Classic Loop

3 days / 2 nights

Distance: 31.5km (19 miles)
Level of difficulty: Athletic / Intermediate
Minimum altitude: 2,400m
Maximum altitude: 4,700m

Valle de Cocora to Finca La Argentina

Length: 9km
Alt. start: 2,400m
Alt. end: 3,500m
Departure: 8am
ETA: 4pm
Lunch: El Bosque

We meet at Salento Trekking office at 8:00 am to be ready to leave by 8:30 am and hop on a Willys Jeep for the 12km drive to Valle de Cocora where our Trek starts. Valle de Cocora is a natural cloud forest and home of the Colombian national tree Palma de Cera. This giant wax palm tree, the tallest in the world growing up to 65 meters, was near extinction but regained life after the Colombian government designated it a protected area in 1985.

In Cocora, after about a kilometer of easy hiking taking in the beautiful view of the valley, we cross the Rio Quindío for the first time, enter the Bosque de Palmas forest and start hiking in the jungle. This is also the entrance into the Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados created on April 30, 1974.

We will cross the Rio Quindío twice before our destination. The forest is home to 250 species of birds including hummingbird, yellow-eared parrot, Blue-crowned motmot and Andean condor to name a few. The trail heads up quickly and we climb for the next 2.8km (about 3 hours), crossing the Bosque de Niebla and passing by an indigenous cemetery.

After about an hour (2.5km) of hiking, we will take a lunch break (altitude 2,900m). After lunch, we head out for the 3.5km (2.5/3 hours) hike that takes us to our final destination Finca La Argentina. The trail will ease up a bit and cross a prairie where sometimes raccoons can be seen walking around. The last 600 meters to Finca La Argentina will get a bit steeper again and take about 30 to 45 minutes. Dinner at Finca La Argentina.

In case of weather change, the guide determines the safest path.

Finca La Argentina to Paramillo Quindio and La Primavera

Length: 16km
Alt. start: 3,500m
Alt. end: 4720m
Highest point: 4,720m
Breakfast: 6.30am
Departure: 8am
ETA: 4pm

After breakfast, those who feel adventurous can help milk the cows. Not as easy as you might think! At 7am, we head out toward Finca Buenos Aires, on a kilometer steep uphill section. After another kilometer, we reach a point where we can see the Paramillo del Quindío, one of the highest mountains in the Nevados National Park. Sitting at 4,700m it does not have snow anymore but is as majestic as always.

Our trail continues for 800m toward la Montana Aguila. Soon after at 4,200m, the flora changes to wetlands as we encounter the Colchones de Agua or water mattresses, made of various species of plants of which the most common is Plantago rigida. It is also the source of the river Quindío, which we crossed on our way up. The river is 69km long (43miles) and is the source of drinking water for most of the people in the Quindío Department. It is a perfect place to take a lunch break and enjoy the view.

We head out again for the 3km hike that separates us to our destination Finca La Playa (3,680m), crossing from the Department of Quindío into Tolima. The view from the finca is breathtaking, expanding from the Valle of Romerales with its distinctive tree called frailejon (from the sunflower family), that grows only at high altitude in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador; to the Nevado del Tolima, one of the three highest snow-capped volcanoes of the National Park at 5,276m.

In case of weather change, the guide determines the safest path.

Finca La Playa or La primavera to Valle de Cocora

Length: 22km
Alt. start: 3,680m
Alt. end: 2,600m
Highest point: 3,800m
Breakfast: 6.30am
Departure: 8:30am
ETA: 4pm

The first 2km of the hike is relatively flat as we hike along the crest of the mountain until we reach the Cerro de la Virgin, where we can admire a view of the whole department of Quindío. From there we head mostly down to Estrella de Agua for 2.5km, crossing from the Department of Tolima back into Quindío. We continue our hike down for another 2.5km passing through el Mirador de Acaime, until we reach the Bosque de Niebla. The last 9km back to Valle de Cocora, our final destination, is mostly downhill with 6 crossing of the river Las Mirlas using suspended wooden bridges – Indiana Jones style but safe! We will celebrate the end of our adventure at our favorite organic restaurant in Cocora.