Minca, a sleepy town high in the jungles of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is a popular stop for travelers in Colombia. But it’s not exactly the most straight forward spot to get to—it’s about 45 minutes away from the nearest airport or bus station in the city of Santa Marta, along windy mountain roads and through chaotic traffic. So if you’re planning a visit to this chill area for yourself, here’s everything you need to know to get from Santa Marta to Minca, Colombia.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
Where is Minca, Colombia located?
Minca is located in the Magdalena area of Colombia, about 45 minutes east of the coastal city of Santa Marta.
Word has gotten out with all of the awesome things to do in Minca, like swimming under stunning waterfalls and seeing some of the 360 species of birds that call this town home. So, in recent years, this laidback town has become a popular stop for travelers exploring Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, like Cartagena, Tayrona National Park, or Palomino.
How to get from Santa Marta to Minca, Colombia
Minca is itty bitty, with a population of just 800. Accordingly, there’s no airport or official bus terminal here.
Instead, you’ll need to first get to the neighboring city of Santa Marta, which is home to Simón Bolívar International Airport and the Terminal de Transportes de Santa Marta (i.e., a big ol’ bus station) if you’re coming from elsewhere in Colombia.
Luckily, there’s quite a few ways to get from here to the teeny town of Minca and from Minca back to Santa Marta.
Getting from Santa Marta to Minca by Colectivo
The cheapest way to get from Santa Marta to Minca is by colectivo (or shared public shuttles), which depart from the Mercado Público de Santa Marta.
Most travelers visiting Minca, including us, arrive in Santa Marta either at the airport or bus station. Accordingly, you’ll either need to grab a taxi, Uber (more on rideshares below!), or prearranged transfer, like this option or this option, from wherever you initially arrive at in Santa Marta to the Mercado.
A taxi from the airport to the market should cost somewhere between 12,000 and 25,000 COP, whereas a ride from the bus station should cost somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 COP—you always can negotiate better rates if you’ve got some solid Spanish skills!
Once you’re at the market, head to the junction of Calle 9 and Calle 12, where you’ll find the office for “Cootrasminca” and a handful of big white vans with “Minca” on its windshield. They are the main operator that offers colectivos between Santa Marta and Minca and you can purchase tickets in their office for around 10,000 COP (or just $2.50 USD) per person.
There’s no need to book ahead—just show up, cash in hand, and they’ll help you get to Minca!
The buses operate from around 7 AM to 6 PM, departing approximately every half hour (or sooner, if a colectivo fills up).
Accordingly, if you’re arriving in Santa Marta later in the evening, like we did, it might not be feasible to catch a colectivo. Honestly, though, the area around the Mercado Público is a little bit on the sketchier side, so I wouldn’t really recommend wandering around this area either too early or too late, anyway.
While colectivos are hands down the cheapest way to get from Santa Marta to Minca, they’re also the least comfortable—they’re usually cramped and without air conditioning, which is not what you want as you’re driving along twisty mountain roads. So, if you’re sensitive to motion sickness, you might want to take some Dramamine before hopping in one of the colectivos.
Insider tip: If you opt to get here by colectivo, be sure to double check where your hotel is located in Minca. Some of the most popular hotels, like La Veranda Hotel (where we stayed!) or Hostal Sierra, are located at least half an hour walk up a steep and windy road from where the colectivos will drop you off in downtown Minca.
Accordingly, unless you're willing to schlep your luggage up the aforementioned hill with you, you'll likely need to flag down a mototaxi to take you the rest of the way to your accomodations.
Getting from Santa Marta to Minca by taxi or rideshare app
Alternatively, you can always hire a ride from Santa Marta to Minca directly through a taxi or a rideshare app.
The ride should cost you around 80,000 COP ($20 USD) one-way—so definitely a bit more expensive than a colectivo, but still affordable if you’re traveling as part of a group. Plus, it’s a much more private and comfortable experience as compared to a cramped shuttle. You can book a ride for even cheaper if you’re willing to ride on a mototaxi!
If you prefer going the taxi route, I’d recommend only grabbing a taxi from an established business, such as the taxi stand at the Santa Marta airport or from your hotel. While Colombia is light years safer than its reputation might suggest, there’s still some scary stuff that happens here on occasion, so I’d personally avoid flagging down a random taxi you happen to see on the street.
Uber is another option. It’s actually how my husband, Justin, and I got both to and from Santa Marta to Minca!
We’re BIG fans of Uber—the app calculates the price for you, so there’s no negotiating with your driver; the address you’re traveling to is automatically shared with your driver, so there’s no risk of something getting lost in translation; you don’t have to use cash; AND you can follow along with your ride in the app to make sure you’re headed the right way.
But it’s worth mentioning that Uber in Colombia is a little funky. It’s actually technically illegal throughout the country and we had some slightly unusual experiences using it during our month here. For example, some of our Uber drivers were yelled at by random taxi drivers when they dropped us off and it was common for a driver to request that you sit in the front seat with them.
And, beyond these issues, it took quite a while for a driver to accept our ride from the Santa Marta airport to Minca—presumably, because of how remote and out-of-the-way Minca is. So you might want to have a Plan B in your back pocket in case Uber doesn’t work out.
And, luckily, there are other rideshare apps that are widely used in Colombia that you can try, including Didi, Cabify, and inDrive.
Getting from Santa Marta to Minca by Private Shuttle
If you’re a Type A traveler (*raises hand*) and would prefer to have your transportation to Minca nailed down when you arrive in Santa Marta, there are a few private shuttles that you can book ahead of time, like this option.
This is definitely the most expensive way to get to Minca, but, if you’re arriving in Santa Marta on the later side—or simply don’t want to fart around with colectivos or rideshare apps, a prearranged shuttle can definitely offer some peace of mind that you’ll get to Minca quickly and safely.
Getting from Santa Marta to Minca by tour
Most of the transportation options outlined above are geared towards travelers that are planning to spend a night or two enjoying Minca’s chill vibes. But, if you only have time to squeeze in a day trip to Minca from Santa Marta, there’s a variety of tours that offer roundtrip transportation AND experiencing some of the best activities this beautiful area have to offer.
I’d recommend checking out:
- Full day Minca tour: This jam-packed tour includes roundtrip transportation from Santa Marta, a traditional Colombian lunch, and a sampler platter of Minca’s best activities, including swimming in the Oido del Mundo waterfall (which is an underrated hidden gem!) and touring a coffee and chocolate farm with a knowledgeable guide.
- Private coffee and waterfall tour: If you’re looking for an option that has a bit of a slower pace, this private tour offers roundtrip transportation from Santa Marta, a stop at the La Victoria Coffee Finca (which impressively uses the same equipment as when they started in 1892!), some time to explore downtown Minca, and then a stop at my favorite waterfall in town, Marinka.
Although it takes a little bit of leg work to get to Minca, I promise it’s totally worth the effort. Do you have any questions getting from Santa Marta to Minca? Let us know in the comments below!
