While visiting Medellin, Colombia, I booked one of the many tours that take visitors out to the charming town of Guatape along with a visit to see the big rock that has made it famous. Some call it the Rock of Guatape while others call it La Piedra del Peñol. It depends on who you believe it belongs to.
The Rock
Legally, it belongs to Luis Eduardo Villegas López who turned the Rock and surrounding land into a tourist attraction that hastened the development of resorts in the surrounding turquoise reservoir. He had the genius idea to add steps for visitors to climb for more even spectacular views. 708 steps, to be exact (though they are adding more sections).
I chose not to join in this adventure since I’d climbed the steep sidewalks and stairs of Comuna 13 the day before. (More on that in a coming post.) Besides, I couldn’t believe that the view from 200 meters higher could be any more spectacular than what I was seeing at the base of the climb.
Why is “GI” Painted on the side of Guatape Rock?
After López built the stairs to the top, he started charging visitors for the unique experience of climbing this impressive rock. It currently costs $30,000.00 Colombian pesos (COP) to climb. That’s ~$7.20 USD. Our tour guide said the owner makes about $30,000,000.00 USD a year from those entry fees!
But, because there was so much controversary over whether what had been known as the Rock of Penol for centuries was now being called the Rock of Guatape, Lopez decided to have GUATAPE painted onto the side of the rock to settle it once for all.
They got as far as G and the downward stroke of the U when the rock was declared a National Heritage site that could not be defaced in any way, so they could not finish the name and it will forever bear a confusing “GI” as travelers approach.
Guatape
After visiting the Rock, we spent time strolling under the whimsical umbrellas lining one of the colorful alleyways that earned Guatape the label “of “2nd most colorful town in the world.” Colors decorate all the buildings, inside and out! The vivid combinations were so festive!
Tuk Tuks
I enjoyed strolling through the shops by foot. Lots of artisan jewelry, crafts, candies, and souvenir shops to pop into. There were plenty of bars and restaurants where you could simply enjoy a Colombian coffee, cocktail, or beer underneath some shade. Cute, airy restaurants and cafes where you can sit down and have lunch, too.
Hiring a tuk tuk is also an option. There are plenty available to carry tourists through the colorful cobbled streets past the steep, narrow sidewalks. They also take people outside of the market alleys and down to the marina and past the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen church. You can get a broader overview of Guatape from a Tuk Tuk during this afternoon stop on most tours and save yourself some steps.
An All-Day Tour
Tours to Guatape seem to either be a half-day to the Rock, or a full-day tour that includes going into town and may include breakfast, lunch, and a reservoir boatride as well. Getting to Guatape takes ~1-1/2 hours each way. I enjoy tours like this that give me a day in the countryside when I travel to a city.
What I love most about tours like this is meeting so many other world travelers who want to explore as much as they can in any region. On my English-speaking bus tour, there were several other solo travelers from Jamaica, Romania, Hungary, Canada, Germany, Australia, Ireland, and Brasil that I enjoyed chatting with throughout the day. Get a group of travelers together and they will talk for hours about all their favorite places in the world while adding tips and insights about locales from their perspectives. We love to learn from each other and now I’ve added new places to my list of must-see’s.
So, should you include a side trip to Guatape while visiting Medellin? I say yes, if only for the experience of getting out of town and seeing the stunning countryside.
Would you want to climb the Rock or save your legs for wandering around town instead?
If You Go: I recommend this tour, offered through Viaja Medellin.
Browsing The Atlas 
Juliann, what a great experience. Wonderful photos – so colorful! I think it’s a shame the rock was defaced. It would have been better for them not to start, or they should have been allowed to finish.
That’s a lot of money made from people climbing stairs. Wow! I wouldn’t do it. At my age, I know my limitations. 🙂
I agree with you about the GI. It’s such an odd thing to be stuck with. The amount of money those stairs have brought in is incredible!
What a fascinating feature in the landscape. Fair play to Lopez for his far sightedness. As to the steps, I’m pretty fit for age but maybe that halfway point would be enough for me. Personally though I’d not enjoy the touristy town so much, or talking to strangers 🙂 Which is why I’m always pleased to learn about these new places through your excellent blog Juliann. Looking forward to your next post.