9 Amazing Hikes in Medellin, Colombia

Medellin has grown in popularity over recent years and has become a hotspot for party-goers and travelers alike. It is often referenced as the City of Eternal Spring. While I love everything about Medellin and what it offers, many people miss out on some of the best activities here. And by activities, I’m talking about the best hikes in Medellin.

I know that I just scratched the surface during my time here, and there are more hikes in Colombia to complete. A few times, I got stuck in a rainstorm during a hike.

However, this shouldn’t deter you from going during the rainy season, as the forests are even more lush and beautiful.

In this guide, I will discuss different hikes you can do throughout Medellin and provide the details needed to complete them.

Where is Medellin?

Medellin is a bustling city in Colombia. It is located in the Northwest province of Antioquia. It is popular among backpackers and world travelers alike.

The cost of travel in Colombia is cheap, which helps you see as much of this beautiful country as possible.

Medellin is on most people’s radars when they visit, but you must add some of these hikes to your itinerary in Colombia!

My Favorite Hikes in Medellin

1. Cerro de Las Tres Cruces

Are you into fitness and looking for a great workout while traveling? Then this is one of the best hikes in Medellin that offers both.

Cerro de Las Tres Cruces is a local favorite for a reason. Not only is this an incredible hike that gives great views of Medellin but there is also a gym sitting at the top. During this hike, you will see many fitness goers using the place as their workout for the day.

This hike only takes around 30 to 45 minutes to reach the top. Overall out and back should take 1 hour and 15 minutes. To get there the best way is to take an uber. There is actually a GPS location for it called Hike Tres Cruces. If you’re taking a taxi just name the hike you’re doing and they should know where to go.

If you’re coming from El Poblado then the ride should cost around 12,000 COP. We came from Rosales and it cost us $7000 COP. Totally worth it to add this hike to your Medellin list of things to do.

2. Arvi Park

The most popular nature area in Medellin is easily Arvi Park or Parque Arvi. Located just outside the city, it’s no wonder this is a popular attraction in Medellin with multiple hikes.

We had the issue of not checking the dates they are open and we went the one day they are closed. Below is the schedule for when they are open.

• Monday – Closed
• Tuesday – 9 am to 6 pm
• Wednesday – 9 am to 6 pm
• Thursday – 9 am to 6 pm
• Friday – 9 am to 6 pm
• Saturday – 9 am to 6 pm
• Sunday – 8:30 am to 6 pm

There are multiple hikes and activities to partake in when visiting this park. We decided to do the Ancestral Trail as it gave the best views of Medellin. This was a nice relaxing hike that was around 2.7 miles out & back. A very minimal incline is involved with some good views.

This is one of the pricier hikes to do. The best way to get here is to get on the metro for $2900 COP and head north to Acevedo. From here you will transfer to the cable cars and ride to Santa Domingo. After this, you will have to get off and head to the other cable car which will cost an additional $11,000 COP each way.

I would suggest doing the hikes in Parque Arvi solely to ride the cable cars and see the city from a different view.

3. Cerro El Volador

This next hike is probably the least strenuous on the list of hikes in Medellin. Cerro El Volador is another popular area that the locals love to go to. It is more of a traditional park than the others on this list.

If you want to get to the top to enjoy the view, it will take around 30 to 40 minutes, depending on which route you take. It is a 1.8-mile loop trail. The cool thing about this hike is that an airport is located right next to it. This means you’ll see planes fly very close overhead of you.

There are some benches located at the top which are great for eating lunch or you can go further along the ridge to have a picnic. It is nice visiting a park which has some great objectives such as:

• Protecting the natural plant species
• preserving the archaeological findings
• Showing appreciation for the Borra Valley

4. Cerro Quitasol

Few people know about the hike located slightly outside Medellin in the town of Bello. Cerro Quitasol is one of the most challenging hikes located in town, if not the hardest.

This is the highest point in the city, offering great views of the city. The hike isn’t for the faint of heart, as it is a 6.7-mile point-to-point trail. That isn’t the difficult part. The elevation gain is 3800 feet or 1200 meters, which is by far the hardest part of the hike.

The best tip I can give you is to bring enough water. It is not ideal to run out of water on this hike as, during the most challenging part of the hike, you’ll be straight in the sun. Also, download wikiloc for all of your Colombian hikes. You can follow the route we took here.

5. Salto Del Angel, Envigado

Outside of the city of Medellin are a few waterfall hikes. One of the most popular and largest ones is Salto del Angel.

These hikes are located in the district of Envigado and are another popular outdoor area in the city. The hike straight to Salto del Angel isn’t too long. It is quite easy to trek to the trailhead where you descend.

You will want to start at La Catedral. You can take the A-line on the metro down south and get off at the Envigado stop. From here a taxi to La Catedral will cost around $25,000.

From La Catedral, you will want to go to the back of the building behind the parking lot. You will see an opening into the forest. This is the beginning of the hike.

6. Cascada El Silencio

Further down the river of Salto del Angel is another, lesser-known waterfall. Cascada el Silencio is smaller than the other waterfalls mentioned in this guide.

Instead of taking the ropes up to the entrance to Salto del Angel, you should keep walking down the path. You will come across ropes leading down. Keep following this path until you get to an open field.

Once at this open field directly across from you is the river. Hop across it and keep following the river upstream. You’ll have to hop across a few times, but as long as you keep following the river upstream, you will find it.

We had the help of some locals, otherwise this wouldn’t have been one of the hikes that we would have known about in Medellin.

7. Chorro de las Campanas

Sticking to the same region as the two previous waterfalls above is the more famous and is traveled to more often as well. Chorro de las Campanas is a great waterfall for swimming. Some tour guides will take you to this.

Unfortunately, we were unable to make it here as our 3rd waterfall of the day. This was largely due in part to the immense amount of rain that came down on us. As we were climbing down to the waterfall it became too muddy and unsafe so we had to turn around.

As I have suggested before, be sure to download wikiloc. Here you will find multiple hikes and read reviews of them. It costs $5 for a 3-month membership. You can download offline maps and follow other steps.

Things to Know

Bonus: Hiking Near Medellin

These last 2 hikes are not in Medellin and will require a 2+ hour bus to get to. That being said it is very doable to complete these hikes in one day.

8. La Piedra Del Penol

Arguably one of the most popular day trips in the whole country is visiting the town of Guatape. Located in this town is the unique structure called the La Piedra del Penol.

The town of Guatape is amazing and you can easily spend more than one day here. That being said the day tour includes a lot and there are so many to choose from. This tour includes transportation to and from Medellin, breakfast/lunch, a boat tour, and a tour of Guatape town.

That being said the rock is the reason most come to this town. It is a huge rock protruding out of the ground at 2100 meters, you can’t miss it. Built alongside this rock are 700 steps that take you to the top. Here you can enjoy 360-degree views of the town of Guatape.

9. Cerro Tusa

Known as the natural pyramid hike in Colombia, Cerro Tusa will really test your will to keep going. This hike is located near the town of Venecia and is around a 2-hour bus ride from Medellin.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time during our stay in Colombia and were unable to do this hike. It was on our bucket list of hikes to do and I still think it should be on yours as well.

The kilometers hiked isn’t too much but what makes this hike so difficult is how steep it is. It is highly suggested to wear gloves during this hike because chances are you will have to grab onto trees to help keep you from sliding.

Once at the top you can enjoy amazing views of Colombia and feel extremely accomplished about what you just went through.

Best Places to Stay in Medellin

If you are visiting Medellin, you will most likely be planning on staying in El Poblado. This is the most popular area of the city with plenty of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants for your needs. Below are some of the best hostels in Medellin.

• Black Sheep Hostel: This is Medellin’s most popular and social hostel. They have drinks for sale, hammocks, and an amazing terrace for you to hang out at.
• Purple Monkey Hostel: Another very popular hostel in El Poblado. It is known to have the comfiest beds and is perfectly located. There are also FOUR outlets at your disposal.
• Los Patios Hostel: If you’re looking for something a little fancier, then Los Patios is an excellent option. It has one of the best rooftop pools in all of Medellin.

Other Hikes in Colombia

• La Cueva del Esplendor
• Camping on the beach in Tayrona National Park
• Valle de Cocora
• Spectacular Hikes in Minca

Final Thoughts About the Hikes in Medellin

When I speak to many people who have been to Medellin before, they always say they didn’t know there were so many hikes to do there. I’m not surprised by this because the hype around this city is the party scene. It was nice not having so many people on the trails as it is way more relaxing. I do wish more people knew about these hikes though. I would suggest you try to fit in both partying, site seeing and visiting some of these amazing hikes while visiting this city!