Valencia Waterfall Hike from Palomino (Shared)

From $85 USD per person

Valencia waterfall is about 25 minutes’ walk from the nearest road, which is close enough to be easy and far enough to be quiet. It drops into a series of natural pools fed by cold water off the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and it is the counterpoint to Palomino’s beaches: shade instead of sun, cold water instead of warm, and nobody selling you anything.

Five hours, shared, and about three of them are simply at the falls. The pace is slow on purpose. There is no running commentary and no checklist of stops.

Check live availability and prices — or read on for how the day unfolds.

How the day works

• Motorbike and the walk in (about 1 hour). Your guide meets you in Palomino and rides out with you to the trailhead, then it is a 25-minute path through forest.
• Three hours at Valencia. Mountain water into natural pools. Swim, sit on the rocks, eat what you brought, read. That is the itinerary and it is meant to be.
• Back the same way (about 1 hour). The trail out and the motorbike to your hotel.

What’s included

• Tour guide
• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Palomino by motorbike
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Breakfast and lunch
• Extra purchases

Good to know

• Pickup and drop-off to the trailhead are by motorbike, so pack light and wear something you can ride in. It is how everything in Palomino works.
• 25 minutes on a forest path, gentle, but comfortable walking shoes with grip make it better.
• Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• You are welcome to bring food and drink. Meals are not included and there is nothing to buy at the falls.
• Local guides may not be fully bilingual. Basic English is available, but this is a nature day rather than a guided commentary, and it is better for it.
• Runs rain or shine. The waterfall is more impressive after rain.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from the Los Coquitos pool hike?

Valencia is a waterfall into pools, 25 minutes from the road. Los Coquitos is a pool about an hour’s walk in. Both are five hours and shared. Valencia is the shorter walk; Los Coquitos is the more remote.

Three hours is a long time at a waterfall.

It is, and that is the design. If you want a day that moves, the quad bike tour or river tubing will suit you better.

Can you swim under the falls?

You swim in the pools they drop into. The water comes off the Sierra Nevada and it is cold.

Is the walk hard?

No. Twenty-five minutes on a forest path. The motorbike ride to the trailhead is the part to think about, not the walk.

Is it busy?

Less than the beach. It is a shared tour, so you will have company, but it is not a queue.

How do we get to Palomino in the first place?

We drive that leg. Our Santa Marta to Palomino transfer is the common one, plus Cartagena and Barranquilla.

Ready? Check your date and lock it in