Salento
Salento is a small town in the Eje Cafetero (the coffee axis)
After 3 days in Bogotá we headed to Salento.
It is possible to fly to an airport close to Salento, but we elected to take an 8 hour VIP bus journey. I highly recommend this route, the VIP bus is like sitting on an exceptionally comfortable sofa and the views for the whole journey were absolutely spectacular.
We have heard of others who suffered delays and less positive experiences, but ours was on time and felt like an attraction itself.
We booked using redBus and travelled with Expreso Palmira on their S26 + VIP bus, this is more expensive than booking direct with the bus company but it is often difficult to pay with european cards online in South America so a travel agent can be the easiest thing to do.
You can skip online purchasing entirely and buy a ticket at the terminal, but obviously there is a risk of it being sold out. Note however that even if you do book online you still need to check-in at the bus terminal before departure so you need time for that; the mobile QR code is not directly accepted on the bus.
We changed from our VIP bus to a (very) local ‘buseta’ in Armenia. The driver of the ‘buseta’ was incredibly enthusiastic, he had no doubts our bags would fit on and helped us cram the bags behind a pole next to the door. He was totally confident the bags would remain on the bus, we were less assured, and watched dutifully as he drove for the first 5 minutes with the doors actually open just to add to the jeopardy.
But the bags were fine, the bus was safe, the fare (oddly paid at the end) was very cheap and we were now in Salento!
Arriving in Salento feels like arriving in a fairy tale – the town is said to have served as major inspiration for the Oscar winning Disney film Encanto.
The town is full of music, smiling faces, brightly coloured buildings and a refreshing air of this being a safe, tranquil town.
We found that all the local staff seemed to know, support and enjoy the company of one another. This may be the way it is in Colombia or even South America in general, we will find out as our trip progressed, but I have the feeling the atmosphere in Salento is particularly special.
In our hostel, on our final evening there, all of the hostel staff were having a rapturous celebration. I asked what the celebration was for and discovered that in Colombia, something similar to valentine’s day takes place on the third weekend of September (specifically Día del amor y amistad or the day of love and friendship). The staff at our hostel were all celebrating together.
Salento is a great base for outdoor activities.
One of the most popular activites is to hike around Cocora Valley in the Los Nevados National Natural Park.
The usual way to get there is in a “Willy”, a pick up truck with two benches in the back for seating. People are packed in, including standing on the back. It’s quite an experience and you’re likely to get to know the others travelling with you!
At first I was a little disappointed that the spectacular views of palm trees that we were hoping to see were obscured by cloud, but as we reached the viewpoints the mysterious look of the palm tree silhouettes against the white background seemed like it might be the best way to see them.
The private park at the end of the normal hiking route provides some of the most picturesque views and scenery.
Obviously no tour of the Coffee Axis is complete without a tour of a Coffee Farm (Finca)
We rode on horses through an open field and crossed a river!
It was a great experience but pretty scary, I’m not sure we took a route suited for absolute beginners; the first thing I ever did on a horse was ride up a very steep and narrow hill. Maybe it is worth ensuring the group or activity is suited to your level of experience!
We have a repeating tradition of attempting to go to and swim in waterfalls when it’s too late / dark / cold / impractical. This trip was no different; we were told by the “Willys” that we were too late, so we decided to ignore their local expert knowledge and walk directly there anyway.
We had to pay landowners to cross their land, crossed paths with horses on tracks clearly better suited to hooved creatures, and we had to wade through a small river.
But in the end we made it to the nature reserve which contains the waterfall, only to be told by the landowner that they were closed… shock.
I was really mature and positive on the walk away from the waterfall (vowing never to return).
Luckily the next day after conquering horse riding I felt up for the challenge again, we took a local bus back to the Santa Rita waterfall and this time made it in for a swim!
Every evening after the day’s activities, Salento offered up some excellent musicians playing for free (tips), either in the main square or small bars.
On the last night there was a couple spontaneously dancing in the street at closing time.
Salento was a truly special place to visit.
It left me feeling nourished in ways that city-life can you leave you feeling deprived. Other travellers we met were surprised we were spending 5 nights there (most spend 1 or 2 on their way between Medellín and Bogotá) but I we could have happily spent longer and I would love to go back!
