Cocora Valley Shared Tour from Salento: Wax palms & guide

Walk among the world's tallest palms with a guide who knows the valley

A shared guided tour of Cocora Valley departing from Salento's central square, with transport, entry and a live guide in English or Spanish included. You walk through the valley floor among wax palms, learning the ecology and history of this section of Los Nevados National Natural Park. The tour runs about four hours round-trip from Salento, and you can add a coffee farm visit on the same day if you want.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cocora Valley from Salento

• Meet at Salento central square
• Drive to Cocora Valley
• Hike and explore Cocora Valley
• Return to Salento central square

The experience

The tour starts at Salento's central square, where you meet the group and board transport to Cocora Valley. The drive is short and scenic. Your guide introduces the area on the way. Once in the valley, you walk through the landscape itself, not a boardwalk or a viewing platform, but the ground where the wax palms grow. These trees stand over 60 meters high, and the guide explains what makes them thrive here, the role they play in the ecosystem, and why this particular valley matters to Colombia's conservation. The lush green around you is part of Los Nevados National Natural Park, a much larger protected area, and the guide connects what you're seeing to the bigger picture.

The walking is moderate: comfortable shoes matter because the terrain is uneven and the weather can shift fast, so a jacket or raincoat is worth bringing. You're sharing the tour with other travelers, which means the pace is steady and the group stays together. A guide in English or Spanish (you choose at booking) handles all the talking and navigation, so you don't need to plan routes or worry about finding the trailhead. Transportation from Salento and entry to the valley are both included, as is all-risk insurance. If you want to add a coffee farm experience, you can do that at checkout and run both activities in a single day.

What’s included

• Transportation from and to Salento's central square.
• entry ticket to Cocora Valley.
• a live guide in English or Spanish throughout the walk.
• all-risk insurance covering the tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared Cocora Valley tourGuide in English or Spanish · 09:00 and 14:00

Coffee Farm and Cocora ValleyGuide in English or Spanish · 09:00This choice combines the coffee farm visit and the Cocora Valley tour in one shared outing.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (4 to 85 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Gran Colombia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you prefer a shared group experience where a guide leads the navigation and interpretation, rather than exploring independently or hiring private transport.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

How tall are the wax palms in Cocora Valley?

The wax palms in Cocora Valley stand over 60 meters high, making them the world's tallest palm trees. They're the centerpiece of the valley and the main focus of the walk.

What's included in the Cocora Valley shared tour?

The tour includes transportation from and to Salento's central square, entry to Cocora Valley, a live guide in English or Spanish, and all-risk insurance. Food and drinks are not included.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs about four hours round-trip from Salento, including the drive to the valley, the walk, and the return to the central square.

Can I add a coffee farm visit to this tour?

Yes, you can add a coffee farm experience at checkout and do both activities on the same day. It's an optional add-on available when you book.

What should I bring for the walk in Cocora Valley?

Bring comfortable walking shoes because the terrain is uneven. The weather is unpredictable, so pack a jacket or raincoat. The tour is shared, so you'll be walking with other travelers at a group pace.

Is this tour suitable for someone with limited fitness?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and requires a moderate amount of walking. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries.