The Cocora Valley and Salento on horseback
Gran Colombia Tours runs a private day that mixes a horse ride near Salento with a walk among the wax palms. It is the most expensive trip on our list, and the time in the saddle is shorter than many expect. Below, how the day runs, what the price covers and who it suits.
How the day runs
The private horseback tour from ~$192 lasts 6–8 hours. The listing's itinerary splits it into a short ride, a walk in the valley and a look around town, with a long drive at each end.
- Pickup in Salento, Armenia, Pereira or Filandia
- About 2 hours by car
- About 1 hour on horseback around Salento's viewpoints
- About 1 hour walking in the Cocora Valley, with photo stops
- About 1 hour in Salento
- The drive back to where you started
Add up the hours and the pattern is clear. Roughly half the day goes on the road, and the three activities share the rest in about equal parts.
The listing does not give a start time, so check your confirmation for the pickup hour. An early start helps in the valley, where mornings are often clearer before cloud builds in the afternoon.
Why the horses stay out of the valley
The ride starts in Salento, not in the Cocora Valley. The listing says so plainly and gives the reason, the preservation of the valley. Trails there already carry a lot of walkers, and hooves churn wet ground into deep mud.
So the horses take you around the hills near town, where the viewpoints look over green slopes. The wax palms come later, on foot, in the valley that is one of the entrances to Los Nevados National Natural Park.
If you picture yourself trotting between the palms, adjust that image before you book. The Quindío wax palm, Colombia's national tree, can grow to about 60 m (200 ft), and you will stand beneath them on your own two feet.
An hour in the saddle on a long day
This is the catch, so we will say it plainly. On a day of 6–8 hours, the horse ride takes about one, and the drive takes about four. Riders hoping for a morning on horseback may feel short-changed.
For a nervous or first-time rider, an hour can be plenty. For someone who rides at home, it is more of a taste than a trek. The listing adds that the trip is "better if you know how to ride a horse", which suggests the trails are not all flat.
The valley walk here is about an hour, much shorter than the roughly 3 hours on the shared or private hiking tours. Our Cocora Valley walk guide describes the longer version, with its climbs and its mud.
What the price covers
The fare is the highest of the six trips we compare, and it buys a lot of logistics. Everything below appears on the listing as included.
- A private guide for your group
- Pickup and drop-off from one of four towns
- Horse rental and a horse handler
- Cocora Valley entry
- All-risk insurance
- A ride in a Willys jeep
Lunch is not on that list, so plan to pay for your own meal in Salento. The jeep ride is a nice touch, and our Willys jeep guide explains why those old vehicles matter so much in the region.
Horses near Salento, palms on foot
A private day with Gran Colombia Tours, combining a guided ride to the viewpoints around Salento with an hour among the wax palms. Pickup from four towns is part of the fare.
Ratings and the two prices
The tour holds 4.8 from 65 reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.9 from 30 on Viator. Both are solid scores, though the review totals are smaller than on the operator's hiking days.
GetYourGuide lists it from ~$192 per person, and Viator lists the same trip for a little less. Open both buttons with your date and group size before you pay, since the gap is noticeable on a private tour.
For a sense of scale, the private valley and coffee farm day from ~$176 costs a bit less and adds a farm visit instead of the horses. Our price comparison lines up all six fares side by side.
Who this ride suits
It works for families or couples who want a private day with a gentle animal-led start and the palms afterwards. It also suits travelers who would rather not walk three hours of muddy trail but still want to see the valley.
It suits keen riders less well, and budget travelers least of all. A shared Cocora Valley walk from ~$78 spends far longer among the palms for well under half the price.
Staying in Pereira or Armenia makes the day longer, with about 2 hours in the car at each end. Our guide to pickup towns compares the bases, and a night in Salento shortens the drive.
What to wear in the saddle
Long trousers stop the stirrup leathers from rubbing, and closed shoes with a small heel sit better in a stirrup than sandals. The valley walk afterwards can be muddy, so a sturdy pair that copes with both is ideal.
Bring a rain layer and a warm top, since the hills around Salento are mild but the valley feels cooler. Our packing list for the Coffee Region covers the rest, from sunscreen to pesos for lunch.
A small backpack is easier on horseback than a shoulder bag that swings. Keep a phone in a zipped pocket for the viewpoints, where the guide stops for photos.