Experience – Cocora Valley, Colombia: Cocora Valley (Valle de Cocora)
- Location: Valle del Cocora, Salento, Quindío, Colombia (Google Maps)
- Hours: Monday – Sunday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Price: Free
- Recommended Time: 1 day
- How to Arrive: By car
- Distance from Salento: 11.2 km / 7 miles
- Distance from Bogota: 400 km / 248 miles
- Ideal Month(s): December to February and June to September
Cocora Valley (Valle de Cocora), a famous coffee region near Salento, is one the best places for trekking in all of Colombia. The valley is home to 60 meter high (200 ft) wax palms trees, which are the tallest palm trees in the world.
Usually, tourists rent a public jeep in order to get from Salento to Cocora Valley or rent a private car. Cocora Valley is not quite a multi-day trek, but you can stay and camp in order to explore more!
When to visit Cocora Valley
The best months are December to February and June to September, which is the driest period of this region in Colombia, however keep in mind that Salento and Valle de Cocora are notorious for its unpredictable weather.
How to get to Salento
The fastest and cheapest way to get to Salento, and eventually to Cocora Valley, is to fly to Medellin instead of Bogota. Medellin is located a 6 1/2 hour bus ride from Salento. To go to Medellin, you can fly via Avianca, AeroMexico or American Airlines. Otherwise you’ll need to fly to Bogota and connect to Medellin.
To get to Salento from Medellin, there are a few bus options. We recommend you take a direct bus operated by Flota Occidental. Busses leave from Centro Comercial Terminal Del Sur 4 times a day. The bus ride should take approximately 6 1/2 hours.
How To Get To Valle Del Cocora
From Salento, visitors need to take the local jeep to the Cocora Valley entrance. You can find jeeps at the Plaza de Bolivar Salento Park, and jeeps leave every hour from 6:10 AM to 5:00 PM. Jeeps return on a similar schedule.
