This small mountain town in Colombia's coffee region has colorful colonial buildings, local coffee farms, and hiking trails leading to the tall wax palm trees of Cocora Valley.
Salento, founded in 1850, is one of Colombia’s oldest towns in QuindĂo. Walk along streets lined with houses painted in bright greens, blues, and yellows, their wooden balconies covered in potted ferns and geraniums. Take a Jeep ride to the Cocora Valley, where wax palm trees—Colombia’s national tree—grow over 60 meters tall. Spend mornings touring coffee farms to see how beans are dried and roasted, afternoons hiking to waterfalls like Santa Rita, and evenings playing Tejo, a local game involving gunpowder and metal discs. The town’s compact size and proximity to mountain trails let you balance relaxed walks with activities like horseback riding or climbing to viewpoints.
Hike the Cocora Valley
The Cocora Valley lies within Los Nevados National Natural Park, known for its tall wax palm trees and mountains often covered in mist. These palms, some over 60 meters high, form a distinct landscape of slender trunks topped with feather-like leaves. Begin your hike by catching a Willys Jeep from Salento’s main square before 8 a.m. to avoid midday crowds. The full loop trail takes about five hours, leading you through cloud forests, across wooden bridges over fast-moving rivers, and past feeding stations for hummingbirds. Wear waterproof shoes, as sections of the path get muddy even in dry weather. Near the end of the hike, climb to a viewpoint where you can see the QuindĂo Andes stretching toward peaks like Nevado del Tolima.
Tour a Coffee Farm
Salento lies within the Coffee Cultural Landscape, recognized by UNESCO for its traditional farming methods. Join a three-hour tour at El Ocaso or Finca Las Acacias to walk through coffee fields, watch workers sort beans, and learn how roasting temperatures change flavors. Guides explain why the region’s volcanic soil and elevation between 1,500 and 2,000 meters produce distinct coffee profiles. Some tours let you grind beans by hand or plant a seedling to take home. End the visit by sipping coffee brewed in a chorreador, a cloth filter hung over a wooden frame. Many farms avoid pesticides and use shade-grown techniques to protect local bird species.
Explore Salento’s Streets and Buildings
Salento’s architecture reflects its 19th-century origins, with buildings made from bamboo, clay, and wood using a technique called bahareque. Calle Real, the main street, has brightly painted doors and balconies that create colorful scenes for photos. Visit shops selling items like hand-stitched leather wallets, coffee-scented candles, and carvings of wax palms. The central Plaza de BolĂvar features a statue of SimĂłn BolĂvar and the red-and-white Nuestra Señora del Carmen church, rebuilt in 1945 after a fire. After sunset, street vendors sell crispy patacones topped with hogao sauce and grilled trout caught in nearby rivers.
Climb to Alto de la Cruz Viewpoint
Reach Alto de la Cruz by climbing 250 stone steps from the end of Calle Real. The steps are marked with plaques depicting the Stations of the Cross, leading to a hilltop cross and views of Salento’s rooftops and the Cocora Valley. For a gentler ascent, take the dirt path that curves uphill past small farms and grazing cows. Arrive at sunrise to see the valley lit in golden light or at dusk when the town’s lights begin to flicker. On clear days, look for paragliders soaring above the valley or snow on distant peaks like Santa Isabel.
Visit Los Nevados National Natural Park
Los Nevados National Natural Park, a two-hour drive from Salento, includes high-altitude plains, glacial lakes, and the active Santa Isabel volcano. Day hikes focus on trails through fields of frailejones—silvery-green plants that store water in their thick stems—and past lagoons like Otún. Multi-day treks can take you to the summit of Nevado del Tolima, a 5,200-meter volcano requiring crampons and ice axes. Guides share how the park’s glaciers supply water to cities like Manizales and why páramo ecosystems are fragile. Acclimate to the altitude by spending at least two nights in Salento before attempting strenuous hikes.
Horseback Riding and Play Tejo
Farms around Salento organize horseback rides through coffee plantations and along trails leading to waterfalls. A typical three-hour ride might stop at Santa Rita Waterfall, where you can swim in cold, clear pools below the cascade. For a local tradition, visit a Tejo court in the evening. Players throw metal pucks at clay targets filled with gunpowder, aiming to create loud explosions. Locals often teach newcomers the rules, which involve scoring points based on where the puck lands. Order a beer from the bar and watch matches unfold in a mix of concentration and laughter.
Day Trips to Filandia and Santa Rita Waterfall
Filandia, a 30-minute bus ride from Salento, has a quieter atmosphere and a 28-meter lookout tower with views of coffee farms and the Central Andes. Buses depart hourly from Salento’s main square. Santa Rita Waterfall, accessible by a two-hour hike or horseback ride from town, drops 45 meters into a pool surrounded by moss-covered rocks. Bring a waterproof bag for your camera and snacks, as the trail can get slippery after rain. Swim in the pool’s chilly water or rest on flat boulders warmed by the sun.
Practical Information
Buses to Salento leave regularly from Armenia’s Terminal de Transportes, taking about an hour on a winding road. Armenia’s El EdĂ©n Airport connects to Bogotá and MedellĂn with daily flights. Accommodation ranges from budget hostels like La Serrana to mid-range hotels with views of the Cocora Valley. Visit during December to February or July to September for drier trails and clearer skies. Local restaurants serve trout grilled with garlic or fried whole, paired with arepas de choclo (sweet corn cakes) or lentil stew.
