Guatapé and The Piedra del Peñol (or Peñon) make it a perfect day trip or a weekend getaway when you are in Medellín. As for most elevated destinations in Colombia, try to get there early to maximise your chances of sun. Head to the Peñol first to avoid cloudy afternoons.
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Guatapé re-opened itself to tourism in 2006 after the army managed to regain control of the area. The main 2 attractions of the area are the dam (the reposa) and the Peñol rock, but there are plenty of activities to do: canopying, boating or just walking around this lovely town, once the holiday resort of the deadly Pablo Escobar.
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=> You can also head up for the new Monastery, it's a nice walk and you can check some of the local resorts.
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The Peñol rock has 635 steps to climb and gets you 200m above the lakes. The views are breathtaking and you can get a nice beer at the top as a reward for your efforts.
=> It costs 8,000 to access the rock
=> It will cost you 2,000 pesos to get to the bottom of the Peñol by Moto Chivas from Guatapé.
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You should try to get on a boat to explore the area. There are plenty of options by the lake downtown.
Our 2 hour tour included a view of the Peñol from the water, a museum with info about the area before the dam, view of Pablo Escobar old holiday home (with the escape tunnel), and a visit to the nice Fantasy Islands where you can even stay for the night.
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=> Large boats will charge you 10,000 pesos for the tour but opt for a small one especially if you're a group. It should be around 60/80,000 for the boat for 2 hours (max 8 people).
There are some evening party boats as well, like Chivas Tour but on water, a good option to party at the weekend.
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Canopying, throw yourself over the lake in a bucket seat. It's exhilarating and you get nice views of the area. It's very easy to find, by the shore where all the boats are.
=> The ride costs 10,000 pesos
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ACCOMMODATION
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There are plenty of options in town but check ahead especially if you're going during the weekend. You can always negotiate prices a lot if you go during the week. Here are 2 good options.
El Encuentro Hostal y Restaurante
This is a nice little hostel and restaurant with amazing views over the lakes and the Peñol. It's a 15min walk up from the center or a 3 min ride in a moto Chiva, but the view and the tranquility of the place are really worth it.
There is no dorm, doubles or twin doubles start at 50/60,000 per room, breakfast included.
Address: Vereda quebrada arriba por el camino al monasterio
Tel: (57 4) 861 03 30, cel: (57) 312 283 92 40
http://www.hostalelencuentro.com/
El Descanso del Arriero
Located in an old colonial building, a good budget hostel and restaurant one block from the main square with good view of a park.
Single from 35,000 a night, double are 60,000.
Address: Calle 30 # 28 82 Calle del Comercio
Tel: (57 4) 861 0878, cel: (57) 312 257 6953
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EATING
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Go for one fo the restaurants on the main square and opt for a bandeja paisa with extra chicharron for a more local experience. If you're after something a bit more sophisticated.
> La Fogata
Also a hotel, La Fogata does good food at decent price. Opt for the trucha (Trout) or the Banda Paisa to flavour the local delicacies. Prices for a main start at 5.000 pesos and expect to pay around 10.000 for a sophisticated dish.
Address: Av El Malecon, just by the water.
Tel: (57 4) 861 1040, cel: (57) 310 822 0241
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GETTING THERE
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Buses and vans run from Medellín North Terminal about every hour. It will take you between an hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on time of the day and mean of transportation. Prices should be between 10,000 to maximum 15,000 pesos. A shared taxi is always an option if you're a small group.
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=> Click on the pictures for a Zoom and use the Arrow keys for a slide show!
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