South America is a continent with rich history, striking natural wonders, and world-class cities. The twelve countries and a handful of territories that form the continent have for long been any traveller’s dream adventure.
Renowned for its eye-catching landscapes, famous coffee, and a perfect blend of culture, art, and music, Colombia is one of the continent’s crown jewels. Whenever someone thinks of this amazing country, they tend to focus on the great things to do in Bogotá, the capital city. But, the charm of Colombia extends to its other cities and regions as well.
The Quindio Department sits in the western central region of Colombia, with Armenia being the capital. The city is one of the country’s exceptional adventure destinations.
When visiting the region, and its capital, deciding where to spend your time can seem dizzying at first. However, you can ease your mind with this guide on the best things to do in Quindio and Armenia.
To get to Quindio and Armenia, you have a few travel options available. Due to its rising popularity as a Colombian tourist attraction, there are three main transport hubs that will get you here. These are Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena.
If you’re travelling internationally, your main points of entry into Colombia can either be Bogotá (El Dorado International Airport) or Medellín (Jose Maria Cordova International Airport).
Once in Colombia, you have two options to reach Armenia by plane. Both El Dorado Airport (BOG) in Bogotá and Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) in Medellín offer flights. All of these land at El Eden Airport (AXM). Flight times from both airports are roughly one hour long.
You can also opt for using the bus services that run to the Terminal de Transporte in Armenia. From Bogotá, the bus trip lasts about 9 hours. Buses heading out of Terminal de Transportes del Sur in Medellín will take 5 to 7 hours to reach Quindio.
Taking a bus trip from Cartagena requires patience as your total travel time will be about 18 hours. This includes a transfer in Medellín.
Armenia features numerous attractions, hotels, cafés, and restaurants. However, the majority of the best attractions in the surrounding Quindio region all require some travel.
You’ll need to prepare for bus rides and lengthy travel times. To get around you can make use of the many tours available or a private driver. This makes getting where you want to go just that much easier.
For travel within the city itself, you can use the public buses that operate 24/7. You can easily recognise them by their red colour and the word TINTO written across their sides. Regardless of where you choose to stay in the city, you’re never too far from an exciting attraction or eatery. This makes the city quite walk-friendly.
Due to its tantalising coffee history and attractions, Quindio is a coffee lovers’ paradise. With stunning landscapes filled with nature trails focused on hiking or biking, heading out into this beautiful region is a must.
Take in as much as you can during your trip to this region by visiting some of these popular tourist spots.
The Cocora Valley is a spectacular area in Quindio to visit. The valley sits in the Central Cordillera of the Andes Mountains. This means you’ll find numerous trails that lead through forests draped in clouds, lush jungles, and exquisite farmlands.
Located close to the town of Salento, the valley is also home to seemingly endless fields of wax palm trees. These grow up to nearly 200 feet high. Hiking through the valley will take you to whimsical meadows and authentic rainforests.
The valley is also home to Casa de las Colibris, the hummingbird house. A pristine and quaint house in the valley, it attracts thousands of hummingbirds and is an excellent addition to any hike of the area.
Book: Guided Trek in the Cocora Valley From Pereira
The small town of Salento is an example of Colombian charm and history. The town has managed to retain a lot of its laid-back attitude even though it has become famous among travellers.
You’ll find many cosy cafés and restaurants in the town. Try some perfectly prepared trout paired with the best sauces around. If you’re after some retail therapy, Calle Real in the northeast of the town is for you. The street is lined with tourist shops and local vendors.
Just outside of Salento is the Kasaguadua Natural Reserve. It’s modelled as an eco-lodge that spans almost 4 km of the rainforest. You can spend time learning about conservation in the area or just marvel at its beauty.
Book: Quindío Towns Private Tour with Lunch
While you’re in Salento, it would be a sin to not indulge in the world-famous coffee served at the many cafés in town. Seeing as most of Colombia’s coffee gets exported to the rest of the world, you’ll be happy to know that in Salento, you can still find the best brews.
Café Jesús Martín is popular with many tourists and locals. This beautifully decorated coffee shop in the heart of Salento offers rich coffees with tasty cakes and pastries.
Café de la Esquina is another excellent choice to get some rest during your trip to the area. Featuring a more bustling atmosphere, this corner coffee shop is always busy. For a good reason, too, as the local brews you’ll find here are unmatched.
Book: Salento Coffee Tour at Finca El Ocaso
The experience-driven Hotel Bosques Del Saman is a highlight in the area. It offers guests and visitors the chance to immerse themselves in every possible detail of the coffee region of Colombia.
They allow you to brew your very own unique cup of coffee, so you will be a coffee expert in no time. Visitors wear traditional clothing while they’re guided through the entire coffee process. You’ll experience everything from collecting and peeling beans, right down to the intricacies of the gastronomy behind coffee.
Tip: The farm also allows you to pick your own plantains if you want a break from coffee.
Another highlight of this hotel is the on-site interactive animal farm. Here you get to feed and interact with numerous animals in a dazzling environment.
One of the most thrilling ways to view the areas around Armenia and in Quindio would be ziplining. With numerous tours that operate from several different zip line platforms, speeding over the picturesque landscapes is a must.
These will get your heart racing while you head from canopy to canopy, surrounded by breathtaking sights and sounds.
Bosques Del Saman has a great course with seven different stations where you can crisscross above treetops.
Since you are in quintessential coffee country, this is a no-brainer. Include a tour or two of the many coffee plantations in Armenia and around Quindio. The region is home to some genuinely great plantations, each offering a tour with distinct flair.
All tours include time to explore the vast grounds of the plantations and the freedom to pick your perfect blend of beans and other flavours. Most also offer either lunch or dinner options.
By far, the most popular of the variety of plantation tours is Finca El Ocaso. This tour includes everything one can expect from a genuinely Colombian experience. It also boasts what it calls a ‘café natural’ option. During this, every detail of your perfect brew is entirely up to you.
Book: Cocora Valley and Coffee Farm Day Tour
Quindio is many things: history-rich, culturally vibrant, exciting, and above all a peaceful destination that will surpass your expectations. Although it’s known as the coffee triangle, it boasts other great attractions, towns, and getaways.
This region of Colombia delivers a euphoric blend of urban experiences and rustic nature escapes. Taking the dive into Quindo is sure to become your next unforgettable adventure.
Eager to take your travels to even more amazing places? Choose from other great destinations on my Colombia travel guide to unlocking a world of adventures.
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Accommodation in Quindio takes on many forms. You can stay in upscale urban hotels in the city centre of Armenia. Or, choose from luxurious comfort-focused hotels with sprawling gardens and swimming pools.
Please note, this site contains affiliate links whereby I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps with the costs of running my blog so I can keep my content free for you. Thanks as always for your support!
See my full disclosure here.
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