Cocora Valley
Green valley near Salento filled with towering wax palms, the national tree. Hiking trails lead through cloud forest and meadows with misty mountain views.
Coffee Region (Salento)
Coffee farms cover green hills here, the town of Salento is colourful, and the Cocora Valley holds tall wax palms.
Attractive locations
Los Nevados National Natural Park
High-mountain park with snow-capped volcanoes, moorland and glacial lakes. Access to some peaks is limited when the volcanoes are active.
Otún Quimbaya Fauna and Flora Sanctuary
Protected cloud forest near Pereira with walking trails, a river and rich birdlife. A good place to see Andean wildlife away from crowds.
National Coffee Park
Theme park about coffee culture near Montenegro, with plantations, shows, gardens, a cable car and rides, all set in rolling green hills.
Quimbaya Gold Museum
Museum in Armenia with gold, pottery and artefacts of the ancient Quimbaya people, in a modern building designed by the architect Rogelio Salmona.
PANACA
Farm theme park near Quimbaya where visitors meet cattle, horses and other animals, and learn about traditional rural life in Colombia.
Salento
A small coffee-region town of brightly painted houses, craft shops and cafes, with a viewpoint reached by climbing steps. It is the usual base for visiting the Cocora Valley.
Airports
Matecaña International Airport PEI
It is about 27 km in a straight line from Coffee Region (Salento).
El Eden Airport AXM
It is about 30 km in a straight line from Coffee Region (Salento).
La Nubia Airport MZL
It is about 45 km in a straight line from Coffee Region (Salento).
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Colombia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan15.3 °C87 mm
- Feb15.6 °C104 mm
- Mar15.6 °C145 mm
- Apr15.5 °C193 mm
- May15.3 °C168 mm
- Jun14.6 °C113 mm
- Jul14.5 °C90 mm
- Aug14.8 °C91 mm
- Sep15.0 °C110 mm
- Oct15.0 °C194 mm
- Nov15.0 °C191 mm
- Dec15.1 °C146 mm
Driest months: Jan, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Apr, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 38% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
123 for all emergencies.
local government
Tourism Police (Policía de Turismo), National Police of Colombia
Helps with: Specialised police group for tourism. Its listed duties include watching over tourist attractions, giving tourists information and guidance, and handling their complaints. The phone is the police administrative switchboard; emergencies: 123.
Who qualifies: Tourists and other visitors in Colombia. The police page also gives the national emergency number 123.
Phone: +57 6015159000
Address: Calle 14 Nro. 62-70, Zona Industrial, Puente Aranda
ngo
Cruz Roja Colombiana (Colombian Red Cross)
Helps with: Colombia's national Red Cross society, a private non-profit humanitarian body. Its work includes a blood bank, disaster risk reduction, health care and humanitarian projects.
Who qualifies: People in Colombia needing its humanitarian, health or disaster services; contact the national headquarters or a local branch.
Phone: 601 794 6566
Address: Av. Cra. 68 # 68 B -31, Bogotá
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Colombia
Helps with: The UN migration agency. In Colombia it works with the government on migration management and protecting people on the move, and on solutions for displacement.
Who qualifies: Migrants and displaced people in Colombia, and government partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +57 1 6397777
Address: Carrera 14 N° 93B-46, Bogotá
local government
Emergency number 123 (police and ambulance)
Helps with: Reaches the police and the ambulance service in Colombia. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 123
local government
Fire emergency number 119
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Colombia. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 119