What a Guatapé Tour Includes, Hour by Hour
A Guatapé day tour from Medellín hour by hour: breakfast, the Piedra del Peñol, Guatapé town, the boat ride on the reservoir, lunch, the llama farm, and what is not included.
A Guatapé day trip from Medellín is a full day on a bus with four stops: breakfast, the Piedra del Peñol, the town of Guatapé, and a boat on the reservoir, with lunch and, on Viaja Medellin’s tour, a llama farm. Here is that day, stop by stop. It costs US$42.14 per adult (regular price, November 2026) and runs about 10.5 hours.
The day, hour by hour
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:50 a.m. | Meet the guide at Poblado Park, by the door of the San José church (on some dates, hotel pickup near the park at 6:30 a.m., at a higher price) |
| 70 and 45 minutes | Bus east from Medellín, with a traditional Antioquian breakfast on the way |
| 1.5 hours | Free time at the Piedra del Peñol: climb it (ticket paid by you, in cash) or stay at the base |
| 15 minutes | Bus to Guatapé |
| 15 minutes, then 80 minutes | A guided walk through Guatapé and its zócalos, then free time in town |
| 25 minutes | Bus to the boat |
| 40 minutes | Boat cruise on the reservoir |
| 25 minutes | Llama and animal farm (at Alto del Chocho or the Parque Temático San José, the guide decides on the day) |
| About 105 minutes | Bus back to El Poblado; two drop-off points, one at the San José parish church |
Lunch is at a local restaurant, with several dishes to choose from and vegetarian and vegan options. The guide may change the order of the stops.
The boat ride
The Guatapé boat tour on Viaja Medellin’s day is a 40-minute cruise from the replica of the old El Peñol, with crossover music on board. You pass islands, lakeside houses of well-known Colombians and the place where the old town of El Peñol lies under the water. According to El Peñol’s town hall, the town’s first centre was flooded in 1970 to make the reservoir, and the replica recreates its square, church and town hall.
It is a sightseeing boat, not a long cruise. A reviewer from Germany (21 October 2026) found it much shorter and less interesting than expected; plenty of others liked it for what it is. The other tours vary: Enjoy Medellín Tours has a one-hour long-tail boat ride, Way Colombian Tours a 75-minute cruise, and Tours Guatape a party boat.
Breakfast, lunch and the farm
Breakfast and lunch are both in the price. Breakfast is a traditional Antioquian one; lunch has vegetarian and vegan options. Children up to 2 years old travel on a parent’s lap and are not served food.
The llama and animal farm is the stop that divides reviewers. One (8 November 2026) found “tons of animals in very small enclosures” and would have skipped it; another (6 November) liked “the addition of the farm at the end”. The stop is 25 minutes.
What is not included
- The ticket to climb the rock, sold at the rock’s ticket office for cash in Colombian pesos only. See the Piedra del Peñol guide.
- Hotel pickup, unless you book the dearer hotel-pickup option on a date that offers it.
Who should think twice
It is a long day. A reviewer on 12 October 2026 called it an “incredibly long day with most of the time spent going too and from the key points”. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or for wheelchair users, and pets are not allowed. If you would rather spend the day at the rock and in the town, take the bus from Medellín and stay longer, or stay the night in Guatapé.
Weather
Viaja Medellin’s tour runs in all weather. The UK Foreign Office (checked 12 November 2026) notes that the Colombian government has declared an El Niño phenomenon, likely strong to very strong until at least March 2027, which may bring unusually heavy rain, flooding and landslides as well as heat and drought, and that floods and landslides follow heavy rain especially in the Colombian Andes. Bring a jacket and sun protection either way.
Check dates for the Guatapé tour
Prices for every tour are on Guatapé tour prices.
The Guatapé Tour from Medellín with Boat, Breakfast and Lunch
Run by Viaja Medellin. Rated 4.9 out of 5 in at least 15,600 reviews on GetYourGuide. From US$42.14 per person. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
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