recinto del pensamiento

If in Manizales do not miss Recinto el Pensamiento. I normally dislike guided tours but we spent two hours with a passionate and well informed (Spanish speaking) and the time passed very quickly. The orchid forest was my favourite but anyone with even a passing interest OK the environment should find something to enjoy.

Our tour was conducted in fairly good English with a reasonably knowledgeable guide.If you don't want the discomfort of immersing yourself in primary or secondary rain forest, then this is a glimpse of secondary forest wearing city shoes!Very well maintained and a big variety of plants including a bonsai garden. Close up humming bird observatory. Modest butterfly house (go to Mindo in Ecuador for the best) with plenty on offer.Two other unexpected highlights. The most dramatic, interesting and stunning Gazebo built in a combination of timer and bamboo ( remember that bamboo is fibre ) on a huge scale. Also a wonderful model railway which fascinated me.A good morning out, 12,000 pesos in the taxi plus admission and guide to the park. You will miss out loads by using the ski lift.......We didn't bother.

The goal of Recinto is to get a lapse of calmness. However, the entry access is quite short, and you must be very carefull to not passed by.

The Recinto is one of my preferred places in Manizales right of the main highway that leads towards Bogotá. The tour lasts about 2 hours through a mosaic of gardens, forest, butterflies and orchids with very professional, young energetic guides. It is not a jungle but rather an urban park suitable for all ages. Be advised it is very touristic, if you are looking for quiet and peace and don't mind people around you, this is a place you will enjoy. The entrance is about $17,000 pp.

I stayed at Recinto del Pensamiento as a guest of the Colombian government. I was there to speak at the Colombia Bird Festival. My room and ensuite bathroom were very pleasant and well-appointed. The staff were friendly and helpful, and I felt quite at home. The concierge said that there were efforts to get the staff to speak more English (a language they learned at school). But even though I speak little Spanish I had little difficulty in making myself understood. The grounds were among the most attractive I'd ever seen. Australian tourist accommodation could learn a lot from such places. Birds (particularly hummingbirds), butterflies, plants - all were highlights. As were the people. In a sense Manizales reminded me of Adelaide with its almost genteel ambience. There's not many cities I've visited throughout the world where I thought I could live happily. But Manizales is one of them.

This isn't exactly wild nature, but it's really lovely and lush just the same. It was a really great way to get away from the city and get some fresh air and a nice walk. The guide (in Spanish, not sure if they do english tours) was very knowledgeable and I learned a lot about the area surrounding Manizales as well as some of the quirkier things they had in the park (like bonsai with Colombian trees!). Saw lots of beautiful birds and orchids, and of course had a nice stop at the coffee shop at the end.

Green and beautiful, totally relaxing place to pass an afternoon. They offer an informative nature walk and we were able to see the tiniest flower in the world!

Great place to spend a day. We had a guided tour which included sampling herbs from the gardens. Our guide was friendly and informative, even with a language barrier. From hummingbirds, to butterflies and bonsai; a guadua structure and leisurely walk through the lush landscape, this was a highlight of our time in Manizales.

I came here for a very short time, but we really enjoyed it! There is a very nice your to see the birds and the butterfly's; a very nice spa is there also. Perfect place to relax :)

Went here twice when we were living in Manizales and enjoyed both times.The hotel itself is very nice and reasonably priced although rooms are small but nicely furnished and efficient.The desk staff are very helpful.The grounds has the largest gazebo I've ever seen, a menagerie of animals including an ostrich, a chair lift that takes you up to areas where there is a live butterfly glass house, a hummingbird feeding station and nice walking trails with wild orchids etc. It also has a Juan Valdez cafe on site.A very pleasant place to spend a time enjoying the beauty of Manizales and its surroundings.Recommended.

I love the Recinto. I lived in Manizaes for two years and visited around 5 times. There are not many touristy attractions in the city that can't all be done/seen within 1 or 2 days tops. Recinto del Pensamiento was my "go-to" stop whenever any of my friends or family came to visit. It is a beautiful location and I highly recommend taking the group tour. Make sure you get there on time so you can see everything. You will learn about all the local flora and fauna including an herb garden and orchid forest hike. You will enjoy a peaceful stop at the hummingbird exhibit while offered a sip of "tinto". You have a chance to see some of Escobar;s animals (so they say). Some ostriches roam around below you if you choose to take the chair lift to the top of the hill and some zebras and deer await you at the end of the tour. My favorite stop along the way is the butterfly house. Depending on what time of day you arrive, you can have hundreds of butterflies land on your fingers, noses and wherever else they may choose.They have recently added some new sections of the park such as the bonsai garden and animal rehabilitation center, so there are constantly new reasons to visit. I don't know if they offer the tour in English because I always took it in Spanish and translated for my friends who didn't speak it. You learn a lot of interesting tidbits about Colombia, Caldas and Manizales, so make sure you bring someone along who can translate for you if you don't speak Spanish so you can get the full experience!

The location is nice, the attractions is not bad but the cost of entrance is expensive. $17.000.00 COL and we got a brief tour of a garden, a ride up the mountain in an old ski lift and another brief tour after a small cup of coffee.The butterfly garden was not what was expected, very tiny butterflies and mostly the same. The rum museum was closed, so really did not see much. They do have a huge osterich and some deer and pigs...but all fenced.

Near to Manizales ... a great place to see bamboo constructions and drink coffee ... great for beautiful pictures ! =D

Este sitio es hermoso de fácil acceso y se puede visitar sin hacer planes con anticipación, porque hay guías todo el tiempo todos los días, y tiene de todo selva alto andina, con colibrís de ensueño, las haditas del bosque, mariposearío, jardín Zen, el pabellón de guadua, orquidiario, animales exóticos, lagos, restaurante en fin muy completo y acogedor el lugar

El Recinto del Pensamiento ressemble plus à un ensemble de beaux jardins qu'à un grand parc naturel. C'est très agréable si vous souhaitez sortir de la ville, piqueniquer en plein air ou faire une promenade de quelques heures.J'ai eu la chance d'y aller alors qu'ils faisaient une exposition d'orchidée et celles-ci étaient superbes mais peu d'oiseaux étaient visible à l'observatoire et les papillons dans la serre - multiples, certes- étaient assez communs et j'ai n'ai vu que trois espèce différentes.Le télésiège a l'air charmant mais re-payer 8000 pesos pour cette activité m'a paru un peu exagéré.Si vous voulez vous y rendre du centre de Manizales, rendez-vous sur la carrera 20 et prenez le bus bleu qui va à La Malteria. L'arrêt se trouve peu après le très gros rond-point.