Guatapé Tour from MedellínPrivate Day Trip to El Peñol and the Lake

El Peñol rock

El Peñol is a granite monolith that rises about 220 metres. The stairway to the top is usually quoted at about 740 steps, although a few sources give fewer. Most people climb it in 20 to 40 minutes with a few breaks.

At the top you see a patchwork of water and green land. The reservoir was created in the 1970s to supply hydroelectric power, flooding valleys and the old town of El Peñol. What you see today is that flooded landscape.

The painted town

Guatapé sits on the shore, a short drive from the rock. Its streets are known for the zócalos, small painted reliefs along the bottom of the house walls. They show farm scenes, musical instruments, local animals and the stories of families. Many shop owners will happily explain their own.

Guatapé is about 80 kilometres from Medellín. The drive usually takes around two hours, more on weekends or holiday long weekends, when traffic builds on the road.

A normal day is about nine to ten hours door to door. We start early so you reach the rock before the biggest crowds, then spend the rest of the day in town and by the water. We agree the plan with you on WhatsApp before the day.

Entrance tickets for El Peñol and any boat ride: ask us and we can include them. Ask us for the price of the private tour as well.

Do you want an adventure? Wakeboarding on the Guatapé lake is available as an add-on. One guest described the full-day tour plus wakeboarding as an experience “you cannot miss”.

Check our guide to getting from Medellín to Guatapé if you wonder about buses, taxis and timings.

It works for families with kids who can climb stairs, couples, friends and solo travellers who want a relaxed day without managing buses. If someone in your group cannot do the climb, they can wait in the cafés at the base, and the rest of the day still works.

Not sure how much to fit in? Tell us how fit you are and how long you want to stay, and we will plan the day around it.