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Explore the Cocora valley

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See Colombia's national tree, the majestic wax palm, swathing the scenic slopes of the Zona Cafetera.

The slender trunks of the wax palm shoot up from the slopes of Colombia’s coffee-growing region, reaching a height of up to 60m. The sight of these spindly giants covering the rolling hills and fertile plains of the Cocora valley is one of the highlights of the area and an iconic image of Colombia.

From the tranquil Andean village of Salento, hike into the surrounding landscape to walk amongst these towering palms.

Holidays Explore the Cocora valley

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Horse-drawn carts in Cartagena, Colombia

Private Journeys

Colombia

Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee

15 days from £3,800pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

White car parked on a road in Colombia

Private Journeys

Colombia

Self-drive Colombia: Exploring the coffee region and beyond

12 days from £2,700pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Finn Clennett
    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

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