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Weather in Salento
Coffee country and wax palms of the Cocora
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About Salento
Salento is a charming mountain village in the heart of Colombia's coffee country—the Cocora Valley. The town's colorful colonial buildings and cobblestone streets create a European feel. Nearby Valle de Cocora features the world's tallest wax palms, creating an otherworldly landscape.
Best months to visit
Year-round
Things to do in Salento
Valle de Cocora wax palm forests hiking
Coffee plantation tours and tastings
Horseback riding through coffee hills
Waterfall hiking and natural pool bathing
Picturesque town exploring and photography
Local mountain cuisine and coffee tasting
Weather by month
Click any month for detailed weather information and travel tips.
January
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
February
21C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
March
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
April
21C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
May
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
June
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
July
21C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
August
21C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
September
21C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
October
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
November
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
December
20C
Mild and comfortable, with frequent heavy rain.
Salento is a postcard-pretty town in Colombia's coffee region, its main street lined with brightly painted balconies and packed with farms offering tours through rows of coffee plants on steep green hillsides. Just outside town, the Cocora Valley is the gateway to Colombia's towering wax palms, the national tree, reached on horseback or on foot through cloud forest.
Best areas to stay in Salento
Main Plaza / Calle Real
The colourful central street with restaurants, shops and the town's main gathering point.
Alto de la Cruz
A short, steep climb above town to a viewpoint over the valley and surrounding hills.
Cocora Valley
The valley of towering wax palms a short jeep ride away, the area's main hiking draw.
Coffee farms (fincas) outskirts
Family-run coffee farms on the edges of town offering tours and tastings.
Getting to Salento
✈
Flights
Fly into Pereira (Matecaña Airport), about 1-1.5 hours away by road, or Armenia, slightly closer.
⏱
From London
~1-1.5 hours by road from Pereira or Armenia airports.
🚕
Getting around
Jeeps (Willys) run from the plaza to Cocora Valley and surrounding farms; the town itself is easily walkable.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Salento?
December to March and July to August are the driest months, though the coffee region sees rain year-round and mornings are usually clearer than afternoons.
Can you do a coffee farm tour from Salento?
Yes — several family-run fincas just outside town offer tours covering the full process from bean to cup, often including a tasting.
How do you get to the Cocora Valley?
Open-backed Willys jeeps run regularly from Salento's main plaza to the Cocora Valley trailhead, a journey of about 20-30 minutes.
How hard is the Cocora Valley hike?
The full loop takes 5-6 hours with some steep, muddy sections through cloud forest; a shorter out-and-back to the main palm viewpoints is also possible.
Is Salento good for non-hikers?
Yes — the town itself, with its colourful architecture, viewpoint hike up Alto de la Cruz and coffee culture, can fill a day or two without strenuous walking.
Traveler reviews
★★★★★
The jeep ride out to Cocora with wax palms emerging from the mist was one of the most magical mornings of our whole Colombia trip.
Esteban L. · February 2024
★★★★☆
Did a small-farm coffee tour run by the family who grew it, picked and roasted on site — much better than the bigger commercial ones.
Grace H. · November 2023
★★★★☆
Rained most afternoons but mornings were clear enough for the Cocora hike and the views from Alto de la Cruz.
Andres P. · June 2024
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