Guatapé, Colombia - exploring the lake and town

Thomas Floracks

Nov 26, 2019 • 2 min read

After a work engagement in Medellín we decided to stay for a long weekend in the nearby town of Guatapé. Guatapé was founded in the beginning of the 19th century and has been an agricultural center until the 70s. After the construction of the Guatapé hydroelectric complex most of the surrounding valleys were flooded and Guatapé is now surrounded by an artificial lake that has shaped this unique landscape. After the construction of the dams the city had to reinvent itself and over time became an important recreational area for the inhabitants of Medellin and one of the major tourist attractions in Colombia.

I will share some shots from a lake tour, views from the hotel and of course the famous rock "El Peñol" from where you have an impressive view over the flooded valleys of Guatapé.

On the first day we took a 2 hour boat trip with the owner of our boutique hotel.

The shoreline (you can see the low water level)

And of course "El Peñol" a massive granite rock that rules the lake

Later that day we decided to visit the town of Guatapé. Here are some impressions.

On Sunday morning we decided to climb the rock "El Peñol". 700 stairs lead you all the way to the top. Unfortunately that day was pretty cloudy.

View from the top over the flooded valleys of Guatapé.

Guatapé is definitely worth the two hour drive when you are visiting Medellin. One or two nights are enough to explore the area and enjoy its bizarre beauty.

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