Birdwatching: Around 400 bird species in this area
Awarded by eBird as 1 of the best places on earth for birdwatching. Spot tanagers, flycatchers, hummingbirds, hawks and more.
$ 239.000per person
Sort: RecommendedSort
Guatapé tours & things to do
30 experiencesGuatapé & El PeñolBooked direct with local operators
Guatapé tours & things to do: every option
The best tours in Guatapé
The ones travellers book most with us, most booked first, with today’s price.
- Private boat tour: Explore the lake
The lake from the water: your own boat and captain around the islands, for up to 5 people.
From $ 259.000 per hour - Guatapé Day Tour from Medellín
The whole day from Medellín, shared with other travellers: El Peñol, the colourful town, a boat ride and lunch.
From $ 165.000 per person - Jetski Rental: A different way to experience the lake
Speed on the lake from our marina near the rock, booked by the half hour.
From $ 215.000 per 30 min - Coffee Tour & Tasting: Local Colombian Finca
A family coffee farm, from the bean to the cup, with at least three coffees to taste.
From $ 115.000 per adult - Private Houseboat BBQ on Guatapé Lake
Three hours on a private houseboat while a chef grills a full BBQ on board, for groups of up to 20.
From $ 219.000 per person - Pontoon Boat Rental in Guatapé
A private pontoon for up to 15, with a captain, sound system, shade roof and swimming stops.
From $ 313.000 per hour - El Peñol Rock: 220mts hike to the top
Your ticket up El Peñol: more than 700 steps to a 360° view of the lake.
From $ 44.000 per ticket
Boat tours in Guatapé: which one to choose
Each of these boats is private for your group and comes with its captain. The price is for the whole boat unless it says per person.
- Private boat tour: Explore the lake
Seeing the islands at your own pace
Up to 5 per boat
From $ 259.000 per hour - Pontoon Boat Rental in Guatapé
Groups and celebrations, with music and swimming stops
Up to 15
From $ 313.000 per hour - Private Houseboat BBQ on Guatapé Lake
A long lunch on the water: three hours with a BBQ on board
Up to 20
From $ 219.000 per person - Wakeboard, Ski & Donut on Guatapé Lake: 115 hp Boat
Wakeboard, water ski and donut rides, with an instructor
Up to 5 per boat
From $ 329.000 per hour
How to spend a day in Guatapé
Guatapé is a small town in Antioquia, about two hours by road from Medellín, set on a lake full of green islands and watched over by El Peñol, the huge rock you can climb for the best view in the region. Most people come for a day, and a day here fits together easily: the rock in the morning, the colourful streets of the town at lunch, and the water in the afternoon. With a night or two, the slower plans open up.
On the water
The lake is the reason the landscape looks the way it does, and the best way to see it is from a boat. A private boat tour takes your group around the islands at your own pace; a pontoon fits up to fourteen people with a captain and a sound system; and if you want speed, the jet skis leave from a private marina near the rock. Wakeboard and ski lessons and paddleboarding complete the list.
El Peñol and the town
The climb up El Peñol is more than 700 steps, done at your own pace, with a 360° view of the lake at the top. Down in Guatapé, the zócalos are the painted panels along the base of the houses, each one telling something about the family that lives there; a guided town tour or a ride in a motochiva, the local tuk-tuk, is the easiest way to hear those stories.
Coffee, food and nature
Away from the busiest spots there is a quieter Guatapé: a coffee farm where a family shows you the whole process from bean to cup, an empanadas class with a local guide, a picnic by the river and its waterfalls, brunch on an island, a morning hike through the cloud forest, and birdwatching in an area known for hundreds of species.
Getting here
You can come on a day tour from Medellín, shared with other travellers or private with your own guide, or book a private transfer from Medellín or José María Córdova airport and move at your own pace. A same-day round trip with a driver who waits for you all day is the most booked option.
Questions travellers ask
What are the best tours in Guatapé?
The ones travellers book most are the private boat tour, the day tour from Medellín and the jet ski. For a first visit, the classic day is El Peñol in the morning, the town at lunch and a boat on the lake in the afternoon.
How much does a boat tour in Guatapé cost?
A private boat for up to 5 people costs COP $259,000 an hour, and a pontoon for up to 15 costs COP $313,000 an hour. The price is for the whole boat, not per person.
How far is Guatapé from Medellín?
About two hours by road from Medellín, and about an hour and a half from José María Córdova airport.
Is one day enough for Guatapé?
One full day covers El Peñol, the town and a boat on the lake. With a night or two you can add the slower plans: the coffee farm, the birds, a picnic by the river.
Can I book several activities together?
Yes. Add each one to your trip, with its own date and time, and pay for everything at once.
Are the tours private?
Most of what we run is private for your group: the boats, the transfers, the picnic. The day tour from Medellín can be shared with other travellers or private.
Can I get to Guatapé without a tour?
Yes. Buses leave Medellín’s North Terminal through the day and take about two hours, and a private transfer takes you door to door. Our guide to getting here compares every option.