Guatapé Colombia: El Peñol, Colorful Streets & Lake Views
Previous: Jardin & Colombian Landscapes
Original painting and fine art prints available
Guatapé is one of the most colorful towns in Colombia, known for its decorative zócalos, enormous reservoir and the towering Piedra del Peñol. While many travelers visit on a day trip from Medellín, I spent the night so I could photograph Guatapé at sunrise, climb El Peñol before the crowds arrived, and explore the surrounding lake.
Most of the “Top 20 Things to Do in Medellín” Pinterest pins include a day trip to Guatapé. I think that sells Guatapé short. There is plenty to do in Medellín without using one of your days there, and Guatapé deserves at least a night of its own if you really want to enjoy—and photograph—it.
Getting from Jardín to Guatapé
My longest travel day in Colombia was getting from Jardín to Guatapé. I started in Jardín—which is absolutely spectacular, by the way—on a Rápido Ochoa bus from the corner of Calle 5 and Carrera 8.
A word of advice: sit on the right-hand side of the bus traveling from Jardín to Medellín. The mountain views are amazing.
The bus arrived at Terminal del Sur in Medellín, but buses to Guatapé leave from Terminal del Norte, so I had to cross the city. You can catch an Uber near Terminal del Sur, although pickup can be a little awkward because of the complicated relationship between Uber and Colombian taxi regulations. Word of advice- go to the SW corner outside the station for Uber pick-up.
My driver was a nice guy. During the ride, we somehow bonded over the fact that we’d both had vasectomies and no longer had to worry about producing additional children.
Travel really does bring people together.
This particular topic came up because he was texting several chicas while driving. His love life was fine with me. I was considerably more interested in him paying attention to Medellín’s evening traffic.
Needless to say, I survived.
The Very, Very Slow Bus to Guatapé
Terminal del Norte is huge. And crazy.
After eventually finding the correct ticket counter, I grabbed a quick dinner that I think was supposed to be Chinese food. I’m still not entirely sure what it was, but we’re talking about bus-station cuisine here. Expectations should be adjusted accordingly.
I had purchased a ticket for a 6:00 p.m. bus. At 5:20, I happened to look at the ticket again and discovered I’d somehow been moved to the 5:30 bus.
I barely made it.
Unfortunately, this was apparently the scenic tour of every possible bus stop between Medellín and Guatapé. What should have been roughly a couple of hours stretched into almost four.
When we finally reached Guatapé, I assumed the bus terminated there.
It did not.
I noticed that we seemed to be leaving Guatapé, so I asked the woman beside me where the bus actually ended. Her answer was definitely not Guatapé.
“¡Acá!”
I jumped up before the bus could carry me off to wherever the hell it was going next.
My luggage was stored in the back, so I had a brief vision of the bus disappearing into the Colombian darkness with everything I owned. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. A few minutes later, I was standing safely on the side of the road several blocks past where I had intended to get off.
Close enough. A little stress never killed anyone- right?
Photographing Guatapé at Sunrise
Guatapé itself is quite small. You can walk through most of the town in 20–30 minutes, although you’ll want much longer if you’re stopping to explore and photograph it.
What makes Guatapé immediately recognizable are its brightly painted buildings decorated with intricate raised panels called zócalos. They cover the lower portions of houses and businesses throughout town, depicting everything from animals and flowers to local occupations and family histories.
Since I arrived after dark, I spent the evening scouting locations for sunrise the next morning—and finding dinner.
Guatapé is beautiful, but it’s also touristy as hell. That’s not really my cup of tea.
Fortunately, I’m a former professional photographer. I know how to make places look good.
Sunrise did not disappoint.
The streets were mostly empty, the light was considerably better, and I could photograph the colorful buildings without crowds filling every composition. Those early-morning photographs also gave me plenty of reference material for future watercolor paintings.
After a quick breakfast, I grabbed one of Guatapé’s brightly painted tuk-tuks for the ride to La Piedra del Peñol, also commonly called El Peñol. Even the tuk-tuks seem to match the town.
Better yet, the fares to common destinations were posted, which meant no haggling.
Beautiful.
Climbing La Piedra del Peñol
La Piedra opens at 8:00 a.m. I knew tourist buses would start arriving later in the morning, so naturally I wanted to be there when the gates opened.
I arrived at exactly 8:00.
Three or four people had somehow already gotten inside.
There are roughly 700-plus steps to the top of the rock. I wanted to be first.
I was first.
Going up wasn’t really the problem. Yes, it’s a serious climb, but the staircase has been constructed inside a huge fissure running up the side of the rock, and the views waiting at the top are absolutely worth the effort.
Going down was another matter.
More on that shortly.
The View From the Top of El Peñol
The panorama from the summit is spectacular.
The landscape surrounding Guatapé is an almost surreal collection of green islands, winding waterways and mountains created around the enormous man-made reservoir. I spent about an hour at the top photographing the changing light, watching hawks that nested around the rock and generally enjoying the place before it became crowded.
Eventually I started hearing the approaching drone of tourists climbing the stairs.
Time to go.
The descending staircase is tucked more deeply into the fissure, separating people going down from the increasingly fat and tired people coming up. Some of the steps are surprisingly deep.
My twice-surgically reconstructed ankle was not impressed.
Going up? Fine.
Going down? Apparently we had discovered its limits.
It bothered me for the rest of the trip, which is particularly inconvenient because I don’t really believe in OFF days when I travel.
Looking for the Best View of El Peñol
Once back at the bottom, I skipped the souvenir shops and followed another road downhill toward the reservoir. I was looking for something very specific: a photograph of El Peñol rising above the water.
From the top, the reservoir is the star.
From below, I wanted the rock to be the star.
I spotted what looked like a hotel along the shoreline and headed toward it. It turned out to be Marina Navegar, where I stopped for a batido beside the water before figuring out how to get back to Guatapé.
Cell coverage was spotty, so I walked across the bridge to a gas station/coffee shop with Wi-Fi and called an Uber.
Even my Uber driver had trouble getting a signal. I eventually paid him cash—only to discover later that Uber had also charged my account.
The guy got paid twice.
Oh well.
Splurging at Hotel Los Recuerdos
After lunch back in Guatapé, I grabbed another tuk-tuk to the fancy Hotel Los Recuerdos.
I’d decided to splurge.
One hundred dollars for a hotel room.
Sometimes you have to treat yourself.
The hotel was gorgeous, with beautiful views across the reservoir and even a boat offering sunset cruises on the lake. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take one.
That was another indication that I’d underestimated Guatapé.
I really needed one more day.
Instead, I spent the evening at a small restaurant across the water from El Peñol and near my hotel. The hotel restaurant looked perfectly good, but this place had the three things I actually wanted:
A view of El Peñol. Fish. Beer.
Done.
I sat there for several hours, occasionally getting up whenever the light changed enough to justify another photograph and chatting with the waiter in Spanish between shots.
That night I slept extremely well, enjoyed the lake view from my room and did a little work on my computer.
I never turn on the television when I travel.
Like, ever.
Guatapé Deserves More Than a Day Trip
Guatapé is absolutely beautiful, but I think treating it as a quick half-day excursion from Medellín misses much of what makes the area worthwhile.
Stay overnight.
Photograph the colorful streets before the crowds arrive. Climb El Peñol when it opens. Wander along the reservoir. Watch the evening light hit the rock. Take a boat ride if you have the time.
And if I return?
I’m adding another day.
Next: Exploring the Colombian Amazon
References:
Hotels
Hotel Los Recuerdos– Hotel Los Recuerdos is a beautiful lakeside resort overlooking the Guatapé Reservoir, offering spacious accommodations, relaxing pools, a full-service spa, and spectacular views just minutes from Piedra del Peñol and the colorful streets of Guatapé.
La Pausa Hotel Bistro– Surrounded by the beautiful landscapes near Guatapé, La Pausa HotelBistro offers a peaceful boutique escape with modern comforts, exceptional dining, and easy access to Colombia’s famous lakes and outdoor adventures.
LUXÉ by The Charlee Guatapé Review | Colombia’s Most Luxurious Lake Resort– LUXÉ by The Charlee is an ultra-luxury lakeside resort overlooking the Guatapé Reservoir, combining stunning contemporary architecture, panoramic water views, infinity pools, and exceptional service just minutes from Piedra del Peñol and the colorful streets of Guatapé.
Stay Hotel Guatape– Stay Hotel Guatapé is a modern boutique hotel offering simple accommodations, comfortable rooms, and an excellent location near Guatapé’s colorful waterfront, local restaurants, and the iconic Piedra del Peñol. It’s a great choice for travelers looking to explore the town while enjoying contemporary comfort and easy access to the region’s top attractions.
Coffee
Being the heart of Colombia’s coffee region, the coffee was outstanding everywhere.
Unfortunately, most bakeries and coffee shops in don’t open until 8 a.m. For photographers chasing summer sunrises, that means being up hours before your first shot of caffeine—an impossible situation. I was convinced I’d die of coffee deprivation before then. My advice: stock up the day before on supermarket iced coffees and drink just enough to survive until the cafés open (a strategy I tested and can confirm works).
There are a few coffee shops in the town- I had plenty during breakfast.
Tours
Find things to do in – day trips (museums and public transport), and more:
Travel Guides
Here is the recently published Lonely Planet Guide. This is what I used to plan the trip (in conjunction with the all-beloved internet):
Another travel guide available for :
Buses:
There are frequent buses between Guatape and Medellin. They depart from Terminal Norte in Medellin. It’s a bit wild in the terminal- be prepared.
Flights:
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting