Back

Explore the Cocora valley

ShutterStock ©

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)

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
COS_PanoramicJungleShot_shutterstock_61382185

Destination Guides

Leap of faith
Learn more
Jamie Swan in Chile

Tales from the Road

Just back from…Chile with Jamie Swan
Learn more
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

Get in touch Meet our experts
  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • Rosie profile
    Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

0 1 2 3 4 5