Salento, Cócora Valley & Hot Springs Tour from Pereira

Customize your route through coffee country, from cloud forest to hot springs.

A private, customizable tour from Pereira covering Salento, Cócora Valley and natural thermal pools, led by a bilingual local guide over 10 to 11 hours. You choose the pace, the stops and how long to spend at each site. Pickup from your hotel or airport is included. The tour includes entrance to the palm forest and the thermal pools, plus medical assistance insurance.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Salento, Cocora Valley and Hot Springs

• Walk or trek among wax palms
• Tour colonial town and shops
• Relax at natural thermal pools

The experience

You arrive in Pereira or Armenia with a free day and no fixed itinerary. This tour lets you build one. A bilingual guide picks you up from your hotel or airport and takes you by van through the coffee region to three distinct landscapes: the colonial town of Salento, the Cócora Valley with its wax palms (the world's tallest), and the natural thermal pools of Santa Rosa de Cabal. Because the tour is private, you decide how much time each stop gets. At Cócora Valley, you can walk for 1 to 2 hours among the palms or stay at ground level and photograph them without trekking. The guide accompanies you or gives you free time to wander alone.

Salento itself is a walking tour of colonial architecture and local handicrafts. The guide shows you the town's layout and history, then releases you to explore on your own, grab coffee, use facilities or shop. Those meals and purchases are your own cost. After hours of walking, the van carries you through landscapes toward Santa Rosa de Cabal, passing views of Pereira and the surrounding hills. The thermal pools are natural and warm, fed by mineral springs. You'll have free time to soak and relax. A restaurant and bar are on-site for drinks and food (also at your expense). Medical assistance insurance is included throughout the day.

The 10 to 11 hour span is flexible. Tell the guide where you need to finish and how you want to distribute the time across the three stops. This is not a fixed schedule that herds groups through each site in sequence. It's built around what you want to see and how long you want to spend there.

What’s included

• Bilingual local guide.
• van or microbus transportation from your hotel or airport.
• entrance to Cócora Valley palm forest.
• entrance to the thermal pools with a TERMAL passport.
• medical assistance insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departure from PereiraGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timeDeparture point: Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia. Pickup is included.

Departure from ArmeniaGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timeDeparture points: Armenia, Quindío, Colombia; Circasia, Quindío, Colombia; Filandia, Quindío, Colombia; Montenegro, Quindío, Colombia; Salento, Quindío, Colombia. Pickup is included.

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 day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Audio guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight 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 due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by transporte & turismo del eje S.A.S

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to set your own pace and decide how long to linger at each stop: the private format and customizable itinerary mean you're not locked into a group schedule or fixed timing. Depart from Pereira if that's where you're based. Depart from Armenia if you're staying there instead.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the wax palms in Cócora Valley like when you get there?

The Cócora Valley is home to the world's tallest wax palms, some reaching over 60 meters high. You'll walk or trek among them depending on your choice: anywhere from a casual stroll to a 1 to 2 hour hike. With luck, you may spot Andean condors in the canopy.

Can I choose when to start the tour and where to end it?

Yes. You tell the guide your preferred start time and pickup location (your hotel or airport in Pereira or Armenia), and you can finish wherever you need to be. The schedule is yours to set.

What's included in the price and what do I pay separately?

Included are the bilingual guide, van transportation, entrance to the palm forest, entrance to the thermal pools, and medical assistance insurance. Meals, coffee, drinks, shopping and any activities beyond the three main stops are at your own cost.

Is the thermal pool experience guided or free time?

The thermal pools are free time. You'll have space to soak and relax in the natural warm waters. A restaurant and bar are there if you want food or drinks, but those are separate purchases.

Can I do less walking if I'm not very active?

Yes. At Cócora Valley, the walk is optional and adjustable to your preference. You can enjoy the palms without trekking, or walk as much as you want. The rest of the tour (Salento and the thermal pools) involves walking at your own pace through town and around the pools.