Jardín is a beautiful town wedged into the mountains of Colombia, known for its waterfall hikes and lively town square. We almost skipped it on our Colombia itinerary, but it ended up being our favorite place in the entire country. We ended up staying for almost a week!
How to get there:
We took the bus from Terminal Sur in Medellin straight to Jardín, which took around 3 hours. The journey was easy and we arrived on time. From Salento, the ride is a lot more difficult and takes almost a full day. We were traveling to Salento after our stay in Jardín, and decided to go back to Terminal Sur in Medellin first. Then take the night bus to Salento with the company Flotas Occidental. You can book your tickets online ahead of time on redbus.com or bookaway.com. We recommend this version of the trip if you don’t want to waste a day sitting on a bus.
What to do:
Hike to the waterfalls!
On our first full day in Jardín, we decided to do the 4 waterfalls hike, starting at Cascada La Escalera and making our way deep into the mountains, passing Cascada Caida del Dragon, Cueva de los Guacharos, and finally Cascada Salto del Angel. After the last waterfall, we continued hiking until we found a gravel road at the top of the mountain. From there, we paid $17,000 pesos each to pass through a local’s private property, where we took a jeep back into town. Although we had wanted to do this hike without too many fees, this is really the best way to do it unless you want to turn around and hike all the way back to the beginning. We finished in approximately 5 hours, but turning around to go back takes close to 7.
There are many variations of this hike to do, and some people start in the other direction or go with a guide to see hidden spots that we did not know about. Be prepared to lower yourself down some steep rock scrambles! There are ropes you can use to support yourself, so I actually found this part quite fun. There are also a few rivers to cross, so be sure to wear good waterproof shoes. Overall, the waterfalls were beautiful, and we definitely recommend this hike.
Another popular hike in Jardín is the Cueva del Esplendor hike. We decided against this one because we heard that it makes the most sense to go with a guide, and we didn’t feel like spending $60,000 pesos. You can also do it on your own, but between transportation and the fee to access the trail, it also becomes quite pricey. However, we heard great things about the hike, and from the photos it looks beautiful!
If you are looking for a half-day activity, there are several short walks to do from town. More on that below!
Walk (or take the cable car) to a mirador
There are plenty of miradors to visit in Jardín for a coffee, beer, or a big plate of patacones. Here are some of our favorites!
Mirador Cristo Rey Jardín
Perhaps the most well-known viewpoint in town, Cristo Rey offers views that definitely make the steep walk worth it. Once there, you can continue walking to Cafe Jardín to grab a hot cup of coffee and some pastries.
Mirador del Hererrita
To get here, we took the Garrucha cable car from the edge of town. It costs $10,000 COP for a round-trip ride, which was worth it for us to avoid the steep hike. We got off outside of Estadero la Garrucha restaurant, and walked 15 minutes down the road until arriving at Mirador del Herrerita. The mountain views from this cafe are unbelievable, and we enjoyed two beers and some snacks while sitting on the giant hammock overlooking the valley.
Mirador del Bosque
Although this cafe/restaurant is lesser known than the others, it is just as beautiful! We got a group together from our hostel to rent some tuk tuks to get there ($20,000 COP per ride). The restaurant makes their own wine using local fruits. After trying some samples we ordered a few bottles along with some delicious empanadas.
Drink the best coffee in town
We stumbled into Del Alto Cafe one morning while hunting for stable wifi, and we ended up coming back three more times during our stay. Located only a few streets down from the town square, this cafe is owned by the same family who run a coffee farm outside of town. The coffee was some of the best we tried in all of Colombia, and we also enjoyed the fresh pastries.
Where to stay:
We spent a few nights at Creo Ecolodge and absolutely loved it. This hostel gives off a cozy bed-and-breakfast vibe, with group dinners at night and the most spectacular (included) breakfasts in the morning. It’s location also makes it the perfect point to start hikes from without needing to take a tuk tuk from town. Prices are a bit higher than the hostels in town, but well worth it for the view and breakfast alone.
Overall, we absolutely loved visiting Jardín, and we think you will too!
Visiting Colombia? Check out this article on Things To Do in the Northern Coast!