The epic hike to Cerro Kennedy may easily turn into one of your most memorable Colombian experiences. At Cerro Kennedy, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta reveals its most magnificent views, particularly at sunrise. Magical lights caused by the reflection of the sun will appear in the palm trees below you as the mist slowly lifts. The peacefulness is unique.
I’ve been living in Colombia for over 5 years now, and Cerro Kennedy definitely holds a special spot among my top 10 favorite destinations in the country. And the sunrise? Well, top 3 of best sunrises in the world! Discover the magic of Cerro Kennedy for yourself with this mini-guide.
Photo by Travelhapp: Sunrise at Cerro Kennedy Colombia
The way up to the summit of Cerro Kennedy starts from the laid-back mountain village of Minca in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Minca is only about 45 minutes away from Santa Marta taking one of the little buses at Plaza del Mercado. The village is well worth staying a few days with its beautiful waterfalls, pristine rivers, unpaved roads, and amazing vistas. It offers a myriad of great hiking opportunities and rooms with incredible views!
From Minca, the scenic 25 km hike up to the top of Cerro Kennedy takes about 8 hours. Along your way, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking panoramas and fragrant aromas that fill the air. If you forgot to buy water or food you can still do that in the tiny village of El Campano, about a 2-hour walk from Minca.
On day 1, I recommend arriving at Hostal Donde Moncho (Google Maps), near “Primera Antena”, and spending the night either in the hostel or at their campsite. Why? This allows you to enjoy the views at sunset, the beautiful starry night sky, and the incredible sunrise.
From Donde Moncho, it’s about another 40 minutes to the summit, but some people claim that the views near the hostel are actually the best. The sunrise pictures on this page were taken near the hostel.
If you’d like to take things a bit more leisurely, you could also consider staying your first night closer to the Los Pinos viewpoint, for example at Masaya Casas Viejas (Booking.com*) or Hostal Sierra Minca (Booking.com*).
You may want to download the trek details from WikiLoc:
Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy Views
Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail to the Cerro Kennedy summit
To get an impression of the Cerro Kennedy hike starting from Minca, you may want to check out the videos by JCM Productions and Francis Pelletier on YouTube.
JCM Productions: Cerro Kennedy Hiking
Francis Pelletier: Trek Minca – Cerro Kennedy
By the time I was visiting, the guys from hostel Donde Moncho were setting up a night photography workshop. This is a great chance to improve your photography skills and take unique profile pictures with the starry mountains sky in the background 😉
Photo by Donde Moncho team, Cerro Kennedy Night Photography
A more chilled option compared to the 8 hour full hike is taking a local mototaxi up to Hostal donde Moncho and then just hike the last 40 min up to the summit. There is a mototaxi collective called Motomink in Minca. They offer set prices (visible on a board in their office) and guarantee regular mechanical checks and active insurance. The motorbike ride up the bumpy road to Hostal donde Moncho takes about 2 hours
Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy trail
If you are very fit, you may consider renting a mountain bike in Minca. You can find several suggested mountain biking routes on Wikiloc, for example: Minca to Cerro Kennedy (on Wikiloc).
Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy summit trail
Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail from Minca to Cerro Kennedy
Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail to Cerro Kennedy
I recommend hiking to Cerro Kennedy with a group and/or guided tour. While you’ll likely meet other travelers at the hostel and campsite on the mountain, the trek itself can feel quite solitary at times since it is very long.
Check out this recommended 2-day-Trekking Tour (Viator.com*) run by a local Santa Marta-based operator. If you are at least 2 people, this Cerro Kennedy tour (GetYourGuide.com)* led my an indigenous Wiwa-guide is also very interesting.
Taking a mototaxi up to Hostal Donde Moncho is another great option for solo travelers. Of course, this means you’ll miss a large part of the hike, but trust me – the views are an experience in themselves.
Your Cerro Kennedy adventure awaits – start packing!
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Last Update: May 10, 2025
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