Cerro El Volador

Forested hill rising 200m above the valley floor in central Medellin

The largest natural park inside Medellin's metropolitan area — a steep, forested hill that rises two hundred metres out of the valley floor, ringed by city on every side. Reach the top by a winding tarmac path (about forty minutes' walk) for a 360-degree view of the entire Aburrá Valley. Bring water and don't go alone after dark.

The forest is regenerated rather than original but holds a surprising amount of birdlife. Best in early morning when the air is clear.

things to do landmark
A story
Indigenous Aburra people used the hill as a burial ground long before the Spanish arrived; pre-Columbian funerary objects have been excavated near the summit. It is now a protected natural-history reserve inside the city.

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