Most people coming to Salento initially come for one reason: to hike through the picturesque Valle de Cocora (Cocora Valley). Even if you haven’t heard of Valle de Cocora, you’ve probably already seen pictures of it. It has become a bit of a poster child for Colombia and is commonly found on postcards or travel tourism boards.

The Cocora Valley is a valley found in the Los Nevados National Natural Park and is home to thousands of towering Wax Palms that can grow up to 60 metres. These palm trees, the tallest in the world, are scattered across the countryside, nestled among the rolling green hills and cloud-covered peaks of rainforest that rise from the valley floor.

The main hike takes you on a 12 km trail through the national park, passing through the rainforest and ending with the Forest of Palms (Bosque de Palms), where you can walk amongst these giants and marvel at the landscapes from various viewpoints.

As you traverse the rainforest, you’ll find plenty of bird species, admire natural waterfalls and cross rickety cable bridges above swirling rapids. But even though the hike is magical all on its own, the views will take your breath away and leave you with everlasting memories.

The Valle de Cocora Hike (Cocora Valley Hike)

The Valle de Cocora Hike is officially a single-looped trail through the national park, but most people are unaware there are different ways to complete it.

When you arrive in Valle de Cocora, you will be dropped off at a car park and the entrance to the main trail. While most people will go ahead and start from here, let me explain the different options available so that you can plan ahead.

You have four options, with one additional variation that takes you to the hummingbird house, which I will explain at the end. I call them the Official Route, the Reverse Route, the AllTrails Route, and the Instagram Circuit. These aren’t their official names, so don’t be surprised when you ask about them at your hostel and they give you blank looks.

The Different Hiking Trails

The Official Route (counter-clockwise)

From the car park where you get dropped off, you’ll see a gate on the other side of the street. This begins the full trail that passes through the cloud forest and ends at the Forest of Palms.

The trail is around 12 kilometres and is classed as moderately difficult.

Most people will tell you this is the easiest route because your ascent is gradual through the rainforest, with a steeper descent along a gravel road towards the end. You’ll also end with the grand finale, the Forest of Palms, which most people come here to see.

We didn’t take this route and instead opted to do the trail in reverse, starting with the Forest of Palms. I’ll explain more about this in the next section, but essentially, we wanted to have the palms to ourselves selfishly.

If you decide to take the official route, you will reach the area where all the palm trees are in about 3 hours and descend the mountain with views of the valley in front of you.

This is a great option if you want to save the best for last and end your hike on a high. You’ll also have the added benefit of having plenty of small restaurants and food stores available to you as you return to the car park to get back to town.

The Reverse Route

The Reverse Route is exactly as the name suggests—it’s the same as the Official Route but in reverse. This meant that we started with the Forest of Palms. Doing it this way, along with our early start, meant we had the entire area to ourselves. Check out our photos, and there isn’t a single soul in sight.

But doing it this way doesn’t come without its downsides. Whichever route you decide to take (apart from the Instagram Circuit), you have to go through the cloud forest, which means a fairly large ascent. The problem with going in reverse is that you ascend on the steepest part, so the first hour or so is a constant uphill walk along a gravel road. It’s not the steepest incline ever, but it could be a little off-putting for some people.

Keep in mind, though, that the ascent is after the Forest of Palms, and the downhill section is through the stunning rainforest. In our opinion, it was totally worth it, and we would choose this route 100% of the time.

To do the Valle de Cocora hike in reverse, you will first need to walk to the end of the trail. As you leave the car park, carry along the main road, passing all the food stalls and restaurants until you reach the other park entrance, which will be on your right. You can’t miss it. Pay your park entrance fee and continue along the path to your left. This is the start of the trail. The guy at the ticket booth will direct you.

The AllTrails Route

If you haven’t heard of AllTrails, it’s an app that provides maps and trail guides for hikes all over the world. We absolutely love the app and use it 99% of the time we go hiking. We almost used it for this hike as well but decided not to at the last minute.

Anyway, as always, there is a trail for Valle de Cocora in AllTrails named Valle de Cocora Loop. It is roughly the same as the Reverse Route but has a slight deviation initially.

Instead of entering the park at the entrance gate, you continue along the road past the entrance and follow a more natural trail. This path ultimately joins the Reverse Route near the top of the gravel road on the ascent.

We didn’t follow the trail in the app, so I cannot comment on the condition of the path or how easy the initial part is to follow. But many of the latest reviews in the app mention having to jump a barb-wire fence, so I can only imagine that it takes you through some private property.

This route doesn’t pass through the Forest of Palms in the national park, but from my understanding, it passes by other palm trees.

The trail has a 4.4-star rating out of 5 and is classified as difficult. If you do take this route, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

For a guided experience through the national park, book a Cocora Valley and Salento Hike Tour

The Instagram Circuit

If you are only going to Valle de Cocora for the Palms and you don’t want to hike through the rainforest first, there is a much easier option.

All the palms you can walk among are at one end of the trail, so you easily enjoy the best views and get all your photos without completing the entire hike. You just need to enter at the right end.

After leaving the car park, follow the road as if you were going on the Reverse Route, go in the entrance, and wander around amongst the palms. To be honest, they have turned it into a bit of a tourist attraction, with paths sewn through the landscape and different viewpoints set up with Instagram-worthy props.

So, if you don’t want to get that long-flowing white Instagram dress dirty before your Valle De Cocora photo shoot, just enter at the end and visit the Forest of Palms alone.

Honestly, whilst this doesn’t appeal to us, as we actually enjoy hiking, I think many people would take this option if it were more clearly signposted or advertised. You get the best of both worlds: epic views and Instagram moments without the long, sweaty hike through the rainforest.

Visit The Hummingbird House

If you complete the full looped trail, you can take a diversion to visit the Hummingbird House around the halfway point. Here, you can get up close and personal with the hummingbirds, rest and enjoy a hot drink.

For us, the extra distance and cost weren’t worth it, and we didn’t go. It adds roughly 2 km to the hike and will cost you an extra $20,000 COP ($5.10 USD). The point at which you deviate from the trail to the hummingbird house is the exact point at which you return. So it is easy to skip over. Most people who have commented on it have said that it’s probably not worth doing unless you really want to see the hummingbirds.

If you do decide to go, keep an eye out for a blue signpost at one of the few forks in the path halfway through the jungle section.

How To Get To Valle De Cocora

To get to Valle de Cocora, you’ll need to take one of the many colourful jeeps in the main square of Plaza de Bolívar, Salento. They start taking people to Valle De Cocora at around 6.30 am and continue throughout the day. Whilst they have a schedule and say they leave every 30 minutes, in reality, they will leave whenever the next car is full. When writing this (April 2024), a return trip costs $10,000 COP ($2.60 USD) and will take just over 20 minutes each way.

How Much Does Valle De Cocora Cost?

Aside from the transport costs, you’ll also need to pay a fee for the hike. There are two sections where you must pay, one at each end of the trail. This is because the trail passes through two separate different private lands. One will charge you $10,000 COP ($2.60), and the other is only $6,000 COP ($1.60). Which way round you do the hike will depend on which one you pay first.

Obviously, if you don’t complete the entire trail and exit where you entered, i.e. on the Instagram Circuit, you’ll only pay one fee of $10,000 COP ($2.60).

Is The Valle De Cocora Hike Difficult?

The hike is classed as moderately difficult, probably due to the steep banks in places and the walking across rocky areas. If you are a seasoned hiker, you won’t have any difficulty completing the hike. The trail through the forest can become wet and muddy, especially during the wetter season, but it’s nothing that an able-bodied person couldn’t traverse. The most difficulty comes from the ascent. Some areas can be quite steep and exhausting, but with a relatively good fitness level, it’s nothing that a bit of grit and determination can’t overcome.

I’ve Heard It’s Really Muddy…

In preparing for this hike, I read many comments from people saying that the trail is extremely wet and muddy and that it is only possible during the dry seasons, December to January and July to August.

I can only comment on my experience, but we went in April, and the path was fine. Were there sections of mud? Yes. Were some parts wet and slippery? A little. Would I class it as impassable and advise people not to go at this time of year? Definitely NOT.

Look, if you’ve just had a few days of rain and you’re trying to go on the hike during a break in the clouds, then it will probably be quite wet and muddy. But that’s the same with most hikes that take you through a rainforest. It is best to use your own judgment on this and think about the weather conditions in the days leading up to your hike. We had a bit of rain two days prior and a tiny amount the day before, and the trail was absolutely fine.

However, I recommend wearing proper hiking boots with good grip. You are hiking through a rainforest, no less. If you wear a brand-new pair of white sneakers and expect them to come out squeaky clean, you’re going to have a bad time.

Go Early for the Best Uninterrupted Views

As stated previously, Valle De Cocora is one of the main reasons people come to Salento, and as such, it can become quite busy. So, to really enjoy it on your own, you need to start early and catch the first car out of town at 6:30 a.m. This is exactly what we did, and it was totally worth giving up those extra couple of hours in bed.

When we were exploring the Forest of Palms, there wasn't a single other person in sight. We could take our time taking photos without having to wait for people to get out of frame. We had no people in our wide shots of the valley, and we didn't have to lag behind anyone on the trails.

So, if you can stomach getting up at the crack of dawn, it is totally worth doing so.

Is The Valle De Cocora Hike Worth It?

Absolutely! The Valle de Cocora hike promises an unforgettable experience amidst some of Colombia's most stunning landscapes. While the trail may be challenging in parts, the experience of walking through lush rainforests and standing under the towering Wax Palms is truly something special.

Even though there are some concerns about muddy conditions, our experience proved that with proper footwear and judgement of weather conditions, the trail remains accessible even during the wet season.

Whether you're a seasoned hiker, a photography enthusiast, or just someone searching for Instagram-worthy shots, Valle de Cocora is an absolute must-thing to do.

There are so many amazing things to do in Salento! Find more tours and experiences to make your trip to this stunning region of Colombia more memorable.

What's Next?

Although most people come to Salento for the Cocora Valley, there are many other things to do here. See our other guides on Salento, which includes 11 of the best things to do in Salento.