemento, high in the mountains above Minca. At first my heart almost skipped a beat when I saw the precipices next to me. When I decided not to look beside me anymore but forward, things got a lot better and I really started to like riding a motorcycle.
At Casa Elemento, I bought a wristband for COP10,000 / $2.50. This allowed me to stay as long as I wanted and included a drink. I “tested” the various hammocks and enjoyed the view. Meanwhile, Ney revealed himself as a real (private) photographer!
Mirador los Pinos
After Casa Elemento, we stopped at Mirador los Pinos, for a nice view of Santa Marta and the coast.
Pozo Azul
Pozo Azul was busy when we were there. Ney told us that this is a popular spot with locals and day tourists from Santa Marta. Because of the cold water, it was not enticing for me to swim at the falls, not getting beyond paddling!
Coffee Finca la Victoria
When we drove up to the coffee finca, there was a wonderful smell; the freshness of the rainforest mixed with the aroma of coffee…mmm! We looked around and had a cup of coffee with homemade cookies. A coffee tour was about to start, but I skipped it. I felt more like jumping on the back of the motor bike after the coffee and driving on to finca la Candelaria for the cacao tour. Since this was still quite a long ride, we made a stop at café Minca, for lunch.
Finca la Candelaria
Arriving at the entrance to la Candelaria, we had to leave the bike and walk up to the finca, through coffee and cocoa plantations.
Chocotour
Venezuelan refugee Saddam was my guide. He came to Colombia in 2018 and supports his family in Venezuela with his income as a guide. We started the tour at the beginning of the plantation, where I got to see the flower of the cacao bean. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a tour of the plantation itself. After this, Saddam got to work making chocolate milk -from scratch-. He talked passionately about cocoa and showed how the beans are roasted, shelled, melted and mixed with water and milk.
Choco mask
While tasting the chocolate milk, I got a facial mask made of cocoa. My skin felt soft and like new. Saddam explained that the fats of the cacao are the reason that your skin feels like a baby skin after the mask. Including choco mask, the tour took 40 minutes. Afterwards, we enjoyed sitting on the terrace, when it started to pour and thunder.
Slippery descent
I enjoyed the freshness of the rain. When it had cleared up, we began the “descent” downhill. That was a bit of a challenge because everything had gotten slippery. Once back on the bike, Ney stopped a few times along the way. We had to walk some parts because it was too slippery on the road. In “stages”, we finally got back on the main road and I was dropped off at the hotel. I spent the rest of the day thinking about this amazing adventure!
Written by Jeanette
Travel date September 2019
Information and tips (updated September 2025)
- Casa Elemento has been taken over by another owner. After a renovation, the hostel reopened under the name Hostal Sierra Minca.
- In 2025, a day pass with access to the hammocks of Hostal Sierra Minca (without lunch) costs COP15.000/US$4. A day pass with access to the hammocks (including lunch) costs COP40.000/US$11.
- Read our travel guide Minca for more info and tips about the attractions in and around Minca, our eco-hotel tip and an insiders tip for a stay in a nature reserve around Minca where rescued animals are taken care of
- Here you can check out more tours in Minca
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