Jardin, Colombia
After staying a day of walking around this cute colorful town it was no surprise that we extended our stay from 2 nights to 5 nights! And if you’re an outdoor enthusiast like us I recommend you do the same.
How to get to jardin
From Medellin: Make your way to Terminal Sur and you will find the bus company “Rapido Ochoa.” You can also book this trip in advance on the Rapido Ochoa website (it ends up being a few dollars more this way but gives you peace-of-mind). The trip takes about 3-4 hours direct and is a smooth but whindy paved road. The scenery along the way is incredible as the surrounding countryside boasts beautiful mountains, valleys, and rivers.
From Salento: This is a fun one! Get ready for a bumpy adventure. At the main bus terminal in Salento you will find a bus (Bus company: Flota Occidental is what we booked) traveling to Rio Sucio. Prepare yourself as this is a smooth but long 4-5 hour bus ride. Now the fun part…from Rio Sucio you will catch a Cheva (beautifully painted large row seating bus) or a smaller bus by Coostransio bus company to Jardin. Expect another 3-4hour VERY bumpy, dirt road ride. It’s definitely an adventure with a side of back and neck cracking.
Where to Stay
What Jardin lacks in size is made up by the amount of hotels and hostels available for your stay. From budget friendly hostels, Airbnbs, to fancier hotels there are options for all types of travelers.
Budget:
– Hostal La Comedia (includes a great breakfast, amazing hosts, and great location),
– Hotel Valdivia Plaza
– La Casa De Ana
Medium:
– Gulupa Ecolodge
– Hotel Kantarrana Urbana Jardin
– Hospedaje Rural La Boira
Fancy:
– Hotel Plantación
– Apartamentos Primavera
– Casa Passiflora Hotel Boutique
Zack and I love using Booking.com or Hostelworld.com to find our accommodation. I would price compare on both sites as sometimes there are more fees added on Booking or Hostelworld.
Travel Tip: The more you book with booking.com the more points you get towards gaining Genius Levels (which unlocks Credits, Discounts, Upgrades during your stay). Learn more by visiting Genius.
12 BEST things to do in Jardin, colombia
Jardin is an nature-lover, outdoor enthusiasts DREAM. The town is surrounded by lush green mountains with thick pockets of trees, flowers, and shrubs. There are multiple types of birds and you can even spend a few hours watching the rare “Cock-of-the-rock” (more on that later) sing matting songs and play amongst the dense trees.
The abundance of streams, rivers, and waterfalls in the area keeps the plants and animals smiling with life. All the while offering beautiful hiking trails and adventures along the way.
Below is a list of incredible things to do while you spend your time soaking in the beauty of Jardin.
1. Garrucha Cable Car
originally used to transport people and supplies between the town and mountains, it is now also used as a tourist attraction as the ride boasts beautiful views of the town of Jardin, the gorge below and the mountains awaiting your arrival.
For a small fee of 5000 pesos (one-way) you will find yourself flying above the city taking in the views. At the top of the ride there is a restaurant where you can sit and enjoy a drink and food while admiring the beautiful town below and watching the Cable Car make its rounds.
Xtra: Runs every 30 minutes. Holds 5-6 people.
2. Hiking to mirador cristo rey
Amazing short hike right outside of town with rewarding views of the valley below. At the top awates a gigantic cement Jesus with arms wide awaiting your arrival. You can also look forward to sipping a juice, having a beer, or curing your hunger with a delicious meal at the Mirador Cristo Ray Jardin Restaurant (where the view is located).
Length: 0.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 416ft
Route: Out and Back
Restaurant Hours: M-10am-6pm, T & Th- closed, F- 10am-6pm, Sat&Sun- 9am-6:30pm.
Trail Guide: We love the apps: AllTrails and Maps.Me to navigate the trail.
3. Visiting the beautiful basilica menor in Jardin Square
The first church in Jardin was built in 1853, and it was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. In 1902, the church underwent major renovations and was expanded to its current size, which can accommodate up to 1,000 people. The church’s beautiful architecture and impressive bell tower have become iconic symbols of Jardin. Today, the church remains an important religious and cultural center in the town, attracting visitors from all over the world. You definitely can’t miss it when you are spending a few hours touring the beautiful Jardin square.
4. sip Colombian coffee with the locals
On any given day you can find locals sipping coffee, having a freshly made fruit juice, or enjoying some food while sitting outside restaurants in the main square. This is a fun activity to do if you love people watching, like we do. It is awesome to see the locals sharing stories of their days and laughing amongst each other. I think the men gossip more than the women here! haha. PLUS the coffee, fresh fruit, and pastries are delicious! Pick any restaurant, pull up a chair, and Enjoy!
5. Hiking to cueva del esplendor
This waterfall is INCREDIBLE and shouldn’t be missed! Cueva del Esplendor is a stunning natural wonder located just a few kilometers outside of Jardin. This magnificent waterfall has forced its way through a cave leaving you standing at the base of it…speechless. Visitors can take guided tours of the cave, which offer an unforgettable glimpse into the beauty of Colombia’s natural landscape. OR you can do a self-guided, beautiful hike starting from town that will take a solid 5-8 hours round trip (depending on your speed).
Hike: We navigated the hike from town using AllTrails and Maps.Me which worked GREAT!
Tours: To take the stress out of planning, there are multiple tour agencies in town offering round trip transportation to the waterfall such as: Aramacao Tours, Jardin Eco-Tours, Original Travel.
6. Visit the Beautiful "Cock-of-the-Rock"
Yup, you read that right. This beautiful feathery flying friend can be found in the trees of Jardin. Scientifically this bird goes by the name of Rupicola peruvianus. Males boast a beautiful red-orange head and chest with a mohawk atop its head with black and white wings. Their mating calls are unforgettable. Between the hours of 3pm and 5:30pm you can visit these beautiful feathery friends by going to “Jardin de Rocas” which is a beautiful little backyard on the edge of the river where these birds seem to accumulate.
Where: Reserva Natural Jardin De Rocas
Cost: 12000 pesos (per person). Time to unleash your inner bird watcher!
7. Paragliding
Speaking of birds! Have you ever dreamed of flying? Well, now may be the closest you can come to being a bird…safely! Jardin is an incredibly beautiful town to set sail into the sky. Zack and I both were blown away by how fun it was and how beautiful the mountains were below us. Paragliding is offered by La Tienda del Parapente. You can contact them via Whatsapp or just visit their shop in town after 10 am. Paragliding is incredible…weather permitting. So don’t be surprised if your paragliding gets canceled due to weather. Your safety is their #1 priority.
Company: La Tienda del Parapente
Cost: We paid 150000 Sol per person as of 04/2023.
8. Hike to Cueva de los guarachos and salto de angel
First off, this hike is not for beginners as it is not clearly marked. BUT that being said that makes it that much more amazing trying to navigate your way through the backcountry of Jardin searching for beautiful waterfalls. This waterfall boasts an incredible cave next to it providing an extra fun adventure.
Navigation: We used AllTrails to navigate this trail. Other hikers we talked to used Maps.Me and said it was accurate as well. Just make sure your blue dot or Arrow is directly on the black dotted trail or else you definitely can get lost.
Other: Carve out at least 6-8 hours for this hike. If you decide to do the full loop make sure to bring at least 17000 COP per person to pay the farmer (because the trail back to town is apparently through his land). Still totally worth it!
9. rappel down waterfalls
If adventurous activities perk your interest then you should definitely look into rappeling down beautiful waterfalls in Jardin. We chose to do 5 rappels down 5 waterfalls ending at Cascada La Escalera. It was a blast and the guides made sure we were super safe and brought their humor making for a great adventure.
Company: We used Escalera Ecoparque (WhatsApp: 3116329592 or 3217044053)
10. Visit a Coffee Farm
Coffee Coffee and More Coffee! If you are a coffee lover or just genuinely intrigued by how coffee is made then make sure to visit one of Colombias coffee farms. Most farms will take you through the growing of coffee plants all the way to roasting and drinking a yummy cup of fresh Colombian coffee.
Recommended Farms: Finca Florida, Vascafe
11. horseback riding
If you aren’t keen on hiking or just want to see the countryside in a different way than taking a horseback riding tour may be a great option. We didn’t have time to do horseback riding but the company below came highly recommended by our host.
Recommended Company: Aramacao Tours has great ratings on Google Maps.
12. visit a trucheria (trout farm)
One thing that most Colombians share a passion in is trout. Throughout Colombia you can find many trout farms. This Trucheria will let you catch your own fish then cook it for you afterwards. Kind of fun to try your hand in fishing.
Restaurant: La Trucheria
Speaking of food!
NOW IT'S TIME FOR...
RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS
- Artesana Cocina Gourmet: Is a small (4 table) family restaurant with a mix of Colombian food, pasta, Indian food, Asian Food with delicious juices. The chefs will even take your order!
- Toscana Pizza and Pasta Artesanal Jardin: This restaurant has delicious pizzas and pastas with a Lunch Menu that is definitely budget friendly. The staff is very nice and the restaurant itself is clean.
- La Parrilla De Mi Pueblo: Delicious Colombian food, great atmosphere, clean restaurant. Some even comment on how delicious the burgers are. I’d recommend to give it a try!
- Bon Appetit: Great atmosphere, the menu is a mix of Colombian, Indian, Asian (very similar to Artesana Cocina Gourmet). All the staff have fun interacting with each other making for a positive, family atmosphere. Definitely a lot more popular amongst the tourists for dinner so make sure to get their earlier as they are limited in their seating.
We LOVED Jardin, Colombia and hope you do to! If you have any questions or recommendations feel free to comment below :)! Happy travels.