Salento in Colombia is a colorful South American village located in the heart of the coffee region. It’s one of Colombia’s most popular destinations, and for good reason. In Salento, you can do many fun activities. The best and most popular activity is to visit the well-known Valle de Cocora. Read in this article which activities you can do, where you can eat delicious food in Salento in Colombia, how to get there and where you need to stay.
Best things to do in Salento?
There isn’t a lot to do in Salento itself. We recommend staying at least 2 full days, therefore you have enough time to do two activities and to relax.
Hike Valle de Cocora
Valle de Cocora is easy to visit from Salento in Colombia, in the center red jeeps leave every 30 minutes and drop you at the entrance of the park. At the entrance you have the opportunity to rent a horse, in our opinion, it is better to walk Valle de Cocora. The walk directions have two options, clockwise or counterclockwise. The difference is that clockwise is easier, avoiding a steep climb. The other direction, which we have done, is more difficult to walk because at a certain point you need to walk up a steep slope. We recommend it because you save the landscape with the wax palms for the end.
Tip: leave on time in Salento, around 8:00 AM, to avoid long queues. It is not necessary to make a reservation. Also, bring enough water, snacks and sun protection. You must use good walking shoes. Do this activity at the beginning of your stay in Salento, because the next day your legs need some rest. Curious about more general hiking tips? Check out our hiking guide for beginners here.
Visit a coffee plantation
Salento in Colombia is known for the coffee region. Do you want to learn everything regarding Colombian coffee? If the answer is yes, you should do a coffee tour. Book your ticket via the below link.
Traditional Coffee Tour | $8 per person
Play the game Tejo
The goal of Tejo is very simple, to drink a beer and in the meantime throw heavy balls into a container where small triangles with gunpowder explode when you hit it. It is a fun and funny game to do in the evening. The best place to play Tejo in Salento is Los Amigos.
Other activities in Salento
In addition to all these activities, you can also visit the mirador in Salento. It is a short climb and once you reach the top you have to walk a little to the left to look over the entire valley. This is definitely worth it if you have time.
Other activities that are very popular to do in Salento: mountain biking, horse riding, and birdwatching. We haven’t done it because we hadn’t the time. If you are interested in mountain biking and/or horse riding reserve your spot via the link. We heard from other travelers that the horse riding excursion was a lot of fun. If you would like to do birdwatching we recommend you to ask for information at your accommodation. In Salento are a couple of local agencies that arrange birdwatching tours.
Where to stay in Salento?
Given the fact that Salento in Colombia isn’t a big village, there are still plenty of options to find your perfect hotel or hostel. To save you a lot of time in finding suitable accommodation, we have listed our two favorite accommodations below. It is important to know that both accommodations are very popular, so booking in advance is important. Book now via our links and you can change your reservation one day in advance. This is a big benefit if you want to maintain flexibility during your trip.
Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero
If you are looking for a hotel with beautiful rooms with comfortable beds, then Hotel Salento Real Eje Cafetero is the right place. The rooms have a private bathroom with hot water. Breakfast is very good especially the coffee! The hotel is located in a quiet area of Salento within walking distance of the center.
Price per night from:
$ 40 double room
Viajero Hostel Salento
Do you want to stay in a hostel with a nice view of the valley? Do you like to stay in a hostel with an awesome atmosphere and where you can meet other travelers? If you searching for this kind of hostel, Viajero Hostel Salento is recommended for you. You can book a bed in a dormitory or choose a double room. Book in time because this hostel is very popular.
Price per night from:
$ 12 dorm | $ 34 double room
Where to eat the best food in Salento?
Brunch dinner is the best restaurant in Salento and arguably one of the most unique restaurants in Colombia. The food is delicious and above all, they serve a lot of food. It is ideal to eat in this restaurant after you visited Valle de Cocora. The menu is European / American. They have delicious burgers. If you like fish take the salmon burger.
Bernabe is a restaurant serving local cuisine. The area outside is perfect to have dinner because the atmosphere is great! Try the trout in the restaurant, which is a specialty throughout Salento in Colombia.
Travel insurance
World Nomads travel insurance policies offer coverage for more than 150 activities. Get a quote, make a claim, or buy or extend your policy while on the road.
How do you get to Salento in Colombia?
Salento in Colombia is a popular destination, there are plenty of options to get here. Most people come from Bogota. From Bogota, you can take a bus or plane. Please note that you always have to go to Pereira or Armenia first. There you take a local bus to go to Salento. The journey by bus from Bogota takes about 7 to 9 hours, depending on traffic. We did this trip by plane which took us 2.5 hours in Salento. We recommend the night bus because you lose less time and it is cheaper.
If you travel to Colombia by plane and you are looking for a car to rent, you can rent it through Rentalcars. We use Rentalcars when we want to travel by car to discover new destinations. They’re easy to use and book with.
Next destination
When you use our Colombia itinerary your next destination in Medellin. You can open the article of Medellin via the link. In this article, we explain everything you need to know, such as: what are the best things to do in Medellin, where to stay, and where you can eat well.
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