How to get to Parque Arvi, Medellin
Read here how to get to Parque Arvi one of the most popular things to do in Medellin! The park in the mountains above Medellin covers over 16,000 hectares and about 54 km (34 miles) of hiking trails.
Parque Arvi is a favorite place for locals and tourists to escape the city and walk in nature. In this article, you will find out how to get to Parque Arvi and if it’s worth going for you 🥾
How to get to Parque Arvi
There are 3 options on how to get to Parque Arvi:
- By cable car 🚠 (4 USD) – best way
- By taxi / Uber 🚕 (25 USD) – most comfortable
- By bus 🚍 (1 USD) – cheapest option
We recommend taking the cable car at least one way as it will most likely be the highlight of your Parque Arvi visit! Read on as we describe all three options in detail for you.
Option #1: By Cable Car (Best way to get to Parque Arvi)
The best way to get to Parque Arvi is to take the metro and then transfer to the metro cable system. The cable car takes you right to the top of the mountains over Medellin with amazing views over the valley. Read below how to get to Parque Arvi by cable car in 3 steps.
🕐 This option takes about 1 hour depending on where you start
1. Take Blue Metro Line A to Acevedo Station
The first step is to take the blue metro Line A to Acevedo station. To use the metro and cable cars you have to purchase a metro card. This can be done at a ticket booth or a machine at any metro station.
The reusable card costs 10,000 COP (2 USD) and can be used by multiple people. So if you travel in a group just hand it over to each other when you swip it before getting on the metro.
A single trip on the metro costs 3280 COP (0.80 USD) even if you change metro lines. You can top up and check the balance of your card at a machine or ticket booth at any station.
Tip: To get to Parque Arvi make sure there is 16,000 COP (4 USD) on your card per person because that’s how much the whole ride one-way by metro and cable car costs 💰
2. Change from Acevedo station to first cable car
Once you arrive at Acevedo station you can transfer to the first cable car station that will take you part way up the hill for about 15 minutes. This cable car ride is included in your metro ride if you don’t leave the station!
At the end of this line at Santo Domingo, you will have to transfer to the Parque Arvi cable car. The area neighborhood around this station is really colorful and a cool spot to take a photo 📸
Tip: When you go above Santo Domino with the cable car look at their rooftops – many of them are painted super colorful!
3. Change from Santo Domingo to Parque Arvi cable car
The Parque Arvi cable car isn’t included in your first fare, so you will have to swipe your metro card here a second time. The cable car to Parque Arvi costs 12,500 COP (3 USD) one-way and there is a ticket booth at this station if you need to top up your card.
When we were there a few tourists were confused and thought that they had to buy an individual ticket for the Parque Arvi cable car. But you can and must just use the regular metro card.
There will probably be a line of people lining up at the ticket booth for Parque Arvi but that is only because they do not have enough credit on their cards. So if you do, just walk past, swipe your card and get on – the cable car will take you all the way to the entrance of Parque Arvi.
❌ Parque Arvi is closed on Mondays including the Parque Arvi cable car!
🕘 The park is open from Tue – Sat from 9am to 6pm
Option #2: Uber/ Taxi (Most comfortable way to get to Parque Arvi)
If you do not feel like taking the metro or cable car then you can get a taxi or Uber directly to Parque Arvi. Ubers are very affordable in Medellin so it will at most cost about 100,000 COP (25 USD) per ride. It takes about 1 hour to drive there so it is a decent price.
The only problem is that you will find it hard to catch an Uber back once you are finished. So you will either have to organize with your driver to wait for you or you will have to go back another way.
Tip: You could take a taxi / Uber to Parque Arvi and take the cable car back 🚗 At least one ride in the cable car is a must in our opinion!
Option #3: Bus (Cheapest way to get to Parque Arvi)
This is the cheapest way to get to Parque Arvi. It will only cost you about 3,000 pesos (0.80 USD) per ride so it is the best option for those on a super tight budget.
The only problem is that the bus will take about 90 minutes to get to Parque Arvi. Plus you do not get the view from the cable car so it really is not the greatest option.
To find out which bus or buses to catch the best way is to check Google Maps! It gave us accurate options on public transport when we went to Parque Arvi 🚍
What to do in Parque Arvi
Now that you know how to get to Parque Arvi, it’s time to find out what you can do there. Because it’s not as straightforward and easy as you might think! We are experienced hikers but found it slightly confusing when we stepped out of the cable car and wanted to start a hike.
Make sure to read on to find the right trail and activity for you at Parque Arvi! 🥾
1. Hike at Parque Arvi
Most people heading to Parque Arvi will want to do a hike or at least a short walk through the forest. Because it is the main attraction you would think it would be easy to figure out the hiking paths but you would be wrong ❌
Before we arrived we had read that you had the option of either paying to walk on safe trails or walking on free trails. The paid trails are safe because there is extra security around them. They have been created because there have been problems in the past with hikers being robbed in the park.
This is unfortunately a fact of life in Medellin you always have to be aware of your surroundings. We chose to do a free trial because we went to Parque Arvi on the weekend.
Tip: If you want to be as safe as possible make sure you go on the free trails on the weekend when there are more people around or opt for a paid trail or a tour 👮♀️
2. Hike on a Paid Trail or Join a Tour
As soon as you get off the cable car you will see an information/ticket booth. Here you can buy tickets for paid paths or guided tours.
There is a paid path which costs 40,000 pesos (10 USD) to enter. We did not go on this path because we had read that there was nothing special about it. But if you want to go on a trail that is guaranteed to be safe then it is a good option. It is a self-guided trail so you can start it as soon as you arrive.
Another option is to take a guided tour. Guided tours leave every 30 minutes starting from 9:30 am. They will take you on various paths throughout the park depending on what time you arrive. A guided tour costs 50,000 pesos (12 USD) and the guides will most likely not speak English.
You can find a schedule of the guided tours on the Parque Arvi website. You don’t need to book in advance. Just turn up and join the next guided tour 📝
3. Hike on a Free Trail
If you feel like going on a free trail then you need to walk past the ticket booth and follow the path around the corner. You will come to an area with a cafe, bathrooms, souvenirs and food places.
If you look around this area you will find a map that shows all the free trails called “Senderos”. I suggest looking up All Trails Parque Arvi so you can read reviews of the available 7 trails marked in different colors. All Trails is a great free website and app to find hikes all around the world.
Tip: Download Maps.me before you go. On this free app you can download offline maps showing many more hiking trails than Google Maps 🗺️
How to get to the Free Trails
The next step after deciding which trail you would like to walk is finding the trail! We thought that the trails would all start from the cafe restaurant area by the cable cars. But you have to walk down the road for about 15 minutes to find the start of the trails!
This is one thing that we found very strange about Parque Arvi and is a good reason why you should have Maps.me on your phone. Without the app, you may have trouble finding the start of the trails.
To get to the free trails, you must first walk past the cafe area until you come to a road. You will then need to walk down this road for a little while.
Luckily there are not many cars and trees on either side so it is not too bad walking on the side of this road. You will also see a lot of other locals doing it if you are there on the weekend.
Hiking La Flora Free Trail
We chose to hike the La Flora free trail because we didn’t have that much time. The trail is nothing too impressive but a nice walk through the green forest.
The La Flora trail is the shortest free trail at Parque Arvi and will only take about 20-30 minutes to finish one way. If you feel like extending your hike you can use Maps.me to continue. It is easy to walk from one trail to another and link them together.
Tip: Some reviews mentioned that the trails can be quite muddy after rain. So bring the appropriate footwear if it has rained recently ☔️
4. Go Horseback riding
Instead of hiking you could also do a short or long horseback ride. To get to the horses follow the same walking instructions as how to get to the free trails above.
At the end of the paved road, you will see a bunch of horses and a sign advertising horseback riding next to it. We marked the Google Maps location here for you📍
Read also: How to visit Comuna 13
5. Eat at Parque Arvi Restaurants
While you are walking down the road to the free trails there are a few roadside restaurants to eat at. I had a Bandeja Paisa at Estadero El Tambo📍It wasn’t the greatest food in the world but it will definitely fill up your stomach!
There are also some food stands by the cafe area after the ticket booth. I got a chorizo copped up with some potatoes and onions as a pre-hike snack which was really good!
Read also: 12 best cafes in Laureles, Medellin ☕️
6. Have a Picnic in the Forest
Instead of eating at a restaurant, you could also bring your own food. It is popular for locals to come to Parque Arvi for a picnic. There are quite a few picnic tables in the forest next to the trails. So it is a nice idea to bring food along and have a meal amongst the trees.
Read also: This is Medellin’s best Coffee Tour 👩🌾
7. Check out Parque Arvi Market
When you first get off the cable car at Parque Arvi you will see a market to your left. It has quite a few interesting products as well as some food for sale. We grabbed some fresh berries but there was also typical Colombian food like chicken, rice, and beans.
If you come during the week the market is much quieter. This is another reason to visit Parque Arvi on the weekend. We read that a few people said that they found the park to be too busy on the weekend. But it was fine when we went on a Sunday in September.
Read also: Insider Tips to Laureles, Medellin✌️
8. Snap a Photo with the Medellin sign
After the cafe/restaurant area behind the ticket booth, you will see a big Medellin sign which is a great place to take a photo, especially if you travel in a group.
Another cool photo spot is next to the market and the cable car where you have a good view of the cable cars going above the forest and some interesting-looking silver statues 📸
Read also: 25 free things to do in Medellin
What to bring to Parque Arvi
- Water bottle
- Appropriate footwear
- Snacks/food for a picnic
- Jacket/Sweater (Parque Arvi is at 2400m while Medellin is at 1500m so it is significantly colder)
- Maps.me (Remember to download the map on your phone. It will make your life a lot easier)
Read also: 12 Unique Things to do in Guatapé 🪨
Is it worth going to Parque Arvi?
To be honest, we were not impressed with Parque Arvi. The trails are not that well organized and there is always a slight threat that it is not totally safe.
The walks through the forest are nice enough. But they are not spectacular hikes. You will not be amazed like you would if you were hiking in the coffee region or other regions of Colombia.
If you want to get outdoors in Medellin then I think Cerro de Las Tres Cruces📍is a much better option. This hike has an amazing view and is one of our top free things to do in Medellin.
But if you have been in Medellin for a while and would like to escape to nature then I think Parque Arvi is a good option. But if you are only in Medellin for a few days I’d skip Parque Arvi and do some other activities instead like this Coffee Tour to which you also take a cable car!
Find alternatives:
Free things to do in Medellin✌️
Medellin’s best coffee tour ☕️
Head out to Comuna 13 👨🎤
Best outdoor gyms Medellin 🏋️♀️
Is Parque Arvi safe?
Unfortunately compared to most parks around the world Parque Arvi is not totally safe. If you read reviews of any park or hike around Medellin you will find quite a few reports of recent robberies.
Parque Arvi is further out from the city so it is a bit safer. But there is always the chance that something could happen if you are out there by yourself. Especially if you opt for a free trail.
So to make sure you are safe go on the weekend when more people are around and go in a group. Or if you want to be totally safe go on a guided tour or a paid trail.
Read also: Best digital nomad travel insurance 🩺
Now you know how to get to Parque Arvi and if it’s worth going!
Parque Arvi is one of the most popular things to do in Medellin. It is a good place to explore if you want some fresh mountain air and an escape from the city. But if you are in Medellin for only a few days we recommend doing other activities instead.
If you end up going let us know in the comments below how you got to Parque Arvi and how you liked it! We are always curious to know and also feel free to ask any question you might have.
READ ALSO:
- 25 Free Things to do in Medellin
- Join Medellin’s Best Coffee Tour
- Visiting Comuna 13 in Medellin
- Best free outdoor gyms Medellin
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Hi, I am Allan, a travel, health and fitness fanatic from New Zealand. I'm a former lawyer who turned into a full-time nomad in 2020. For the last 4+ years I've been traveling the world. I'm always on a hunt for good food, activities on a budget and workouts on the go. I hope you find my tips helpful and get inspired to travel more!
