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Cueva del Esplendor is one of the most popular natural attractions near the town of Jardín. It’s a spectacular waterfall in a cave.
Introduction to Cueva del Esplendor
The cave, which is on private land, was discovered in 1989 while the owners were searching for a place to build a community cistern. They opened it to the public in 2004, and in 2016 created a nature reserve and tour agency to protect the land.
The cave features a hole that was formed over the centuries by a 70-meter waterfall. The water flows through the hole into the cave, creating a natural swimming pool in the middle of a dense forest. It’s a magical scene and a fantastic place to visit.
Visiting Cueva del Esplendor
You can only enter the reserve with an authorized guide from the Cueva del Esplendor agency. There are two ways to visit – on a guided tour or on your own.
- Tours cost COP$80,000 per adult (as of July 2025) and run throughout the day, depending on demand. They take about four hours and include round-trip transportation, a bottle of water, and snacks. There’s about an hour of hiking involved.
- If you decided to visit on your own, you need to hike up from town or use your own transportation. Once you get to the gate, you’ll have to walk about 3 kilometers to the farmhouse where you pay the COP$20,000 per person entrance fee (as of July 2025). You then wait for a guide to take you down to the cave. It’s a long way and a full day if you choose to hike, but the scenery is gorgeous.
It’s recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes with good traction, take a small backpack, sunscreen, and swimsuit. You’ll be at an elevation of about 2,300 meters above sea level so you might want to take a jacket or warm clothing if you tend to get cold. The plunge pool is rocky, so water shoes are also a good idea to protect your feet. Also, take your garbage back to Jardín with you as there’s no place to throw it out.
As far as the hike, it’s low to moderate difficulty, but keep in mind the path can get steep and slippery. Anyone in relatively decent health and physical condition can do it. Check the official website for more info and reservations.
Our Tour to Cueva del Esplendor
We booked our tour the night before and were told to be at the office at 8:45am for the 9am tour. Once we arrived, we met the guide, paid our admission, and signed waivers. The guide gave everyone out a bottle of water and granola bar, then loaded us onto two jeeps to start the bumpy 40-minute ride to the reserve.
Hike to the Farmhouse
At the entrance to the reserve is a gate that’s always kept locked. The guide hopped off and opened it to let the jeeps through, and we continued down the road for a few more minutes. We then hiked for about 1.5 kilometers to the farmhouse, enjoying the scenery and serenity along the way.
When we reached the farmhouse, the guide gave us about 25 minutes to rest and use the bathrooms. He explained some ground rules and information about the cave, then we were served a small breakfast of arepa de chócolo with cheese, an empanada, and aguapanela.
Hike to Cueva del Esplendor
Next was the hike down to the cave. We walked down a short path lined with flowers before reaching a locked gate. The guide opened it and led us down the trail, which descends about 500 meters along Río La Linda, the source of the waterfall. Along the way you’ll see the cistern that led to the discovery of the cave.
At a few sections, the trail gets steep and slippery. Thankfully, there are rubber rails you can hold onto to help keep your balance. Near the end of the trail, you have to cross the river before a short climb up to the cave.
Enjoying Cueva del Esplendor
At the cave, we had about 30 or 40 minutes to take photos and take a dip in the plunge pool. The water is freezing, with temperatures ranging between 7 and 10 °C. It takes a few seconds to get used to it but it’s refreshing!
As I mentioned earlier, you might want to take water shoes. The plunge pool is very rocky and you can hurt your feet. Most people crawled in until it got deep enough to stand up or float.
One thing you can’t do is go directly under the waterfall. The water drops at 250 liters per second, which would feel like 2 tons of weight falling on you. You can feel the power of the falls as you get closer.
Our Thoughts on the Tour
After enjoying the cave, we hiked back up to the farmhouse where we were given another snack. We then walked a short distance to the jeeps and headed back to Jardín. Overall, it was an enjoyable excursion and something I recommend to any visitor to Jardín.
