Why You Should Visit the Magical Backpacker Enclave of Salento

A firsthand account of the Cocora Valley hike in Salento, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Colombia.

About the author: Sam is the blogger behind My Flying Leap. When she’s not writing about her travel adventures, you can find her volunteering with her pet-therapy cat and dog, on the top of a mountain, or enjoying a glass of bold red wine while planning for her next trip.

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“So, where’s the next trip to?” One of my closest friends asked me as we were catching up over dinner. “Colombia!” I responded with a big smile, as I always get so excited about my upcoming travel adventures. 

She stared at me blankly and her mouth fell open a little. After a few seconds, she seemed to realise a response would fill in the awkward space. She stammered a bit and said, “Oh, how… exciting. Who are you going with?” When I told her I planned to go alone, it was as if the air was sucked out of the room. She simply had no response in her repertoire and didn’t know what to say. 

When I got home that night, I started to do some research. Of course, I knew the stories of Colombia’s dark past. But that was decades ago, right? So, why did my friend – and most people I told about my upcoming trip, all look at me aghast that I was going – and solo, no less? Was this trip going to be more exciting than I expected?

There are many stories you can read online about Colombia during the height of its darkest days of drug cartels and guerrilla groups. In truth, it’s a developing country as imperfect as most other, with its share of problems that poverty often fuels.

However, there is a strong sense of optimism and pride in Colombia – an almost a tangible sense of hope that’s intoxicating. 

My airfare was booked and I was determined to go, but I’ll admit I wasn’t as confident as I usually am when taking off for a solo adventure. 

My inspiration to Visit Colombia

A few months earlier, I met a woman at a party who had just come back from a trip to Colombia. I had never met anyone who had been there, and when she described the incredible landscape of Cocora Valley, I was sold. 

This valley, nestled in the Coffee Triangle, is filled with wax palms – tall, cartoonesque trees that rise over 70 metres (200 feet) tall. The trunks are so slender you can actually wrap your arms around them to give them a hug.

There’s an incredible loop hike that takes you through a stunning rainforest where you can visit a hummingbird sanctuary. You climb a mountain to a finca, or small farm, for some incredible views. Then you meander down through El Bosque de las Palmas where these wax palms group. Could anything be more incredible?

I was sold. 

Visiting Cocora Valley 

The closest town to Cocora Valley is Salento, a small community of around 7,000 people with a picturesque Spanish Colonial centre. It’s remote and takes eight hours or more to get to by bus from Medellin. Even if you decide to fly to the closest city of Armenia, it still takes nearly two hours by bus to get there.

If I’m being honest, I was scared about this hike. Though I often hike at home, I hadn’t been for a while and didn’t feel I was quite up for this six-to-eight hour trek. And hiking alone in a remote rainforest didn’t seem like the best idea. But in truth, what had me the most unnerved was the descriptions of ‘seven dodgy suspension bridges’ that you have to navigate on the trail.

You see – I’m terrified of heights. But fear is fertile ground for learning, and this had all of the makings of a life lesson. I pushed past the fear and went anyway – and I was blissfully rewarded.

My trip to Salento

On the bus from Armenia, I met a woman from Belgium who was also travelling solo. We hit it off and met up that afternoon to explore the small town. That night, the owners of my hostel invited us to a family bonfire.

Around the circle of flame were several guys from different countries in Europe. We shared stories and laughs as we were introduced to aguardiente, a local Colombian liquor made from sugar cane. 

The flames, or perhaps the Colombian liquor, cemented the bond between our group. I left for Colombia on my own, but within a matter of hours of arriving in Salento, I was part of a fun group. As an extrovert, I’m used to meeting people wherever I go. What I didn’t expect was to achieve such a sense of belonging and connectedness as I did during my time in Salento.

From that time on, I was never alone. During the day, we broke into smaller groups and explored the area, doing different activities. At night, we gathered for dinner to share our days. We danced in a small restaurant-turned-club and we played a game called tejo where you throw rocks at small packets of explosives while drinking. Anthony Bourdain did it, so what could possibly go wrong?

Hiking Cocora Valley

My new friend from Belgium and I planned to hike Cocora Valley two days after we arrived. We took a ‘Willy jeep’ to the start of the trail when we were approached by two young women who asked if they could join us as they didn’t want to go on their own.

The four of us set out through the rainforest when we came to the first suspension bridge. It wasn’t all that high off the ground. However, it was narrow and swayed tremendously when anyone stepped on it. And there was nothing to hold onto. I stopped short with my heart pounding.

Instead of me trying to negotiate with my fear of crossing, I now had three amazing women encouraging me every step of the way. One crossed the bridge to encourage me towards her. The others waited behind, not getting on the bridge yet to limit its movement. 

I conquered the first bridge because of them and managed to make it over all of the others. We actually went off track a bit so we had to cross one of the bridges twice! And I did it, all thanks to them.

When we got to the big hill, I took my time to climb it. The switchbacks were steep and the grass was slick with dew. As I continued to climb, I turned around to enjoy the incredible views of the valley opening up before me. My new friends cheered when I got to the top and we took a picture to commemorate the event.

The magic of Salento

That night over dinner and drinks, we relived the experience of the hike with the larger group. We welcomed new arrivals to the town into our group and laughed and shared stories.

I was prepared to be blown away by the beauty of Cocora Valley. What I wasn’t expecting was what a life-changing experience my time there would be. I went to see a beautiful and unique landscape. What I got was so much more.

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6 practical tips for the Cocora Valley hike

• Take a ‘Willy’ jeep at the square to get to Cocora Valley. They take off once they are full with eight people. This is a great way to meet people!
• Take the counter-clockwise loop. You’ll start in the rainforest and you’ll end in Bosque de las Palmas.
• Make sure to bring Colombian pesos on the hike in small bills or coins. You’ll have to pay a small fee in two places and you’re not likely to get change. Ask at your hotel or hostel how much it should cost so you’re not told it’s more than it should be.
• Get a lunch to-go at Brunch de Salento. The owner is a really interesting guy and it’s enough food for the hike and then some.
• Go to the Acaime Hummingbird Sanctuary. It’s a little off the hike path but it’s worth the stop. You pay to visit and in addition to the hummingbirds, you get to have an aquapanela caliente, a traditional Colombian hot drink made from caramelised sugar cane).
• Hike early as it rains in the afternoons for much of the year.

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