Valle de Cocora

Valle de Cocora is a protected area in Quindío near the eco-tourist/backpacker haven of Salento, known for its surreal, striking landscapes pegged with the slender, towering Colombian national symbol and the wax palm.

Valle de Cocora Halal Travel Guide

Valle de Cocora2 - Wax palms dwarfing a cow, along the descent from Finca la Montaña

History

The area was designated a protected park by the Colombian government in 1985 in response to the imminent threat of extinction of the Ceroxylon quindiuense and the Quindío wax palm. The palms were brought to the verge of extinction in part owing to their utility in making wax candles and building materials for farmers, but most of all because they were traditionally cut down annually for fronds on Palm Sunday. The park remains to this day one of the few places in the world that you can find these immense trees which, while quite rare, are no longer under imminent threat. You can find some other ones in botanical gardens, such as the San Francisco Botanical Garden in San Francisco, California.

How is the Landscape of Valle de Cocora

Valle de Cocora is a natural cloud forest, although the area around the hamlet of Cocora is used for pasture. The topography is decidedly Andean, with the valley following a river flanked by steep mountain foothills.

Flora and fauna

The wax palm and the Colombian national tree, is obviously the main attraction. It is the tallest palm in the world, growing up to 60 meters, while retaining the girth of any old palm, making for a very slender giant, an immense pole topped with a little crown of palm fronds. Their wide root systems make for an odd visual: palms shooting up hundreds of feet into the sky, all widely but evenly spaced apart, as if planted purposefully.

Other local flora of note include the Pino Romerón, puyas, frailejónes, and encenillos. More rare flora are to be found when you ascend past Estrella de Agua and enter the Páramo alpine tundra in Los Nevados National Park.

The fauna is perhaps less appreciated by visitors, and in fairness and the more charismatic mammals make themselves pretty scarce: endangered mountain tapirs, spectacled bears, sloths, and mountain lions. Of birds the most noticeable is surely the big Andean condor, but the most notable is the yellow-eared parrot, which nests in the hollow trunks of the wax palms themselves. This tie to the palms has seen the yellow-eared parrot similarly brought to the brink of extinction, but a determined rescue effort has brought the bird back to endangered status, with a census of over 1500 in 2012. The park is also filled with hummingbirds, which are easiest to find at the feeding stations at the hummingbird sanctuary, Acaime.

How is the Climate in Valle de Cocora

Valle de Cocora is temperate year round, owing to its proximity to the equator, and elevation of 1800 to 2400 meters above sea level. As it is a cloud forest, it is extremely wet, with frequent precipitation. So it's cool and wet—dress accordingly and bring boots for the mud!

Travel as a Muslim to Valle de Cocora

4.6291|-75.4596|width=600}} There are supposed to be jeeps going from the central plaza of Salento at 7:30AM, 9:30AM and 11:30AM, which then leave on a return trip from the park at 5PM. But there really isn't a set schedule. There are a bunch of jeeps (chipetas) in the plaza in the morning, and they leave if they can find enough people to fill them, and the situation is exactly the same on the way back. The price (one-way) per person is Colmbia#Money|COP$]]3,400 (Nov 2023). Valle de Cocora is a popular place for Colombian tourists year-round, so this process is never too hard. To ensure you have enough time at the park, though, you'll want to be at the plaza no later than 9AM (8AM or earlier would be ideal). If you don't mind paying extra, you can always buy up all the seats in the jeep, and it will leave whenever you want it to. Expect the ride to be a little over 30 minutes.

The road to Cocora is rough, but can be done in a sedan, which you'll have to leave parked on the side of the road (along with the jeeps). The road from Salento starts at the east end of Kra 2 (at the intersection with Calle 1).

Once you arrive at Cocora, you'll see the wooden gate entrance.

Fees and permits

It costs COP$3,000 (August 2018) to enter, which you pay in cash at a kiosk a few minutes after starting on the trail.

The attendant may tell you that you'll also have to pay another COP$2,000 further along the trail if you're taking the long route, but there won't necessarily be anyone around to charge you.

Get Around

Valle de Cocora river - The Quindío River inside the cloud forest

The park/valley is small enough to cover the trails in one day on foot, although horseback riding is also an option (see #Do|below). Bear in mind that parts of the trail are more than two miles above sea level, so if you are not acclimated to the Andes and the hike will be hard.

What to See

Valle de Cocora isn't exactly long on sights—the attraction is the environment, and of course the wax palms. The one exception might be the hummingbird sanctuary:

• Acaime - COP$5,000 - Acaime is a hummingbird sanctuary and a strategically placed coffeeshop. It costs COP$5,000 for entry and a hot beverage plus fresh Cheese, which is very worthwhile, if only for some hot Chocolates, tea, or coffee and some chit chat with other travellers, all happy to sit down after trekking around the jungle. There are hummingbird feeders right by the sitting area, so you can watch various varieties of hummingbirds flit about while you sip.

What to Do

There's really only one activity here: to explore and photograph the valley. Most visitors do so on foot:

The most popular six-or-so hour loop trail is to head from the

• wooden entrance gate GPS 4.637916,-75.486837 along the trail to the right, to Acaime GPS 4.627073,-75.451899, before returning via Finca la Montaña GPS 4.633361,-75.460975}}. You'll go for a while through fairly flat pasture (always slightly uphill) along a trail thoroughly chewed up by horses (wear shoes that can get very muddy), before eventually entering the cloud forest, and trekking alongside the Quindío River. Keep aiming for Acaime and ignore other signposted side trails. From Acaime start heading back and take the uphill side trail signposted to Finca La Montaña (note: this sign no longer seems to be there, but the junction is clear; after crossing the river for the umpteenth time there is a large sign to Acaime to the right, and a good track to the left, which leads to the Finca), a farm on a very steep hill, with some views and an insanely angry dog who hopefully will never break free of his short iron chain. Have a seat, meet the farmer's cute little daughter, who will bring you a guestbook to sign. Climbing just a bit more, you will get high enough for the surrounds to transform into a pine forest, before a fairly steep descent into the most scenic part of the valley, with absolutely great opportunities for photography. The standard estimates of time are 2.5 hours to Acaime, 1 hour to Finca La Montaña, and then 1.5 hours back to Cocora, although if you are fit and not stopping a lot, you can shorten that down to a four hour circuit. Note that local guides recommend climbing the route in the reverse direction as that posted above: the ascent is much easier from Cocora to the Finca la Montaña, and the descent would be through the forest, which is the steepest part of the route.

On the above loop trail, you'll see signs for Estrella de Agua GPS 4.623095,-75.430892, a two hour muddy slog uphill past Acaime, which is a little farm by a small alpine lake where hikers camp on the way in and out of Los Nevados National Park, via #Go next|the back way (i.e. and the best way). If you're not going on into the national park and then save yourself the hard climb and skip it.

If you do the loop by climbing up to Finca la Montaña and then going from there back down to Cocora you will pass a gate after some 900m with a track that veers off to the right. There is a sign indicating that this goes to the Cascadas. The track starts off fine, but it is clearly not used frequently as it soon becomes difficult to follow; first due to vegetation growing across the track and then also due to the track disappearing and reappearing. Often across grassy knolls it disappears completely and may take some time to find again on the other side. If one loses the track (as I did on several occasions) then one may end up going through dense bush down very steep slopes. Bit of a scramble, and thankfully there is plenty of vegetation to cling on to (though some plants do have sharp spikes). if one loses the way and the track can eventually be regained above the wax-palm forest, and it then leads down to the normal track, and likely does indeed lead to the Cascadas. These can also be reached following the normal route and then going up the valley to the Cascadas. This detour should only be tackled by those that are sure footed and accustomed to making their way in steep terrain without a track underfoot.

Valle de Cocora1 - Arresting topography outshone only by the wax palms

Horseback riding is especially popular with the domestic tourists. You can set up a guided horseback trail ride for COP$10,000 per hour per person, plus COP$10,000 per hour for the guide. The rides go just a little ways into the cloud forest, less than halfway to Acaime, and into the valley going the other way towards Finca La Montaña, and then skipping past it, but they do not ascend the mountains.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Valle de Cocora

Alas and they have yet to capitalize on the potential wax palm tchotchke and t-shirt market. For all the tourists, this place is not touristy.

Halal Restaurants in Valle de Cocora

Within the valley and there is only the cafe at Acaime, which is affordable and very welcome after trekking, but also extremely basic—most visitors get their calories just via the oh so Colombian hot Chocolates and fresh Cheese combo. Just outside the park, though and there are some down-to-earth rural cafes serving the local trucha specialty (trout), and that's definitely a nice way to spend time at the end of the hike, if you aren't ready to speed back to Salento. Savvy travelers will bring some arepas or other street food to have a picnic placed strategically at some scenic overlook or another. If you want a the only hope would be at the entrance, but alcohol doesn't go that well with high altitude hiking anyway. Water does. They sell bottled water at the entrance and at Acaime, or you can just pick some up in Salento in the morning. It's best to bring a few liters per person, as the hike is long.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Valle de Cocora

Valle de Cocora - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Valle de Cocora, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Valle de Cocora. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Valle de Cocora and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Valle de Cocora. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Valle de Cocora. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inValle de Cocora: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Valle de Cocora.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Valle de Cocora: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Valle de Cocora, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Valle de Cocora.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Valle de Cocora, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Valle de Cocora, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Valle de Cocora and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Valle de Cocora, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Valle de Cocora, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Valle de Cocora without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Valle de Cocora is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Valle de Cocora.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Valle de Cocora is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Valle de Cocora, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Valle de Cocora Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Ceroxylon quindiuense cocora - View from near the farm

The main place within the park to stay at is Acaime, which does have beds for hikers, mostly intended for hikers going in or out of Los Nevados. Cocora visitors really have no reason to sleep here, since you don't need more than a day, and Salento is a much nicer place to spend the evening. If continuing through the park and on to Los Nevados National Park, camping will feel much less like invading someone's property than it would in most of Valle de Cocora, starting at Estrella de Agua (which is building a dorm for hikers as of summer 2022).

• Bosques de Cocora campground - April 2016 GPS: 4.636975, -75.484713 ☎ +57 6 746-3515 - COP$10,000/person The one official campground in the park is right at the entrance, behind the little roadside restaurant run by the same people. You'll need your own tent, but they do have showers and flush toilets. For an extra fee, you can get meals included at the restaurant.

Stay Safe

There's nothing to be afraid of in this beautiful, happy valley, except maybe that big dog at Finca la Montaña. The cows don't bite!

Explore more Halal friendly Destinations from Valle de Cocora

As already mentioned, Valle de Cocora is the best way to sneak into Los Nevados National Park without dealing with the weird entrance mafia on the Manizales side of the park. No entrance fees, just amazing hiking up to the snow-capped volcanoes. Make sure you either have a guide with you, or have maps and advice from someone knowledgeable before attempting to enter the national park, though. There is an area between Cocora and Los Nevados known as the "Valley of the Lost," and yes, that's referring to you!Copyright 2015 - 2024. All Rights reserved by eHalal Group Co., Ltd.
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