There’s something special about planning and then visiting somewhere so eclectic and different from previous trips. Bogotá, our entry point to Colombia, a melting pot for sure, but a colourful, friendly, hustle and bustle of one, and after a few days there experiencing sprawling city life we took the short hop up to Salento. I could already feel what a beautiful country it was, with warm welcoming people, appreciating and proud of their heritage and culture, and keen to share with tourists and travellers. You can view my full Colombia gallery here
Colombians are sick of ‘Narcos’ stories because Colombia is a country that has changed so much. It’s a country that’s completely different from the country that we see in ‘Narcos.’ They reconstructed themselves in 25 years, which is amazing.” Wagner Moura
Colourful Salento
Gateway to Colombia’s coffee region, is a picturesque mountain village that captures the essence of rural Colombian life. With just 10,000 residents, this tiny vibrant town offers an incredible blend of natural beauty, colourful photo opportunities (for which I duly obliged), cultural experiences, and laid-back charm.
The town’s most famous street is a vibrant display of Colombian architecture, featuring two-story white houses vibrantly painted with cute balconies and colourful doorways. Early morning is the best time to capture its photogenic beauty, with bright colors at their most vivid. With gift shops (jewellery, bags, beautiful plates and dishes), cafes and restaurants during the day, and salsa bars and Tejo at night (the rather explosive game, The target is a clay-filled board set at a 45-degree angle, with a metal ring (bocin) in the center – we took turns to throw metal discs at it, if you’re accurate and hit the target it explodes, and you get a point. After being taught by the locals in the bar “you must have a beer in your other hand” didn’t need much persuasion to be fair, Celia (can’t actually remember if it was her or David) then decided it would be even more fun to cheat, except we’d all not really grasped how the explosives worked – which resulted in the bar owner coming back with a rather disappointed shake of the head, and we all felt like 6 year olds that had written a rude word for the rest of the class to see..
Hike the Cocora Valley
No visit to Salento is complete without exploring the Valle de Cocora, home to the world’s tallest palm trees. You can vary your trail depending on how much of a hike you fancy, through stunning Andean landscapes and lush vegetation, or just turn back when you feel you’ve had enough – it’s much easier heading back!
Pro tips – Start early and take plenty of water and some snacks! Our tour involved taking jeeps which picked us up from our hotel who had prepared us a packed lunch, from sandwich, fruit, to exquisite pastries to boost us when we hit halfway. There is a little cafe hut, up on the trail we took, and plenty of vantage points where we could stop and take in the view
SO HOW FIT DO YOU HAVE TO BE?
You should be reasonably fit and healthy to complete the full 5-hour loop, do wear shoes with grip too
Regular exercise and some hiking experience are beneficial, but some of our group did part of the hike and managed pretty well without being used to such exercise. Do wear shoes with grip though as it can be a little muddy in places despite the trails.
Shortly after we went on to stay on a coffee hacienda, a wonderful experience in its own right, so watch out for the next post as we began our journey north
Not convinced on the hike?
Take the shorter route to the Wax Palm Valley (about 30 minutes) or choose the clockwise route which is slightly easier.
Heading back to our jeeps was nonetheless a rewarding feeling, to be whisked back to our hotel, our own jeep became the party jeep with music and laughter, and has bonded us all ever since… 1 wedding and several further trips taken or planned in a short space of time after, this part of Colombia was captivating, and solidified friendships.
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