Things To Do
Valle de Cocora and Salento Day Trip
Pereira’s smaller and seemingly more popular little cousin, the village of Salento receives a ton of tourists for its proximity to the Valle de Cocora. Even if you’re not staying there, be sure to make your way out to Salento to see these giant wax palms in the middle of the bright green valley. They’re the iconic postcard image of Colombia’s coffee region and a sight to behold, whether or not you do the five-hour hike through the valley and into the cloud forest. Afterwards, swing by the village to see Salento’s charming and colorful main square and have a meal of fresh trout.
Salento
Beautiful Salento, a town of many colors and stories, backed by one of the most mesmerizing landscapes we’ve ever seen: the Cocora Valley and the world’s tallest palm trees. Spend a few days in Salento, soaking up the warm village culture, admiring the rainbow-colored streets, and drinking freshly brewed coffee in a town that sits at the very heart of Colombia’s coffee region.
Horseback Riding
Horseback adventures in the eje cafetero in the mountains of Colombia. Colombia’s true trail riding experience. This unique true trail rides give you an opportunity to see this stunning country in the best and most traditionally Colombian way, on horseback. They'll guide you through the incredibly diverse landscape known as the coffee axis of Colombia, a Unesco world heritage site. Your guides come with a wealth of knowledge and experience of the area, and our herd of fit and friendly horses will allow you to relax and enjoy this spectacular part of the world.
Santa Rosa de Cabal
Santa Rosa de Cabal Hot Springs: renowned therapeutic thermal waters in Colombia, surrounded by natural beauty, offering relaxation and well-being.
Coffee Farm Tour
If you’re in Colombia’s coffee triangle, you have to go on a coffee farm tour to find out more about one of the world’s most popular beverages. Pereira is known for its delicious Arabica beans, which are imported all around the world and have an award-winning flavor. On a tour (which can be booked through most hotels and hostels) you’ll find out tons of interesting facts about the growing and roasting process.
Bike Tour
There’s no better way to explore Pereira and the surrounding coffee region than with a bike tour if you want to get outside and sneak in a little bit of exercise. These tours are super popular because the guides give detailed insight into the destinations, culture, and wildlife. RetroCiclas gets great reviews, and they’ll take you to some of the must-do sites around Pereira. Using a combination of bikes and jeeps, you’ll visit nature reserves, coffee plantations, and visit smaller towns in the Colombian countryside that you might not see otherwise.
Parque del Café
An amusement park dedicated to coffee. Located not too far away in the town of Quindio, you’ll find a whole theme park with rides, roller coasters, shows, games, and water attractions based on one of the country’s biggest crops. There are several cafes and restaurants where you can grab a cup of brew here too. There’s an interactive coffee museum, trails through forested landscapes, and horseback rides, but the biggest attraction is the popular Coffee Show (Show del Café). It features talented performers showcasing local traditions, indigenous dances, and the music of the region with brilliant costumes, choreography, and stories.
Lake Otún
Located in the Parque Nacional Los Nevados, get out and visit Lake Otún, one of Pereira’s sources of freshwater. The lake is also an important habitat for many endangered Colombian species of birds, so you can try to spot them here. You can camp around the lake if you want to spend the night, but remember the higher altitude makes it much cooler here! Take some hikes to viewpoints and check out all the interesting plants that make up the unique Páramo ecosystem. There are many trails to attempt here – lots of visitors do a multi-day hike (staying in refugios) from El Cedral to La Pastora to El Jordan, with the arrival at Laguna del Otún as the final stop.
Nevado Santa Isabel
Another gorgeous site within Los Nevados National Park, go hiking up or around Santa Isabel, a shield volcano. You can even reach the snowy summit if you love trekking and have a day to spare. This hike is perfect if you’re interested in seeing the volcanic landscape, the páramo, and the interesting plant species like frailejones shrubs and cojines cushion plants. These hikes aren’t for the faint of heart as the altitude is no joke, so be sure to acclimatize nearby for at least a day or two. You can organize a tour – Ecosistemas is popular – if you want to do this 5 hour trek with a guide, transport, and meals all included.