Things to do in Quimbaya
Quimbaya is home. It is on its square that we serve the first tinto of the day before climbing into the Willys. Many travellers only pass through between two better known stops. That is a shame: the village is an excellent base camp for discovering Quindío differently. Here is what we recommend to our friends when they come to visit.
A village named after a people of goldsmiths
Quimbaya takes its name from the Quimbaya culture, a pre-Columbian people of the Cauca river region, famous for their goldwork. The pieces attributed to them are among the finest ancient goldsmithing in the Americas, and some of them, the famous "Quimbaya treasure", are now on display far from here, in Spain.
In the village, this past shows mostly in the names and in the pride of the people. Today's Quimbaya is a coffee village, with steep streets, colourful houses and a life that revolves around the main square.
Start at the square, a tinto in hand
The best way to understand Quimbaya is to sit on the square in the late morning. The elders chat on the benches, Willys loaded with coffee or bunches of plantains drive by, children come out of school. Order a tinto, the light black coffee people drink here at any time of day, and watch the village live.
This is also where our tours begin: we meet on the square, have a tinto with Daniel and climb into the Willys. If you are staying in Quimbaya, you don't even need to arrange transport to get there.
The Festival of Candles and Lanterns
If you are in Quimbaya in December, ask about the National Festival of Candles and Lanterns (Festival de Velas y Faroles). Each neighbourhood decorates its streets with lanterns and candles, and the whole village lights up. The festival traditionally takes place on 7 and 8 December, 2026 programme to be confirmed. It is one of the most beautiful and lively moments of the year in Quimbaya.
Getting lost (for real) in the Mil Caminos maze
About twenty minutes from Quimbaya and Filandia, the Mil Caminos hedge maze is one of families' favourite outings. Red and green hedges draw a tangle of paths you explore on foot, with riddles and surprises for young and old. Seen from above, it is a show; seen from inside, it is a real treasure hunt.
Our Maze by Willys tour takes you there by Willys, entrance included, with a tinto for the parents before leaving. For a full family day, the Family Day tour links the maze in the morning, a traditional lunch and a coffee tour in the afternoon.
Floating down the La Vieja river on a balsaje
The La Vieja river separates Quindío from the Valle del Cauca, west of Quimbaya. This is where people do balsaje: a gentle trip down the river on a guadua bamboo raft, steered by a balsero with a long pole. It is slow, refreshing, and a unique way to see the countryside from the water.
We are preparing a balsaje tour right now.
Coffee, all around you
Around Quimbaya, the hills are covered with coffee plants, banana trees and bamboo. You are in the heart of the Eje Cafetero, the coffee region, whose cultural landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visiting a finca is understanding the journey of the bean, from the red cherry picked by hand to the cup.
Our coffee tour is in the works. For now, the simplest way to get a taste of this culture is the Family Day tour, which includes a coffee tour in the afternoon, or to ask Daniel for his favourite places: he has known the local fincas all his life.
The theme parks, right next door
Quimbaya is also next to two large parks well known to Colombian families. PANACA, a park devoted to farm life and farm animals, is in the municipality. The Parque del Café, with its rides and shows about coffee, is very close, on the Montenegro side. They are good ideas if you are travelling with children, alongside a day closer to nature. PANACA opens from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Wednesdays; the Parque del Café from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Mondays and Tuesdays. We can also take you there by Willys, there and back.
Exploring the mountain villages
Quimbaya is ideally placed to explore the area. Filandia, with its colourful balconies and viewpoint, is a short distance away. Further south, the mountain villages such as Córdoba, Pijao or Buenavista keep a pace you no longer find in the busiest places.
Our Mountain Villages Route tour links them in one day, with lunch, coffee and forcha included. And if you would rather plan your own itinerary, the Private Willys for the day is made for you.
Where to stay and how to get there
Quimbaya has hotels in the centre and many fincas in the surrounding area, often surrounded by coffee plants. Staying on a finca means waking up to birdsong and coffee grown a few metres from your room. The village is connected by road to Armenia, the capital of the department, and to Pereira. By bus, allow about 45 min and 6,900 COP to Armenia. To Pereira, Expreso Alcalá runs more than 30 departures a day, from 5 am to 8:30 pm: about 1 h 15 for 6,700 COP.
If you arrive at the airport, in Armenia or in Pereira, we can also pick you up: it is an option in the booking module.
Our advice
Give yourself at least two days in Quimbaya: one for the village, coffee and the maze, the other to head out by Willys to the wax palms or the mountain villages. And on the day you leave with us, the first tinto is on the house.
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