What to do in Salento in one day: palms, balconies and tinto

In the morning, head to the Cocora Valley

If you are wondering what to do in Salento when you only have one day, the answer fits in one word: Cocora. It is the valley that brings travellers all the way here, and it is best visited early.

In the morning, the mist still clings to the hills. The wax palms emerge from the fog one after another, and the light stays soft for photos. As the day goes on, the trails fill up. In the region, clouds also tend to settle in during the afternoon.

The easiest way to get there is not to have to think about it. The shared Willys leave from Salento's Plaza de Bolívar from around 6:30 am, as soon as they are full, for a drive of about twenty minutes. But if you are staying in Quimbaya or Filandia, you first have to get to Salento, then wait for the jeep to fill up: that makes for a long morning of transport. With your willysero, the Willys comes from your village, after a tinto on the square, and drops you right at the entrance to the valley: you arrive early, while the mist is still there.

Walking among the wax palms

The wax palms of Cocora are the tallest in the world. The wax palm is also Colombia's national tree. Seeing them stand in the green meadows, so thin and so straight, is still striking, even when you have already seen the photos.

Two ways to enjoy the valley:

• The short walk: you stay in the lower part, where the palms gather around the meadows. Ideal with children, or if you want to keep some energy for Salento.
• The full loop: it crosses the humid forest, goes over the river on suspension bridges, then comes back down among the palms. Allow 5 to 6 hours of walking for the full loop of about 12 km, with a real climb through the cloud forest up to Acaime. Beautiful but demanding, and muddy after rain.

On a day with Salento in the afternoon, the short walk is more than enough. Take the time to sit down and listen to the wind in the palms. The palms are not going anywhere.

A practical point: some trails cross private land. Each private plot has its own entrance fee, usually between 15,000 and 30,000 COP, paid in cash on site. Keep some pesos on you.

Salento: colourful balconies and steep streets

After the valley, back to the village. Salento is first of all a mood: low houses with brightly painted doors and balconies, steep streets, and Willys parked around the square.

What to do in Salento in the afternoon, without hurrying:

• Stroll along Calle Real, the main street, which starts at the square. It is full of craft shops: woven baskets, textiles, wooden objects.
• Climb to the viewpoint. At the end of Calle Real, about 200 steps lead to the Mirador Alto de la Cruz, with its view over the valley and the mountains. Go slowly: the air is cool and the slope is real.
• Step into a café. You are in the Eje Cafetero. Quindío coffee is drunk right here, as a black and light tinto the way it is served on the street corner, or carefully brewed in the village's specialty cafés.
• Try tejo, if you feel like it. This Colombian game consists of throwing a metal puck at a clay target set with small charges that pop on impact. Loud, joyful, very local.

Where to have lunch and what to taste

The dish everyone will recommend in Salento is trout, raised in the cold mountain waters. It is often served grilled or with garlic, with a large patacón, a flattened and fried plantain cake. There is no shortage of restaurants serving it around the square.

If you prefer everyday food, look for an almuerzo, the Colombian set lunch: a soup, then a plate with rice, beans or lentils, plantain and meat, and a drink. Simple, filling, and often the best value.

For a snack in the afternoon, a cheese arepa grilled on the street does the job nicely, with a tinto on the side.

A typical day, without rushing

Here is the plan we recommend:

1. Early morning: a tinto with Daniel on the square in Quimbaya or Filandia, then the Willys to Cocora.
2. Morning: a walk among the wax palms, in the mist if you are lucky.
3. Midday: back to Salento, trout or almuerzo.
4. Afternoon: main street, viewpoint, coffee, crafts.
5. Late afternoon: back to your village by Willys, before dark, with no transport to find.

At weekends and on public holidays, the valley and the village are very busy. Arriving before 8 am changes everything. If your dates are flexible, choose a weekday: you will have the streets and trails almost to yourself.

What to pack

The weather changes fast in the mountains. Before you leave, bring:

• a waterproof jacket, even if the sky is blue when you set off;
• a warm layer for the morning in the valley;
• good shoes that don't mind mud, or rubber boots;
• sunscreen, because the sun is strong between clouds;
• cash in pesos for entrance fees, shared jeeps and small stalls;
• water and a snack for the walk.

With children, keep to the short walk and bring a change of clothes: the puddles of Cocora attract small boots.

Getting to Salento by Willys from Quimbaya or Filandia

If you are staying in Quimbaya or Filandia, the nicest option is to leave the road to someone who knows it by heart: no bus to catch, no shared jeep to wait for, and someone to tell you about the region along the way.

That is what Daniel does on the Cocora + Salento tour: a tinto on the square before leaving, the Willys to the Cocora Valley, entrance included, then the balconies and streets of Salento, and the ride back to the square with your head full of landscapes. It leaves every day, there are 7 seats per Willys and the traditional lunch is optional. Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children aged 4 to 11 pay the adult price minus 30 %. If the weather, the road or a site lets you down, we reschedule your trip for free.

And if you dream of wax palms away from the crowds, ask Daniel about La Carbonera: the largest wax palm forest, with a stop in Salento.

However you come, keep a moment to do nothing on Salento's square, a tinto in hand, watching the Willys come and go. That is often where the day makes the most sense.

Plan your tour in a few taps, we confirm the date on WhatsApp.