Salento was one of the places I was really looking forward to in Colombia. The main reason was the Valle de Cocora and its famous wax palms. I love palm trees in general, but these very tall palms standing between the green mountains are something quite different. Salento is a small, colorful town in Colombia’s Coffee Region. Three nights gives you enough time for Cocora Valley, a coffee farm and the town itself. It also fits easily into a Colombia route between Cali and Medellín.
Travel to and from Salento
My route went from Cali to Armenia by bus and from there by local bus to Salento. The journey from Cali to Armenia takes around three hours. From Armenia, buses continue regularly to Salento. The local bus from Armenia to Salento costs ± 8,000 COP and takes around an hour. Public transport in Colombia worked well for me. Even with my simple Spanish, people were helpful when I needed to find the right bus or stop.
After three nights in Salento, the route continued to Medellín with Flota Occidental. Book here your ticket in advance via 12Go! It is a long journey through the mountains, so traveling during the day was my preference. You get to see the scenery and, on a winding mountain road, I probably would not sleep much on a night bus anyway.
Check the latest departure times and fares before traveling, especially if you want an early bus. Check here the travel options.
Where to Stay in Salento
For three nights, I booked a private room at Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel. It was a very good choice, especially because of the view from my balcony. Dorms are no longer my thing. Been there, done that. But a hostel can still be a nice place to stay when traveling alone. With a private room, you have your own space while it is easy to meet other travelers over breakfast or coffee. Coffee Tree is a little outside the busiest part of the center. After a full day of walking, having a quieter place to return to was very welcome.
Prefer something different? Check Booking.com for more hotels and guesthouses in Salento, from small stays in the center to quieter places in the green surroundings.
Things to Do in Salento Colombia
Two full days works well for the main things to do in Salento. Take one day for Cocora Valley and another for a coffee farm and the town itself. An extra night also gives you some flexibility with the weather. Cocora Valley sits high in the mountains and clouds and rain can move in quickly.
1. Hike the Cocora Valley
The Valle de Cocora is famous for the palma de cera del Quindío, or Quindío wax palm. Colombia made the wax palm its national tree in 1985. These palms can grow to around 60 meters high and live for up to 200 years. No wonder they look a little unreal when you first see them rising above the green hills.
The valley lies in the mountains outside Salento in Quindío. The wax palms naturally belong to the Andean cloud forest, although many of the famous views now show mature palms standing alone in open fields. Parts of the original forest were cleared over time for farming and cattle. Those open fields make beautiful photos, but there is another side to the story. Young wax palms grow much better in forest conditions, so protecting the remaining cloud forest is important if these giant palms are going to be here for future generations too. And then there is the weather. Clouds often hang between the mountains, which made the valley even more special for me. Check the forecast before you go, but don’t wait for a perfect blue sky. The mist is very much part of Cocora Valley and gives those enormous palms a completely different look.
How to Get to Cocora Valley
Take one of the Jeep Willys from Plaza de Bolívar in the center of Salento. The ride to Cocora Valley takes around 25 to 30 minutes. Go early in the morning if you want to do the full hike. The jeeps leave regularly and starting early gives you plenty of time for the trail before the weather starts to change later in the day.
What to Bring for the Cocora Valley Hike
The full hike is quite demanding. Mine took about five and a half hours, so this is not the day to leave with one small bottle of water and hope for the best. Take enough water, some food, cash and a light sweater or jacket. Good walking shoes are important because parts of the trail can be wet and muddy. Toilet paper can also be useful. There are several entrance points along the full hiking route because parts of the trail cross private land. Keep some cash with you and check the prices locally before you start.
Bring enough cash for the Jeep Willys, entrance fees, food and drinks. Do not depend on being able to pay by card along the trail.
The Cocora Valley Hiking Route
The full hike is a loop and you can walk it in both directions. My route started on the wider path through the open landscape, saving the narrower jungle section for later.
This worked well. The climb felt more comfortable and the trail was quieter. Higher up, the open green landscape slowly changes into cloud forest and mountain scenery. You can also make the extra climb to Acaime, a small nature reserve known for its hummingbirds. By that point my legs were already asking a few questions, but the hummingbirds made it a nice place to stop and rest.
From there, continue downhill through the forest. And don’t assume downhill automatically means easier. There are water crossings, small bridges and slippery sections before the landscape opens up again between green fields and wax palms.
After around five and a half hours, I was exhausted but very happy. This was one of my favorite hikes in Colombia.
2. Visit a Coffee Farm in Salento
After Cocora Valley, the next obvious thing to do is visit a coffee farm. Salento is right in Colombia’s Coffee Region, so it would almost be strange not to. You can walk from Salento to Finca El Ocaso. The route takes around one and a half hours through the green countryside, passing flowers, coffee fields and farms. That is how I went, and the walk itself was beautiful.
If you are traveling alone and don’t feel comfortable walking the rural road by yourself, take a Jeep Willys or arrange transport to the coffee farm instead.
At Finca El Ocaso, the tour follows the coffee process from plant to cup. You learn about growing and picking the coffee, processing and drying the beans, roasting and finally preparing and tasting it.
The traditional coffee tour costs 60,000 COP and takes around 1.5 hours. You can also choose a more detailed tour if you want to learn more about brewing, roasting and coffee tasting. A packet of coffee came home with me afterwards. After seeing the whole process, it felt like the right souvenir from Colombia’s Coffee Region. I took a Jeep Willys back to Salento. After all that walking, there was no way I was walking back too.
3. Explore Downtown Salento
Salento itself is worth a few hours without making much of a plan. Around Plaza de Bolívar and Calle Real you will find colorful houses, small shops, restaurants, cafes and plenty of local handicrafts. After the active days in Cocora Valley and at the coffee farm, you can simply walk around town, have a coffee and look through the shops. Salento was also a good place for souvenir shopping. The colorful Colombian bags definitely caught my attention. You can also walk to the end of Calle Real and climb the steps to Alto de la Cruz for a view over Salento and the surrounding green mountains.
A Good Coffee Stop in Salento
For a good coffee stop in town, try Café Jesús Martín, close to Plaza de Bolívar. It is known for specialty coffee, but the atmosphere is relaxed and easy. Order a proper Colombian coffee, sit down for a while and enjoy Salento around you. After all the hiking and coffee farms, sometimes you just want the coffee without having to work for it.
Eating in Salento
After my Cocora Valley hike, hunger arrived very early and dinner happened at around 4.30 PM. La Eliana, close to the bus station, was a good find and the Indian curry tasted particularly good after five and a half hours of walking. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and vegetarian options around the center. You can simply have a look around once you arrive rather than planning every meal in advance. Salento is small enough to explore easily on foot.
How Many Days Do You Need in Salento?
Three nights worked very well for me. Use the arrival day to settle in and have a look around town. Then you have one full day for Cocora Valley and another for the coffee farm and Salento itself. You can also do it in two nights if you are short on time, but three gives you more flexibility. That is useful if the weather in Cocora Valley does not cooperate on the first day.
Salento was one of the places I had been looking forward to most on my Colombia trip, and it did not disappoint. The wax palms may be the main reason to come, but the coffee landscape, colorful town and green mountains make it worth staying a little longer.
From Salento, continue your Colombia route towards Medellín or travel the other way towards Cali.
