COLOMBIA: BOGOTÁ & COCORA VALLEY
My second trip to Colombia took me to its bustling capital and stunning coffee region. This trip had all the best of Colombia: art, food, coffee, gold, emeralds and natural beauty. Whether I was taking in super-cool street art or hiking under the world’s tallest palm trees, there was something extraordinary around every turn. Come along as I spend 5 jam-packed days in Colombia: Bogotá and Cocora Valley.
PROTIP: fill out your immigration form 72 hours before your flight. It works much better if you do this from your phone and not the glitchy website. Save yourself the frustration.
DAY 1 – DOWNTOWN BOGOTÁ AND MONSERRATE
Hit the ground running and take an Uber or certified white taxi into town for around $13 USD from the El Dorado International Airport.
A word to the wise: Bogotá sits at about 8,700 feet or 2,640 meters above sea level, so you might need a little time to aclimate to the altitude. Be prepared to go slow and give yourself a break whenever you are dragging or feeling the effects of the higher elevation.
After dropping my bag at cute, little Hostal Doña Eliza, in La Candelaria, I headed straight for the base of Monserrate to catch the sunset at around 6pm. This is a spectacular way to kick off any trip to Bogotá. With an altitude of 3,152 meters, Monserrate towers even higher over Bogotá giving epic views of the valley below. While the athletic set might choose to climb the 1,605 steps to the top, most opt for the cable car or the funicular that cuts into the mountainside taking you to the summit of this spectacular mountain. You can purchase round trip tickets for about $10 USD. Personally, I thought the bird’s eye view from the cable car was a much cooler experience than the clunky funicular. Transportation runs from 6:30am to 10pm, Monday-Saturday and 5:30am-5:00pm on Sunday.
Monserrate is also a nature lover’s paradise. I spent a couple of hours at the top just wandering and breathing in the fresh mountain air walking along one of many trails. The gardens are also absolutely wonderful with hydrangeas and angel´s trumpets in the most intense colors I’ve ever seen. If you’re into birding, the Paramuno Bird Trail is highly recommended with 115 bird species and 15 types of gorgeous hummingbirds. Take note that this particular trail is closed on Sundays. This is a must-do in Bogotá.
WHERE TO STAY IN BOGOTÁ
I stayed in La Candelaria primarily because I planned on spending most of my time checking out cultural attractions like museums and walking tours. It was also budget friendly as well. If you are looking for a vibrant, walkable area with a lot of wonderful restaurants, El Chapinero is probably a great fit for you. Finally, Usaquén comes very highly recommended by locals for its charming, village feel. Wherever you stay, know that Bogotá has so much to explore and it does not disappoint.
TOP TOURS IN BOGOTÁ
DAY 2 – THE HISTORY OF BOGOTÁ AND MUSEUMS
At this point, I swear by starting off my trips with a free Guruwalk when it fits into my schedule. They are not only a great way to get your geographical bearings in a new city, they are fantastic when it comes to understanding the history of place and why things are the way they are. Essentially, they create a narrative and context through which to see the entire trip. I met my Guru in front of the Museo del Oro at 10am. He was a phenomenal teacher sharing historic, political and architectural knowledge in the context of Bogotá. We checked out murals, talked about the Bogotazo and tried chicha, a fermented drink made of corn. At about 3 hours, it was definitely a comprehensive look at what makes Bogotá, Bogotá. While Guruwalks are free, it is recommended to make a minimum donation of $50,000 Colombian pesos or about $13.
Museo del Oro is the largest collection of gold artifacts in the world. This extraordinary museum preserves Colombia’s archeological history across the centuries housing over 55,000 pieces of pre-Columbian art. Here, you’ll learn about the history of metallurgy, smelting, and hammering of the precious metals that indigenous peoples used to create jewellery, decorative and ceremonial items. Copper, silver and ceramics are also included in this priceless collection. The admission is dirt cheap Tuesday through Saturday at around $6 for foreign visitors. It is FREE on Sunday.
Museo Internacional de la Esmeralda is next level. While I don’t consider myself a jewelry person, I do consider myself a nature person. Seeing these enormous emerald crystals first hand was fascinating! What makes Colombian emeralds so special is the process by which they are formed. Different from other emeralds, they are formed by a hydrothermal, magmatic process that takes place at around 300°c or 572°f. This process yields the world’s finest emeralds, known for their intense green color and clarity. The stones and crystals were breathtaking. The museum boasts a shop where you can take home a little piece of Colombia: the rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets are absolutely stunning.
The museum is a bit difficult to find. It’s located in Plaza Santander just like Museo del Oro, however it’s not visible from the street. It’s located in Edificio Avianca on the corner. You need to enter the lobby to the left, show your ID or a photo and they’ll give you a pass to proceed to the 23rd floor. This is a high security location and with good reason. The emerald collection is astounding and priceless. I opted for the virtual reality add-on which is not something I have ever done, but it takes you inside an emerald mine where you’ll see the working conditions through the miner’s eyes. The guided museum tour is so inexpensive at just $3.75 USD and takes around 45 minutes to complete.
After a day of history galore, I decided to head to one of the most recommended restaurants I could find in La Candelaria. I headed to a delicious dinner at T-Bone, where I had a very tough time choosing just one thing. I wanted everything on the menu, but settled on coq au vin after asking for a recommendation. The chicken was so tender and the vegetables were perfect in the delicious wine sauce. It included with potato wedges and a green salad. It’s one of the most delicious meals I can remember eating in a long time.
After dinner, I still wasn’t ready to head back to the hotel. In researching my trip, I had stumbled across the Colombian national pastime of tejo. It looked like cornhole, but with explosives. The object of the game is to accumulate points by landing your tejo, an iron disk, on top of one of the mechas filled with gun powder detonating them. It really doesn’t get more fun than controlled explosions, so I went in for a look. I ended up playing with a local and it was literally a blast. I managed to cause two explosions, so that made me a very happy girl. Mission accomplished.
DAY 3 – A DAY DEDICATED TO ART: MURALS AND BOTERO
I could have done an entire day’s trek out to the Salt Cathedral, but I opted for something a little more relaxing and close to the city. I decided to go with Capital Graffiti Tours. Without revealing too much about the fascinating anecdotal history of Bogotá’s street art, I will say that I was so surprised to learn some of the stories about the transformation from illegal street art to government sponsored installations. We checked out art inspired by indigenous imagery and mythology, Colombia’s multi-cultural society and heavily political and controversial images of Anne Frank and Palestine.
The tour ended in Diego’s workshop in La Macarena where I got to paint my own tag before I headed off for my free cocktail–courtesty of the tour–and yummy lunch at Sándwich Taller. Take two hours out of your itinerary to check out this tour. You won’t be sorry. I really enjoyed the open discussions we had about controversial topics and learning about where Colombians stand on very important issues.
Museo Botero is home to one of the most extensive art collections in all of Latin America with 123 works by Botero, himself, and 85 works by internationally reknowned artists like Picasso, Monet, Renoir and Dalí. I had not gone to the Botero museum in Medellín, so this one was a must. Seeing everyday Colombian life portrayed though his painting, sculpture and sketches in person is quite different than online or in a book. Botero actually achieved fame during his lifetime. This installation serves as his gift to Colombia. The museum is free of cost as he envisioned sharing his life’s work with the people of his native country.
DAY 4 – BOGOTÁ TO VALLE DE COCORA
Because of the weekly flight schedule with Wingo Airlines, I had to head out of town mid-Bogotá itinerary. I took an early evening flight to Armenia, in the department of Quindío. From the airport, I grabbed a taxi to “Terminal de Transportes de Armenia” where I hopped on a shuttle to the charming little, mountain town of Salento. Buses to Salento depart every 20 minutes and cost about $2 USD. Be careful about your arrival time in Armenia, however. After 8pm, there are no more buses to Salento and you may have to get creative like I did. I settled into my adorable studio apartment around 9:45pm and got a good night’s sleep before setting out on one of the most incredible hikes of my life.
THINGS TO DO IN EL VALLE DE COCORA
BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO STAY IN SALENTO
- Hotel Kawa Mountain Resort – popular with couples, this mountainside retreat is perfect for a romantic getaway. Enjoy the privacy of your own cabin, delicious breakfast, warm staff and proximity to town.
- Echohotel Piedemonte – a unique experience in a gorgeous setting. Guests love the spa, breakfasts cooked to order and the amazing staff.
- Villa Salento Boutique Apartments – guests love the proximity to downtown Salento, beautiful views and super-friendly staff.
DAY 4 – HIKING VALLE DE COCORA
Valle de Cocora is so unique. It’s famous for its iconic wax palms which stand alone towering over the lush, emerald mountains of the Eje Cafetero or coffee region in central-western Colombia. In recent years, this area has gained popularity through influencers encouraging hikers from the world over to descend upon the tiny town of Salento to head out across the multiple, epic trails found in the area as well as hitting up coffee farms. Fun fact: Salento is the little Colombian town that inspired the Disney movie, Encanto.
Around 7:30 am, I walked a couple blocks into town to the main square where I purchased a ticket for a “Willy” or jeep to take me to the trailhead in Valle de Cocora. The ticket was about $8 for a round trip. When I arrived, the guide pointed me toward the loop trail that started counterclockwise. I didn’t ask which direction I was going in, but in retrospect, I would definitely do the trail clockwise, starting with the more touristy part of the trail.
The touristy area is a gentler incline that also takes you to the wax palms right away. Doing the trail clockwise would take you downhill through the jungle area. That terrain was pretty tough in spots and I definitely took my time. Make sure you come with pesos colombianos. I spent $40,000 pesos to walk on two private farms and an additional $20,000 pesos to visit the Acaime Nature Reserve. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll love a break here. I stopped for 45 minutes to have hot chocolate and cheese while I watched hummingbirds.
They say that this trail takes about 5-6 hours to complete. That’s probably accurate if you don’t ever intend to stop and look at anything or eat. I started at about 8:15am and was back in the Willy heading to Salento by 2:45. During the hike, I stopped frequently to rest, watch hummingbirds, have my arepa lunch and grab a beer at the viewpoint. I won’t be able to hike like this forever, so enjoying every minute is definitely the point. This is without a doubt one of the top five hikes I have ever taken in my lilfe. It was just amazing. YOU MUST TAKE BUG SPRAY.
I spent some time chilling in my little studio apartment before heading a few blocks into town for one of my favorite meals of the trip at High Tacos by Meraki. I opted for a delicious pile of birria nachos with fresh guacamole and all the fixins. The menu is extensive and the service was awesome. Highly recommend.
DAY 5 – ALL ABOUT COFFEE
Colombian coffee growers have perfected the art of cultivating, harvesting and processing the beans in this misty, mountain environment. To this day, the beans are still picked, husked and roasted by hand. This picturesque region is an essential part of the Colombian economy. It represents 3.7% of the GDP and 37% of the agricultural workforce. I took a Willy up to the hillside finca–or farm–Entrebosques. Honestly, they were a little overwhelmed the day I arrived as they were filming an English reality TV show there onsite that day. In spite of that, Kevin gave us a fantastic tour of the beautiful crops. Along the way, he explained the history of coffee, its arrival in Colombia and its evolution as the quite possibly the world’s favorite beverage. We got to pick our own beans and then peel and toast them before we sampled some fresh brew.
There are numerous tour options at this coffee farm depending on how much you want to experience and spend. I chose the tour that doesn’t require a reservation for $50,000 COP, around $14 USD. It was well worth it.
In the days prior to this trip, I was a little apprehensive. I had just come back from a long vacation about a month ago and it felt a little irresponsible to take off again. At the end of the day, it was pretty perfect. Bogotá’s mix of mountains, culture and history surpassed my expectations and the Eje Cafetero with it’s natural beauty and coffee culture is a dream come true. Together, they were the perfect 5 days of adventure that not only will I always remember, I wouldn’t mind going back for more.
For more adventures in Colombia, check out my article: 6 Days in Medellín: The Ultimate Guide.