Arvi Park in Medellin: Visitors Guide
Arvi Park alias Parque Arví is a popular ecological nature reserve in Medellin, Colombia that features many hiking and biking trails. If you want to take an unforgettable cable car ride, enjoy sweeping views, and spend some time outdoors, Arvi Park is a place you cannot miss. From how to get to Arvi Park by cable car, what to pack, to what to expect, our travel guide has got you covered.
Colombia is a wonderful South American country that offers a large number of must-visit places, some of them are the large, busy cities such as Bogota, Cartagena, Santa Marta, or Medellin.
No matter how wonderful these cities are architecturally and how captivating their history is, from time to time we had a feeling we must get out for a while.
At least for a couple of hours, or only for an afternoon to escape from the crowds and loud streets.
In Bogota, we managed to hike Cerro de Monserrate to one of the best views over the city, and in Medellin, we could not miss the opportunity of hiking in Arvi Park alias Parque Arví.
If you are still not sure, Arvi Park is one of the most renowned parks in this part of the country. And we also believe, that Medellin is on your Colombia itinerary, so it will be a great fit if you are looking for an interesting activity.
Our visit to Arvi Park had everything.
The fun of traveling Medellin's public transport, incredible views from the cable car over the valley but also a bit sad views over a poor town Santa Elena sitting on the slopes of the valley.
All of that is the part of the experience, and the cherry on the top was recharging our energy in Arvi Park, an ecological nature reserve all people living in Medellin and near surroundings are justly proud of.
This was exactly what we needed.
Sometimes, a long time traveling takes its toll, and the best way how to get back on track is to spend some time in nature, surrounded by forest and narrow hiking trails.
And it is what we got in Arvi Park.
The park has over 16 000 hectares and offers around 54 kilometers of hiking trails. But hiking is not the only activity you can do in Parque Arví.
The area has an infrastructure for biking, horseback riding, but you can spend your time here by picnicking as well.
It is possible to take a guided tour with a naturalist guide, and last but not least, you can join a jeepney tour that plays loud music, but it seemed to be a popular activity especially among local groups of visitors.
If you plan on the best things to do in Medellin, surely include the trip to Arvi Park, which is approximately 30 kilometers from the city center, in your itinerary.
In this travel guide, we share with you everything you need to know before visiting Arvi Park, including tips on how to get there, how to get around, what to pack, or opening hours. Let's start.
OUR EXPERIENCE FROM VISITING ARVI PARK
What can you expect from visiting Arvi Park?
First of all, we must say that our main motivation to go to the park was hiking its trails, and we did not do much research about other activities.
Once you get off the cable car, you will see a large information office, where you get all answers to your questions.
Here you will also find out how to rent a bike or a horse in case you fancy this activity.
Once we got to the gates of the park, we were quite surprised.
We knew the park is a top attraction in Medellin, popular with both locals and foreigners, but the number of people was a bit unexpected.
Fortunately, the park is so big, that once we left the area around the cable car and market, we could enjoy the incredible fauna and flora of the place just by ourselves.
We walked around the information stand where it is possible to book a guided tour for a fee, we walked through the farmer's market where we later bought tasty fruit.
Then we passed modern facilities such as bars and toilets, and we emerged on a path that led us to a bus stop, from where it is possible to take a ride to further parts of the park.
HIKING TRAILS IN ARVI PARK
We continued, and after a few moments came to a crossroads with a few restaurants.
Here we grabbed lunch, and then it was finally time for hiking.
We got around the park safely, but there's one thing you should know. Even though there are signposted trails, the system is often confusing, so we recommend you to download the Maps.me app.
This mobile app shows plenty of the trails within the park, and thanks to it, you'll be able to navigate yourself.
For starters, we chose the Flora Trail. This is how to find the trailhead.
From the Arvi Park administrative building, walk down the road and in a few minutes, you'll get to the crossroad with restaurants.
Turn right and carry on for a while. There will be another restaurant with a campground in the curve.
Turn left, and on your right side, you'll see an unmarked entrance to the forest.
Once we were in the forest, we just used our common sense, and we walked for about an hour, surrounded by wonderful trees, moss, and flowers.
Then we decided it is time to get back, so we followed the trail on the app, which led us safely back to the cable car station.
What we really enjoyed was the freedom as we could basically walk wherever we wanted, and we met only a few people who that day decided to follow a similar route.
Most of the trails within the park are very easy and suitable for all types of travelers, you can choose the trail you want to do according your level fitness.
The next day we had planned to visit Piedra del Penol and Guatape on a day trip, so we knew we had to get back to Medellin to get some sleep.
But if you have more time, you can visit even parts of the park that are a bit further away, or you can even spend the night in the campsite within the park.
You can also, on the way back, visit Santa Elena town, but make sure you stick to the main streets, and it is better to walk around during the daylight.
ARVI PARK OPENING HOURS
Arvi Park is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 9 AM and 6 PM.
The park is closed on Mondays, but in the case, Monday is a holiday in Colombia, the park is open on this Monday but closed the following Tuesday.
When the park is closed, the cable car does not run as well.
ENTRANCE FEE
There is no fee to enter Arvi Park, which is great for budget travelers. Obviously, you have to pay for transport.
You have to pay for a ticket only when you decide to rent a bike or a horse or if you opt to join a guided tour.
Arvi Park consists of several parts, two of them are privately managed - Comfama Park and Comfenalco Park, where special rules apply, and where you have to pay an entrance fee, but we sticked to the trails close to the cable car.
HOW TO GET TO ARVI PARK
There are several ways on how to get from the center of Medellin to Arvi Park, including taxi and bus.
By far the best option on how to get there is by metro and then by cable car.
First of all, it is much cheaper than a taxi, it is more comfortable and quicker than the bus, and additionally, the views are worth the experience.
No matter where you stay in Medellin, you need to get to metro station Acevedo on line A.
Get off here and follow a series of arrows that will take you to the transfer to K-Line Metrocable.
Get on, and then get off at Santo Domingo station in Santa Elena, where you have to switch one more to line L that will take you to Arvi Park.
All the transfers are very easy, so no worries.
In case you are short on time, it is good to know that to get to Arvi Park from the center of Medellin takes around fifty minutes.
The ride by cable car is part of the whole Arvi Park visit experience, so keep your eyes wide open.
Metro in Medellin costs 2650 COP, and the cable car to the park costs 10 000 COP.
One of the things to know about Colombia, is that we always recommend traveling with (some) cash rather than relying on credit cards and bank machines.
There's one ATM in the park near the station, but it does not work all the time.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT ARVI PARK
You can visit Arvi Park all year round.
The area around Medellin and the city itself is often nicknamed the City of eternal spring, which means temperatures are pleasant throughout the year.
As Arvi Park is located at an elevation between 2200 and 2600 meters, you can expect that conditions will be always a bit colder than in Medellin.
It can rain quite often in the area, with the highest precipitation in April, May, September, and October.
Thanks to it Arvi Park boasts lush greenery. It is fine to visit the park even during the rainy season because you can usually expect showers rather than constant rain.
Weekends are usually quite busy because Arvi Park is a popular getaway destination for people from Medellin, so in case you can plan your itinerary, try to visit during the week.
When it comes to the time of the day, mornings are more peaceful, afternoons more lively. It is also good to plan your departure from the park as the exit and cable car can get crowded before the closing time.
SAFETY
In general, Arvi Park is a safe destination, but as anywhere else in Colombia, robberies that usually target foreigners can happen.
In case you do not feel comfortable hiking in the park alone, or you simply prefer guided tours with a knowledgeable guide, there is an easy solution.
You can always hire one of the local guides or take a Medellin and Arví Park Tour that also includes transfer via cable car to the park.
We felt in the park completely safe, but as we were already robbed in Bogota, we knew the best way how to enjoy this trip is to keep valuables in the hotel room.
We recommend you to do the same.
Bring with you only essential things such as a phone and camera, some cash, and do not flash your valuables around.
If possible, it is always better to hike with a few more people, or at least stay within sight to other visitors to the park.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY IN MEDELLIN
Medellin is a city that attracts crowds, and thanks to it the selection of hotels is quite large.
Our criteria were to find a hotel in a safe(r) part of the city with good accessibility to public transport.
In case you would like to spend the night in the park, you can reserve a room in the Hotel at Piedras Blancas, or there's also a campsite for budget-travelers.
In the list below you can find our tips on the best hotels in Medellin for every type of traveler.
Budget | The Garden of Blues Hostel - A budget-friendly hostel offers great location, clean rooms, and breakfast.
Mid-range | Los Patios Hostal Boutique - Stylish hostel with themed rooms is a popular choice among all type of travelers.
Luxury | Hotel Dann Carlton Medellín - This hotel offers luxurious rooms, outdoor pool and spa, and clean spacious rooms.
WHAT TO PACK
Before you start your trip to Arvi Park, make sure you check the weather forecast. So, what should you wear and pack?
For walking in the forest, we recommend hiking boots.
Even though sneakers might be fine, some of the trails were muddy, and we appreciated having sturdy boots.
As we visited Arvi Park on a sunny warm day, we both wore shorts.
Otherwise I would wear my favorite leggings , while Martin would prefer his hiking pants.
Depending on the temperature, wear either a functional short-sleeved t-shirt or with long sleeves.
Even if it is warm, pack a fleece jacket or rain jacket, and rain poncho.
A good daypack is essential as well. You can bring your own snack or dine within the park, but you should not forget the water bottle.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
