Colorful lake town Guatapé with its giant granite rock, Piedra del Peñol, makes one of the best day trips from Medellin for solo travelers, reachable in about 2 hours by bus.
Even though there are a lot of agencies in Medellin offering tours, it’s actually an ideal solo travel destination and very easy to visit independently. Going independently is a great way to avoid the crowds at Piedra del Peñol since you can organize tour time smartly.
Visit the historical center of Guatapé with its picturesque little streets in the morning, have some nice lunch, and stroll along the lake promenade.
Photo by Travelhapp, Guatapé Old Town
If you plan to spend the night in Guatapé, you can engage in a range of outdoor activities in and near Guatapé, such as hiking, paragliding, swimming, kayaking, canoeing and fishing.
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.) Check out Paragliding Guatapé on Google Maps.
Another fantastic outdoor activity in Guatapé 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).
Photo by Travelhapp, Stairs up to Piedra del Peñol (El Peñón de Guatapé)
For me the best time to visit Piedra del Peñol (also known as El Peñón de Guatapé) and avoid the crowds is the golden hour in the afternoon. When I was there, only a few people around, just enough to feel 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
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.
Nestled between San Rafael and San Carlos is the Vanadurga Yoga Ashram (Google Maps), a unique yoga retreat immersed in dense vegetation.
Photo by *Iván Erre Jota*, CC BY-SA 2.0, San Rafael (mod.)
t’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:
The bus connection between Medellin and Guatapé couldn’t be more direct and solo-travel-friendly (see above)!
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 can even enjoy a drink while watching the colors of the sky and landscape change with the setting sun.
The only thing to watch out for 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.
Of course, if you want to learn a bit more about Guatapé and Piedra del Peñol, going with a local guide or tour operator makes total sense. Since the public transport connection is so good, you may get a great cost-benefit ratio by assembling a small tour group and hiring an individual guide. You can look for interested travelers in our Colombia Solo Travelers Facebook Group.
Opting for a guided experience is also a good idea, if you are interested in outdoor activities near Guatapé, like hiking through the forest to the beautiful el Peñol Waterfall, about 7 km away from the historical center.
Photo by Travelhapp: Piedra del Peñol, Bar on Top of the Rock
Read more:
Colombia Travel Inspirations: Top Attractions and Hidden Gems
Colombia Travel Tips: General Information and Travel Advice for Solo Travelers
Colombia Slow Travel Itineraries: Discover Colombia by bus and overland
Best Places to Visit in Colombia: Ideal Bases for Solo Travelers