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Recinto del Pensamiento is one of the best attractions in Manizales. It’s a peaceful nature park a short drive east of the city center.
Introduction to Recinto del Pensamiento
Recinto del Pensamiento was originally property of La Enea School Colony (Colonia Escolar La Enea), which was founded in 1935 as a shelter for children orphaned by an avalanche that destroyed several homes in Manizales. The property was later acquired by the municipality and designated for educating young students in agricultural techniques. After some time, it was transferred to the Department of Caldas as a re-education center for children with social problems.
The Departmental Coffee Growers Committee of Caldas (Comité Departamental de Cafeteros de Caldas) purchased the property and established a center for nutritional care for rural children. It expanded to all children in 1984, and operated until 2007, when it became property of Hoteles ESTELAR. Since then, the hotel chain has transformed Recinto del Pensamiento into a convention and retreat center with a nature park used for research as well as recreation.
Recinto del Pensamiento translates to “Center for Thought”, and its purpose is to maintain active interest and development of thought and well-being for all visitors. It covers approximately 190 hectares. In addition to the hotel and nature park, the property features an auditorium with 250 seats, 6 conference rooms, a multi-purpose room, a restaurant, a theatre, cafés and shops, a chapel, a campground, and glamping.
Getting to Recinto del Pensamiento
Recinto del Pensamiento is located a short drive east of the city center. If you don’t have your own transportation, a taxi is the quickest way to get there. The bus can take up to an hour but obviously is much less expensive. When you reach the gates, the security will point you in the right direction, whether you’re going to the hotel or taking the guided tour.
Tours of Recinto del Pensamiento
Recinto del Pensamiento has an easy to moderate guided tour that can be done by visitors of all ages. Admission is COP$30,000 (as of April 2025). They’re in Spanish and last about 2 to 2 ½ hours. Tours run Tuesday through Friday at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, and hourly from 9am to 3pm on weekends and holidays. Check the official website for more info.
The tour starts with a 30 minute walk through the forest. The Butterfly House (Mariposario), was just up the hill. There were several species of butterflies living inside, including a few interesting ones with transparent wings. Again, the guide did a wonderful job explaining the life cycle of butterflies and some myths about them.
From there we visited a beautiful bonsai garden. There was a small bridge with a pond full of fish and a rock garden. The guide explained the significance of each element of the gardens.
Next, we were served fresh coffee and sat quietly to watch local hummingbirds feed. The guide talked about the life of the hummingbirds and their importance to the balance of nature.
Telesilla
The telesilla is a chairlift that takes you on an exciting 12-minute ride over the tree tops and to reach the top of a steep hill. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been operational for several years. When it was running, it was an optional extra in addition to the price of the tour.
Herb Garden
The herb garden was a feature of the tour on our first visit. The guide lectures about several local medicinal plants, including coca, stevia, and more. We were able to pick the leaves off some of them to smell or taste.
