Not a fan of crowds and rigid itineraries? Lake town Guatapé, with its colorful houses and iconic granite rock, Piedra del Peñol, is the perfect day trip or 2-day getaway from Medellín – and super easy to visit without a tour or guide.
Just a two-hour bus ride from Medellín, the charming town of Guatapé offers endless opportunities for exploration. By visiting independently, you can avoid the tour group rush at Piedra del Peñol and experience the true essence of Guatapé at your own pace. Plus, you can decide spontaneously how long you want to stay!
Discover how to plan your solo trip to Guatapé and get inspired with things to do in and around town.
In the morning, explore the historical center of Guatapé with its picturesque streets. Enjoy the lively atmosphere at Guatapé’s central plaza and admire the beautiful church. Embark on a treasure hunt for the iconic zócalos – unique, colorful panels that adorn the bases of buildings and stairs, depicting local culture, history, and traditions. In the Plazoleta de los Zócalos you’ll spot many of them.
Have a nice lunch in the old town or by the lake before you head to Piedra del Peñol. Maybe a fresh trout?
Photo by Travelhapp, Guatapé Old Town
Stroll along the lake promenade and enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding mountains. You can also rent a boat or join a guided tour to explore the lake up close and gain a different perspective of Guatapé. Some tours include stops for swimming or visiting the ruins of Pablo Escobar’s former mansion.
Another fantastic activity is paddling in the lake. There are several local tour operators, as well as kayak and canoe rental services. Check out Touring Kayak (Google Maps), Colombia Gateway (Google Maps), and Guatapé is Color (website).
For me, the best time to visit Piedra del Peñol (also known as El Peñón de Guatapé) and to avoid the crowds is the golden hour in the afternoon. When I was there, only a few people were around, just enough to feel relaxed and safe.
Climbing up the 740 steps to the top is absolutely worth it: the views of the surrounding landscape are unbelievable! Watching the sunset from the top of the rock is a totally otherworldly, almost transcendental experience…
Photos by Travelhapp, View from Piedra del Peñol in Guatapé
Even though Guatapé makes a perfect day trip from Medellín, it’s well worth considering spending the night there. The atmosphere in the old town is pleasant in the evening; you might even catch some live music or a cultural performance.
There are many great accommodations by the lake and you can get rooms with lake views in all hotel categories and price classes. Top-rated options include:
Check out more options on Booking.com* or Expedia.com* yourself – it’s wanderlust-infusing!
If you decide to spend a bit more time in Guatapé, you can engage in a range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, paragliding, swimming, and fishing. There are several waterfalls around Guatapé town and the lake. For outdoor activities, in Colombia, in general its advisable to go with a group, tour or local guide.
Piedra del Peñol is a popular paragliding site. Local tour operators offer tandem paragliding flights with experienced professionals, meaning you can simply lean back and enjoy the breathtaking views. (Just remember to wear a warm jacket or sweater, since it can get cold in the air.)
Here are some recommended activities by local tour operators, bookable through my affiliate partner GetYourGuide*.
The original town of Peñol was flooded in the 1970s to create the Guatapé Lake Reservoir (Embalse de Guatapé or Embalse del Peñol). You can visit a replica of Old Peñol in the area of El Peñol near Guatapé. It’s a nice place to learn about the history of the area and see what the old town looked like. For more history, visit the small Community History Museum of Guatapé between the old town and the lake.
Photo by Travelhapp, Stairs up to Piedra del Peñol (El Peñón de Guatapé)
Surrounded by lush vegetation, the La Peña Caverns are a natural cave system located approximately 30 minutes from Guatapé. These caves feature a network of underground galleries, showcasing diverse rock formations and geological features. Local tour operator Corpotur offers half-day trips to the caverns (Civitatis.com*).
A fascinating, little-known travel destination, less than 1 hour from Guatape by bus (Rome2Rio), is the peaceful and charming village of San Rafael in Antioquia with its stunning natural surroundings featuring lush forests, streams and waterfalls.
San Rafael and nearby San Carlos offer a wide range of outdoor and adventure activities, like hiking, mountain biking, swimming, tubing, canyoning, rock climbing and birdwatching. Another interesting thing to do is visiting a cacao farm and doing a cocoa tour with chocolate tastings. These tours can be booked, for example, via my affiliate partner Civitatis*.
Nestled between San Rafael and San Carlos is the Vanadurga Yoga Ashram (Google Maps), a unique yoga retreat immersed in dense vegetation.
It’s very easy to get from Medellin to Guatapé and back by bus. The journey takes approximately two hours, depending on traffic, route and bus company. The ticket should cost roughly 5 EUR / USD) one way.
The bus leaves from Terminal del Norte in Medellin. Bus companies that serve Guatapé include Sotrasanvicente & Guatape Las Piedras, Brasilia, Transportes San Rafael, Sotrapeñol and others. The buses go straight to the town center, but you can also ask them to stop at Piedra del Peñol or hail the bus from the street at Piedra del Peñol on your way back to Medellin.
Check Rome2Rio and the websites of the bus companies for the time table:
Is it safe to go to Guatapé alone? As a solo female traveler, I felt very safe during my whole independent DIY day trip. Guatape is a peaceful little town and locals are very friendly.
There is a bar on top of the Piedra del Peñol, so you won’t feel isolated and can even enjoy a drink while watching the colors of the sky and landscape change with the setting sun.
The bus connection between Medellin and Guatapé couldn’t be more direct and solo-travel-friendly (see above)! The only thing to watch out for, if you decide for a day trip, is when the last bus leaves for Medellin. When I was there the last bus left around 7 PM, but this varies depending on the season and bus company.
For women traveling alone, we also have our Colombia Solo Female Travelers Facebook Group to share experiences.
Photo by Travelhapp: Piedra del Peñol, Bar on Top of the Rock
I’d recommend taking the bus to Guatapé and spending one or two nights there. The accommodations are really great, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff to do. That way, you also won’t feel rushed if you want to watch the sunset from the Peñol Rock.
It makes more sense to take tours locally in Guatapé to safely explore the surrounding area and do exciting outdoor activities, rather than taking a tour from Medellín to Guatapé. Have fun in Guatapé!
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Last Update: April 20, 2025
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