Salento is an essential stop on Colombia's backpacking circuit. Filled with cute cafés, enticing eateries, and a cheerful Paisa culture, this quaint pueblo nestles in the rolling green hills of the Quindio region.

Backpackers love Salento for its authentic blast from the past aesthetic and the relaxed vibe that comes with it. Highlights include the lively artisanal market and the rich coffee culture. Not to mention the breathtaking Andean countryside that encircles the town.

Like Manizales, Salento is located deep within Colombia's coffee triangle. However, if you've consumed enough caffeine to last a lifetime following a stay in Manizales – or even Medellín – perhaps that won't appeal to you. Luckily, Salento's surrounding countryside has plenty to offer.

Twenty minutes from Salento lies the famous Valle de Cocora, the gateway to Los Nevados national park and the number one highlight of any trip to Salento. A visit to Valle de Cocora entails hiking through atmospheric cloud forests and walking amidst famous wax palm trees – Colombia's national symbol. The trees stretch nearly 200 feet into the heavens in what is sure to be an awe-inspiring journey.

Reaching Salento is a simple task. If you're starting your journey to Salento in Medellín, the 160-mile journey will cost 70,000 COP, lasting five and a half hours with a quick change in nearby Pereira. If you're departing from Manizales, your trip to Salento sees you stop at the nearby town of Armenia before catching a connecting bus. The bus from Manizales to Armenia will cost 20,000 COP for a three-hour journey. From Armenia, the connecting bus to Salento will cost 5,000 COP, taking roughly an hour.

Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links, and we may earn a small commission should you use them, for which we are incredibly grateful. However, the recommendations are still our own and intended to advise on the very best experiences Salento has to offer.

Hike in the Cocora Valley

If you're not coming to Salento to soak up the coffee culture, you're there to visit Valle de Cocora and its cartoon-esque trees.

A visit to Valle de Cococra doesn't confine you to wandering the giant trees and posing for that Insta money shot. Hiking here sees you ascend into a mysterious cloud forest, cross rickety bridges, swim beneath chilly waterfalls, visit a hummingbird sanctuary, and more.

Unfortunately, no buses operate from Salento to Valle de Cocora. Instead, you'll catch a ride on one of the locally run Jeeps, or Willys as the locals refer to them – stop sniggering you at the back!

The Willys depart Salento from 6:30 AM, with the last Jeep departing at 2:30 PM. The journey from Salento will cost 3,600 COP, taking roughly half an hour. It's worth bearing in mind that the last Jeep heading back to Salento is at 6 PM.

Officially, the Jeep carrying you to the valley's entrance can hold seven people. However, the drivers are happy to allow up to five people to stand on the bumper, where they cling on for dear life. Whether or not this constitutes good fun or a hair-raising deadly trip is up to you.

The second you climb off the Willy, breathtaking views of the Cocora Valley await. At this point, all you have to do is choose the sort of hike you want to undertake.

Option one is short but sweet, stretching roughly 2.5 kilometers and taking 90 minutes to complete. This route sees you following the path towards the giant wax palms. Once there, you can wander around to your heart's content before heading back the way you came. That's it, that's the hike. Simple but very rewarding. No matter how many photos you've seen of the wax palm trees, they never quite do them justice when you see them in person.

Option two is a bit more complex, taking you deeper into Valle de Cocora. This longer 15-kilometer route sees you discover Cocora's lush cloud forest, passing waterfalls and bridges before stopping at the Acaime hummingbird house. After a short pit stop, you'll climb further to the Le Montana viewpoint and its stunning views of the forest and valley below. Finally, you'll head back down into the valley, walking through the wax palms as you make your way back to the entrance.

Though these are the two main hikes undertaken in Valle de Cocora, this area of the Colombian countryside has much more to offer. Valle de Cocora is the gateway to Los Nevados, sitting in this vast national park's foothills. Should you wish to venture further into Los Nevados National Park and its incredible Paramo ecosystem, expect to see towering volcanos, alien fauna, and peaceful lakes, though more on all that in a minute.

Remember a few essentials when planning your trip to Valle de Cocora.

Firstly – though there seems to be some confusion on the matter – you will have to pay a 5,000 COP entrance fee.

Secondly, fortune favors the early riser. The earlier you arrive at Valle de Cocora, the quieter it will be. Also, as the days wear on, the trails can become trickier to navigate as they get trampled by horses carrying goods for local farmers. If you go later in the day, bring your hiking poles, they'll prove a godsend.

Trekking in the Los Nevados National Park

As we touched upon a moment ago, the Los Nevados national park is a vast landscape marking the beginning of the Andean mountain range, spanning most of the continent.

The park covers 583 square kilometers. Within its borders, you'll discover active volcanos, glaciers, shimmering emerald lakes, and an abundance of unique fauna within the rare paramo ecosystem.

Exploring a paramo ecosystem will be a highlight of an expedition into Los Nevados. Colombia is one of the few places where you can experience this biosphere, officially defined as the point above the permanent forest line and below the permanent snow line. It's one of the fastest evolving environments on earth.

If Colombia marks the beginning of your journey in South America, Los Nevados might be your first rodeo with altitude sickness. Don't underestimate it, and give your body time to acclimatize.

The big question when entering Los Nevados is whether you're hiking solo or signing up for a guided tour. Self-guided hiking is permitted in the national park. However, it is strictly prohibited in certain areas, and a guided tour is still recommended. This is hostile terrain. Conditions can change quickly, and trails aren't well marked, making it easy to get disorientated and lost.

To find out more about backpacking in Los Nevados national park, solo or otherwise, hit the link below for an expanded guide.

Explore Callé Real

Callé Real is the main street in Salento and is a hub for most of the daily goings-on in town. Here you'll find cafès, the best restaurants, artisanal craft stores, souvenir stores, tour operators, hostels, and more.

The street is picture-perfect, reminiscent of the colorful zocalos found in Guatape.

With everything in this tiny little town within walking distance, you'll find yourself in Callé Real sooner rather than later.

During the day, the street is packed with locals and eager-eyed tourists, particularly over the weekend. The best way to experience Callé Real is without the crowds. If you're planning on visiting, try to do so in the early hours. Your experience in this hub of activity will be made all the better for it.

Walk to Alto de la Cruz

On paper, this may look a little childish. But trust us, the swing is so much fun! You feel as though you are flying over Salento!

If you walk to the end of Callé Real, you'll come to a set of brightly colored steps. Much more than an opportunity to grab a shot for the 'Gram, they lead to the best viewpoint in Salento, Alto de la Cruz, where you can access the swing.

If you're planning on climbing the steps to Alto de la Cruz, do so early in the morning or evening. The summit is quiet at this time of day, and you'll catch a sunrise or sunset. At these times, it's the best place to take in the city below.

If you head up for the sunset, bring a couple of cold beers from one of the many local vendors setting up shop below.

Visit Cascada Santa Rita

Cascada Santa Rita is a picturesque waterfall on private land in the countryside just beyond Salento. The waterfall is located on the grounds of Finca Santa Rita. To enter, you'll need to pay a 3,000 COP entrance fee.

To reach the waterfall, you have a few options.

The first – and in our opinion, the boring option – is to get there via bus. This option sees you catch the 5,000 COP bus from Salento to Armenia, asking to be dropped off at Boaquia. You can pick up the trail to the waterfall at a yellow bridge just down the road.

The alternative, and in our eyes, superior option, is to rent a bike in Salento and pedal your way to the waterfall. Bike rental from one of the tour agencies in town will cost you 5,000 COP per hour. If you're worried about reaching the waterfall with your own intuition, don't be. The trail is marked on almost every map you can get in town.

Once you reach Finca Santa Rita, continue down the road until you reach the yellow bridge crossing the main road. From this point, turn right, following the dirt path parallel to the river. You'll reach the waterfall shortly after paying the 3,000 COP entrance fee.

Bring some swimwear, and stop for a swim in the water after the exertion spent getting there.

Visit a Coffee Finca

Salento is located deep in Colombia's Zona Cafetera, the coffee triangle. Naturally, there are several fincas dotted around the countryside close to Salento. Many of which offer coffee tours. Here, we'll outline some of the best Finca's you can tour in the surrounding area.

Don Elias

Located 4.5 kilometers from Salento, Don Elias is a family-run Finca offering tours to travelers for the meager fee of 12,000 COP per person.

The tours last roughly an hour and are available in English or Spanish. Your guides will take you through the plantation, exploring the coffee plants and everything that grows there, including avocados, mandarins, oranges, bananas, and pineapples.

Reaching the Finca is easy. Hop on a Willy located in the main square for 3,000 COP or make the pleasant one-hour walk to the farm. If you're walking to the farm, head out of the town center, cross the yellow bridge, keep walking straight and follow the signs to the Finca where required.

El Ocaso

El Ocaso is another local coffee farm that can be reached via Willy Jeep for 3,000 COP. The journey will take around 20 minutes.

Two tours are available at El Ocaso, the standard and the premium tour. The standard costs just 25,000 COP, while the premium tour costs 70,000 COP.

For your extra pesos, the premium tour gives you a chance to stop at the 'Sensorial Lab.' Here you are provided with several challenges to train your tastebuds to recognize the scents and flavors of great coffee.

The standard tour lasts three hours. You'll pick your own beans before heading to processing. You'll learn how your selected beans are cultivated into the drink you know and love.

Standard English-speaking tours occur at 9 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM. You'll have to be there at 2 PM for the premium tour, as this is the only English-speaking tour running throughout the day.

Bar Danubio

If you're looking for a tipple during your time in Salento, Bar Danubio is the place to be.

The building is old and very popular with the locals, giving you an intimate glimpse of this aspect of life in Colombia.

Once there, the beer is cheap, the coffee fantastic, and the atmosphere is enchanting.

There are also several well-maintained pool tables if you feel brave enough to challenge the locals.

Viajero Salento Hostel

Located a couple of blocks from the town center, the Viajero hostel is a favorite amongst the traveler community.

As well as being a traveler favorite, this hostel is the largest in Salento, with room to house 90 guests in one of Salento's oldest buildings.

Being so close to the center of town, Viajero is ideally placed to explore the streets of Salento and arrange transport further afield into the countryside.

Those with an adventurous streak will be delighted to hear a tour agency operates within the hostel's walls. Here, you'll be able to arrange excursions to the Cocora Valley, local waterfalls, or the Los Nevados national park. The hostel also organizes several on-site activities, including yoga, salsa classes, coffee courses, and Spanish lessons.

Another factor that makes Viajero so popular is the wealth of facilities. You'll have access to a self-catering kitchen, an outdoor bar, a dedicated working space, a common room, a games room, and an outdoor fire pit.

Both private and dorm rooms are available at Viajero. Rooms are spacious and very clean, offering great countryside views from your window, or should you splurge a little, a private balcony.

All rooms in the hostel feature their own private bathroom, a rarity on the gringo circuit.

Guests also enjoy a complimentary American-style breakfast during their stay.

There are 4-bed, 6-bed, and 8-bed dorm rooms available. Viajero also offers mixed and female-only dorms. However, female dorms are inexplicably priced higher than mixed dorms though.

4-bed dorms are exclusively mixed. These rooms cost 52,000 COP.

6-bed mixed dorms are priced at 43,000 COP, with those booking a female-only dorm facing a 5,000 COP price hike; 48,000 COP in total.

8-bed dorms are the cheapest, priced at 38,000 for mixed dorms, with female-only dorms priced at 43,000 COP.

Private rooms are built to accommodate two-four people, with standard and 'premium' privates available. The difference between the two is that the premium privates feature a private balcony. If you intend to book a private room at Viajero, expect to pay anything from 76,500 COP to 211,500 COP. 

For more information on the pricing of private rooms, hit the link below.

Yambolombia Hostel

This popular eco-hostel is located a little outside town, with Salento's town center a 25-minute walk away.

Though from photos, Yambolombia looks unassuming, don't be fooled. The hostel currently boasts a perfect ten score from over 800 reviews on HostelWorld.

The hostel is decidedly cozy, with room for 12 guests spread across a single 6-bed dormitory room and three private bedrooms, one of which boasts an ensuite bathroom rather than a shared one. The low capacity creates a communal feel that's very refreshing if you've spent a lot of time in Colombia's larger hostels.

In terms of on-site facilities, Yambolombia offers a self-catering kitchen, an outdoor terrace, a common room, hammocks, a book exchange, and a firepit – perfect for relaxing with fellow travelers under the blanket of a million stars.

The hostel also offers yoga classes and can arrange bike tours to several local coffee fincas, waterfalls, and even a 3-5 day expedition into the Los Nevados national park.

The one dorm room on the property features six beds and is priced at 25,000 COP. While these rooms are basic, they are also very homely.

There are three privates on the property. Two of them are priced at 80,000 COP with occupancy for two people and a shared bathroom. The third and more expensive private room is priced a little higher at 100,000 COP, and you benefit from access to a private bathroom for your extra pesos.

Food is available at the hostel for an additional fee. The breakfasts, in particular, are highly recommended, with huge portions and a meagre 8,000 COP price.

Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel

Though pricier than the alternatives, the Coffee Tree Boutique Hostel is one of the best options for your stay in Salento.

Based on a mirador with great views of the countryside just out of town, the location is idyllic, though it's still only six blocks from the town center.

The expansive building feels very colonial. The surrounding area is renowned for being quiet and safe. Inside, the hostel features 17 rooms, with a mix of private and dormitory rooms.

On-site facilities are an area in which the hostel excels. A huge common room for chilling out and socializing is neighboured by a modern self-catering kitchen. There is also an outdoor terrace at the top of the building, perfect for sitting back and relaxing or getting some work done. The gardens around the hostel are extensive, offering many spaces for socializing with outdoor hammocks dotted around.

Guests also benefit from free WiFi, on-site laundry facilities, and free luggage storage.

Dormitory rooms are built to occupy four to six people. Four-bed dorms are priced at 60,000 COP, while six-bed dorms are slightly cheaper at 50,000 COP. All beds in the dormitory rooms give guests a privacy curtain, personal power outlets, lockers, and a private bathroom for guests to share.

Private rooms can accommodate two-four people. Each private room has an ensuite bathroom. Rooms for two are priced at 170,000 COP. The four-bed private, priced at 270,000 COP, may be an appealing option if you're traveling with a group of friends.

Each of the 17 rooms also features its own balcony area.

Breakfast is included in the price of your stay.

Café Jesus Martin

Regularly quoted as one of the best coffee shops in Colombia, Café Jesus Martin comes with quite the reputation. The café's owner, Jesus, is dubbed as the man who saved coffee in Colombia.

If making a stop at the café, you're unlikely to run into Jesus himself. After all, he has a coffee farm to run. No matter, the baristas are incredibly skilled and knowledgeable. The café offers more brewing methods than you could name – we recommend picking one of the pour-over drinks.

The café is also renowned for serving up a mouth-watering array of sweet treats and sandwiches – the brownie and ice cream, topped with coffee arequipe, comes highly recommended. Drinks are priced from 3,500 COP to 15,000 COP. One of the heavenly sandwiches will set you back by 5,000 - 12,500 COP. Meanwhile, the various sweet treats can cost anything from 3,500 to 8,500 COP.

Locating the café is easy, with the popular establishment situated around the corner from Salento's main square.

El Rincon de Lucy

An all-time favorite amongst locals and travelers in Salento. El Rincon de Lucy is the place to go if you're looking for quality food at a bang-for-your-buck price.

Located five minutes from Calle Real, this restaurant is perfect for those spending a day wandering the streets of Salento.

El Rincon de Lucy specializes in local cuisines, offering a superb Menu del Dia for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant is open from 8 AM to 8 PM.

Breakfast costs 5,000 COP, consisting of scrambled eggs, arepa, rice, fresh juice, and fresh coffee.

Lunch is heartier. For 9,000 COP, you get a two-course meal including a soup for starters, a main of rice, fried corn muffin, lentils and vegetables, an arepa, a platano, and a portion of chicken and chorizo or trout. The trout, a local delicacy, is fantastic.

All in all, El Rincon de Lucy is a must-stop in Salento. You won't find better value for your money.

Coco Bowl

Vegans and veggies may feel a little fearful entering Salento. This traditional Colombian town is carnivorous to its core. There's a genuine threat you'll be forced into living off rice and arepa for the duration of your visit – if it weren't for Coco Bowl.

This vegan restaurant is the definition of Insta-cool. Inside is bright and airy, giving off a tropical vibe. There is also a balcony perfect for watching the world go by.

The food is delicious, with the restaurant's menu making the most of locally sourced organic produce. Dishes are suitably filling for any meal of the day, but the breakfast/brunch menu shines.

Coco Bowl serves delicious smoothies, oatmeal, and waffles for breakfast. More substantial meals for lunch and dinner include mushroom and tofu nuggets, sandwiches, burgers, pasta dishes, and buddha bowls.

Breakfast costs between 9,000 and 16,000 COP, while lunch and dinner can cost anything from 17,000 to 24,000 COP.

Salento's weather is mild and consistent year-round, with average temperatures ranging from 22-24ºC.

If you're looking to avoid the rain, the dry seasons stretch from December to February and July to September. Although, even in the dry seasons, you can expect around ten rainy days per month.

If venturing to Valle de Cocora or further afield in the Los Nevados national park, the weather becomes more unpredictable the higher you climb. In these environments, temperatures can plummet to -4ºC.

Regarding tourist peaks, Salento tends to be at its busiest during Christmas and Easter. The town's quietest months are July-October.

Our Map Of Salento, Colombia