☕ Salento – Colombia’s Coffee Hills, Wax Palms & Rainy Day Tejo
- María Albao M.
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Colombia’s coffee region is where time slows down, clouds kiss mountain peaks, and hummingbirds share your breakfast view. Nestled in the Andes, Salento is the colorful gateway to the Cocora Valley, high-altitude palms, and strong local coffee.
It's postcard-pretty, small enough to walk everywhere, and full of little surprises—like a national sport involving gunpowder. Let’s go.
🏘 Where to Stay
Salento is tiny, charming, and packed with cozy stays. You’ll find hostels with hammocks, coffee farms with cabins, and everything in between.
📍 Top Pick: El Viajero Hostel Salento – Social, stylish, and just rustic enough.
Other good options: boutique guesthouses or eco-hotels on the town's edge with great views
✈️ How to Get There
Fly to Pereira or Armenia
Then take a bus or shared van (1–2 hours) into Salento through scenic coffee hills
📌 Tip: The road is winding. Motion sickness meds = smart move.
🚶 How to Get Around
Walk. The town is small, and everything (food, views, plaza) is within 10 minutes.
To get to Cocora Valley or nearby towns, ride in a traditional Jeep Willys from the main square.
🥘 What to Eat (and Drink)
🐟 Trout (Trucha)
Fresh and served a dozen ways—grilled, garlic, or in cheesy sauce. Local staple.
☕ Coffee
This is the coffee triangle, after all. Try it freshly brewed from a finca you’ve just toured.
📍 Restaurant picks:
La Gata Carola – Homemade comfort food
Donde Laurita – Trout & local plates
🌄 What to Do
🌴 Visit Cocora Valley (Valle de Cocora)
Home to the tallest palm trees in the world (wax palms), this valley is the star of the show.
🚶 Hike options:
Loop trek: 4–5 hours, moderate challenge, through the jungle, hummingbird house, and palm forest
Short hike: Jeep drop-off + photo ops with the palms
📌 Tips:
Go early to beat the clouds
Bring rain gear and good shoes (mud is guaranteed)
Take a photo on the swing or in the “Colombian hand” sculpture
🇨🇴 Tejo (yes, with gunpowder)
Colombia’s national sport—think pétanque with beer and mini explosions. In Salento, is usual that there's rain every afternoon, so it's a good alternative to pass the time when it rains.📌 Ask your hostel or locals where to go—most can book a game for you.
🏘 Walk Around Town
Check out artisan shops
Climb to Mirador Alto de la Cruz for sweeping views of the town and valley
Browse local coffee and mochila stalls in the plaza
🌦 If It Rains (It Will)
Play tejo
Visit a café with a view
Read or journal at your hostel
Go to a coffee farm tour
☕ Do a Coffee Farm Tour
It’s not just about tasting—it’s about understanding the bean. Most tours include:
Visiting the plantation
Picking beans (seasonal)
Roasting demo
Brewing + tasting
📌 Ask your hostel or hotel for recommendations—or visit a finca directly (there are many around town).
🚌 Day Trips from Salento
🌸 Filandia
Even more local and less touristy than Salento. Colorful streets, cafés, and great views.
🏔 Trek to the Nevado del Tolima or Visit the Páramo
For hardcore hikers:
4-day trek to the snowy Nevado del Tolima
1- to 2-day treks into Páramo, a high-altitude moorland ecosystem unique to this region
📍 Go with Páramo Trek – ethical, locally integrated, and expert guides
🧳 Final Word
Salento isn’t flashy—it’s peaceful. It’s the place you come to breathe, hike, sip coffee by a cloud-covered window, and feel delightfully small next to a 60-meter wax palm.
Between the hikes, the hummingbirds, and that strangely addictive sport with explosives, you’ll never want to leave.
Next up: Post 10 – Quirky Tips & Unexpected Colombia Travel Surprises
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