Salento's Valley of Palms
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru to the south and east, and Pacific Ocean to the west. It’s incredibly biodiverse with a huge variety of orchids, birds, butterflies, plants, amphibians and fresh water fish. And although the only things I knew about Colombia before my visit were coffee and cocaine, there was so much more to learn.
One way tickets into Colombia and out of Ecuador two weeks later allowed me as many stops as possible along the way, though I did learn flights between the two countries are extremely pricey, leaving the only option 36 hours of bus rides through steep cliffs of the Andean Mountains.
My time in Colombia began in Cartagena, a steamy port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, followed by Medellín, the “City of Eternal Spring” and ultimately, Salento’s Valley of Palms. Ecuador was my final stop, where it's hard to breathe in the second highest capital city of Quito, with day trips to the cloud forests, butterfly gardens and chocolate bars of Mindo and Otavalo for its equator lines and volcano lakes, before heading home.
Favorite places to visit in Colombia
Contents
Hike Cocora Valley
Visit Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary
Tour Ocaso Coffee
Lunch at El Rincon de Lucy
Journey from Salento to Quito
Upon arrival from Medellín, I was taken back at how remote the tiny little town of Salento felt. The bus dropped us off on a deserted street in town. Up and over hills, I dragged my luggage to the edge of town where I found Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel behind a tall wooden gate.
Hike Cocora Valley
Early the next morning, I met up with a new friend and fellow traveler called Geetu. We enjoyed a quick breakfast at the hostel and walked to the main square to catch a ride to Cocora Valley located in the Quindío Department of Colombia. Our hostel offered a packed lunch for the hike for only $2 USD, as well as rain boots for rent and an adorable hand drawn map.
Unfortunately, catching a ride to Cocora Valley was more of an event than I had imagined. It was Sunday and tons of tour groups were looking for rides. There were only a limited number of jeeps for the day and their guides were grabbing them up quickly. Eventually, we got so frustrated we approached a driver directly rather than work through the middlemen organizing the rides. He agreed to give us a ride so we quickly hopped in to claim our seats.
With nothing more than the hand drawn map our hostel provided, we began the long difficult hike into the valley and through the mountains. It's essentially a loop so you can choose to start at either end. We chose the "easy" route which was still quite difficult. For this route, begin at the tall palms and follow the path toward the right. This path keeps you from having to climb the steepest part of the mountain, instead, descending it.
Located in the Central Cordillera of the Andean mountains, the valley is part of the Los Nevados National Natural Park incorporated into an existing national park by the Colombian government in 1985. It’s also home to the national tree of Colombia, the Quindío wax palm, along with a wide variety of other flora and fauna, all of which are protected under the park’s national status. Its name, Cocora, was the name of a Quimbayan princess, and daughter of a local chief Acaime, meaning "star of water".
As we entered Cocora Valley, the landscape was incredibly overwhelming. It felt like we were being swallowed up by everything green. The valley, Valle de Palmas, was filled with wax palms, the world’s tallest at nearly 200 feet high. Occasionally, we’d spot cows grazing peacefully or hikers on horseback but were otherwise alone for the majority of the climb.
The hike began up a smooth steep path and continued for nearly two hours. It was definitely a struggle as I am not much of a hiker but I attribute most of that to the high elevation (and maybe my footwear). The altitude was 7,900 feet at its highest point.
Near the halfway point of our hike and the highest elevation, clouds began to roll in and swirl about, cool mist tickling our faces. It was such an incredible thing to see and feel, almost like you’re walking in the clouds.
At the tippy top of the mountain, Finca de Montaña, my hostel mate and I stopped to eat our packed lunches and take a much needed rest. Then it was time for our descent. The second half of the trek was wet and sloppy from the recent rainfall; it was tough to stay on your feet at times. Thank goodness for those rain boots which I had packed in case of emergency.
Some hikers chose to take the journey on horseback and would pass occasionally, squeezing through the tiny pathways. Geetu and I continued the hike through rivers, across bridges and over piles of horse dung, stopping to admire the plant life along the way including the poisonous mushroom, Amanita, which can cause death if eaten.
Visit Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary
The Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary was slightly off path but we decided to follow the signs leading us upward toward the sanctuary. After all, how often do you get a chance to visit a hummingbird sanctuary in the middle of a forest? Upon arriving, we were offered a cup of hot chocolate covered with cheese, a local treat. At the time, I decided to skip the cheese but looking back wish I had been adventurous enough to go for it.
The sanctuary felt like a small treehouse in the middle of the woods. Dozens of hummingbirds flew in and out of the area, sipping on the sweet juice inside the feeders. There was a small kitchen offering various treats and an outdoor restroom. Stopping at the sanctuary was well worth it.
After watching the colorful hummingbirds flutter around the sanctuary, we began our hike back down the mountain through the mud. Others noted that following the route the opposite way, clockwise, would have been a better route as you’d be climbing up the mud instead of slipping down. Not so sure I agree though, as those climbing up seemed to be having a much tougher time than us.
Emerging from the mountains had felt like it would never happen but eventually we made it to the pick up location with last call at 4 p.m. In total, the hike took us about five hours and was an amazing journey, one I was super thankful to experience.
The end of the hike was just as gorgeous as the beginning and with a total of 25,000 steps I was ready to collapse (nearly 13 miles).
Tour Ocaso Coffee
The next morning started off slow, beginning with breakfast at my hostel. Then, I took off on foot in search of a coffee tour, bumping into a friend from my last hostel in Medellín on the way. About 30 minutes later we arrived at Ocaso Coffee Tour.
The walk there was gorgeous, just as all of Salento had been. Rolling green hills went on for days and the low hanging moody clouds created an ominous feeling in the valley.
The three of us began exploring the grounds while we waited for the tour to get started. The boys took a liking to my new tattoo which always feels relevant when off on an adventure.
The coffee tour began with introductions and a walk through the grounds. The guide explained how to tell if a coffee bean is ripe enough to pick and challenged us with finding ten ripe coffee beans, which was much harder than I imagined.
I also learned the average wage in Colombia is about $8 USD a day. Picking coffee, you can earn up to triple that amount but it's grueling work. It also takes three years before coffee seeds produce a single cup of coffee so enjoy your next cup thoughtfully.
After picking our beans we got to see what happens next in the process. These are dried coffee beans. After beans are harvested they go through the first round of separation, first class from second class. The "slime" (sweet coating) is removed and they are dried. A final separation occurs for the finest beans. They are packed and exported before roasting.
Colombia is the third highest exporter of coffee in the world and the first of the Arabica blend. They only export first class coffee and drink the second class locally, called tinto.
As the tour came to a close we sat for a tasting and lesson on brewing. We weren't allowed to add milk or sugar to the coffee so it was tough for me to finish as I like my drinks sweet.
Interestingly, I learned much about the preparation of coffee. For pour over, first, add water to the coffee grounds slowly before it begins to boil. Do not flood the coffee. Pour in circles. Never pack or smash the coffee grounds. Let them breathe. Do not put your coffee in the fridge or freezer, instead use an air tight container. Wow, I was doing it all wrong.
Lunch at El Rincon de Lucy
After an insightful tour, one of the guys recommended a great spot in town to grab a meal so we were off to El Rincon de Lucy.
El típico in Colombia consists of trucha a la plancha (fried trout), plantains, potatoes, rice, arepas (grilled cornmeal patties), salad, beans and cornbread balls (my name for these delicious nuggets). The meal also came with soup and a local sugar cane and lime drink called guarapo costeño. All this for 7,000 COP, just over $2 USD; a must visit if you find yourself in town.
Saying farewell to Salento was tough as I fell in love with this gorgeous little town. Up next, I’d begin the long arduous journey through the mountains to Quito, Ecuador.
Journey from Salento to Quito
The following morning I checked out of Coffee Bean and began the two day trek to Quito. I had no other choice other than to travel over land because flights were super expensive (we're talking more than $600 USD).
My two day bus journey from Colombia to Ecuador included the following stops with one night stay in Popayán:
Salento 》Armenia
Armenia 》Popayán
Popayán 》Ipiales
Ipiales 》Border
Border 》Tolcan
Tolcan 》Quito
Quito 》Hostel
At least the countryside was insanely gorgeous but the bus rides themselves were frightening to say the least. I’d suggest taking some motion sickness pills if that’s something you struggle with. Drivers were in some sort of hurry, almost as if they were in a race, and these buses would be flying around the highest cliffs at top speeds. Once, we even saw a car being rescued that had gone over the edge and slid down the mountainside slamming into a tree. Even good drivers can be swept over the edge with loose gravel or a crumbing road so beware.
Originally, I was worried about so many bus transfers in order to reach Quito but it ended up being pretty simple, having only one mishap when I hopped off the bus one city too early and had to buy a new ticket to get back on my way.
The buses were comfortable and stopped often for bathroom breaks and snacks along the way. Popayán was a middle point so I checked into a hostel there for the night. It's a cute little town but didn't seem like much was going on and I wasn't impressed with the hostel. After countless hours of travel, I was dropped off on the side of the freeway in Quito. This last bus was so packed it was impossible to see out the windows and I had missed my stop.
Immediately, I hailed a taxi and went straight to my hostel, Mogens Pod Hostel. Quito, Ecuador would be my final stop, with day tours to both Mindo and Otavalo, before heading home.
Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel
Really loved this hostel and the vibe of the entire town. I've never seen anything like it. Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel feels more like a lodge than the typical hostel. The location was a bit of a trek from the center of town but scenery-wise it was perfect, offering incredible views.
Rooms are spacious and individual style bathrooms are always a plus. Everything was clean and comfortable. Breakfast in the morning was very delicious but isn't complimentary (they will add it on to your room).
Staff had great recommendations for the most part and were very helpful. I did find some of the restaurants they suggested to be too touristy as I prefer a more authentic experience. Coffee Tree offered a few services I've never seen which were really helpful: a packed lunch and rubber rain boots. Totally worth it if there's any rain.
If you find yourself in Salento hike the Cocora Valley and visit the Ocaso Coffee Tour. Also, eat at El Rincon de Lucy in town. It’s deliciously cheap.
An Andean town west of Bogotá, Salento is known for its coffee estates and sweeping scenery. To the East is Cocora Valley, where the world’s tallest palms dot the landscape. Rare parrots, poisonous mushrooms and iridescent hummingbirds can be spotted along many of the hiking trails.