Beyond the beach: coffee farms 40 minutes from Santa Marta
If you are tired of the same old hotel offerings in Taganga and Rodadero, where everything revolves around the sea and the noise of jeeps, I have an alternative that few tourists know about: sleeping on a coffee farm in the Sierra Nevada. Just 40 minutes from the center of Santa Marta, heading up the road to Minca, there are a dozen farms offering accommodation with breakfast included, coffee tours, and access to crystal-clear rivers. In May 2026, with the rainy season starting, prices drop and the landscapes turn intense green. Here I tell you what the real experience is like, without Instagram filters.
The first time I went, a local friend told me: "Let's go to a farm where the owner roasts the coffee himself." We arrived in a beat-up chiva from the Mercado Público, and when we got off, the smell of wet earth and freshly ground coffee hits you. It's not a luxury hotel: they are country houses with hammocks, communal kitchens, and shared bathrooms. But if you are looking for silence, nature, and learning how organic Sierra Nevada coffee is grown, this is for you.
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Available options
Not all farms are the same. Some have natural pools, others focus on bird watching, and a few offer artisanal roasting classes. These are the ones I know and have visited:
- Finca La Victoria: One of the oldest, with over 100 years of history. They have a natural pool fed by a stream, and the coffee tour includes a tasting of their beans roasted in a wood-fired oven. It is a 20-minute motorcycle ride from Minca. Price: from $80,000 COP per night per person, with breakfast.
- Finca El Ocaso: More touristy, but well-maintained. They offer private cabins with a view of the Gaira river valley. The best part: the artisanal roasting classes, where you roast your own coffee. It costs $120,000 COP per night, includes breakfast and a basic tour.
- Finca La Cabaña: Hidden in the San Pedro de la Sierra village, 40 minutes from Minca. It has a very family-friendly atmosphere, with nightly bonfires and river baths. The owner, Don Carlos, takes you for a walk through the plantation at 5 a.m. to see the sunrise. Price: $60,000 COP per night, without breakfast (but there is a communal kitchen).
- Finca San Rafael: Near the waterfall of the same name. Ideal for small families, because it has private rooms with bathrooms and a play area for children. The coffee tour is shorter, but the landscape is spectacular. Price: $100,000 COP per night per person, with breakfast and entrance to the waterfall included.
Updated costs
The prices I give you are a reference for May 2026. The rainy season (April to June) is usually cheaper, but always check directly with the farmers, because many don't have a website. Avoid intermediaries like Booking or Airbnb, which charge a 15% commission.
- Night per person in a basic farm (like La Cabaña): $50,000 – $80,000 COP.
- Night per person in a farm with a private cabin and bathroom (like El Ocaso): $100,000 – $150,000 COP.
- Typical breakfast (arepa, eggs, coffee, juice): $10,000 – $15,000 COP extra at farms that don't include it.
- Coffee tour with tasting: $20,000 – $40,000 COP per person, depending on the farm.
- Transportation from Santa Marta (chiva or bus): $8,000 – $12,000 COP per trip to Minca, then $5,000 – $10,000 by motorcycle or jeep to the farm.
Compared to a hotel in Taganga, where a night in the low season costs $120,000 COP for a basic room without breakfast, here you pay less and get a unique experience. For couples, it is more economical: two people at La Cabaña pay $120,000 COP per night, while in Taganga it would be $240,000 COP.
Estimated times
Plan your times well, because the roads are mostly unpaved and bus schedules are not exact.
- From Santa Marta (center) to Minca: 45 minutes by chiva or bus from the Mercado Público. They leave every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- From Minca to the farm: 15 to 40 minutes by motorcycle or jeep, depending on the location. The farthest farms, like La Cabaña, require a 40-minute climb on a dirt road.
- Typical coffee tour: 2 to 3 hours, including a walk through the plantation, explanation of the process, and tasting.
- Hiking to nearby waterfalls: 1 to 4 hours, depending on the route. The San Rafael waterfall is a 30-minute walk from the farm of the same name.
- Recommended stay: Minimum 2 nights to enjoy without rushing. With one night you can do the coffee tour and bathe in the river, but you miss the sunrise.
Practical tips
Some things I learned on my visits that will save you headaches:
- Bring cash: Most farms do not accept cards or have internet signal for Nequi or Daviplata. Withdraw money in Santa Marta before heading up.
- Appropriate clothing: Long pants, closed shoes, and a raincoat or poncho. The Sierra is humid and there are many ants and mosquitoes. Don't wear flip-flops for the coffee tour; you will slip.
- Repellent and sunscreen: Even though you are in the mountains, the sun is strong between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Repellent is mandatory to avoid dengue and malaria (rare but possible).
- Negotiate the coffee tour: If you book directly with the farmer, sometimes they give you the tour for free if you stay two nights. Ask before paying.
- Arrive early in Minca: The jeeps and motorcycles that go to the farms leave until 4 p.m. If you arrive later, you'll have to walk or pay a premium.
- Fun fact: At Finca La Victoria, the coffee they roast is sold in specialty stores in Bogotá for $45,000 COP per pound. There, they sell it to you for $20,000 COP if you ask for the "worker's coffee," which is the same bean but without fancy packaging.
What to do besides coffee
It's not all about coffee. On these farms you can:
- Bird watching: The Sierra Nevada has more than 300 species of birds. At Finca El Ocaso, at 6 a.m., you see toucans, hummingbirds, and the famous cock-of-the-rock if you are lucky.
- Baths in crystal-clear rivers: Almost all farms have access to streams. The water is cold (around 18°C), but perfect for cooling down after the hike.
- Local cooking classes: At La Cabaña, Doña María teaches you how to make arepas de maíz peto and sancocho de gallina criolla. It costs an additional $15,000 COP, but it's worth it.
- Night hiking: With a flashlight, the farmers take you to see frogs and fireflies. It's an experience you won't get at any hotel on the coast.
Quick comparison: farm vs. hotel in Taganga
To give you a clear idea:
- Price per night (couple): Basic farm $120,000 COP vs. Taganga $200,000 COP.
- Breakfast: Included at farms like La Victoria vs. $15,000 COP extra in Taganga.
- Noise: At the farm you only hear birds and the river. In Taganga there is music until 2 a.m. and stray dogs.
- Activities: At the farm you have coffee tours, hiking, and rivers. In Taganga only beach and diving (which is also worth it, but it's different).
- Recommendation: If you are a couple or a small family (with children over 8 years old), the farm gives you peace and a real connection with nature. For solo backpackers, it also works, but you need to be willing to share a bathroom and kitchen.