13 Things to Do in Salento, Colombia (and How to Get There)

Last updated 13.10.2026

Of everywhere we went on our five-week trip around Colombia, Salento was one of the places we loved most. We only ended up here because we missed our second flight and had to reroute via Armenia (I argued at the airport that we were definitely not flying to Armenia, until it dawned on me that it’s simply another Colombian city). In return we got the tallest palm trees in the world in the Cocora Valley, Colombian coffee strong enough to keep us up at night, cloud forest, hummingbirds and some wonderfully moody scenery. Below are the best things to do in Salento, Colombia, plus everything practical you need to plan the trip.

Why Salento, Colombia is worth the trip

Salento is a small mountain town in the department of Quindío, right in the middle of Colombia’s coffee region, the Eje Cafetero (often called the “coffee triangle” because it sits between the cities of Armenia, Pereira and Manizales). The whole municipality has roughly ten thousand inhabitants, but only some of them live in the town itself, so you can walk across the centre in a few minutes. Since 2011 the historic centre has been part of the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (Paisaje Cultural Cafetero), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The real reason people come, though, is what lies around it: Salento is the base for coffee farm tours, the palm-filled Cocora Valley and, above all, mountain treks into some of Colombia’s finest national parks.

A short history of Salento

In colonial times, an important trade route known as the “Camino Real” ran close to where Salento stands today. It linked Popayán and Cali with Bogotá over the Quindío pass, and it was a narrow, muddy mountain track: goods were carried on people’s backs or loaded onto mules. When Simón Bolívar passed this way in January 1830, he ordered the road to be repaired and widened.

The work of upgrading and maintaining the road was done by political prisoners, who were rewarded with land in the area once they had served their sentences. The government set up a penal colony in the Boquía Valley in 1842, and it was this colony that grew into a convict settlement known as Barcinales, the forerunner of Salento. The original settlement in the valley didn’t last: in 1854 a flood on the Quindío River wiped it out. After the disaster the settlers moved up to safer ground on the plateau, and that is where today’s Salento was built.

In the second half of the 19th century, settlers from Antioquia arrived. They cleared forest and founded farms across the region, and they brought with them the bahareque building style: houses made of guadua bamboo and earth. The main road from Bogotá to the west was later built along a different line, through Calarcá and Armenia, and Salento was left on the sidelines. That’s exactly why its old centre survived, while elsewhere it gave way to new buildings. The earthquake of January 1999 damaged thousands of homes across Quindío, though only some in Salento, and a lot of volunteers came to the town at the time. Some of them kept coming back, and bit by bit the sleepy mountain village turned into one of the most visited places in the country.

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How to get to Salento

Salento sits in the middle of Colombia, which makes it a handy base for exploring the whole region. It’s easy to reach from the big cities: Bogotá, Cali and Medellín. The town has no airport of its own. The nearest ones are in Armenia and Pereira, both roughly an hour away by road.

• Bus to Salento: If you go by bus, expect a winding mountain road and several hours on board. From Medellín (Terminal del Sur) there are direct buses to Salento several times a day. The journey takes around 7 hours and costs roughly 78,000 COP (about £17 or €20). From Bogotá, the bus to Armenia takes 8 to 9 hours; from Cali it’s about 4 hours.
• From Armenia and Pereira: Minibuses leave Armenia bus terminal for Salento roughly every 20 minutes from 5:30 am to 7 pm. The ride takes about an hour and costs around 5,300 COP (about £1.20), paid in cash to the driver. From Pereira bus terminal there are direct services about once an hour, for roughly 13,000 COP (about £3). A taxi from Armenia airport costs more but saves you a change.
• Flying to Salento: We wanted to save time, so we used Colombia’s excellent domestic flights (fares within the country start at roughly £17 to £34, or €20 to €40). From both Bogotá and Medellín you can fly to El Edén airport in Armenia or Matecaña airport in Pereira; the flight takes about an hour. Since the August earthquake, Pereira airport has been running a reduced service, so there are fewer flights for now (we flew into Armenia after missing yet another plane, and took the bus from there).

Coming from the UK, you’ll first fly from London to Bogotá. Direct services run on some routes, but schedules change, so check what’s currently on sale; otherwise you’ll connect in Madrid or another European hub, then take a domestic flight on to Armenia or Pereira. British citizens don’t need a visa for a holiday of up to 90 days, but you should be able to show an onward or return ticket. Before you land, fill in the online Check-MIG form on the Migración Colombia website. It’s free, and we explain how entry works step by step in our guide to a holiday in Colombia.

Getting around Salento and the area

You can walk everywhere in town. For trips further out, people use the vintage Willys jeeps that work as everyday public transport in the coffee region. They leave from the main square, Plaza de Bolívar (in high season, when space runs short, the stand moves a little way to the corner of Calle 3 and Carrera 3). You buy your ticket at the booth by the stand and the jeep sets off as soon as it’s full. Jeeps to the Cocora Valley start running at around 6:30 am, the ride takes 20 to 30 minutes and a return ticket costs roughly 8,000 to 13,000 COP (about £1.80 to £3). Jeeps also go to the coffee farms and nearby villages; for short hops you can take a taxi or a tuk-tuk.

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Salento weather: what to expect

The town sits on a plateau at 1,895 metres above sea level and has a humid mountain climate, with rainforest all around. Average daytime temperatures range between 15 and 25 °C, which is close to ideal: never scorching, never really cold. Mornings and evenings are chilly, though, so pack a fleece or a light jacket.

Temperatures barely change through the year, but the split between rainy and drier seasons matters a lot. Most rain falls from March to May and again in October and November, while December to February and June to September are drier. That said, it can rain at any time. A typical day starts with a clear morning, clouds roll in around midday and there’s often a shower in the afternoon, which is why hikes start early.

Best time to visit Salento

The good news is that Salento is lovely at any time of year. If you want to see it at its best while dodging the crowds, go at the start of a dry season, for example in December or July.

Bear in mind that around Christmas and New Year, at Easter (Semana Santa) and over long weekends (puentes), the town fills up with Colombian families. You’ll need to book accommodation well ahead, and there are queues for the jeeps to Cocora. On weekdays Salento is noticeably calmer. If you’re planning a trek in Los Nevados National Park, check your dates: the park closes three times a year for five working days each time (the week after Easter, the fourth week of September and the fourth week of November).

13 things to do in Salento, Colombia and the surrounding area

Salento completely won us over, so much so that we were sorry we hadn’t stayed longer. Superb Colombian coffee, colonial architecture, rainforest all around and, above all, a really easy-going atmosphere: we liked all of it. Admittedly, after one afternoon coffee I hardly slept all night, but it was worth it. So what is there to do in Salento and nearby?

1. Salento’s colonial centre and Calle Real

The moment you arrive in Salento you’re met by cafés, brightly painted houses and that typical Colombian buzz. Every house is carefully decorated, there are restaurants of every kind and pleasant cafés where you can get some work done, too. Calle Real, also called the Royal Street, is the heart of this pretty little town and a fine example of traditional Colombian bahareque architecture.

The houses along the street are built on cane frames filled in with earth. White plastered walls contrast with brightly coloured doors, shutters and window frames, which gives the street its lively, distinctive look. Simply strolling and getting lost in the side streets is worth the trip. If you want photos of the colourful doors and balconies without the crowds and the open souvenir stalls, come in the morning before nine.

Calle Real starts at the main square, Plaza de Bolívar, with its church. This is where you’ll find the cash machines, the jeep stand and most of the restaurants. At weekends and on public holidays the square fills with food and craft stalls, and local men in hats and ponchos gather here. It’s at its liveliest in the evening.

2. Coffee farm tours and Colombian coffee (zona cafetera)

Love good coffee? You’re in the right place: the hills around Salento are full of excellent coffee plantations, and Colombian coffee is on every corner here. You can tour local coffee farms such as Finca Don Elías or Las Acacias Coffee Farm (the one we visited) and learn everything about how coffee is grown, harvested and roasted. Another big farm is El Ocaso. Most of the farms are in the Vereda Palestina area, about 4 km from the centre: around 40 minutes on foot, or take a jeep from the square.

On a coffee farm tour you’ll see that coffee plants grow alongside banana, avocado and citrus trees, which balance the soil’s pH and give the coffee cherries the shade they need. A tour usually lasts one to three hours depending on the farm, and it takes you through the whole process, from picking ripe cherries through drying and roasting to the cup. Smaller family farms don’t run to a fixed timetable; the tour starts as soon as a few people turn up. The tour also comes with as much coffee as you can drink, so go easy (I’m speaking from experience) if you want to sleep that night, because this Colombian coffee really packs a punch.

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3. Mirador Alto de la Cruz and the best sunsets

Salento sits at the foot of the mountains, so the town is a bit hilly, and on one of the hills you’ll find a beautiful viewpoint, Mirador Alto de la Cruz, your reward for climbing a good number of steps. The colourful staircase starts at the end of Calle Real, it only takes a few minutes to get to the top and it’s free. Up there you’ll find small bars and cafés where you can also work comfortably (if you work remotely, like us). It’s a great spot for watching the sunset.

4. Los Nevados National Park

Colombia’s national park system includes dozens of protected areas, and Los Nevados is easily one of the most popular. Its icons are the Nevado del Ruiz volcano (5,321 m) and Tolima. Ruiz is an active volcano that the Colombian Geological Survey (Servicio Geológico Colombiano) has kept on yellow alert for a long time. The summit is off limits; from Manizales you can only go up to viewpoints in the Brisas sector.

You can only enter the park with a guide or a registered agency, and that applies to every sector. According to the park authority (Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia), trips to Laguna del Otún and Nevado Santa Isabel have to be booked through a registered agency at least three working days in advance, and Tolima at least five. The entrance fee for foreign visitors in the main sectors is 68,000 COP (about £15 or €18), plus compulsory rescue insurance. The park closes three times a year for five days.

Keep in mind that these are seriously high mountains and you need proper gear (sometimes even for snow). The shorter loops in the valleys are lovely too, and from there you can admire the peaks from a distance. If you want to do a proper trek, we recommend going with a local agency: they’ll lend you equipment, bring a cook along and, best of all, you’ll learn a lot from people who live here.

The most popular treks in Los Nevados National Park include:

• Nevado de Santa Isabel: At 4,965 m, Nevado de Santa Isabel is considered one of the less demanding peaks. The climb from Conejeras to the edge of the glacier and back takes 7 to 9 hours (about 10 km) and leads through páramo, past glaciers and mountain lakes. Trips usually start from Manizales or Pereira, and only groups led by a mountain guide are allowed onto the glacier.
• Laguna del Otún: One of the most beautiful lakes in Los Nevados, at 3,900 m above sea level. It’s ringed by mountains and home to many bird species, including condors. You can do day treks and multi-day treks from El Cedral and other trailheads. Daily visitor numbers are capped, so book ahead.
• Paramillo del Quindío: A multi-day trek that starts right in the Cocora Valley, so you can set off straight from Salento. It usually takes three days, you sleep at mountain farms at around 3,800 m and the highest point is over 4,500 m. It’s a tough trek with long climbs and plenty of mud.
• Nevado del Tolima: This volcano, over 5,200 m high, is a rougher and technically more demanding climb. It’s usually a multi-day trek that requires a guide, high-altitude gear and proper acclimatisation.

5. Cocora Valley and the world’s tallest palm trees

The Cocora Valley (Valle de Cocora) is probably the biggest draw in the whole of Colombia. It’s a valley surrounded by cloud forest, filled with a grove of the tallest palm trees on Earth. The Quindío wax palm, Colombia’s national tree, grows up to 60 m tall and can live for more than a hundred years. There are plenty of trails to choose from. We did a tougher full-day trek and met hardly anyone along the way.

You get here by jeep from Salento’s main square. There’s no single entrance fee: you pay in cash at the gates of the private farms the trail crosses, roughly 10,000 to 70,000 COP in total depending on your route. The full loop via the Acaime hummingbird house takes 5 to 7 hours; the shorter walk to the palms and back takes 2 to 3 hours. You can also hire horses in the valley, which is very popular here. Routes, prices and tips on when to go are in our separate guide to the Cocora Valley.

6. Kasaguadua Nature Reserve

Rainforest fans shouldn’t miss the Kasaguadua reserve, where a guided walk introduces you to the local plants and wildlife. You’ll learn about conservation and see why a sustainable approach matters so much in this part of the world. The reserve is about a 40-minute walk from the centre. You can’t just wander in: visits are by guided tour only, lasting about two hours in English or Spanish, and you need to book in advance. Expect to pay around 40,000 COP (about £9 or €10). If you want to stay longer, you can spend the night in the reserve’s eco-lodge.

7. Santa Rita waterfall hike

Fancy a walk from Salento through the countryside around the town? Then head out on the short hike to the Santa Rita waterfall. It’s an easy trip through the Boquía Valley, 5.5 km each way, and if you run out of steam you can ride part of the way back on a local bus. Just have cash ready for crossing the private land to the falls, roughly 5,000 to 10,000 COP (about £1.10 to £2.20). After rain the trail gets very muddy; you can borrow wellies at the farms along the way.

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8. San Vicente hot springs

Like the idea of a hot soak in the middle of the mountains? The San Vicente hot springs are natural thermal baths on the slopes of the Central Cordillera above the town of Santa Rosa de Cabal. They lie at around 2,300 m among green hills and dense forest. It’s the perfect place to recover after a hard trek in the mountains. The water is rich in minerals and has therapeutic properties.

It’s not exactly next door to Salento: allow two to three hours each way, and much of the road to the springs is unpaved. The easiest way is via Pereira, where the springs run their own transport as part of a day pass that has to be booked. A day pass without transport starts at roughly 75,000 COP (about £16.50 or €19), and prices change with the season. Closer to Santa Rosa de Cabal you’ll also find Termales de Santa Rosa, with a waterfall right above the pools.

9. Horse riding

Horse rides and longer trips on horseback are hugely popular in Salento, and they’re a different way to see the countryside. They suit people who can’t walk long distances, or anyone who loves horses. Before you book, take a look at the condition of the horses, and choose stables with good reviews that don’t put more weight on a horse than it can carry.

10. Day trip to Filandia

Filandia is a neighbouring town about 20 km from Salento, with the same colourful houses but far fewer tourists. Direct jeeps and minibuses run there and the trip takes around 40 minutes. Above the town stands a wooden lookout tower, the Mirador de Filandia, and on a clear day you can see a large stretch of the coffee region from the top. If you’re after a quieter version of Salento, this is it.

11. Parque del Café

A coffee-themed amusement park near the town of Montenegro, about an hour’s drive from Salento. It combines an exhibition on coffee growing, coffee plants and traditional dance shows with classic rides, roller coasters and a cable car. It’s best suited to families with children. Ticket prices depend on height and age; according to the latest available figures, an adult all-day pass cost around 85,000 COP (about £19 or €22). Check the current price on the park’s website.

12. Tejo, the Colombian game with gunpowder

Tejo is Colombia’s national sport. You throw a metal puck at a sloping board packed with clay, with small paper packets of gunpowder tucked into it. Hit one and it goes off with a proper bang. In Salento you can play at Los Amigos bar on Carrera 4, and the usual deal is that you pay for the game by buying beer. It’s great fun with a group from your hostel; just be aware that people smoke indoors.

13. Cacao farm tour and chocolate tasting

Besides coffee, cacao is grown in the area too. From Salento you can take half-day tours of cacao farms, such as Finca El Argel, or longer trips with a tasting to Filandia and Marsella. You’ll see how cacao beans are fermented, dried and roasted, and at the end you usually get to make your own hot chocolate. It’s a good plan for a rainy day when the mountains aren’t calling.

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What to eat in Salento

The local speciality is trucha, or trout, farmed in ponds in the upper valleys around Salento and Cocora. It comes grilled, with garlic sauce or baked with cheese, usually with a big crispy patacón, a flattened, fried green plantain. Wash it down with fresh juice or, of course, coffee. Also try aguapanela, a drink made from unrefined cane sugar, served with a piece of cheese on the side.

Around the square and along Calle Real you’ll find cafés that brew coffee several ways (filter, Chemex, AeroPress), and the staff are happy to explain the difference. In the evening, stalls on the square sell empanadas, arepas and obleas, thin wafers filled with arequipe caramel. For more on what to try in Colombia, see our article on Colombian food.

Salento travel tips: money, prices and safety

How many days in Salento?

We recommend at least two full nights, ideally three. One day for the Cocora Valley, a second for a coffee farm, a wander around town and the viewpoint. With a third day you can fit in Santa Rita, Filandia or just a lazy day. If you want to do a multi-day trek in Los Nevados, add another three days.

Money and typical prices in Salento

The currency is the Colombian peso (COP). At current rates, 1,000 COP is roughly £0.22 (about €0.26), so £1 gets you around 4,500 pesos. Hotels and better restaurants take cards, but jeeps, minibuses, the farm gates in Cocora and smaller places are cash only. There are cash machines on the main square and none in the Cocora Valley, so withdraw money beforehand. To give you an idea of what things cost:

• minibus Armenia – Salento: around 5,300 COP (about £1.20)
• return jeep to the Cocora Valley: roughly 8,000 to 13,000 COP (about £1.80 to £3)
• farm gate fees on the Cocora loop: roughly 10,000 to 70,000 COP (about £2.20 to £15.50, or €2.60 to €18)
• Santa Rita waterfall: roughly 5,000 to 10,000 COP (about £1.10 to £2.20)
• Los Nevados National Park entry for foreigners: 68,000 COP (about £15 or €18), plus insurance and a guide

Salento after the earthquake

On 10 August a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicentre in the department of Chocó. Pereira, Armenia, Manizales and Cali were hit hardest. According to the local council, nobody died in Salento; around 170 houses were damaged, mainly roofs and bahareque walls in the historic centre and in the countryside. The Cocora Valley, the jeeps, restaurants and accommodation are all running, but some houses in the centre are still being repaired. Pereira airport has reopened with a reduced service, and Armenia airport is operating. Before you travel, check the latest FCDO travel advice for Colombia and updates from the British Embassy in Bogotá, as well as road conditions: landslides temporarily closed some stretches.

Is Salento safe?

Salento is one of the calmest places on the usual tourist route in Colombia, and you can walk around the centre in the evening without worrying. The usual rules still apply: don’t leave your phone and wallet on the table, don’t hike in the dark, and go on longer mountain treks with a guide. The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) asks travellers to Colombia to stay alert and warns that criminals use scopolamine and other drugs to rob victims, so never leave food or drinks unattended. Before you go, read the current FCDO travel advice for Colombia and sign up for its email alerts. For more on what to watch out for in the country, see our article on safety in Colombia.

Where to stay in Salento

Salento is small, so wherever you stay in town, the square and the jeeps are within walking distance. The cheaper hostels and guesthouses are around Calle Real and the square, with quieter hotels with views on the edge of town. If you want peace and nature, you can stay on a farm outside town, but without a car or taxi it’s harder to get around. Here are a few places at different price points:

• Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel: a budget option, a hostel with a garden, a sunny terrace and a shared lounge. All rooms have a private bathroom, there’s an American breakfast and you can borrow bikes.
• Hotel El Mirador del Cocora: mid-range, 500 metres from the main square and a 5-minute walk from the viewpoint. Breakfast is served on a terrace overlooking the Cocora Valley, and parking is free.
• Terasu Hotel Boutique Salento: a pricier boutique hotel with a restaurant, bar, sauna and hot tub. Rooms have a terrace overlooking the garden, and there’s a 24-hour front desk and an airport shuttle.
• El Rancho de Salento: a farm with mountain views for anyone who wants peace and quiet. It has a garden, a terrace and free parking, and you can head straight out on hikes, horse rides or quad bike trips.

If you’re still planning your route through the coffee region, you’ll find more accommodation tips for the whole country in our guide to a holiday in Colombia, and for heading north, see our Medellín guide.

What we’d do differently

We’d stay longer. Salento isn’t a place to tick off in a single day between two flights. You’ll get the most out of it if you don’t plan every day and can decide in the morning, depending on the weather, whether to head to Cocora or stay in a café and wait for the clouds to lift.

We’d wander more without a plan. We’d walk down from the viewpoint into the valley, follow the dusty tracks between the farms and stop wherever someone offered us a coffee over the fence. We’d try more of the little canteens that cook a set lunch for locals, not just the places recommended online.

And we’d put the phone away more often. The palms in Cocora rising out of the mist are something no photo really captures. On a coffee farm, it’s enough to listen to the farmer’s stories, and at the viewpoint above town, to sit and watch the colours change over the mountains. You don’t have to get through everything on the list. A coffee drunk slowly on the square is the one you’ll remember longest.

Frequently asked questions about Salento (FAQ)