Salento Travel Guide

Quick answer: This Salento travel guide covers the six best things to do in Salento, Colombia: hiking Valle de Cocora, walking the Ruta de Café, visiting Cascada Santa Rita, strolling Calle Real, climbing to the Alto de la Cruz viewpoint and playing tejo. Each section includes how to get there and what it costs.

Spend a Day Hiking at Valle de Cocora

Valle de Cocora is one of the prime attractions in Salento. It is known for Colombia’s national tree, the wax palm, and is home to the tallest palms in the world, growing up to 60 metres.

• Getting there: Willy’s Jeeps leave from the main square at 6:10, 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning. The ride takes around 30 minutes.
• Cost: Transport COP 3,800 per person | Park entrance COP 2,000

Explore the Ruta de Café

Salento is the hub of Colombia’s great gem: coffee. The region is filled with coffee farms, and you can walk or bike through the Ruta de Café. Two renowned farms are Don Elias and El Ocaso.

• Getting there: From the centre of town, cross the yellow bridge and keep walking straight. You will see signs for “DON ELIAS” along the way. The walk takes around 1 hour through serene countryside.
• Cost: Don Elias COP 8,000 | El Ocaso COP 15,000

Get Closer to Nature at Cascada Santa Rita

One of the hidden gems of Salento is Cascada Santa Rita. The waterfall is tucked away near Boquia, a village just a few miles from Salento. The trail follows a river flanked by steep mountain foothills, offering striking views.

• Getting there: Take a bus towards Pereira or Armenia and get off at Boquia, a rustic little village in the foothills near Salento. The trail begins right next to the yellow bridge.
• Cost: Bus from Salento to Boquia COP 1,000 | Entrance to the falls COP 5,000

Stroll Through Calle Real

Calle Real is one of Salento’s most prominent attractions. The street is lined with restaurants and local craft stalls housed in picturesque, colourful colonial houses. At its end, a flight of steps climbs up to the Alto de la Cruz.

• Getting there: Calle Real is the main street right next to Salento’s cathedral.

Visit the Alto de la Cruz Viewpoint

From the Mirador Alto de la Cruz you can see the stunning beauty of Salento, the Cocora Valley and many of the mountains of Los Nevados National Natural Park. There are six flights of 40 steps each, so it is accessible to most visitors. The steps are also the stage for the Easter procession.

• Getting there: Continue along Calle Real until you see a flight of stairs rising towards the viewpoint.
• Cost: N/A

Play Tejo, Colombia’s Traditional Game

Tejo is a traditional Colombian game in which players throw a metal disc (the tejo, after which the game is named) across an alley at a wooden frame. The frame holds mechas, small triangle-shaped envelopes of gunpowder that explode loudly on impact, making a sound similar to a small revolver firing.

• Where to play: Los Amigos, on Carrera 4, two streets north of Calle Real.
• Cost: This is a play-as-you-drink place that only sells beer. Every player has to buy a bottle for COP 3,500.

Salento Costs at a Glance

Activity	Cost
Jeep to Valle de Cocora	COP 3,800 per person
Valle de Cocora park entrance	COP 2,000
Don Elias coffee farm	COP 8,000
El Ocaso coffee farm	COP 15,000
Bus Salento to Boquia	COP 1,000
Cascada Santa Rita entrance	COP 5,000
Tejo at Los Amigos (one beer)	COP 3,500

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get from Salento to Valle de Cocora?

Willy’s Jeeps leave from the main square at 6:10, 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning, and the ride takes around 30 minutes.

Which coffee farms can you visit in Salento?

Two renowned farms on the Ruta de Café are Don Elias and El Ocaso, about an hour’s walk from town across the yellow bridge.

Is the Alto de la Cruz viewpoint free?

There is no listed cost. Just follow Calle Real to the stairs and climb six flights of 40 steps.

Where can you play tejo in Salento?

Los Amigos on Carrera 4, two streets north of Calle Real. Each player buys a beer to play.

Conclusion

From towering wax palms and coffee farms to waterfalls, colourful streets and exploding tejo targets, Salento packs a lot into a small town. Use this Salento travel guide to plan your days and make the most of Colombia’s coffee country.