The Site Tourist More Beautiful Of Quindío!

This place covered by different shades of green, will be marked in his memory and memories for the rest of his life after his visit. Continue reading...

The Valley of Cocora is a natural area located in a plain of the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, more exactly in Quindío, Colombia and which belongs to the Los Nevados National Natural Park.

This area is the main home of the national tree of Colombia, the wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), and also a great diversity of flora and fauna in danger of extinction and protected under the state of natural national park.

The valley, and the nearby town of Salento, are among the first destinations in Colombia. For this and much more this is one of the best places of the department of Quindío.

¿How is the climate?

Cocora Valley is characterized by its temperate climate due to its altitude. The western winds of the Pacific Ocean are detained by the Central Mountain Range, which creates an environment that helps the creation of the cloud forest in the higher areas where it rains almost every day.

The temperatures change in great way, even in the same day. Each year the average temperature is 15°C, with a maximum of 25 °C and a minimum of -2°C.

¿Where is it located?

The Valle de Cocora is located in the upper area of the Quindío River, the main source of water in the Department of Quindío, and is located at an altitude between 1,800 and 2,400 meters above sea level.

The Valle de Cocora is part of a much more extensive national park, called the National Park of Los Nevados. This park covers an area of 58.000 hectares (580 km2) in total, which includes the north-west of the department of Quindío.

¿How do you get?

The valley is located approximately 24 kilometers north-west of the departmental capital, Armenia, and you arrive at this using an exit on the motorway Armenia - Pereira, which leads to the Salento municipality; this road is paved.

Then by a paved road vehicles can then travel 11 kilometers to "Cocora", a site with a group of restaurants and places to camp; other areas of the valley can only be toured on horseback riding or walking along the different trails.

¿What activities there are to do?

The Valle de Cocora is a very popular tourist destination in Colombia. The majority of travellers make visits throughout the day in which they are attracted by the large areas for camping and hiking through the valley and the National Park.

Other common activities are bird watching, mountain biking, horse riding, rafting, paragliding, and swim in the rivers.

The local restaurants specialize in cooking in various ways the locally produced rainbow trout, mainly cooked and served with a variety of sauces and with patacones (fried plantains).