Hiking Cocora Valley Colombia

Instagram may have turned the Cocora Valley hike (Valle de Cocora) into a tourist favourite, but social media hasn’t ruined the experience yet.

While researching Colombia, you’ll undoubtedly see pictures of those towering palm trees lit up by golden sunlight against the backdrop of a serene valley or swirling cloud forest.

This is the Cocora Valley, or Valle de Cocora, easily 1 of Colombia’s best-known destinations thanks to the natural giants. The Quindío wax palms here are actually the tallest type of palm tree in the world, reaching staggering heights of up to 70 m.

Hiking the Cocora Valley loop is the best way to see the trees, bringing you up close and personal with the soaring yet slender palms. Here’s all the information you need to organise the day out.

Cocora Valley hike overview

The Cocora Valley is home to some of the world’s tallest wax palm trees.

The valley is located near Salento, a touristy colonial town in the coffee producing region of Colombia (Zona Cafetera).

There are 2 hiking routes: a roughly 2-km trail directly to the palm forest and a 12-km loop through the valley with an optional extra 4 km to visit the Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary.

Both routes cost 20,000 COP ($5 US). The direct route takes roughly 30 min while the full loop takes around 4 h 30 min plus an extra 1 h 30 min if you go to the hummingbird sanctuary.
The trail is fairly easy, except for a steep zigzagging section around halfway.

Tall palm trees grow atop hills. There are rolling clouds above the hillside. This the Cocora Valley near Salento, Colombia.

You don’t need a guide as the route is pretty obvious and there’ll likely be other groups heading in the same direction.

Lots of the trail is exposed – bring plenty of water, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

Return jeep transport between Salento plaza and the trailhead costs 10,000 COP ($2.5 US). The first jeep leaves around 5:30 and the last jeep back leaves at 18:00.

It’s tricky to avoid crowds at Cocora Valley, but your best bet is to leave Salento by 7:30.

A man stands with his back to the camera, arms stretch out and looking upwards towards the leaves atop a tall palm tree. This is the wax palm forest in El Valle de Cocora near Salento, Colombia.

Cocora Valley hiking routes, timings and costs

1. Direct route

The short, direct route from the car park to the wax palms is just a few kilometres long and takes roughly 30 min to hike.

This is the route to take if you don’t fancy a trek and just want to see the trees. As you climb the hillside, there are different viewpoints among the trees, great spots for taking photos at.

A hillside. There are small plants growing in the foreground and tall palm trees atop the hill in the background. — The direct route leads up this gentle hillside.

At the base of the hillside you enter the private grounds of a hotel. These are well kept and there are colourful statues around. You’ll see a very obvious narrow trail climbing the hillside to the viewpoint.

This route costs 20,000 COP which allows you to also do the full valley loop if you choose to extend your hike after seeing the palms.

2. Full valley loop

This route can be done clockwise or anticlockwise starting from the car park. If you hike clockwise, you continue along the trail after seeing the wax palm forest. But if you go anti-clockwise, then you descend to the valley floor before climbing up to the trees.

The full loop is roughly 12 km long with an extra 4 km if you visit the Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary. It should take you around 4 h 30 min to hike the 12 km, and an extra 1 h 30 min to check out the bird sanctuary.

A dirt road heads towards a forest. There is a mountain in the background.

To hike the full loop, you need to pay 20,000 COP ($5 US). You’ll either pay this in 1 go if hiking clockwise, or in 2 parts if going anti-clockwise.

First you’ll pay 14,000 COP ($3.5 US) at a control point on the valley floor, then you’ll pay 6,000 COP ($1.5 US) at another control point just before the wax palm forest. You also need to pay 5,000 COP ($1 US) to enter the Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary.

I recommend hiking the Cocora Valley in an anticlockwise direction so you save the best till last. The wax palms are the crowning jewel after the sweaty, long hike.

Cocora Valley anticlockwise hike guidance

This page on Komoot shows all of the routes you can take to hike in the Cocora Valley. The full loop is the purple line.

Distance: 12 km
Duration: 4 h 30 min
Difficulty: moderate
Elevation gain: 700 m

A man stands in front of tall palm trees. There is a green valley in the background.

Trail start

On the opposite side of the road from where the jeep drops you off, you’ll see a dirt road heading downhill to the right-hand side of a wooden shack.

Take this dirt road and follow it as it bends downhill. You’ll pass a couple of fincas (farms) and, after around 25 min, you’ll come to a fork.

Here you can go right and uphill to tackle Cerro Morrogacho (Morrogacho Mountain), or bear left to continue through the Cocora Valley.

Valley floor

Shortly after bearing left, you’ll come to a control point where you pay the first fee (14,000 COP). Now you’ll follow the valley floor for a few kilometres along a dirt trail which is rocky in sections.

This entire stretch is exposed and the hot sun beats down. You’ll want sunscreen on by this point and your shades to hand. Follow the trail all the way to the river.

A walking trail runs along the floor of a valley. The trail leads towards mountains in the background and is lined by wooden fence either side. — The stunning scenes along the valley floor.

7 Puentes (7 Bridges)

Next you’ll cross the Quindío river 7 times thanks to a series of hanging bridges. With each bridge you delve further into the lush jungle while crisscrossing the river. Watch out though, some of the bridges aren’t in great condition…

A woman walks across a damaged wooden bridge in a forest. The bridge crosses a narrow river.

After the bridges you come to another fork in the trail. This time you can head right to the Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary adding 4 km extra to the hike, or you can bend left and start to climb.

Finca La Montaña

You ascend to the highest point of the Cocora Valley hike, which sits at roughly 2,900 m via a steep dirt trail zigzagging up the hillside. This is the hardest part of the hike and, if conditions are wet, it’ll be slippery and muddy, so take care here.

Finca la Montaña (Mountain Farm) sits at the highpoint and from here you can see the imposing Cerro Morrogacho (3,507 m) dominating the countryside. This a good time to stop for a break and refuel with snacks while enjoying the views.

A man stands looking at the camera. He is visible from the waist up. Behind him is a conical mountain summit. This is Mount Morrogacho in the Cocora Valley near Salento, Colombia. — There’s another trail in the Cocora Valley to hike Cerro Morrogacho.

When the conditions are right, this is also the best place to see cloud forests hang above the valley. The wetter periods of April to June and September to November are the ideal times of year, when it rains almost every other day.

Quindío wax palm forest

Continue on the trail from Finca La Montaña and you’ll join a wider dirt, rocky road. Head left and follow the road to the palm forest where you’ll need to pay 6,000 COP to enter the viewing platform.

The trees are already tall, but their lanky structure makes them seem even taller. They gently sway in the wind making you wonder how deep their roots must run.

The Quindío wax palm is the national tree of Colombia, but these cultural treasures are endangered. Since 1989, around 78% of the palms in the Cocora Valley have disappeared, mostly chopped down to make way for cattle grazing.

A woman poses in font of tall palm trees. The trees are growing form a green hillside and there are jungle-covered mountains in the background. This is the Cocora Valley in Colombia.

The species has been brought to the brink of extinction in Colombia, but thankfully there are now laws in place against chopping them down. Tourism in the valley surely helped save the wax palms too – I can’t see why people would visit this area if the trees disappeared.

Where exactly is the Cocora Valley?

The Cocora Valley is nestled within Los Nevados National Park (Snow-capped Mountains National Park), itself located in the Quindío Department of Colombia. The town of Salento, a tourist hub in this region of Colombia, is roughly 12 km away.

A map highlighting the location of the Cocora Valley in Colombia.

Salento isn’t just a base for visiting the Cocora Valley. Not only is the town beautiful with colourful colonial architecture, it’s located in the Zona Cafetera (coffee producing zone).

This is the main coffee-growing region in Colombia and there are plenty of fincas (coffee farms) nearby. At the fincas coffee connoisseurs can taste local brews and learn about the production process.

Tall palm trees as seen from their base looking upwards.

Getting to Salento

Salento sits in the middle of the geographic triangle formed by the cities of Medellín, Bogotá, the capital, and Cali, and is accessible from each.

From Medellín

Flota Occidental runs direct buses to Salento from Terminal del Sur in Medellín a few times per day. Tickets cost 83,000 COP ($21 US) and the journey takes roughly 7 h. You can book tickets directly with Flota Occidental or via Busbus or redBus.

You can also fly from Medellín to either Armenia or Pereira (small cities close to Salento) and then take a shorter bus to Salento. Flight prices start at around $100 US and the journey time is close to 1 h.

A woman sits on a fence looking towards the ground. There is a conical mountain behind here.

From Bogotá

From Bogotá you’ll need to take 2 buses, first to Armenia and then from Armenia to Salento. The bus to Armenia takes around 7 h and costs roughly 83,000 COP ($21 US). It takes just 1 h to get to Salento from Armenia and a bus ticket costs 6,600 ($1.5 US).

Expreso Palmira and Bolivariano run the buses between Armenia and Salento. You can book tickets at the terminal in Armenia or on Busbus or redBus.

There are flights between Bogotá and Armenia too. Prices start at around $70 US and the flight time is just shy of 1 h.

A man poses in font of tall palm trees. The trees are growing form a green hillside. This is the Cocora Valley near Salento, Colombia.

From Cali:

From Cali you also need to take 2 buses; first to Armenia or Pereira with either Bolivariano or Expreso Palmira and then a second bus to Salento. The journey from Cali to Armenia or Pereira lasts roughly 3 h and costs around 42,000 COP ($10 US).

A church in a town plaza. There is a row of palm trees in front of it.

Where to stay in Salento

My accommodation recommendations based on personal experience or excellent ratings across major booking platforms.

Hostel Tralala: a chilled-out budget hostel full of plants. There’s a kitchen, open courtyard and a terrace.

Balcones del Ayer: a budget hotel with a higher-end feel. The location is great and breakfast is included.

Hope Aparta Lofts: chic, affordable apartments with all the amenities you need and just 2 blocks from Salento plaza.

How do I get from Salento to Cocora Valley?

Your options here are much more limited. You can either walk the 12 km, which takes around 3 h, or take a Willys jeep for around 30 min.

The jeep transport costs 10,000 COP ($2.5 US) for a return journey and these leave roughly every 30 min from the central plaza in Salento. The first jeep leaves Salento around 5:30 and the last one back leaves the valley at 18:00.

The ticket booth is in the middle of the plaza. If you want to guarantee a seat for a specific time, then book in advance.

A woman stands with her hands in the air while looking at the camera and smiling. Behind her there are tall palm trees growing from a lush green hilside.

Willys jeeps

Riding in the open-top WW2-model jeep is an adventure itself as you cruise through the vibrant Colombian countryside. There’s space for a couple of people up front and on the benches in the back.

A few people can also hang off the back standing on the bumper. I wouldn’t call this safe as the jeep goes pretty fast, so hold on tight.

When to visit the Cocora Valley

December to March is considered the dry season in the Zona Cafetera. This is the ideal time to hike in the Cocora Valley as rainfall is minimal, trails are in the best condition and the views clear.

But for the best chances of seeing the mysterious cloud forests floating above, hike in the valley during the wetter periods of April to June and September to November. During these times, rain falls roughly every other day.

A woman sits perched out a stone wall looking over her shoulder towards the camera. There is a gushing waterfall in the background nestled among thick forest growth. — There’s a quaint waterfall tucked away in the Cocora Valley forest.

What to bring to Cocora Valley

Cash – there’s a few places to eat near the car park and a snack shop at the palm forest lookout.
Water – at least 2 L.
Waterproof jacket.
Sunglasses.
Sunscreen.
Snacks.
Hiking boots or trail runners.

A white horse behind a gate looks through the gaps in the wooden panels making up the gate.

Final tips for hiking in the Cocora Valley

Head out from Salento early to beat the crowds. I’d say no later than 7:30.
Hike clockwise, getting to the palm forest early, if you want pictures before everyone arrives.
Book a tour if you want everything organised in 1 click. You won’t have to worry about sorting out transport or having cash for the different entrance fees.

Cover your back

I never hike abroad without travel insurance and SafetyWing’s affordable and flexible policies keep me covered. They have an essential and complete plan so you can pick which best suits your needs.

Is Cocora Valley worth visiting?

A visit to the Cocora valley is definitely worth it. The stellar valley views, impressive Quindío wax palms and the varying climate make hiking here a fun adventure.

While for some people the experience is too touristy, and there are likely to be lots of other people when you’re here, it’s still a fun escape into the green hills of the Zona Cafetera.

Tall palm trees grow atop a rolling hillside. There are rolling clouds above the hillside. This the Cocora Valley near Salento, Colombia.

More Colombia guides on A World Over

So that’s a wrap on the Cocora Valley hike. It’s a unique experience when you consider this is 1 of only a handful of places in the world to see the gigantic wax palm tree.

Lots of people head to Medellín after Salento and you can see all my Medellín guides here. Or you can head to the Colombia section of the blog for all my guides to this great country.

Cocora Valley Hike Near Salento: All You Need to know