A walk in the Valle de Cocora

From the main square in Salento, (half hour from Armenia), opposite the police station, jeeps leave everyday for the half hour ride to Cocora, (2390 metres):

Weekdays

0610, 0730, 1130, 1600, returning at;

0830, 1230, 1500, 1700

Weekends and Public Holidays

0610, 0730, 0900, 1030, 1130, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1700, returning at;

0700, 0830, 1000, 1130, 1230, 1400, 1600, 1700, 1800

COP 3000 each way, COP 24,000 for private hire, (arrange return).

You will need walking boots or wellies, jacket, waterproof, lunch and water. You will be dropped close to the blue gates of the trout farm in Cocora from where the trail commences. You can obviously walk as far up the valley as you wish to go, but to go as far as Estrella de Agua and back, some 20 kms round trip, retracing your steps, you should bear in mind that you will be doing this for the challenge and beauty of the hike itself as the government-owned hotel at your destination was razed to the ground by the FARC some 18 months ago.

The path is fairly well signposted and you should have no problem locating it if you descend past the fish farm and immediately bear left, following the the Rio Quindio on your left.

You will walk through lush pasture from where you can gaze at the impressive wax palms on both sides and wonder from where the next generation will come as there appears to be a complete abscence of younger trees, (unless there is some kind of wax palm creche, somewhere!).

As you start to to climb from the valley floor and into cloud forest, the environment changes as the river divides into a series of gushing streams and tributaries, dense foliage and quaint rickety suspension bridges criss-crossing the Quindio. There are a couple of miradors off the main path, although visibility may be low as cloud sneaks down the valley as the day progresses.

There are some refreshment facilities and a hospedaje, (COP10,000), at Reserva Acaime, an hour's walk and 2.5km along the trail.

Estrella de Agua nestles next to the Quindio at 3140 metres and during the walk, you will probably ascend to 3200 metres or so. For some people, I guess there is the issue of ensuring you are sufficiently acclimatised to the altitude, as at this time of the year it is no stroll in the park, with deep mud in places and plenty of scrambling through streams and over slippy rocks, (I ended up on my arse at one point, which could have been very painful!).

From Estrella de Agua you can ascend further into the Parque Nacional Natural de Los Nevados, but to progress sufficiently further you will need more than one day and in any event, you should make sure that you make it down in time for the last jeep with night closing-in not too long after.

To get up and down with rests, it took me 7 hours on this particular day. If you make it back with time to spare you can eat delicious fresh trout or whatever grabs your fancy in the two or three restaurants of Cocora. There is also a hospedaje and an expensive mini-tienda for last minute supplies.

Lastly, if you choose to hire a horse, for the sake of your neck, the horse and the infrastructure, please make sure you dismount before crossing the bridges. The locals often don't, but that is their business.

I hope this useful, and that you have the opportunity of enjoying the Valle de Cocora soon!

By Alma del Norte on Oct 28, 2007, 13:25 in Travel tips.

webmanco says on Oct 28, 2007, 14:06:

Amigos de Colombia

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

Alma del Norte says on Oct 28, 2007, 14:16:

What's that?

La vida es una rutina

webmanco says on Oct 28, 2007, 19:08:

That is the view from the mountain up un Salento.

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

Alma del Norte says on Oct 28, 2007, 19:30:

Lovely, but the sun ain't shining at the moment.

La vida es una rutina