Valle de Cocora: The Ultimate Guide to the Cocora Valley

What Is the Valle de Cocora?

The Valle de Cocora is a green valley near the town of Salento in the highlands of Colombia. The Cocora Valley is lined with wax palms that make for stunning photo opportunities. The wax palm is the tallest palm species in the world and the national tree of Colombia (yes, that’s actually a thing).

The Cocora Valley is one of the most popular day-trip destinations in Colombia. Several hiking trails wind through the valley. In this article, we’ll give you everything you need to know for your visit to the Valle de Cocora.

Where Is the Cocora Valley Located?

The Cocora Valley sits roughly between Cali, Bogotá, and Medellín, in the mountains at an elevation of about 2,400 meters. Salento, the popular tourist town, is 10 kilometers to the east. The nearest larger cities are Pereira and Armenia.

We’ve marked the exact location of the Cocora Valley in Colombia on this map.

Getting to the Valle de Cocora

To reach the Cocora Valley, you first head to Salento. That’s worth doing regardless — the town is beautiful and a must on any Colombia vacation. We’ve written a dedicated article about Salento for you.

The easiest way to get to Salento is by bus from Armenia or Pereira. Both cities are well connected by long-distance buses and have airports served by domestic flights from cities like Santa Marta and Cartagena. The airport in Pereira is larger than the one in Armenia.

Transfer from Pereira Airport to Salento

From Salento to the Valle de Cocora

We recommend spending at least one night in Salento and heading into the Cocora Valley first thing in the morning. The weather is usually better early on, and there are far fewer crowds.

Getting there by public transit / Willys
Willys (Jeeps) depart from Salento’s main square, the Plaza de Bolivar, heading to the Cocora Valley. They work like shared buses. The first Willy leaves at 6:30 AM — check locally though, as times can change. After that, they run every half hour, or more frequently when they fill up. The ride takes about 30 minutes and costs 5,500 COP (around $1.20).

The Willys drop you off at a parking lot about one kilometer before the main entrance to the Cocora Valley.

Guided tours to the Valle de Cocora

If you’d rather not deal with getting there on your own, you can book a guided tour to the Valle de Cocora. Pick-up is available from Pereira or Salento.

Guided hiking tour through the Cocora Valley

Loops and Hikes in the Cocora Valley

We’ve marked the two most popular loop trails in the Cocora Valley on a map, so you can get a first sense of what to expect.

The Long Loop Trail in the Valle de Cocora

• Distance: approximately 12 km
• Elevation gain: around 600–700 meters
• Trail conditions: Partly sure-footed, partly muddy and rocky
• Entrance fee: 40,000 COP (about $9)

The loop trail through the Bosques de las Palmas is the longest hike in the Cocora Valley. The start and end points aren’t the same, but they’re only about one kilometer apart — so you can hike the trail in either direction.

You can either start in the Cocora Valley and pass the viewpoints and wax palms first, or save the palms for the end. Both options have their pros and cons.

Starting in the Cocora Valley: Pros and Cons

• If you arrive early in the morning, you’ll have the valley almost to yourself
• The weather is usually best in the morning
• You see the highlight right at the beginning
• Most visitors hike this direction

Cocora Valley at the End: Pros and Cons

• You save the best for last
• You hike in the opposite direction from most visitors
• The weather is usually worse around midday and afternoon
• There will be a lot of people in the Cocora Valley when you arrive

We started the hike in the Cocora Valley, so we’ll describe the route in that direction. From the Willys parking lot, it’s about a ten-minute walk to the entrance of the Cocora Valley. There you pay the entrance fee of 25,000 COP (about $5.60).

After that, the trail climbs steeply through the valley. There are several options for heading up, but all paths eventually lead to Viewpoint 1, where you can take great photos of the valley.

From there, you continue uphill a bit longer until you reach a forest path. Turn right and head uphill — this takes you to Viewpoint 2, which is equally fantastic for photos.

Shortly after, you pass a small hut. Here you pay an additional fee of 15,000 COP (about $3.30) to continue. The trail then climbs at a moderate grade until you emerge at a finca. From there, you descend steeply to a fork in the trail at the river.

Casa de los Colibris

The direct way back goes right at the fork. However, you can make a detour to the left to visit the Casa de los Colibris, which adds about 2 extra kilometers. As the name suggests, you can spot hummingbirds here.

Admission to the hummingbird house costs 50,000 COP (about $11), including coffee with cheese — a typical Colombian treat. We didn’t make this detour ourselves, so we can’t say whether it’s worth it.

After that, you head back. You’ll need to cross the river several times over wobbly bridges and pick your way over a lot of rocks. At some point you’ll pass a waterfall.

Then it’s back along a muddy path through the valley. Just before the end, you pass another ticket booth — this is where you pay the 15,000 COP if you’re hiking in the opposite direction.

Note: We seriously recommend hiking in rubber boots — especially if it has rained recently. The trails can get very muddy and slippery. You can rent rubber boots at the Willys parking lot in Cocora or at Hostal Casa de Lili on Calle Real in Salento.

Short Loop Trail in the Cocora Valley

Not up for a full day of hiking? There are also shorter routes through the valley. These loops start and end at the main entrance (where you pay the 25,000 COP).

Right at the entrance you’ll see several small paths branching through the valley — just follow your instincts. Do make sure you reach Viewpoint 1 though, since the panorama from up there is the best in the valley.

Example loop route: After the entrance, stay right and head up to Viewpoint 1. From there, continue uphill a bit until you reach a forest path. Turn left and head downhill. The trail will take you around the Cocora Valley in a loop. This route is just over 2 kilometers long, with a steep ascent at the beginning.

Horseback Riding in the Cocora Valley

Not a hiker? There’s a dedicated trail for horseback riders through the valley. You can hop on a horse right at the tour bus parking lot and ride through the Cocora Valley with a guide. If you’d prefer to plan your ride in advance, you can also book it online.

Horseback riding excursion to the Valle de Cocora

Best Time to Visit the Cocora Valley

Honestly, the Cocora Valley is overcast most of the year. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a sunny day during your visit — but that’s fairly rare.

You can visit the Valle de Cocora year-round. Starting your outing early in the morning usually means dry conditions, regardless of whether it’s the dry or rainy season.

In general, the dry season is the better bet — it tends to be sunnier and many days see no rain at all. The dry season in the Cocora Valley runs roughly from June to August and January to March.

During the rainy season, one or more showers often roll in from midday onward. The rainy season runs from September to December and in April and May.