Cerro Volador Medellín Hike Guide

Cerro Volador is a quick, fun and easy hike within Medellín’s biggest metropolitan park leading to great views of the city.

If you fancy a fun hike in Medellín without having to put in much work then you should head to Cerro Volador.

Parque Natural Regional Metropolitano Cerro El Volador (Flying Hill Regional National Park) is the largest green space within the city and here there’s an easy trail.

The trail is gentle the whole way and, depending on at which point you join it, the hardest part is a long flight of concrete steps. At the top of the hill there are great views of the city and the spot is also popular with kite flyers.

Read on for a quick guide with all the information you need to visit Cerro Volador in Medellín.

How to get to Cerro Volador

It’s likely you’ll be coming from one of the touristy districts such as Laureles-Estadio or El Poblado. From Laureles-Estadio, the fastest way to get to Cerro Volador is to take a taxi.

Depending on where in Laureles you start the journey, the ride should take around 20 min. In Medellín Uber and inDrive are usually cheaper and more convenient than regular taxis. With Uber, for example, the ride should cost around 16,000 COP ($4 US).

Yellow flowers in the foreground and a cityscape in the background. There is a highway leading towards the city. This is the view from Cerro Volador in Medellín. — Medellín looks great from atop Cerro Volador.

A second option is to take a bus. The exact route you take will depend on where you’re coming from, but you shouldn’t need to catch more than two buses with a little bit of walking included.

I use Moovit for finding bus routes in Latin America and it served me well for getting to Cerro Volador when I visited.

Finally, you could walk from Laureles to Cerro Volador. If coming from somewhere central in Laureles, expect the walk to take around 1 h (roughly 4 km).

Red brick apartment buildings among trees. This is Medellín in Colombia.

El Poblado is further south so it’ll take longer to get to Cerro Volador from here. An Uber or inDrive will take around 35 min and cost roughly 40,000 COP ($10 US).

However, you can get to Cerro Volador from El Poblado for less money by first taking the metro and then a bus. This should cost no more than around $3 US, but it will take at least 1 h to cover the 10 km. Here are your fastest options according to Google Maps.

Cerro Volador trail guidance

Distance: 2.9 km
Duration: 1 h
Difficulty: easy
Elevation gain: 113 m

You can visit Cerro Volador between 5:00 – 17:00 every day and entrance is free.

The trail is a concrete road that wraps around the hillside gently climbing it. The incline isn’t challenging and anyone can walk here. It’s also a good place to cycle if you’re traveling with a bike.

You can join the trail at different points along the base of Cerro Volador. There’s a car park which marks the official trailhead and there are also a couple of different routes starting at Calle 65.

I started the hike from Calle 65 climbing the hillside via a long flight of steep concrete steps before joining the main trail.

Large butterfly sculptures attached to a brick wall. These butterflies are on a building which sits on the trail to Cerro Volador in Medellín. — You’ll see these butterflies at the roundabout on the main trail.

The main trail is one big, obvious loop beginning at a roundabout. Here you can choose to go clockwise or anti-clockwise. At this point there are also food stands and small shops. And not too far past the roundabout you’ll come to exercise equipment.

At the top of the hill there are great views of Medellín and, if the weather is right, there should be people flying kites. This is the spot in the city for kite flying and you can see kites of all shapes, sizes and colours.

Two girls are flying a multicoloured kite and are looking up towards it. They are at a hill called Cerro Volador in Colombia.

You can also walk along the grassy hilltop to the other end where the trail brings you back down to the concrete road.

Although I’ve included a map in this guide, you really don’t need one. The trail is obvious and you’d do well to get lost at Cerro Volador. Just make sure to descend the way you came if you plan on heading back to your accommodation with public transport.

A highway runs through an urban area. This is one of the views of Medellín from Cerro Volador. — The city views from the top of Cerro Volador are great.

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What to bring to Cerro Volador

Packed lunch – Cerro Volador is a great spot to eat outdoors
Water – 2 L should be fine
A kite – if you have a kite, or like flying kites, then get one and bring it to Cerro Volador
Normal trainers will do for this walk

A view of a city within a valley. There are trees in the foreground, buildings in the mid ground and hills in the background. — You can see all the way to the end of the Aburrá Valley from Cerro Volador.

Cash to buy any snacks and pay for public transport
Rain jacket, especially if you’re here during the rainy season
Exercise clothing if you plan on running or using the outdoor equipment

When to visit Cerro Volador

The dry season in Colombia typically lasts from December – April and is the ideal period for hiking. During these months skies are clearer and trails in better condition. There’s also a secondary, shorter dry season throughout June and July.

You could hike at Cerro Volador during the rainy season as the concrete trail won’t be affected too much by the weather. However, the views might be disappointing.

An electric train passes along an overpass in a city in front of a large mural in the style of Botero. This is in Medellín, Colombia.

Where to stay in Medellín

These recommendations are based on personal experience or excellent ratings across major booking platforms. My preferred location is Laureles-Estadio for the quieter and safer streets.

Hostal Paisa: a well-located budget hostel with all the amenities you need.
CoNomad House: a shared living and coworking space with all amenities.
Laureles Selection Suites: a comfortable rental apartment with all amenities.
Stylish Loft: a chic one-bed studio with all amenities and coworking access.

Cerro Volador: an easy hike in Medellín

Two men look upward to the sky watching the kite thy are flying. The men are stood atop a hill called Cerro Volador in Medellín, Colombia.

Cerro Volador is worth a visit during your time in Medellín, especially if you like easy strolls with good views. Just remember the 5:00 – 17:00 opening times and to bring some food as it’s a great place for a picnic.

Looking for more hikes in and around the City of Eternal Spring (Medellín’s nickname)? Then see my guide to the best hikes in Medellín.

All Medellín guides on A World Over:

Cerro Volador: A Quick and Fun Medellín Hike