Pozo Azul in Minca, Colombia: The Best Hangout Spot

Located only a 10-minute drive up the road from Minca is the most popular spot to hang out in town. Pozo Azul in Minca is famous amongst travelers and locals for its accessibility, free cost, and excellent swimming area. Colombians flock to this area on the holidays and weekends as it is perfect for the whole family.

It doesn’t take long to get here and can be added to the other many amazing activities there are to do in Minca. We made sure to add this to our list when we decided to spend the week here.

In this guide, I will give you all the details you need to know about Pozo Azul as well as the best place to stay for visiting it.

What is Pozo Azul?

Pozo Azul is translated in Spanish as the blue well and for good reason. The water is ice-cold and extremely refreshing. This can be a perfect way to end your hike when coming from the famous Cerro Kennedy or Los Pinos.

Surrounded by the lush forest of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it’s no wonder this place gets crowded. Be sure to arrive early or on the weekends!

How to Get to Pozo Azul in Minca

There are two main ways of arriving here. One way is by car or moto-taxi and the other is by foot. We decided to take the foot route as it isn’t that long of a hike. Below I will give more details about each.

Moto Taxi

This is a popular option and very cheap. There is a company right before you reach the yellow bridge called Moto Mink. The cost is $10,000 COP. This ride will take you around 10 minutes and is adventurous in its own right.

These guys are good at what they do and there is no reason to be worried. This is a good option because it is free entry.

Hike

I would suggest hiking because it is short and makes the waterfall more rewarding. It is around 4 miles round trip. You will be mainly walking on the road until you reach the entrance.

I would suggest arriving very early or around lunchtime. Try your best to avoid weekends and holidays as the crowds will be massive. In total should take 2 hours roundtrip.

If you don’t like crowds at all then you could alternatively visit some less crowded waterfalls such as Cascada Oido Del Mundo and Marinka waterfalls.

What to do in Minca

Minca is a special place. Easily one of my favorites in Colombia. There are even more things you can do here besides seeing some amazing waterfalls. The region has amazing coffee as well as one of the most famous hikes in all of Colombia, The Lost City Trek.

Pozo Azul Hike Details

Find out more about the hiking details as well as read reviews on Alltrails.

My Suggested Hiking Gear

Below is a list of some of my favorite hiking/travel gear I bring everywhere. Everything below is something I currently use and never leave my house without.

• KEEN Durand II Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots: I finally upgraded my hiking boots in 2022 and these are fantastic. They have top-notch ankle support and are super durable.
• Petzl Tikka Headlamp: A headlamp for hiking is a must if you’re like me and love sunrise hikes. This is a great price for a quality headlamp and also has a good red light to not disturb others in the morning.
• Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks: I originally got these as a present but I had to buy more because these are the most comfortable hiking socks I’ve ever tried on.
• Grayl GeoPress Water Filter Bottle: You will never have to rebuy plastic water bottles. This is the best water filtering device on the market. It is excellent for hikers and travelers alike.

My Experience Hiking to Pozo Azul in Minca

Hiking to Pozo Azul is the most popular thing to do in Minca. This is apparent when arriving. There are people, myself included, that don’t like crowds during outdoor activities. Even though I knew it was going to be crowded, I still had to go. And I’m I did.

This area has the best swimming locations out of any waterfall in Minca. The hike was rather boring but I thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

The hike starts from downtown Minca at the main intersection. Instead of taking a right after the yellow bridge towards the church, continue straight. The incline immediately begins.

There isn’t too much to see besides some restaurants, hotels, and moto-taxis constantly passing you. It was great to get the legs moving nonetheless.

After around an hour, depending on how fast you are, you will arrive at an area with a lot of cars and moto-taxis. You will see an orange cafe too. This is where the trail begins. Take a left here and follow this trail for 10 more minutes.

Stay straight on the path. Follow the crowds and you won’t get lost. There will be some food vendors on the side of the trail and even a hostel. Shortly after this walk, you will be at the famous Cascada Pozo Azul.

First Waterfall

You will know you have made it to Pozo Azul when you see a clearing of Moto Taxis. Shortly past this is the river. There are multiple swimming spots throughout this area. Start walking and you will climb along the side until you reach the first waterfall.

This is where the majority of people will be at. It is a great place to swim and relax in the water. It is a perfect depth where you can fully submerge but not too deep where it’s hard to stand.

There is a lifeguard on duty here which is nice. If you are hungry there are restaurants and vendors around this area. We brought our own snacks and many others do as well.

If you are looking for a more secluded area, then I suggest you walk across the water and hike up to the second waterfall.

Second Waterfall

The trail is short but a bit of climbing is involved. Most fitness levels will be able to get to the second waterfall easily. When we arrived there was nobody swimming and only one other person walking around.

It is not as big of a swimming area and you’re forced to be closer to the waterfall. This makes swimming a bit more of a workout than the other swimming spot.

I personally enjoyed this spot more because of the lack of people. We had it all to ourselves.

There is another trail leading up to the top and further along the river. Some people have cliff jumped from here. I was attempting to but I’ll admit, I got cold feet.

It was at max only 2-3 meters deep and only in certain sections. If you want a more relaxing swim then going further up the river would be your best bet.

Where to Stay When Visiting Pozo Azul

There are many great places to stay in Minca like the famous Sierra Minca hostel up in the mountains. Unfortunately, this is quite far from Pozo Azul. Don’t let this scare you away from staying here as it is an extremely nice hostel.

If you want to be as close as possible to the waterfall then I suggest you stay at the La Casa del Pozo Azul hostel. It is only a few minutes walk from the actual waterfall! It lies directly on the river and also serves free breakfast. Such a nice setup.

Final Thoughts on Pozo Azul

After reading many complaints about how crowded this area was, I was a little nervous. I’m glad I didn’t let this fear of mine force me to not hike to this amazing waterfall. Pozo Azul was everything I thought it would be and more. The constant rain forced us out a little earlier than we had planned. I can only imagine how relaxing it is to bring some sandwiches here and hang out all day. You won’t find a better swimming area in all of Minca.

Thank you for reading my guide on Pozo Azul in Minca! I hope this information helps you in planning your trip to this wonderful area of Colombia.