Things to Do in Pereira: Attractions, Day Trips & Activities

Pereira is the working capital of Risaralda department and the largest city in the Eje Cafetero - a fact that often surprises visitors who arrive expecting a small colonial town and find instead a sprawling, commercial, genuinely urban city of around 500,000 people. That is not a problem; it is just what Pereira is. The city does not trade on prettiness in the way that Salento or Filandia do, but it has a distinctive energy, several specific attractions worth your time, and excellent access to the surrounding coffee region.

Here is what to do in and around Pereira, with entry fees and honest assessments.

Cristo Rey - the Hilltop Statue

Pereira’s most recognisable landmark is the Cristo Rey statue, a 48-metre-tall figure of Christ (including its base) on a hilltop called Cerro del Remanso, southeast of the city centre. The statue was inaugurated in 1963 and was modelled on - though somewhat less famous than - the Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro.

Getting there: You can take a taxi from central Pereira for approximately COP 20,000–30,000 (USD 5–7.50) each way. There is no bus route that goes directly to the hilltop. Some tour operators run shared-van day trips combining Cristo Rey with other Pereira attractions for around COP 40,000–60,000 (USD 10–15) per person.

Entry and hours: The statue and viewpoint are free to visit. The site is open approximately 08:00–18:00. From the base of the statue, you have panoramic views over Pereira, the Otún River valley, and the surrounding coffee-covered ridgelines. On clear mornings (before 10:00 most days), you can see the snow-capped peak of Nevado del Ruiz.

Ukumarí Biopark

Ukumarí (formerly known as the Matecaña Zoo) is the main family attraction in Pereira and one of the better-run wildlife parks in Colombia. The park covers 180 hectares across three sites connected by internal transport, and houses over 900 animal species including spectacled bears (ukumarí in Quechua - Colombia’s only bear species), jaguars, tapirs, manatees, Andean condors, and river otters.

Entry: COP 40,000–50,000 (approximately USD 10–12.50) for adults; COP 30,000–35,000 (USD 7.50–9) for children as of 2026. Prices are subject to seasonal changes - verify at the official website or at the park entrance.

Location and hours: On the Carrera 147 on the eastern edge of the city. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 09:00–17:00; closed Mondays. Budget at least three hours; a full visit covering all three sites takes five to six hours.

Getting there: Taxi from central Pereira runs approximately COP 12,000–18,000 (USD 3–4.50) each way. There are also city buses running along the Avenida del Río that pass near the park entrance.

Jardín Botánico Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (UTP Botanical Garden)

On the UTP university campus south of the city centre, this botanical garden is one of the better collections of native Andean and Pacific flora in Colombia. It has themed sections covering cloud forest, dry forest, wetland, and garden species, with several well-maintained walking paths. The mariposario (butterfly house) is the most popular single attraction - a large netted enclosure with native butterflies including the electric blue Morpho species.

Entry: Nominally free, though donations are encouraged. The butterfly house charges a small entrance fee of COP 3,000–5,000 (USD 0.75–1.25).

Hours: Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00; Saturday 09:00–14:00; closed Sunday.

Getting there: A 15–20-minute taxi ride from central Pereira, approximately COP 10,000–15,000 (USD 2.50–4) each way.

Parque El Lago and the City Centre

The centre of Pereira is more functional than beautiful by the standards of Colombia’s colonial towns, but it has specific features worth seeing. Parque El Lago (the main central park, also known as Parque Olaya Herrera) is a pleasant square with a large bronze sculpture of Simón Bolívar and a cathedral on one side. The cathedral itself - Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Pobreza - is a mid-20th-century Romanesque-influenced building with a distinctive single spire. Entry is free; worth stepping inside briefly.

The Viaducto César Gaviria Trujillo - the pedestrian and urban cable car bridge connecting Pereira to the neighbouring municipality of Dosquebradas - is worth walking across at least once. The 437-metre suspension bridge gives elevated views of the Otún River gorge below and is one of the longest pedestrian cable stay bridges in the region. Free to cross.

Day Trips: Salento and the Coffee Region

Pereira is the most practical transport hub for the Eje Cafetero. From the Terminal de Transportes de Pereira (15 minutes from the city centre by taxi or urban bus), you can reach:

• Salento: 1.5–2 hours by bus, COP 10,000–14,000 (USD 2.50–3.50) each way. Buses run approximately every 30–60 minutes.
• Armenia: 40–50 minutes by bus, COP 8,000–12,000 (USD 2–3) each way. Frequent departures throughout the day.
• Manizales: 1.5–2 hours by bus, COP 14,000–18,000 (USD 3.50–4.50) each way.
• Filandia: 45 minutes by bus or jeep, COP 7,000–10,000 (USD 1.75–2.50) each way.

Most visitors use Pereira as a transit point rather than a base, but spending a night here - particularly if arriving on an international flight into Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña - makes sense before moving on into the coffee country.

Coffee Farm Tours from Pereira

Several tour operators based in Pereira offer guided coffee farm visits to working fincas within 30–60 minutes of the city. The day-trip format typically includes transport, a full farm walkthrough, lunch on the finca, and a cupping session.

Recommended operators (verify current pricing):

• Coffee Cultural Landscape Tours: Run bilingual guided farm days to fincas in the Risaralda highlands. Approximately COP 120,000–160,000 (USD 30–40) per person including transport and lunch as of 2026.
• Finca La Renta (Cerritos area, 30 minutes from Pereira): Offers walk-in tours daily at 10:00 and 14:00, approximately COP 40,000–60,000 (USD 10–15) per person, about 90 minutes.

Ask your accommodation in Pereira for current recommendations; the market changes and smaller operators offer better experiences than large commercial tours.

Thermal Springs at Santa Rosa de Cabal

One of the most popular day trips from Pereira is to the Termales de Santa Rosa de Cabal - a series of natural hot spring pools fed by geothermal water heated by the volcanic activity of the Los Nevados range, 30 km southeast of Pereira.

Entry: COP 50,000–80,000 (USD 12.50–20) for day access to the main pools; some sites charge more for access to private pools or evening sessions.

Getting there: Direct minibuses from Pereira’s Terminal de Transportes run to Santa Rosa de Cabal town, from where taxis or shared jeeps continue to the termales sites. Total journey 45–60 minutes. Alternatively, tour operators in Pereira offer day trips for COP 80,000–120,000 (USD 20–30) per person including transport.

Practical notes: Arrive by 10:00 on weekends to avoid the worst of the crowds. The pools can get very busy on Colombian public holidays. Bring your own towel; rental costs COP 5,000–8,000 (USD 1.25–2).

Getting Around Pereira

Pereira’s urban transport includes the Megabús - a bus rapid transit (BRT) system running along dedicated lanes through the city centre - which connects the terminal, university campus, and main commercial areas for around COP 2,800 (USD 0.70) per ride. Taxis are metered and generally reliable; base fare is approximately COP 5,000–6,000 (USD 1.25–1.50), with most city trips running COP 8,000–18,000 (USD 2–4.50).