If you’re visiting Medellin, taking a few days to visit Guatape to see the lake is a must. Guatape is most famous for the giant rock, El Peñón but there is so much to do there. Most people just go to Guatape on a day trip from Medellin but I would recommend spending a few days there since there’s so much to do and it’s all in all, a very adventurous and relaxing (yes both are possible) town. I went as a solo female backpacker and made friends at the hostel I stayed at.
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How to get to Guatape:
You can take a bus from Medellin Terminal Norte for 18,000 pesos and it takes about 2.5 hours. I would recommend not going during the weekend because it can get extremely busy. Otherwise, the traffic isn’t too bad.
Where to stay:
On a budget: Lake View Hostel for only $7 a night.
This was perfect for solo travelers as there is a happy hour, a Thai restaurant, and games; perfect for meeting other solo travelers.
For luxury travelers: Bosko Hotel with a beautiful view of the rock and lake.
This is where all of the instagram pictures are from and where I would’ve wanted to stay if I wasn’t traveling on a budget.
Things to do:
Paragliding: I scheduled paragliding through the hostel and it was around 250,000 pesos including transportation which is only around $62 which is the cheapest I’ve done paragliding for. The company is called adventure.paragliding on instagram. 
Climb El Peñón: This is a must do in Guatape since it’s what the town is famous for. You can take a tuktuk there for around $2. It’s 650 steps up but the view is so worth it. They also require your vaccination card upon entry so don’t forget to bring it. You can treat yourself to an ice cream or a salpicon (a traditional Colombian fruit salad with ice cream and shredded cheese, it’s way better than it sounds) when you get back down. 
Kayaking in the lake: You can rent kayaks at the hostel for about 40,000 pesos or $10 an hour and it’s super nice and relaxing. 
Walk around town: The town itself is absolutely beautiful and all of the streets are so colorful. It’s so entertaining just walking around. 
Take a boat ride and tour Pablo Escobar’s house: There are so many lake activities here but this one was really interesting. It was about 2 hours and we got to relax on the speed boat and then take a tour of Pablo Escobar’s property on the lake. 
Visit San Rafael: A little town 50 minutes away from Guatape in the valley. You can take a bus or rent a motorbike for the day. We rented a motorbike for about $10 each for 4 hours. They have nice waterfalls and rivers you can swim in. 
Where to eat:
Check out the main square for local Colombian street food and traditional meals. I got a bandeja paisa for lunch there. 
Visit Namaste for delicious vegan food. It’s located inside a little food truck park with a ton of other options like Mexican food, loaded hot dogs, and more. You have to try the Lulada which is a delicious Colombia juice made from lulo.
The Thai restaurant above Lake View Hostel is delicious and their happy hour from 6 – 7:30 pm is also great with very affordable cocktails for 8,000 pesos or $2.
