Finding Peace in Cocora Valley

If you ever want to experience something magical, take a hike in Cocora Valley (also known as Valle de Cocora). Located in the Central Cordillera of the Andes mountains, Cocora Valley is a place to appreciate peace, tranquility, beauty, and nature. I first learned about Cocora Valley, while planning my two-week trip to Colombia. Seeing incredible photos of rolling emerald hills dotted with tall, Quindía wax palms, the country’s national tree, is what attracted my attention. I knew I had to see this beautiful place in person.

Getting There

The day before the hike, I arrived in Salento, a small town about twenty minutes away. Salento is the gateway to Cocora Valley. It provides many different accommodations, a host of souvenir shops, a downtown market, and several restaurants. The most practical way to get to Cocora Valley is to catch a shared ride in a Willy jeep taxi down at the main square (the cost is about 4,000 COP). The jeep is an open roof, open door vehicle, and if you’re one of the adventurous riders, it’s no big deal to stand on the back bumper while clinging onto the roof rack.

The Hike

As soon as I arrived at the drop-off lot, I could already see a few of the trees sporadically darting up into the sky around me. It was just a matter of time before I could get to the location that looked like the photos that drew me here. Our guide briefed our hiking group on the different options of trails to take: Trek in one direction to see a hummingbird house, some waterfalls, and cross some wooden bridges before seeing the wax palms. Or, we could go directly to the wax palms, spend some time there, and return. I chose to go directly to the wax palms.

The group and I walked up a dirt road for several minutes before entering a blue gate. Then walked up to another path in between sprawling fields of incredibly green grass where several cows grazed. Taking my time as other hikers passed, I breathed in the fresh, crisp air as I stopped along the way. This place is breathtaking!

A Pleasant Surprise

It took about forty-five minutes before finally reaching my destination. The tall, wax palms, growing as tall as 196 feet, stood majestically throughout the emerald hills in front of me. Standing there, I was ecstatic, because the view was so much more amazing than any of the photos I’d seen before. I was the last one there from our group, except our guide, who waited along with me.

I quickly began to snap pictures of the wax palms, the tallest palm tree in the world. As I took photos, hikers from other groups came along. They stopped to take pictures, then continued up the trail. Suddenly, it was quiet. I should get going, I thought. However, just as I began to get back on the track, a team of horses came running over towards me. As one nuzzled against me, I curiously looked at my guide. He’d been here several times before, so I trusted his expertise. Go ahead; it’s okay.

I spent over an hour with the horses. They didn’t leave me, and I didn’t want them to go. Having the horses there was not only unexpected, but it was a magical moment. I walked with them, and we enjoyed this beautiful valley together.

My Valley of Peace

I sat in the grass for a while to appreciate my last moments of the view. To think that I traveled this far because of a photo I came across six months ago! By now, the horses drifted far off to another side of the hill. The rest of my group had long gone to complete their hike. It will be an exciting adventure for us to talk about over dinner later that evening.

Meanwhile, my guide patiently waited off at a distance to bring me back to the meeting point. Take all the time you need, he said. And so I enjoyed my peace – my valley of peace.