Backpacking Jardín, Colombia: My Experience
Welcome to this backpacking Jardin, Colombia travel guide that covers my experience.
Did you know Jardín is one of the key towns that you can visit in Antioquía?
Translated simply to “Garden” in English, I find comfort in just the name itself! I want to share some feats from my trip to show you what this “Colombian garden” has in store.
If you are in Medellin and planning a trip to Jardin, I have written a list of things to do here that you may (or may not) want to consider looking at before you travel to this town.
Backpacking Jardín, Colombia
With around a four-hour journey from Medellin, you’ll find yourself in a new dimension that offers a cultural experience unlike no other (when considering your current surroundings).
If compared to the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the bigger cities, it begs the question; what other towns are there in Colombia like Jardín? What I found was that Jardín is quite unique!
Whether you’re cruising on a moto-taxi, jumping in a cable car, or sipping some of the finest Colombian coffee, here in Jarin you are only just touching the surface.
How To Get from Medellin To Jardín By Bus
Getting to Jardin from Medellin is relatively easy! I will write a seperate guide that covers how to get to Jardin from Medellin so you can learn the specific steps.
Head over to Medellín’s South bus Terminal and take the direct bus (without booking in advance). If you’ve been backpacking Medellin you’ll already be familiar with this station.
The bus or transporter cars usually leave once every hour or so! You can use sites like Redbus to book your ticket in advance if you want but you’ll pay slightly more.
The journey takes around 4 hours depending on what is happening on the road. If you get stuck behind a trail of Mulas (the name for the trucks that transport goods), your ETA can quite easily get extended. I recommed carrying some snacks along with you.
Where to stay in Jardín
After a long day of traveling, you’ll want spend a night or two in Jardin! If not, then how will you connect with all the beauty that this picturesque Colombian pueblo has to offer?
For a room with a private bathroom and a nice view of the mountains, I found Europa Ecotours to offer a nice and tidy room for when traveling Colombia on a budget! It’s close to the square and even a tasty Pizza restaurant which you also must try.
Here is another great recommendation for a place to stay in Jardin if looking for a more luxury style hotel or you feel like a rest from staying in hostels.
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Backpacking Jardín, Colombia
What else can you do here, then? Isn’t Jardin just a small village in the middle of nowhere? Allow me to show you want I got up to during my time here.
Visit Coffee Shops
As with most of my trips to Colombia, apart from learning Spanish, my main objective is to sample some of Colombia’s best coffee shops.
I’m no coffee expert but over the year I’ve learned to appreciate the finer notes in some of the world’s best coffee found in this region.
Jardin has a few good coffee shops, that luckily, are all within the same square so you don’t have to walk far.
I like to space my cups of coffee out to give my palate a chance to reset. My coffee ritual has gotton more and more refined since arriving in Colombia for the first time back in 2015.
After ordering a Tinto coffee with no sugar or milk, you will, from that moment on, begin to appreciate the taste (hopefully).
Here in Jardin, coffee shops like Los Andes which are coffee producers from the nearby coffee town of Andes allow you to connect yourself with a superior cup of Colombian coffee grown locally. What ever you do here, please don’t miss out on the coffee.
La Garrucha Cable Car
Set between the hills filled with bananas and coffee, this is a great little addition to any trip to Jardin. Get yourself ready to be suspended by two long wire cables as it pulls you across a plantain plantation in mid-air.
Located off one of the streets you’ll find a mini docking station where you can jump into a metal lattice cable car to prepare for the ride.
The idea is to sit on the other side and gaze at the amazing view of Jardin and the memorable church. It’s easy to see why my friends back in Medellin recommend I did this.
The cost was around 8,000 and it was 100% worth the ride! It’s not a speedy trip, so expect a gentle pull that allows you to enjoy the view while you take some photos.
Visit The Truchería
Other travelers backpacking around Colombia who I’d met on this particular trip managed to missed this. You have to do a slight detour down one of the streets to get here but after a 15-minute stroll while admiring the mountains, you arrive finally at the Truchería.
The Truchería is the name for a place where trout are bred, and in this particular case, sold on-site in their restaurant. For those that like fish, ginding a better lunch than this in Jardin (for the price and quality) is very difficult to beat.
When you’re ready sit down at a table at the restaurant and get a high-quality meal consisting of trout, rice, salad, patacones, and hogado.
Also, they make other local delicacies on-site (panelitas) and you can walk around and see all the processes. This experience is worth visiting for, even if you don’t dine here.
La Cueva Del Esplendor
This is another gem in Jardins that you can’t afford to miss. When done as part of a tour, which I recommend you arrange with your hostel or hotel for the most competitive price, you’ll get the full experience.
After a 30-minute jeep ride, you’ll arrive at a nearby refuge spot where you have the option to have breakfast, you’ll begin your trek down to the waterfall.
Amongst the Butterflies, and singing birds in a picturesque jungle-like setting. You arrive at a secluded spot filled with rocks, caves, and a spectacular waterfall within a cave.
It makes sense to come equipped if you want to visit this attraction. I recommed that you take a look at this South America packing list for more ideas on what to carry, but some water shoes and swim gear will be needed to fully experience this gem.
Colombian Organic Coffee Tour
You aleady know that I love coffee! One of the best things to do in Jardin for me, with all options on offer, was a coffee tour. I recommend a tour like this one while you’re here.
I spent the morning (once again) not only drinking coffee, but learning about the coffee process on a personalized Organic Coffee Plantation Tour while here.
One thing I’ve noticed learning about coffee in Colombia is that every farm has unique ways of doing things. It’s best to do the tour in the morning to make the most of your day, I spent around two hours on the farm before heading back to the town for lunch.
People-watching In The Plaza
Ask anyone who’s been to Jardin why this is a thing. You naturally wind up admiring the local life here, especially after arriving from a big city such as Medellin.
A trip from Medellin to Jardin makes you realize just how intense the daily grind of Medellin can affect your mental state.
Here in the El Parque (public square), you can sit back on appreciate the Pueblo (town) life and simply reflect on the life of the bigger city.
Most locals visit El Parque daily to meet up and socialize. There are some real photo opportunities here that show you a lifestyle that many people from all over the world arriving in Colombia look for.
Ride In A Moto-taxi
No matter what your plans are while traveling here, I can tell you now, in Jardin, no trip here would be complete without a quick ride in a moto-taxi.
You’ll be surprised how robust these little machines are, I took one all the way up to the coffee farm through the invisible clouds forests and over some of the muddiest hills.
Whether it’s just a ride around the town from the main square or a short ride to the La Garrucha I showed you earlier from the plaza, just give one a go!
Travel Tips for Jardín, Colombia
See these travel tips for Jardín to ensure you have the best stay while backpacking here:
⤵️ Dan’s Travel Tips:
- Wherever you go, always pack a water bottle for refills.
- Visit Café Macanas a coffee shop that can be found close to the park, in an instagrammable place. They have great coffee, cakes, drinks, and breakfast.
- There are various shops and coffee shops that accept Visa or Mastercard so if you find yourself running low on cash remember to use your card where possible.
- Book tours online or contact a travel agency recommended in your hotel. As mentioned earlier Europa Ecotours offers some great deals.
- Go up to Mirador de Cristo Rey. It’s about one hour from the park. You can contemplate a stunning view of the mountains and the town.
- Before taking a ride on La Garrucha you can also visit Charco Corazón (Heart Pool). Instead of taking the return ride, walk for about 40 minutes on a path. Then, enjoy a dip in freshwater.
- Things to carry to Jardin include A pair of hiking shoes or boots, warm fleece or travel hoodie (it gets cold at night), remember to carry some Sunscreen along with you and enough Colombian pesos to last the duration of your stay
- Carrying some insect repellent like this one is necessary, not just in Jardin but in Latin America overall. Especially if you’ll be going hiking in more remote areas.
- Travel on weekdays is always better, but staying on weekends has a good side: much more in terms of food and drinks at night.
- La Parrilla de mi Pueblo is a traditional restaurant with delicious food.
- Pack a travel power bank, an extra battery for your camera, or a high-quality portable charger for your phone.
- There are stunning views and many picturesque places you’ll want to capture. Don’t miss the opportunity because of the battery.
- When looking for places to visit near Jardin, extend your trip to Jericó which will take you back to the past of Colombian village life.
- I like to suggest bringing a journal notebook to register memories and thoughts. It’s a great way to be with yourself and be creative on the road.
- Jardin is a popular town, not just with international tourists and backpackers in Colombia but also with locals from the surrounding region and other Colombians.
From my travels to Jardin, I’ve noted some tips in this South America travel budget guide on how to save money by doing things such as looking for the Menu del dia amongst other tips and tricks that will help you save money.
Backpacking Jardín, Colombia: Travel Guide
We have now come to the end of this Jardin travel guide! Jardin is for anyone looking to escape the big city and experience rural life in Colombia.
This is a destination that is not only popular with backpackers looking to get off the beaten track but very popular with Paisas who reside in Medellin looking for a weekend break or to visit family who live in this part of the region.
If you’ve not set off yet, see the best time to visit Colombia and let me know how you get on. Remember to try the coffee, even if you don’t consider yourself a coffee drinker.
See this guide on 10 days in Colombia for some great ideas on where to go from here.
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
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