Experience the beautiful coffee region of Colombia on our Cocora Valley tour.
This programme is the perfect extension to our Signature Colombia programme, for those who would like to spend more time exploring the towns, National Parks and culture of Colombia!
After a stay in Bogotá, fly to the city of Armenia for a visit to Salento in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region and fill your cup with adventures! You will visit a nearby plantation to discover how coffee is made, sample some of Colombia’s unique brew. Walk or hike through the highlands of Los Nevados National Natural Park to view the nearly 60-foot-tall Colombian wax palms growing in the Cocora Valley. Take time to stroll around the charming town of Salento, enjoying its colorful buildings and craft shops, people watch in the main plaza, under the statue of Simon Bolivar, or walk up to the viewpoint or “mirador” right above Salento’s town center for stunning views.
Your tour highlights
Stroll the colourful streets of Salento, passing by the vibrant Calle Real Street and the bustling Plaza de Bolivar Square.
- Enjoy drinking the local coffee of Salento
- Discover the process of coffee production at a plantation
- Enjoy a local cocktail called canelazo.
- Experience warm village culture in colourful Salento
- Witness the wax palm, the national tree of Colombia while hiking through Los Nevados National Park
Tour itinerary
Forty-five minutes west of Bogota, Colombia’s vibrant and cosmopolitan capital, lies Salento. Situated at the centre of Colombia’s coffee region, or Eje Cafetero, Salento is the gateway to the snow-capped peaks of Los Nevados National Natural Park where you can find the Cocora Valley.
On arrival you will be transferred the one hour journey to Salento to your charming and comfortable hotel that will be your home during your stay.
You can’t travel to Salento without taking the time to have a sip of the local coffee to start your day.
Today you will tour El Ocaso Coffee Plantation where you will learn everything from why this geographic location is suitable to plant coffee to how it’s planted and picked by hand. You will also discover the process involved in producing coffee from the beans and how to best prepare a cup that you can then enjoy. The coffee at El Ocaso has a distinct smell and will leave a unique flavour on your tastebuds. The surrounding scenery of the plantation is also breathtaking and several bird species can be spotted while on tour.
After your coffee pick me up, you will return to Salento where you can enjoy some free time at the hotel or wander into town and find a restaurant to try the local trout.
Situated within the Los Nevados National Natural Park you will find the Cocora Valley, or Valle de Cocora. Today you will travel to this region and enjoy a local cocktail on arrival called canelazo. This drink is made from brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange and lime juice with Colombian aguardiente, or firewater.
You will then take a hike along one of the trails to see the national tree of Colombia, the wax palm. These trees grow to an incredible height of almost sixty me¬¬tres and are found all over the steep grassy hills of the Cocora Valley.
Returning to Salento, enjoy a walking tour through the town, taking in colourful street of Calle Real and the lively square of Plaza de Bolivar. At the centre of the square you will see a statue of Simon Bolivar. It’s said the liberator passed through Salento on the Quindio pass after crossing the Andes and ordered an upgrade to the pass, leading the town to grow and flourish. There are many handicraft shops in town where you can purchase a souvenir before returning to your hotel.
A transfer will take you to the airport for your departure flight.
What you’ll see on the tour
Tour pricing:
from $1147
To secure your place now:
Phone: 03 364 3400 or 0800 747 737
Email: [email protected]