Palm trees are the attributes of a beach vacation. In the Colombian city of Pereira, to see real palms, you have to go to the mountains and not a beach. The Cocora Valley is world-famous for its unique palm trees. You will never see plants like that anywhere else.

The Cocora Valley is part of the Los Nevados National Natural Park and is located on the upper reaches of the Quindío River. Taking the earliest bus, you will arrive at the central square of the town of Salento. From here, tourists are seated in jeeps and driven to the park. How to continue your trip is up to you. You can challenge yourself and have a walk along the mountainous trails, or rent a horse and opt for a romantic promenade over green hills. Each option will bring you tons of positive vibes.

So, having chosen the means of transport, you start discovering the park: deep tropical forests, high mountains, and valleys. Wherever you look, beauty is around you. Here, you can enjoy the rest from the noise and hustle of a city. But there is some noise here too. Birds. Countless species of birds. From time to time, they sing in an almost orchestral performance. Besides, when you reach the river, you will hear the rumblings.

The river, forests, and mountains are great but people come to the Cocora Valley for the palm trees. Its nickname is the Palm Valley. You will understand why when you see these giants. Each palm tree is about 80 meters high: it has a tall smooth trunk and a crown of leaves on top. They grow at a distance from each other, but it seems that there is a whole forest of them here.

They had appeared here long before the park was established. Some of them are 120 years old.

Having visited the Palm Valley, you will get acquainted with Colombian nature and the locals. During your hike, you can see the local farmers, chat with them and ask them about their traditions. And, in their turn, they will treat you to cheese and cacao.