Medellin, Guatape & Penol Rock Tour: Honest Review

Visiting Medellín, Colombia and thinking, “Should I take that day trip to Guatapé and El Peñol?” Many tourists consider the “Medellin, Guatapé, and Peñol Rock” group tour a must-do, so you probably should, too! It’s a great chance to see some interesting scenery outside the city, is that correct? In this write-up, I will share what you can expect, my thoughts, and maybe some suggestions, also! You know, so you can determine if it’s actually the perfect thing for what you hope to see on your holiday.

What’s the Big Deal with Guatapé and El Peñol Anyway?

To get going, let’s chat, like what makes these destinations grab so many eyeballs. El Peñol (La Piedra del Peñol) is, arguably, a seriously enormous rock formation that rises out of the landscape, so it gives, like, really awesome views from the top, arguably. Guatapé, next door to El Peñol, that’s a seriously picturesque town, also. What’s neat, basically, that is, the buildings, they feature very bright, colorful designs all across their lower parts. Basically, it makes for some pretty darn outstanding photos, too! A shared trip is, you know, usually the handiest and most cost-effective manner that you visit both sites from Medellín, too!

Choosing a Group Tour: Things to think over just a little

There exist many of these types of “Medellin, Guatapé, and Peñol Rock” day tours around. You’ll spot them on TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide, also Airbnb Experiences, in a way! What could be different is basically the price tag, the size of the group, and arguably the schedule, too! So you could consider these elements before you lock anything in:

Group Size: Bigger buses may just be cheaper. Then again, they give off reduced tailored service compared against tinier groups. Should you wish for a thing a bit more exclusive, maybe try checking into those smaller van tours, or consider a thing private, in some respects.
What is included: Find out what you are paying for! Sometimes lunch is included. So too might be a boat cruise to go on the lake close to Guatapé! That way you won’t need to pull out a thing extra while you’re there, seemingly.
Speaking of schedule: Many tours begin real, real early (such as, by, say, 6 am). But they aim for to evade some traffic away from Medellín. Confirm to it basically fits with what you favor for a trip and waking, apparently.

My Experience with a Typical Tour, basically

I am all for experiencing what a lot of folks do if traveling somewhere. So I did book a, well, typically popular group tour to get to Guatapé from Medellín, right? Basically, here’s what my day seemed like:

Early Start

For real! It’s a 6:00 am pick up time is basically what it was from my lodging. Grogginess apart, arguably that was sort of good as the drive through to Guatapé seemed to take a thing closer to two hours, too. I could relax or even doze on the thing bus, in a way!

First Stop: El Peñol

Just think, basically! 700 or so stairs between anyone on the base of a, really big rock, and the really superb panorama happening from right up the really very tippy top of said extremely giant rock, virtually. As a matter of fact, pace yourself if you give this stuff a shot, basically. That altitude might just have you breathing harder compared against walking those stairs closer to sea level. I did fork over a few dollars just a bit for an awesome mango popsicle that a vendor made accessible. What’s a treat like that in heat, more or less!

Guatapé Town Visit

Those vibrant and brilliant building decorations seriously look as pretty, and perhaps, you know, even prettier as those photos lead on, usually. Arguably, they say that just about every artwork, really. It represents what a house is or perhaps stood to contribute regarding the legacy and roots for that people who resided on such real property back in the day.

Lunch and Lake Cruise, for instance

I was in agreement basically to go for the trip plan including that boat ride on the man-made lake by Guatapé. That is pretty, in some respects, that they give some fine scenic opportunity to snap away through your camera, like yours. The lunch spot basically gave us a, well, fairly pretty okay normal Colombian menu for it, anyway.

Return to Medellín

Another roughly two hours bus ride and you are actually dropped back in Medellín, so that is pretty solid. In general that had me back right by almost 5:00 pm. In fact, that provides that time for resting up or discovering an even further something more toward the township through that dusk, too!

Pros and Cons from my experience, too

All trips hold strong suits coupled, too, to aspects which are actually lower compared with best on balance, still. Such seemed for to show for me toward the Guatapé together with El Peñol Rock travels:

Pro: It would be easiest in the budget route to reach toward certain of those locales, frankly!
Pro: The entire thing basically can be scheduled at all with a lack toward strain related toward driving, or perhaps, you know, that of planning toward logistics, still!
Pro: People will witness outstanding landscapes coupled including the chance in meeting other tourists, mostly.
Con: Times could tend to be set in solid and can feel a tiny bit too managed every so often, apparently.
Con: In bigger bus types the personalized concern feels low.

Alternative Options, in some respects

Don’t like these, maybe, organized trips so much? So you have different ways to reach Guatapé plus El Peñol, too!

By Bus Yourself: Reach from Medellín up to the bus station and get straight for a thing shuttle on out in direction of Guatapé to it instead. Such enables staying just as long in places while they wish plus it gives, maybe, wiggle room plus more flexibility from there, still. Then again the chore remains that is for coordinating certain of everything without aid to it, too!
Employ a private drive for that trip: If people want tailored consideration, right, and have money you aren’t too excited for keeping safe that much. Next you reserve somebody private to be doing all that trip there instead, seemingly. Then you can easily reach anywhere toward anytime for those purposes in particular that can fit what you prefer, too!

Some handy hints or guidance just for you, specifically

Then again planning, maybe, right, a thing “Medellin, Guatapé together El Peñol” tours. Consider taking notice for just a, basically, tips ahead on up below.

Dress for stairs and all types of temperatures: Slap on toward ease as toward having the outfit. You want shoes which have comfort for trekking this many steps plus you require dressing inside coats. Due that what starts so hot basically will change depending with any rains, in general!
Maintain yourself hydrated so too that includes munchies: Buy liquids that includes snacks, for real, especially if people perceive yourself probably can struggle by just how busy of those schedules, virtually.
Camera ready, you guys, camera set: All the scenery and town are indeed outstanding to catch up the picture for it, too! Verify you posses battery and spots that would keep photographs to have at all that era while they arrive so those locales, in some respects!
Funds at it and ready basically: Whilst many adventures possibly cover things, it may make it at the tip plus purchasing trinkets by local to a person’s liking for keeps, for instance!

Was that Journey truly deserving of it then, in some respects?

Overall, a, well, “Medellin, Guatapé as is El Peñol” trip from there stands to seem very good option should visiting township plus intending experiencing even more than only big city, mostly. To do these packages holds strong fits those hoping things practical plus never need much toward preparation stages plus perhaps, yet wanting viewing a piece spectacular of spots externally. Should these hold flexibility coupled with self rule on schedule in greater measure than what these could explore solo may easily go suited than by all those various trips maybe though, for real!

Quick Review Check Points:

Vibrant and scenic day excursion right from Medellin out to Guatapé.
Climbing El Peñol could be literally a strenuous undertaking then again those views prove exceptional by it, usually.
These brilliant artwork at those Guatapé building front parts provide something genuinely special.
Seek carefully through several visit bundles centered close to whats things basically meets what you prefer the thing the superior, for sure.
Plan things, and do not hesitate on buying liquids as those bite-like eats that keeps on energy, still.

There exists so that by that close for, just what has seemed like for doing, experiencing that of certain a travel as up by way of towards what you find inside Guatapé. As El Penol at once. Appreciate such venturing on off out, usually! #Medellin #Guatape #ElPeñol #ColombiaTravel #DayTrip #TravelReview