New Tour

Road Cycling Colombia: Cali to Coffee Paradise

Day 1 Meet in Cali

Welcome to Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city! Located in the southwest of the country, Cali is nestled in the Cauca Valley and surrounded by the Colombian Andes. We suggest arriving a day or two before the tour begins to get settled into the Colombian pace of life and explore Cali which, known as the salsa capital of the world, comes alive at night with bars thumping to hip-swinging rhythms. You can also check out Cali’s most iconic landmark – the Cristo Rey – a large statue of Christ overlooking the city from a hill and dive into the flavors of the distinctive Valluno cuisine. On arrival day, we'll meet at our tour hotel in the late afternoon for a trip briefing and welcome dinner. Our boutique, colonial-style tour hotel is located in the buzzing Granada neighborhood, filled with chic boutiques, restaurants, cafés & bars. Please let us know if you require assistance with airport transfers or pre-tour hotel bookings.

Hotel Movich Casa del Alferez
Dinner

Day 2 Cali - La Cumbre - Calima Lake

Our adventure begins with a 1.5-hour transfer from Cali to La Cumbre, a small town nestled in the foothills of the Western Colombian Andes. After saddling up in La Cumbre, our route takes us along a quiet secondary road that winds through cloud forests, highland farms, livestock pastures, and dense patches of native vegetation. The road undulates with gentle climbs and exhilarating descents, allowing us to find our rhythm while soaking in our first taste of the rural Andean landscape. By around 28 km we reach the town of Restrepo, from where we tackle a 7 km / 5-6% climb elevating us to over 1,600 metres ASL. The subsequent downhill brings us to the southwestern tip of Calima Lake, a vast reservoir with sparkling waters surrounded by lush hillslopes. We skirt around the lake on a peaceful road for around 30 km. Our ride ends with a short, punchy climb (2 km / 5%) to an elegant hilltop hotel with magnificent views and farm-to-table dining.

La Huerta Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 73km
+1350m
-1341m

Day 3 Calima Lake - Mediacanoa - Trujillo

The day starts with a 30-minute transfer to avoid riding downhill on a steep and busy national road. We get on our bikes near a junction back in the valley and dart off along a flat secondary road which follows the Cauca River north. The plains are covered in expansive sugarcane plantations with a sea of densely packed emerald green stalks swaying in the breeze. The smooth road surface and flat terrain allow for a fast-paced ride for the majority of today’s short stage, but once we reach the 40 km point, a fairly steep hilltop finish awaits! Rising back into the lower slopes of the Andes, we cycle along a narrow road snaking its way through waves of fresh foliage, including coffee plants, for around 7 km with gradients that can creep into the double digits. As we climb higher, the contrast becomes stark: the flat, sugarcane-draped Cauca valley stretches below, while the towering, mist-shrouded ridgelines of the Western Cordillera loom above. Once the road begins to level again, we roll into the small town of Trujillo where we end our ride and unwind with a cup of coffee in the quiet, central plaza.

Hotel Trujillo Plaza
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km
+675m
-313m

Day 4 Trujillo - La Unión

We head back into the Cauca Valley, tracing our way down the same road we battled our way up the day before! By the 10 km point we’re back in the lowlands and, for the remainder of the day’s distance, follow the meandering course of the Cauca River north through the heart of Colombia’s agricultural basin. We continue to see vast sugarcane plantations, but also pass by mango orchards, wide canopied rain trees, and roadside market villages. Other than a few mild, 1-2 km climbs, today’s route is primarily flat, enabling us to make good time to reach our final destination, the municipality of La Unión, for lunch. This area is one of the key centre of Colombia’s emerging wine industry with boutique vineyards radiating across the landscape. The afternoon is free to relax at our countryside retreat perched on a small hill with admirable views, or to head out for a vineyard tour & wine tasting nearby (at additional cost).

Hotel Los Viñedos
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 69km
+512m
-842m

Day 5 La Unión - Filandia

Today we take things up a couple of notches, transitioning from the plains of the Cauca Valley into the coffee-studded highlands of the Central Andes. We make quick work of the first 45 km as we weave across the valley floor to reach the city of Cartago where, after a bit of urban riding, we begin our ascent into “Eje Cafetero”, the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia. The transformation of the terrain is gradual and accompanied by two initial climbs of 3-5 km (4-7%) separated by a swift downhill. By around 60 km we begin to find ourselves deep within the hilly homeland of the smooth Arabica beans that have shaped Colombia’s economy, culture, and global identity for over 150 years. The ride’s final 20 km are a steady climb into the municipality of Filandia, with mild gradients (3-4%), accompanied by a photoreel of hillsides covered in rows of coffee plants and the villages of the proud farmers tending to them. Tonight’s accommodation is a real treat: a modern hotel in the heart of the coffee region built by cyclists for cyclists!

Casa du Vélo-Cycling Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 88km
+1506m
-695m

Day 6 Filandia - Salento

We backtrack around 12 km downhill through the green hills of Filandia often cloaked in morning mist. After passing through the town of Quimbaya, the terrain evens out as we follow a provincial road through farmlands growing tropical fruits like the Colombian staple, guava. After around 20 km we veer onto a narrower country road rising back into the coffee-growing highlands. Passing by pastures and fincas (agricultural estates) we climb steadily at low gradients for around 15 km to reach Circasia, a lively little town where we stop to power up with a fresh cup of coffee in the central square. The ascent then continues along the shoulder of a provincial throughway until, at around 48 km, we branch off onto a minor road for a refreshing downhill with stunning views of the Cordillera Central. After crossing the Quindio River, a winding 4 km / 6% lifts us to the colorful Andean town of Salento located at nearly 2,000 metres ASL. Salento is renowned for vibrantly painted buildings and being the gateway to the dreamy Cocora Valley. We stay at a cosy ecolodge just outside of town where we are based for two nights.

Eco Hotel La Cabaña
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 57km
+1197m
-1049m

Day 7 Cocora Valley Hiking & Coffee Making

Today we trade our cycling cleats for hiking shoes to explore one of Colombia’s most iconic natural treasures: the Cocora Valley. Here, towering wax palms – the tallest palm species in the world — rise above montane meadows enveloped by lush cloud forests. Our roughly 10 km (+650 m / -650 m) hike takes us high up into this remarkable Andean landscape where, besides traversing lush trails and hanging bridges, we visit a secluded mountain retreat famous for its hummingbirds, and a farm perched at one of the highest accessible points in the valley. After returning to the trailhead, it’s time for lunch. In the afternoon we head to a local coffee farm to learn about the entire production process from bean to cup. This hands-on experience reveals why this region is recognized as a UNESCO Coffee Cultural Landscape, and how generations of families have made their livelihood cultivating Colombia’s most famous export.

Eco Hotel La Cabaña
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Salento - Calarcá

From the heights of Salento we work our way back down the mountains, with the first 30 km feeling familiar as we return via the same roads we ascended on day 7. Once we’ve passed through the town of Montenegro we continue further south flanked by fields of sugarcane, coffee, and all kinds of tropical fruits. At around 47 km we take a detour through a beautiful tunnel of trees, where a dense canopy of intertwining foliage arches over a narrow side road. Then, a short section on some bumpy rural lanes gets us back onto asphalt for a fast-paced 20 km zip to the town of Caicedonia. Here we prepare for the tour’s grand finale: the 7 km climb up to Buenavista, a village that lives up to its name - “good view”! The ascent includes some steep gradients, though the panoramas of the Cauca Valley and the coffee region are spectacular. At the top we load up our bikes and transfer around 30 minutes to our final night’s hotel nestled amongst coffee plantations in the municipality of Calarcá. In the evening we gather for a celebratory farewell dinner - we can let the cervezas flow tonight!

Hotel Hacienda Combia
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 91km
+1430m
-1906m

Day 9 Calarcá Departure

The tour ends with a transfer to either the city of Armenia, around 30 minutes away, or Pereira, around 1.5 hours away. Both cities have airports, though Pereira — which is the main transit hub of the Coffee Region — offers a greater number of flights. Shared transfers will be arranged based on the flight schedules within the group. Feel free to extend your stay and explore more of what Colombia has to offer!

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.