Cerro Kennedy Colombia Hike, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Cerro Kennedy Hike: an Epic Colombian Adventure

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.

Hiking to Cerro Kennedy from Minca

Cerro Kennedy Colombia Sunrise, Minca - Santa Marta

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 it’s 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 2h 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.

You may want to download the trek details from WikiLoc:

Views from Cerro Kennedy Colombia, Santa Marta - Minca

Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy Views

Hiking trail to the Cerro Kennedy summit, Santa Marta Colombia

⁣Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail to the Cerro Kennedy summit

Videos about the Cerro Kennedy Hike in Colombia

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

Night Photography on Cerro Kennedy

By the time we were 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 😉

Cerro Kennedy Colombia Night Photography, Santa Marta - Minca

Photo by Donde Moncho team, Cerro Kennedy Night Photography

Cerro Kennedy: Alternatives to Hiking

Cerro Kennedy By Mototaxi

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

Cerro Kennedy trail, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

⁣Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy trail

Cerro Kennedy by Mountain Bike

If you are very fit, you may consider renting a mountain bike in Minca, for example with Minca Bikes, at the entrance of the village, next to the police station. You can find several suggested mountain biking routes on wikiloc, for example: Minca to Cerro Kennedy (on wikiloc)

Cerro Kennedy summit trail, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

⁣⁣Photo by Travelhapp: Cerro Kennedy summit trail

Hiking alone to Cerro Kennedy? Tips for Solo Travelers

We recommend to hike to Cerro Kennedy with a group. While you will most likely meet other travelers in the hostel and campsite on the mountain, the trek itself may feel quite solitary at times since it is very long (ca. 8h). Below you can view some images of the hiking trail.

Join our Colombia Solo Travelers Facebook Group to invite nearby solo travelers or locals to join you on the hike. (Our focus is on female solo traveler needs and interests.)

Alternatively (or additionally), you may consider hiring a local guide in Minca or Santa Marta. (Our focus is on female solo traveler needs and interests.)

Another excellent option for solo travelers is to take a mototaxi up to Hostal Donde Moncho. Of course, this way you’ll miss a large part of the hike, but trust me, the views are absolutely worth it on their own.

Hiking trail from Minca to Cerro Kennedy Colombia

Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail from Minca to Cerro Kennedy

Hiking trail from Minca to Cerro Kennedy, Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Photo by Travelhapp: Hiking trail to Cerro Kennedy

Your Cerro Kennedy adventure awaits – start packing!

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Last Update: February 28, 2025

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Nicole
Curious Solo Traveler – living in Colombia

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