Salento and the Cocora Valley

An easy fourty five minute drive to Salento, we were on our way jam packed into the back of a Jeep Willy. We arrived just as the weather turned gloomy and rainy. Running for cover to keep our bags from getting soaking wet we head to the main cathedral in the town square.

After waiting fifteen minutes, huddled in the entrance with about twenty locals, we realized the rain was not going to let up, so we headed to a close by restaurant for a snack and beverage. We ended up getting the most regionally specific things we could:An Aguilla (Colombian Beer); a warm cocktail made with Aguardiente (Colombian liquor, tastes of Anise), panela (an unprocessed cane sugar), cinnamon and star anise; and a bowl of soup made with local trout. This fantastic local snack was a perfect welcome to Salento.

The next morning we woke up quite early to hit the trails of the Cocora Valley. This valley is home to the tallest palm trees in the world, each reaching up to 60 metres. Not only are the trees a stunning sight, but they’re 3000 metres above sea level, mingling with evergreens, high in the Andes. So very odd to find such a scene at these altitudes. If you check out the pictures below you will understand why people come out this way to see them. The views are unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else in the world.

We hopped into the back of a Jeep Willy with as many other people as they can cram into each ride and headed off to the valley. It’s only a 20 minute drive through winding roads to get to the start of the hike. Upon arrival, you have an option to make a short hike, roughly an hour round trip, straight to the palm valley; or you can choose to hike five or six hours around the entire valley - arriving at the palms at the end. As we had already come this far, we opted for the full hike.

This hike first takes you through muddy farmland, then rises into the dense jungle, where it winds back and forth over a river using swinging bridges that although looked sketchy, seemed sturdy enough to cross. It was such a beautiful walk, well balanced of all the things you look for in a hike. The trickiest part was because of the rain the day before. The trails were all quite muddy and some of the steep, uphill sections were very challenging. However, overall it was an amazing hike, and if you ever get to this part of the world, you definitely have to check it out.

We ended up back in Salento in the late afternoon, due to taking a wrong turn on the hike and adding two hours to our time. We weren’t the only ones and we won’t be the last. The trails themselves are not always clearly marked. Needless to say we were starving, so after we changed our dirty clothes and shoes, and had a quick shower, we headed out for the best Bandeja Paisa we have ever eaten.

A Bandeja Paisa consists of white rice, fried plantain, chorizo sausage, seasoned ground meat, chicharron, an arepa, the best baked beans you will ever have, avocado, and all topped off with a fried egg. We shared it and we were stuffed! Not a bad way to end a long tiring hike. Although the night was still young, we barely had enough energy to walk back to our place. So we called it a night!