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 £3,625pp

(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
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

  • 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.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • 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.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

0 1 2 3 4 5