How To Hike to Chorro Blanco in Jardin Without Getting Lost

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Can you hike to Chorro Blanco in Jardin without a guide and without getting lost? Yes. I did it with nothing but horse tracks, a bunch of farm gates, and questionable Spanish.

Jardin, the colorful flower-filled town up in the Andes mountains, is surrounded by natural wonders. There are waterfalls everywhere, including Cueva del Esplendor, a waterfall inside a cave. But the one that stood out to me was Chorro Blanco, a hidden waterfall about 100 meters high that barely shows up on Google Maps. It sits deep in the forest, sees hardly any tourists, and the only way in is on foot (unless you want to pay a tour operator a hefty amount, which I did not).

If you are into chasing waterfalls, check out La Chorrera, the highest waterfall in Colombia, near Bogota.

That is why I wrote this step-by-step guide, so you can do the whole thing yourself and actually find the waterfall. Enjoy!

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Things To Know Before Hiking To Chorro Blanco

Since Chorro Blanco is almost impossible to locate on the maps, it shouldn’t surprise you that the way there is a little tricky. There are no signs along the way to indicate where you should go, which makes the hike even more confusing.

Thankfully, there are horse tours that go to Chorro Blanco. Tour? I don’t want to do a tour. I want to save money. I am not telling you to do the tour. I am saying that since horses pass by the trail frequently, you will see horse tracks along the way.

Horse tracks will help you so much to reassure you that you are on the right path. Horse tracks look like something like this.

If there are horse tracks on your path, you are going the right way!

Another tip: you will be walking on paths where you have to open gates or untie barbed wire fences. If you see a gate in front of you, that does not mean you are going the wrong way! I had to open or untie around 5-10 fences to get to Chorro Blanco. That is normal here, just close them behind you.

The last tip is a general one for not getting lost. On the path to Chorro Blanco, you will pass by many people’s houses. If you are at a fork and one of the paths looks like it is going towards someone’s house, pick the one that isn’t.

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Transportation: How To Get To Chorro Blanco

There are three ways to get to the starting point of the hike to Chorro Blanco: by mototaxi, by public transportation (shared Jeeps), and by walking. This is ONLY to get to where the hike starts. All three options take you to the same spot. The trail from the starting point to Chorro Blanco is approximately 2.5 hours.

There are also three options for coming back to Jardin.

The first one is walking back the same way you came from, and calling your mototaxi driver to pick you up where you were dropped off.

The second way is to walk back the same way you came from, and then keep walking all the way back to Jardin.

The third and recommended way is to take the public transportation (shared Jeep) that leaves at 5 PM back to Jardin. More information on that down below.

👉 Note: Prices below are what I paid back in 2019. Colombia has seen a lot of inflation since then, so treat these as a floor, not a promise. Confirm current fares in Jardin before you go.

Time and cost to get to the beginning of the hike to Chorro Blanco (not including the 2.5-hour hike to Chorro Blanco)

	Cost (COP)	Time (minutes)
Mototaxi	~20000	30
Shared Jeeps	~5000	45
Walking	Free	150

Total time and cost to get back to Jardin from Chorro Blanco (including the hike back)

	Cost (COP)	Time (minutes)
Mototaxi	~20000	~180
Shared Jeeps	~5500	~135
Walking	Free	~270

Mototaxi to Chorro Blanco

Mototaxi is probably the easiest option to get to the starting point of the hike. They can be found all around the town of Jardin, especially around the main square.

You have the freedom to go at any time you want, but I recommend no later than 10:30 AM if you plan on catching the transport back to Jardin. The mototaxi should not cost you more than ~20k pesos (2019 price, budget more now).

I paid 20k pesos for them to take me to Alto de las Flores, or you can just tell them to take you to where the hike for Chorro Blanco begins. This is the option I would highly recommend.

Public Transportation (Shared Jeeps) to Chorro Blanco

Public transportation, or shared Jeeps, can be found at the main terminal. They are cheaper than a mototaxi, about ~5,000 pesos per person (2019 price). The catch is they only run a few times a day. When I went, departures were 6 AM, 12 PM, and 4 PM, so the 6 AM was the only one that left enough daylight for the hike.

If you are okay with waking up early to catch the 6 AM Jeep, this is probably the best option for you. Just check the current schedule at the terminal the day before, these things change.

Hiking All the Way to Chorro Blanco

Now if you are really into hiking or want to save money, you can walk the entire way. Walk towards Alto de Las Flores on Google Maps or maps.me. The hike will take about 2.5 to 3 hours to the trailhead, where you then hike another 2.5 hours to the waterfall. It is a long day, but it is free.

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Packing List For Chorro Blanco Hike

Your journey to Chorro Blanco will probably start in the morning and end in the late evening. For that reason, I recommend packing a few things.

1. Sunscreen – Do you want to look like a lobster? I didn’t think so! Jardin sits at 1,750m above sea level and the sun up there hits different.
2. Insect repellent with picaridin – Jardin is surrounded by trees, woods, and nature. You will meet plenty of insects on this hike. Picaridin is proven to be more effective than DEET, and the mosquitos here have had years of practice.
3. Rain poncho or rain jacket – Jardin gets a lot of rain. During my one-week stay there, it rained every single day. You do not want to be the person shivering in a wet t-shirt for 5 hours.
4. About 1-2L of water, a packed lunch, and snacks – This is a full-day mission, fuel accordingly. And bring a bathing suit and a towel if you want to swim at the falls. You earned it.
5. Microfiber travel towel – Light, tiny, and dries fast. Way better than hauling a soggy beach towel up a mountain.

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Chorro Blanco: Step-By-Step Hiking Guide To Avoid Getting Lost!

So you have decided to go to Chorro Blanco? Perfect, it is totally worth it even with all the hard work. This is a step-by-step guide to get you there without getting lost. So let’s begin!

You have arrived at Alto de las Flores where the hike to Chorro Blanco begins, either by mototaxi, shared Jeeps, or walking.

You will come across an intersection. To the right is the main road and the left takes you up to some elevated ground. PICK LEFT AND GO UP!

After picking the path on the left and going up, you will immediately have to decide: left towards the house or right into the forest. Pick left and head towards the house with a gate in the front. The path should look something like this.

You will be walking for a bit before you have to decide between left or right again. On the way, you will encounter fences and gates that you have to open to get through. Don’t worry. This is normal. You will encounter many gates and fences along your way.

After a bit of hiking, you will reach two paths, one to the right that leads up and one to the left that leads to a patch of green grass. Pick the path on the right. It should look something like this.

If you picked left, you will end up on private property and have to turn back. After more hiking, you will arrive at a gate with a yellow house. Once you enter the gate, you will see a path to the left and a path to the right.

The path to the right takes you through a few houses, that is the path you want to take. It should look something like this.

After you pass the houses, you will immediately see a gate to the right, or a path to the left that leads deeper into the woods. Pick the path to the left! The path to the right leads you to someone’s private property. The path should look something like this.

After hiking for a bit, you will come across another choice. This time there will be a sign that says “Venta de Queso”. If you go to the right, you will come across a house that sells cheese. The house is guarded by angry dogs so unless you really want to buy some cheese, don’t go to the right! Pick the path on the left.

After you picked the left path, you will come to another split after a minute or so. Pick the path on the right that leads up and into the woods.

After continuing downhill for a bit, you will encounter another split. The path on the right will take you up and the path on the left will have you continue on your trail. Pick the path on the left. This will be the last choice you have to make!! You are almost there!

If you continue on that path for 30 minutes or so, you will arrive at the house for Chorro Blanco where you have to pay a small entrance fee (I paid 2,000 pesos in 2019, expect a bit more now). On the way there, you will pass by a concrete building and what looks like some kind of water station.

Continue down and you will see many cows along the way and many fences you will have to open up. Once you get down to the bottom, the house for Chorro Blanco looks something like this.

You have (almost) made it!!! Once you pay the owner of the house (also the owner of the waterfall), he will lead you on a 15-minute path to Chorro Blanco. The path starts fairly easy but then you enter the jungle and it quickly turns slippery and difficult. At one point, you have to crawl through a hole in a tree just to continue on the path!

After you crawl through the opening in the tree, you will reach Chorro Blanco. I hope you remembered to bring your bathing suit because you deserve a swim after that difficult hike!

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How To Get Back To Jardin From Chorro Blanco

After you have enjoyed Chorro Blanco, be sure to stop by the house for some freshly made yogurt or juice. They use fresh milk from the cows on their farm to make the yogurt, so it is extra thick and fresh. Easily the best yogurt I had in Colombia.

Now there are three ways to head back. If you came by mototaxi and have the driver’s number, walk back the same way and ask him to pick you up where he dropped you off.

Second, you can walk all the way back from the trailhead to town.

Third, which I am going to go into detail on below, involves walking for 1.5 hours and then catching transport to town. I highly recommend this route because the way back up to where you started the hike is brutal. The only trick is that there is only one transport at 5 PM. For that reason, I suggest you leave no later than 3:30 PM from the house. Do not miss that jeep.

Taking Public Transportation Back to Jardin From Chorro Blanco

Start your hike back the same way you came in. However, instead of going back up where you came from, take a right onto a path that is slightly going downwards. It should look like something like this.

Continue heading down this path for about 45 minutes and you will reach a beautiful house on your right. Immediately after the beautiful house, you will reach the main road with a yellow gate and the option to go left or right. Go left at this intersection.

At this point, your map apps should start working again. The beautiful house on your right will look something like this.

After making that left turn at the intersection, continue on the path for another 45 minutes or so. Remember to stay on the main path, there are many small trails that lead into the woods again. Don’t take those. After 45 minutes of uphill hiking on the main road, you will arrive at a metal cross where the transport comes at around 5 PM.

Congratulations!! You made it! Just sit back and relax and a Jeep will come pick you up shortly! The ride back costs a few thousand pesos (I paid 5,500 in 2019).

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Where To Stay In Jardin

Best Hostel in Jardin – Creo Ecolodge Jardin

If you are visiting Jardin, chances are you want to enjoy the pristine nature this charming town has to offer. There is no better place to do so (affordably) than Creo Ecolodge Jardin.

The hostel is located 2 kilometers from the center of Jardin in the most gorgeous setting in Antioquia. Guests wake up to sweeping views and a complimentary breakfast to kickstart the day. The hostel is also environmentally friendly and sustainable, so what is there not to love?

Best Hotel in Jardin – Casa Passiflora Hotel Boutique

If you are looking for a fancy hotel, then I would recommend Casa Passiflora Hotel Boutique. Though I did not stay there, I heard many great things about it! It even has a hot tub!

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This concludes my guide to hiking Chorro Blanco without getting lost. It is a long, muddy, confusing day, and it is absolutely worth it. Looking for another natural wonder in Jardin? Check out Cueva del Esplendor, a waterfall inside a cave!

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How was your experience hiking to Chorro Blanco? Let us know in the comments!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links. That means if you book or make a purchase through the links, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! The money will help run this site! Thank you!