5 Activities in Salento, Colombia

SALENTO

WHERE: Coffee triangle, in the Quindio province west of Bogota.

WHY: Fewer tourists, amazing coffee.

TIME: 3 nights.

UNDERSTAND

The most picturesque spot in the so-called ‘Coffee-Triangle’, Salento is a sleepy little town in Quindío department in Southern Colombia. Forming the “Zona Cafeterra” with its sister cities, Armenia and Pereira, Salento will reward a visitor willing to take a quick detour from the main tourist drag heading north. Filled with boutique coffee shops, sprawling walks and beautiful colonial architecture, Salento housed me for a week, and I could have stayed longer. Read on for my five absolute must do’s while you’re in Salento.

1) Coffee Tour

If, like me, you also find that you wake up every morning to a cup of the black stuff (coffee, not Guinness, unfortunately), then you owe it to yourself to find out a little more about how this beautiful addiction came to occur within your life. Why not go to the source? Salento is home to some of the best single origin beans in the world, and the farms here are more than willing to have visitors join them for a tour to betetr understand the process of coffee growing. My pick for local tours is through La Finca El Ocaso, whom offers guided tours in Spanish and English for $6 US. Alternatively, you can go with Coffee Tour Finca Momota, or Don Eduardo, both of which will set you back $5 US.

2) DRINK COFFEE

Following from the post above, it makes sense that when you’re in Salento that you sample the finest brews so close to the source that you can almost taste the farm. Given my privileged position as an Australian, I am lucky enough to be able to count on amazing coffee no matter where I go when at home. However, the quality of both the espresso and filter based coffee on offer around Salento was incredible. Anyone visiting needs to get a drop at Cafe Jesus Martin (Carrera 6, 6-14), Bernabe, (Bernabé Cafe, Calle 3, 6-03) and Cafe Matto (Carrera 6, 3-10). A special shout out to the work by the barista at Bernabe - he poured a gorgeous v60, the best that I’d had in months by the time I’d reached Colombia.

3) PLAY TEJO

A game like no other. Combine Bocce, alcohol, clay, and gunpowder. sounds like a good time right? Salento is where I first came across Tejo, a quasi-national sport in Colombia. Imagine a heaving crowd of players, all hurling steel balls at a distant clay mound - if they hit a bullseye, celebration ensues, if they miss slightly they hit a clod of gunpowder, causing a loud bang, celebration still ensues. The game is utterly incredible, and requires very little in the way of athleticism. The locals here are very passionate about it, and you’ll be able to find at least one or two bars offering it every weekend. I’d advise anybody keen to play to head to Los Amigos on a Friday or Saturday night - you’ll be asked to play in no time.

4) Valle de Cocora

This is the big one. Home to Colombia's national symbol, the palma de cera, (20 metre high wax palms) this valley truly lives up to any Jurrasic Park referfence that is thrown its way. Make your way to the trail head early in the morning from the central plaza in Salento - restored WWII Jeeps will be lining the streets, haggle a price and they’ll drive you up. When you’re dropped off you’ll be faced with an hour hike up the steep trails lining the valley. The walk is gorgeous, with your path converging across rivulets and streams, large swathes of grassland and thickly forested hillsides. Once you reach the top you’ll be at the Mountain House, take in the surrounding valley from here - the view is breathtaking. You might even see fluttering hummingbirds blocking your view, they call the valley home and can be spotted along many of the trails and by the mountain house. From there it's a 1 1/2 hour (5.1 km) downhill walk along a wide dirt road with fabulous vistas, you’ll be walking amidst the giant wax palm and lots of giant wax palms back to Cocora, here you’ll find your Jeep, waiting to take you back to Salento.

The author in the Corcora Valley

The author in the Corcora Valley

5) Kasaguadua Natural Reserve 

Definitely worth doing after a trip to Valley De Corcora, Kasaguada Natural reserve provides a very different ecosystem to observe, providing 12 hectares of lush tropical rain forest, with mountainous landscape. There is a network of well maintained looping trails (4km), achievable in 1.5 hours, but you could easily spend 5 here. Currently, the only way to visit the Kasaguada Natural reserve is through a tour, which can be booked via (kasaguadua@gmail.com), the guides Nicholas or Carlos will pick you up from the main plaza in town and take you on a tour of the reserve. Currently they operate under a donations policy - they provide a fantastic service and are very deserving of whatever you can spare.

Missed anything worth doing in Salento? (Obviously, I have - there are more than 5 things to do here). However, let us know your recommendations in the comments below!