Waterfalls in Colombia: Where to Go and What Tours Cost
The tallest waterfall in Colombia cannot be proved: the figures are tourism numbers. 19 of our 20 tours start in Medellín (one meets in San Carlos), typically at 120 to 250 EUR.
What is the tallest waterfall in Colombia? Every guide has an answer and none has a measurement. La Chorrera is given as about 590 m by tourism sources, Tequendama as 132 m by Wikipedia and 157 m by a tour operator, and Juan Curí as 60 m on one page and 200 m on another. This guide to waterfalls in Colombia sorts the main falls by how you actually reach them: by hub, by whether you go alone or need a tour, and by what we can source. It is also candid about the catalogue. 19 of our 20 tours start in Medellín and one in San Carlos, so the rest of the country is covered here without tours. The Medellín page is where the products are compared. The typical price across the 20 is 120 to 250 EUR, sixth highest of the 21 countries on this site.
No tour in this catalogue goes to Bogotá, Santander, Huila or the Caribbean coast, so there is no tour list for them here and no price we could vouch for. Where the page gives a height it names the source, and where two sources disagree it shows both. We found no official data on waterfall seasons, so there is no season grid. The only seasonal fact we could source is that Tequendama can run dry in December. Colombian waterfall numbers are unreliable, so each one here comes with its source, next to the tours a traveler can book from our catalogue, read on 22 October 2026.
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Waterfalls Travel Experiences in Colombia
Beginner Waterfall Rappelling at La Reservita: Half Day with Community Lunch
Learn rappelling from scratch down three waterfalls of 10 to 25 metres, with gear briefing in the reserve and a home-cooked lunch from a community neighbour.
Chorro de las Campanas Half-Day Hike and Waterfall Dip, Envigado Reserve
A guide waits at the gate on Calle 10 at 9:00 AM, then 2.5 hours of hiking lead to a large mountain waterfall where visitors can get in the water and cool off.
Chorro de las Campanas Waterfall Trip from Montañita Hostel, 5 Hours
Meet at Montañita Hostel, ride 30 minutes to the trailhead and hike an hour each way through tropical forest, with 30 minutes at the waterfall for a swim.
El Chispero Canyoning in San Carlos: Waterfall Jumps and Natural Slides
Canyoning with waterfalls, jumps and natural slides, meeting at the Atypical cafe bar on the main park of San Carlos. Cancel 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
El Cristalino Waterfalls Hike near Guatapé: 15 km of Ravines and Climbs
A walk through Guatapé town, then about 15 km of native forest, ravines and waterfall climbs along the Quebrada El Cristalino, with views of the reservoir.
Guarne 4x4 ATV Ride with Waterfall Swim Stops and Fishing-Lake Lunch
A 3-hour guided 4x4 ATV ride with swim stops at waterfalls, coffee on arrival and a typical lunch. Guides speak Spanish and English; insurance is included.
Guatapé, El Peñol Rock, El Retiro and Tequendamita Falls Private Tour
Private transport and bilingual guides to the Peñol Rock and its 740 stairs, colourful Guatapé, a pan de queso stop, woodworking El Retiro and a waterfall.
Half-Day El Retiro and Tequendamita Falls Private Pickup Tour from Medellin
A short private outing east of Medellín: the Las Palmas viewpoint, wooden crafts along the road, coffee in El Retiro's square and a waterfall with no hiking.
Highest Zipline and 100 m Waterfall Hike in La Ceja, Private from Medellin
Two flights on a 330 m high zipline past five waterfalls, then a hike to the base of a 100 m fall, with private car pickup at 8:30 am. Lunch is not included.
La Cuba Waterfall Rappelling and La Planta Natural Pool, San Luis Day Trip
Full day by car to San Luis: a 30 m rappel at La Cuba waterfall, then La Planta, called the biggest natural pool in Antioquia. Alternative to Río Claro.
Los Salados Cloud Forest Hike to Chorro de las Campanas from El Poblado
Pickup at the Chicken Ten restaurant in El Poblado, a private vehicle to the trail, snacks and insurance included, and rental boots for 10,000 COP if needed.
Private Day Tour to Jardín: Willys Jeep to Waterfalls, Coffee and Town Square
A Willys Jeep ride through coffee plantations to a five-fall waterfall, a coffee farm stop, hot cheese bread in Bolombolo and a walk around Jardín's square.
Private Guatapé River Morning: Sandy Beach, Swim and Brunch Picnic
Private group, a sandy river beach with calm swimming water and a brunch of toasts and granola, 8:30 am to 1:00 pm from the main square. Insurance is included.
Private Paragliding Flight, Waterfall Hike and Mindfulness Session from Medellin
A paragliding flight over the mountains, a hike to a waterfall and a mindfulness session beside the falling water, all as a private outing from Medellín.
Private Salto del Buey Tour with Zipline, Sky Hammocks, Coffee Viewpoint and Lunch
Private transport, a 700 m zipline, sky hammocks and a walk to the foot of Salto del Buey, with lunch included and a coffee stop at a mountain viewpoint.
Salto del Buey Via Ferrata, Zipline and Waterfall Hike, Private from Medellin
Climb the rock beside a 100 m waterfall on a via ferrata, then ride a 1,000 ft zipline. Lunch is not included and participants must weigh under 99 kg.
Salto del Buey Waterfall Hike with Ziplines and Sky Hammocks from Medellin
Two zipline flights, a hammock activity 150 metres up and a 30-minute hike to a 100-metre waterfall, with hotel pickup at 9:30 am. Lunch is not included.
Three Ziplines, Waterfall Hike and Rock Wall Climb Adventure near Medellin
Three ziplines, with the longest ride 250 metres, a hike down to a waterfall and a rock wall climb in one adventure outing near Medellín. Cancel 24 hours ahead.
Two-Day Santo Domingo River Canyon Hike to the Valley of Waterfalls
Two days on old forest trails along one of Antioquia's last free rivers, with a night at a campesino inn, local food and a bonfire before the waterfalls.
Valley of Waterfalls and Santo Domingo River Hike, Hosted in Campesino Homes
A hike through quiet mountains and river country with no mass tourism, hosted in the homes of campesino families who have lived there for generations.
Ratings collected by Viator, Tripadvisor and Civitatis
Waterfalls in Colombia: the main falls and how you reach them
Colombia has no single waterfall district. The Andes split into three ranges here, and the falls sit along them, far apart. The table groups the ones that come up again and again by region, with the height as each source reports it. Read the height column as a warning before you plan around it.
| Waterfall | Where | Height as reported | How you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tequendama | Soacha, 32 km from Bogotá | 132 m (Wikipedia); 157 m (a tour operator) | From a viewpoint; no swimming |
| La Chorrera | Choachí, Cundinamarca | About 590 m, tourism sources only | A hike of about 3 hours round trip, often with El Chiflón (55 m) |
| Salto de Guadalupe | Gómez Plata, Antioquia | 250 m of free fall, 550 m from the base (Semana) | Not in our tours |
| Salto del Buey | Between La Ceja and Abejorral, Antioquia | 70 m to over 100 m, depending on the source | A trail with an entry fee; our Medellín tours go here |
| Juan Curí | San Gil, Santander | 60 m (one guide) or 200 m (another) | A short walk; rappelling is sold locally |
| Mortiño | Isnos, near San Agustín, Huila | 170 m (one operator) | A viewpoint on the road |
| Cueva del Esplendor | Jardín, Antioquia | 50 m (one operator) | By jeep or with a tour |
| Fin del Mundo | Mocoa, Putumayo | 70 m | A hike of about an hour with river crossings |
"The tallest waterfall in Colombia" is a title every region hands out and nobody has measured.
Near Bogotá: Tequendama and La Chorrera
Tequendama is 32 km from Bogotá and is seen from a viewpoint, not by swimming. Wikipedia gives 132 m, a tour operator 157 m, and the river that feeds the fall, the Bogotá, is polluted. Wikipedia also reports the flow dry in December, which is worth checking before you drive out.
La Chorrera is the one with the biggest number, about 590 m, and every source that gives it is a tourism page. The same pages call it both the highest and the longest in the country. What can be said without a measurement is the walk: about three hours round trip, usually paired with El Chiflón, a smaller fall of 55 m. Two Medellín listings name a Tekendamita as a stop. That is a smaller fall in Antioquia, not the one near Bogotá.
The map explains why one catalogue covers one hub. Medellín to Bogotá is about 250 km in a straight line, and the falls near Bogotá, in Santander and in Huila are separate trips, not day excursions from the same base. Minca, above Santa Marta on the Caribbean side, is the third hub in our screening. None was in the catalogue on 22 October 2026, so we say nothing about them.
How to read a Colombian waterfall height
Three habits inflate the numbers. The first is adding tiers: Salto de Guadalupe is 250 m of free fall in one report and 550 m measured from the base, and the two figures are not comparable. The second is quoting the whole cascade where another page quotes the main drop, which may explain how Juan Curí becomes 60 m on one page and 200 m on another. The third is copying, because each tourism page repeats the one before it. When we give a figure we name who gave it, and when the only source is a tour operator we say so.
Why the country has so many falls
The Andes divide into three ranges in Colombia, and the rivers between them drop through steep valleys on their way to the Magdalena and the Cauca. Falls collect wherever a river meets a cliff or a step in a valley wall, which is why they turn up in Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Santander, Huila and Putumayo, hundreds of kilometres apart. The consequence for a traveler is practical: Colombia is a country of hubs, and a waterfall week means choosing one region at a time.
What a waterfall day costs from Medellín
The 20 tours span from under 60 to more than 250 EUR, and the table sorts them by kind. The price follows what is in the day, not how impressive the fall is. A half-day hike near Envigado is the cheap end. The top of the range is a two-day walk with meals and a night at a village guesthouse.
| Kind of day | Tours | Price band | Typical length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day hikes near Medellín | 3 | 30 to 60 EUR | 5 hours |
| Zip line, hammocks and a big waterfall | 5 | 120 to 250 EUR | 4 to 9 hours |
| Guatapé, El Retiro and Jardín day trips | 5 | 30 to 250 EUR | 3 to 10 hours |
| Canyoning, rappelling, ATV and paragliding | 5 | 120 to 250 EUR | 4 to 10 hours |
| Two-day walk in the Santo Domingo canyon | 2 | 250 to 500 EUR | 48 hours |
Sixth of 21 is flattering and partly an accident. Sixteen of the 20 tours are private, and none quotes one price for the whole group, so the median describes private days more than shared ones. The shared half-day hikes cost 30 to 60 EUR, which is the number to compare with Costa Rica, where the typical tour is in the 120 to 250 EUR band. A country with one hub tells you little about the whole country, and this one does not claim to.
Antioquia: the falls around Medellín
Salto del Buey is the fall our full-day tours reach, an hour or two south-east of the city. The quoted heights run from 70 m upward. Guadalupe, in Gómez Plata, is given as 250 m of free fall by the same newspaper, Semana. El Caney, near Cisneros, is about 114 m and 1 hour 20 minutes from Medellín, according to Blu Radio. Salto del Ángel, in Jardín, is quoted at 50 to 70 m and about four hours away.
For what each of our tours does and costs, see the Medellín page. For the day-by-day comparison it is the page to read.
Alone or with a tour
The sources describe two kinds of fall. Tequendama and Mortiño are viewpoints, so you need transport, not a guide. La Chorrera, Fin del Mundo and Juan Curí are walks, with river crossings at Fin del Mundo. We found no rule on guides for any of them, which is not the same as a rule saying you can go alone, so check locally. The Salto del Buey trail has an entry fee, and our listings add the transport, a guide and, for the zip line day, the harness. The paid day is the easy way to reach a fall that sits an hour or two off the paved road.
Questions about waterfalls in Colombia
Which is the tallest waterfall in Colombia?
We cannot say. La Chorrera is given as about 590 m, but the figures come from tourism pages and not from a survey, and other falls are called the highest on equally thin evidence. Tequendama, at 132 m according to Wikipedia, has the best-documented height.
Can you visit Tequendama Falls?
Yes, from a viewpoint. It is 32 km from Bogotá and you do not swim: the river feeding it is polluted. Wikipedia reports it dry in December, so check the water before you go. We sell no tour there.
Are there waterfall tours outside Medellín?
Other operators run them, but not in our catalogue as of 22 October 2026. 19 of our 20 tours start in Medellín and one in San Carlos. Bogotá, San Gil, Huila and the Caribbean coast each have waterfalls that are visited on your own or with local operators.
How far is Medellín from the waterfalls near Bogotá?
About 250 km in a straight line, so they are separate trips. None of our Medellín tours goes that far. The Medellín page lists the road times to the falls that are reachable in a day.
When is the best time to see Colombia's waterfalls?
We found no official seasonal data for these falls and will not invent a calendar. The one seasonal fact we could source is that Tequendama can run dry in December. For a specific fall, ask the operator about water levels.
Looking for waterfall tours that you can book?
The Medellín page compares the 20 tours one format at a time, with road times to Chorro de las Campanas and Salto del Buey.
Data verified on . Tours read on 22 October 2026 (20 listings). Heights from Wikipedia, Semana, Blu Radio and tourism pages; none is an independent measurement. Distances read from the map.