salto del angel envigado

This was a hiking experience to remember and not for all good reasons. Not many people know, but there are some spectacular hikes in Medellin. On this day we set out to see three different waterfalls that are rather close to each other. Salto del Angel is a popular waterfall located in Envigado. This is an area southeast of Medellin but still very accessible from any part of town.

Our goal was to get to another waterfall called Chorro de las Campanas. I highly suggest that you download wikiloc if you plan on doing any hike in Colombia and especially Medellin. I will place the link to the trail below in the hike details.

In this guide, I will go over how to get to Salto del Angel in Envigado as well as another waterfall.

salto del angel envigado

Salto Del Angel Envigado Hike Details

  • Distance: 3-mile point-to-point trail. This will depend on if you get lost at all and if you want to visit all 3 waterfalls
  • Duration: This can vary largely but usually is between 2 to 4 hours.
  • Difficulty: I’d rate this hike as moderate because of some of the steep inclines.
  • Incline: 1,714 feet or 518 but this also depends on where you start.
  • Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public. That being said here is the wikiloc trail we followed
salto del angel envigado
salto del angel envigado

How to Get to Salto Del Angel in Envigado, Medellin

You will want to make your way toward La Catedral in Envigado. You will have a few options. Uber, taxi, or metro + bus. We took an uber there and it was around $30,000 COP. The ride takes 45 minutes.

If you get on the metro, go south on the A-line and get off at Envigado. From here it will be easy to take a taxi for around $25,000 COP. The main problem that arises from ending at the La Catedral is it will be difficult finding a ride down.

Either way, once at La Catedral you will walk through the court and behind the building. Walk through the gate and the hike will start.

As you can see, the cost of travel in Colombia is cheap, which helps you to see as much of this beautiful country as possible.

Related Post: 17 Unique Hikes in Colombia9 Amazing Hikes in Medellin

Other Hikes in Colombia You’d Love

There are many adventures to go on in Medellin and these hikes are perfect to add to any itinerary in Colombia!

If you’re looking for a place to stay, then check out the best hostels in Medellin.

My Suggested Hiking Gear

My Experience Hiking to Salto Del Angel in Envigado

The day started off promising. It was looking like a dry day, a little cloudy but we liked the protection from the heat. We’ve been in Medellin for almost a month now and it has rained more times than we can count. Unfortunately, we did arrive during the rainy season in the city of eternal spring. So we knew what we were getting ourselves into.

The hike will start behind the court and behind that building, you will see a gate. You will want to walk through that gate and the trail will be very clear for about 30 minutes.

salto del angel trail
salto del angel envigado

You will start to see some signs pointing you toward Salto Del Angel in Envigado. There are 2 different paths and we took one that we had to climb over a fallen tree.

Once you get to the section where there is a rope attached to the trees that lead uphill, then you are on the right path. Follow this up for the next few minutes.

salto del angel envigado

Where to Descend

Our goal for this day was to make it to a different waterfall. At the top of this hill, you will be greeted by Salto del Angel in the surrounding area of Envigado. There is a sign and a path that leads straight down. This is where you will want to descend if you’re wanting to make it to the waterfall.

Be careful as there have been some mishaps in this area due to loose rocks and rain. Going down is easier but it is a straight incline on the way back up.

We got some great drone shots and decided to keep going to avoid some of the rain later on. This would prove to not work in the end.

salto del angel envigado

Other Waterfalls Near Salto Del Angel Envigado

There are 2 more waterfalls along the same river that Salto del Angel feeds into. If you ever get lost hiking to one of these waterfalls, all you need to do is follow the river and you will find it.

Cascada El Silencio

Cascada El Silencio is the next waterfall and isn’t as popular. When you get to an open field, you will want to continue straight to the river. Cross this river and keep following a trail that will lead you back up the river.

Sometimes your feet will be fully submerged in the water but that is part of the fun. Thankfully we found some locals along the way who helped us get here. It was a great waterfall but by the picture of the other ones, this was the smallest.

Nonetheless, it was cool to see. This waterfall is not on the wikiloc mentioned above so if you ever get lost, all you need to do is head back to the trail on the wikiloc.

The Open Field: Walk Straight Through to the River
cascada el silencio
cascada el silencio

Chorro de las Campanas

Chorro de las Campanas is probably the most popular one in the region of Envigado. It is often called the Arenales waterfall and is easily accessible if you only want to reach this waterfall.

You can take a bus to Arenales when getting off the metro and it will take you to the trailhead.

We did not make it here as the rain started and continued to get harder and harder. The route we were following had us going down a steep hill and since it was raining so hard, we decided to turn back.

This is the first hike I had to turn around on and it still haunts me to this day. I will be back to get here but will probably try to come in the dry season.

Final Thoughts on Salto Del Angel in Envigado

I’m more disappointed in myself than anything. Overall the hike was amazing and being near waterfalls that are so close to a huge city was the highlight of our time here. Be careful doing these hikes if you are going during the rainy season. Flash floods are common and can make climbing back up certain sections very difficult. I’ll be back to finish all these hikes in one go!

Thank you for reading my guide on Salto Del Angel in Envigado. I hope you can check this waterfall out and have better luck than us!