Salento, Cocora Valley & Santa Rita Waterfall from Pereira

Walk into a palm forest where Andean condors soar, then descend to a waterfall hidden in the mountains.

A private tour departing from Pereira or Armenia that strings together three stops across the Coffee Axis: Cocora Valley's towering palms with a bilingual guide, the colonial town of Salento, and Santa Rita Waterfall. You set the pace and the stops. The operator arranges pickup from your hotel or airport, transportation by van, entrance fees, and a guide who speaks English and Spanish. The tour runs six to seven hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cocora Valley, Salento, and Waterfall

• Depart from agreed location
• Stop on request along the way
• Walk in Cocora Valley with guide
• Return to vehicle
• Walk along Salento's royal street
• Visit Santa Rita waterfall

The experience

Start from your hotel or the airport in Pereira or Armenia. The operator picks you up at whatever time works for your arrival or your schedule that day. The drive to Cocora Valley takes you through the landscape of Colombia's coffee region, and you can ask the driver to stop along the way if something catches your eye. Once you reach the valley, a bilingual guide leads you into the palm forest on foot, where the trees grow so tall they block out the sky. This is also where Andean condors hunt, and the guide knows where to look for them and what stories to tell about the place.

After the forest walk, you head back to the van and drive into Salento, a small colonial town where the streets are narrow and the buildings are painted in bright colors. You walk the main street, locals call it the royal street, past handicraft shops, cafés, and the kind of balconies and facades that make the town feel frozen in the 19th century. How long you spend here is up to you. The guide adjusts the schedule to match what interests you. Then the tour finishes at Santa Rita Waterfall, an isolated cascade where the water falls hard into a pool surrounded by forest. It's the kind of place where you can sit and listen to the sound of the water without hearing anything else.

Because this is a private tour, you're not locked into a fixed itinerary. You choose how to split the time between the three stops, whether to add other requests along the route, and where the day ends. The operator includes entrance to the palm forest and the waterfall, transportation by van or microbus, a bilingual guide, and medical assistance insurance. Pickup from your hotel or airport in either city is part of the booking.

What’s included

• Hotel or airport pickup in Pereira or Armenia.
• transportation by van or microbus.
• entrance to Cocora Valley palm forest and Santa Rita Waterfall.
• bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• medical assistance insurance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departure from PereiraGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timeDeparture point: Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia; includes pickup

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

AgesUp to age 90

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

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

Is this one for you?Choose the departure city that matches where you're arriving (Pereira or Armenia), and the operator picks you up from your hotel or airport, so you don't need to arrange transport into the mountains yourself. The private format means you control how long you linger at each of the three stops, making it work whether you have a full day or a half-day window.

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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.

How long does it take to walk through Cocora Valley?

The walk through the palm forest is part of the six- to seven-hour tour, but the exact time you spend there depends on your pace and how much the guide has to tell. You set that balance when you book.

Can I choose to start from Armenia instead of Pereira?

Yes. You pick your departure city (Pereira or Armenia) at checkout, and the operator arranges pickup from your hotel or airport in whichever one you choose.

What is Santa Rita Waterfall like?

Santa Rita Waterfall is a single powerful cascade in a remote spot surrounded by forest. The entrance is included in the tour, and it's the final stop before you return to your hotel or wherever you need to be dropped off.

What happens if I want to skip one of the three stops?

The tour is customizable. You can tell the operator which stops matter to you and how to distribute the time, and they'll build the day around what you want to see and do.

Is there a minimum fitness level required?

The walk through Cocora Valley is moderate and suitable for most fitness levels. The operator notes the tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, but otherwise welcomes all abilities.