One of my favorite places in all of Colombia is the Valle del Cocora near Salento. (Why for some reason do I always want to misspell Cocora as Corcora? I don’t know). Someone contemplating a hike in the Valle del Cocora recently asked about the guerrilla situation in the area. Is it safe to go hiking in the Valle del Cocora? Yes.

Besides the incredibly tall Wax Palms you will definitely notice a large security presence around Salento and the Valle del Cocora. A Colombian who lives in the area told us that there are guerrillas around Salento and the Valle del Cocora. However, I did not hear of any reports of recent activity.

On the ride into Salento, which is a beautiful drive from nearby Armenia, our bus was stopped at a military checkpoint (not an uncommon occurrence throughout Colombia). Everyone was instructed to get off the bus, women to the front and men to the rear of the bus. All the men were frisked, except for me. When the soldier realized that I was from the U.S., the soldier just laughed and waved me aside. This seemed to have been a fairly standard checkpoint and no one seemed bothered about being searched and asked to show their identification documents. Evidently, this is just a part of life if you’re male and Colombian.

Right on the square in Salento is a military garrison and you’ll often see patrols making their way through town to the surrounding countryside. One of the highlights of Salento is to walk up to the observation point overlooking the Valle del Cocora and Salento. The view is beautiful and when you’re up there be sure to scan over the hillside and you’re likely to spot a squad of soldiers mixed into the trees and bushes.

The way to Valle del Cocora

Most people reach the Valle del Cocora by taking a jeep from the plaza in Salento. The jeeps leave whenever full. If you take the jeep and really want to enjoy the ride then be sure to ride standing up on the rear bumper. It seems dangerous at first but just hang onto the handrails and you’ll get the best view of the Valle del Cocora.

Most of the road from Salento to Valle del Cocora is now paved so it’s a fairly smooth ride of about twenty minutes. Alternatively, you can walk all the way from Salento to Valle del Cocora. Either way, you’ll likely to encounter one of the military patrols making its way either to or from the garrison in Salento to the Valle.

In the Valle del Cocora

Again in the Valle del Cocora you’re likely to encounter a soldier or two on patrol wherever you go. While there is a large military presence in the area we never felt concerned. Indeed, even the soldiers don’t look too concerned about any problems. Most of them appeared quite bored and casual, not like they were expecting a guerrilla encounter at any moment. With the area picking up in tourism, we got the impression that the military presence ensured that there would not be any problems.

The Valle del Cocora is absolutely beautiful, a great place to spend a day or more hiking. If you’re in that part of Colombia then pursue a hike in the Valle del Corcora without stressing about the safety or security of the area. Of course, like anyplace, be sure to ask locals for any update on recent activity.