Zona Cafetera

Despite never having drunk a coffee in my life, I figure why not head to the Zona Cafetera where some of the world’s best coffee is made. Besides, it’s also the launching pad for the Cocora Valley hike, so it was kind of a necessary evil. I arrive in Salento, the oldest settlement in the Quindio region; it’s the closest town to Cocora Valley, and so, as expected, it’s also the most touristy.

As I wander through the streets in search of my hostel I feel like I’ve arrived smack bang into a Colombian postcard. The Jeep Willys, iconic of the coffee region, are zipping around town with people hanging off the back of them. Horses and donkeys trot through the streets, their shoes clopping against the concrete roads which are lined with white washed two story buildings bursting with colour from their doors and balconies; even the bank gets in on the action with a blue and yellow facade covering what would normally be an ordinary, boring looking, bank and ATM. It’s incredible. Everything is so cheap here; ie dinner is $5.50AUD for a delicious soup, grilled meat, salad, potatoes, rice, avo and a juice and dessert. MAD!

The map

I’m up early the next morning to venture to Valle de Cocora. It’s the rainy season here, so a local suggested to start early and do it clockwise so you’re in the valley before the clouds come through and the rain hits. Turns out this is also the easier route as it’s just a steady incline up for the first few hours and then the last couple of hours is steep downhill, so I wasn’t complaining.

To get to Valle de Cocora you jump into one of the Jeep Willys in the main square that leave pretty much every hour (or as they fill up). So we’re packed in like sardines, I’m standing up in the middle trying to hold onto the bar to my side while the driver is fanging it down the windy roads and into the lush green valley. The three guys that they loaded onto the back look like they’re having a great time, so mental note to self… I need to make sure I’m loaded in last on the way back so that I can have all the views.

The first hour or so of the hike is up through the Valle de Cocora with a couple of lookouts down into the valley. The giant wax palms endemic to this area jut up from the valley below and soar high into the sky above you; they grow as tall as 60m; it actually looks quite surreal. It’s difficult to really capture this in a photograph, but the last pic below has me in it for some perspective on the height of these beauties.

After soaking in the views of Valle de Cocora, we hike up through some farmland areas and it’s then time to descend down the mountain (sometimes literally walking through a stream). I’m so glad it’s downhill as it’s fucking steep, so I’m afforded the opportunity to really enjoy the surroundings because I’m not out of breath. There are hummingbirds, lush rainforest scenery, river views, a number of dubious suspension bridges to cross and, of course, a random dog to guide me for the last couple of hours. Then, we get back to Valle de Cocora and are the last 2 people on the Willy Jeep so I land a spot standing on the back step. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but actually most of the ride back was uphill so I’m holding on for dear life; the only thing between life and cracking my head open on the road is my grip onto the roof racks…. my boots are muddy from hiking through the river and the metal grill that I’m standing on is slippery AF. Add to that, it starts raining and so for 25 mins I’m getting smashed in the face with rain, my forearms are caning me from trying to grip onto the now slippery and wet roof rack, and my quads are in a permanent state of tension trying not to let my feet slip out from underneath me. Not quite as romantic as I envisioned, but exhilarating none the less.

I’d been recommended from a guy I met in Cali to get to Filandia instead of Salento, so, after the Valle de Cocora hike, I set off in search of a more authentic pueblo in the Zona Cafetera. The Jeep is sold out to get there but luckily there are two other travellers also heading to Filandia so, instead of waiting 3 hours for the next one, we split the cost of a private Jeep (about $7 AUD each….. hope it doesn’t break the budget LOL) and head straight there.

We arrive to the most charming little town on top of a hill. It’s like Salento, but smaller, no tourists, no one harassing you to buy shit, more colourful, elderly locals donning wide brimmed hats filling the park in the main square to chat with their mates, rolling green hills as far as the eye can see, and everything is only 2 mins walk away. It’s pure MAGIC. The dorm of the hostel I’m staying in is on the top floor, and has a 180 degree view of the surrounding region; it’s pretty damn spectacular!

I order a coffee… because, when in Rome… And, actually I liked it. All those years of espresso martini’s and cafe patron have finally paid off… I can now drink coffee… and enjoy it. The rain seems to be holding off, so we venture up to La Colina Iluminada which is a wooden tower that has been built on a hill just outside of town. It has 360 degree views of three of the surrounding coffee regions: Quindio, Valle del Cauca and Risaralda. As you walk up the spiral staircase there are little bits of history about each of the little towns, which I’ve since forgotten, of course. I think I was just so mesmerised by the views that it was difficult to take in much else.

It’d be remiss of me to visit this region and NOT go to a local farm for a coffee tour, especially now that I’ve drunk one whole cup of coffee in my entire life, so clearly I’m a coffee aficionado. So, we land on Secretos del Carriel Finca Cafetera. This small farm has been running for about 70 years; the grandfather of the dude who ran the tour first started working here, and now it’s onto the fourth generation, as his own son now starts to work here with him too. This farm (approx. 7 hectares) produces coffee and, now, plantain, with a focus of quality over quantity. The tour… I LOVED. There was only two of us and the owner; it was super relaxed, definitely not a well oiled machine when it comes to tours (usually the managers of the farm run the tours, but my Spanish is not up to scratch, so we lucked out and had the owner as our guide). This made it feel even more authentic as he wasn’t just rattling off a spiel that he says a thousand times a day, and he shared some great insight into the world and politics of coffee.

The tour starts out with a coffee, of course, and afterward we begin to learn the entire process from cultivation to final product. So, we are picking the beans, peeling them, washing and putting them out to dry. We’re then rewarded with an iced coffee.. HOLY SHIT - 2 coffees in one day. Afterward, we take some already dried beans to roast, grind and then, of course, we drink a freshly brewed cup of our very own hand made coffee. 3 coffees for me in one day, so, that takes me to a grand total of 4 in my life. I’m lucky it’s not giving me head spins. Actually, I reckon that whole story about coffee waking you up is a total farce - having had 4 in the past couple of days I can attest to the fact that it has zero impact on me. I reckon it’s a placebo… or maybe I’m just naturally alert and the rest of the world is weirdly SLOOOOWWW.

Because I haven’t taken enough buses lately I decide to head to Jardin from Filandia… looks super close on the map but actually, it requires three buses to get there and a travel time of about 9 hours! It was super tempting to just jump on a bus straight to Medellin, but where’s the fun in that?

I also can’t find anything online with bus times so I’m just blindly jumping on buses hoping that I make it to Rio Sucio in time to catch one of the 2 buses that go to Jardin daily. And I’m in luck; I arrive with 30 mins to spare. I’m literally the only tourist I’ve seen all day, much to the amusement of the bus drivers, passengers and food vendors. Sometimes it makes me question if I’m making the right choices; like is there a reason no other tourists are here? Is it super dangerous? Are these the local buses you hear about that fall off the mountain roads?? Oh well, if that’s the case I’m sure that for every one that falls off, a hundred make it to the destination; Anyway, I don’t have a choice now unless I backtrack.

The local bus I get on to Jardin at 3pm gets filled up with live chickens, sacks of potatoes and other fruit along the way as we stop at various local farms to pick up their produce to drop off in Jardin. The road isn’t paved so I’m bouncing around everywhere on the seat to the tune of chirping chickens, and the bus’s diesel engine as it chugs up the mountain. Pure Magic!

As we wind around the mountains I’m rewarded with the most magnificent views of mountain ranges as far as the eye can see. It’s one of the most spectacular drives I’ve been on so far, and well worth the $8 fare; I could have stayed on that bus for hours more if it didn’t come to a stop in Jardin.

I was expecting Jardin to be, more or less, the same as Filandia and Salento because it’s still part of the Zona Cafetera, BUT, I couldn’t have been more wrong. For starters, it’s nestled in a valley with mountains soaring up all around, the landscape has changed to become dense rainforest, waterfalls are cascading down the mountains, rivers run around the town, and the plaza mayor is filled with tables and chairs that the locals gather on, from sun up (for coffee), til late in the evening (para muchas cervezas). It’s one of the best places to sit and people watch. I just love how authentic the vibe is here; dudes in wide brimmed hats and ponchos gathering together in the park to chat with their mates. People sitting on the sidewalk with their chairs angled back against the wall for extra comfort. This place is honestly CHARM at it’s best.

I meet some girls at the hostel and we decide to hike to La Cueva Del Espendor… because a cave with a waterfall smashing through the roof sounds wicked. It’s actually on someone’s private property but if you hike up to their house, for $8 they’ll lead you down through the rainforest to the cave and back again. A few of us decide to brave it, and actually get in, despite the water feeling pretty cold and it not being the warmest of days. I decide there’s no way I can get in, if I don’t jump, so I climb up on the rock and jump in… only to have the breath literally knocked right out of me. Needless to say it was a really quick swim; I spent more time getting changed, trying to get my breath back and bring my body back to a normal temperature, than I actually spent in the water. LOL No ragrets though!

Now… onto Medellin!!