Guatapé & El Peñol: Motorboat, Rock Climb & Lake Villa Lunch

The motorboat cuts across the lake and suddenly the water goes still. You're floating past a half-submerged mansion, its walls crumbling into the reservoir.

You get picked up from your Medellín hotel, spend the morning on a private motorboat touring the flooded landscape and submerged ruins of the old town, sample exotic Colombian fruits at a lakeside cabin, eat lunch with included wine or beer, then climb Peñol Rock to its summit for the full-lake view. Afterward, you walk through the colorful streets of Guatapé town before returning to the city. A bilingual guide stays with you all day, and everything except tips is already paid for.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Guatape and Peñol Rock

• Walk Guatape boardwalk and streets
• Have coffee in Guatape
• Ride private boat on dam
• See Piedra del Peñol from water
• Visit old flooded town
• Relax at private cabin
• Sample exotic fruits and lunch
• Enjoy Colombian coffee
• Climb Peñol Rock summit
• Enjoy view from Peñol Rock

The experience

The sound of the engine drops to a murmur as your guide points out what's left of the old flooded town beneath the surface, and you realize you're looking at a landscape that doesn't exist on any map anymore. This is what the Guatapé and El Peñol lake tour from Medellín does. It takes you through a place that's been reshaped by water and time, and you see it from angles most people never reach. The day starts with a pickup from your hotel, then a drive out to the lake where a private motorboat is waiting. You'll spend the morning on the water, moving past the submerged ruins and the old mansion, then pull up to a private cabin on the shore where fresh tropical fruits are laid out: things you've probably never heard of, let alone tasted.

After the fruit sampling and a proper Colombian coffee (you get to choose how you like it), lunch arrives at the lakeside villa. It's either a sandwich or BBQ, depending on what you've booked, and there's beer or wine included depending on your tour package. The bilingual guide stays with you the whole time, so you're not guessing what you're looking at or what anything costs. Then comes the part that makes your legs remember this day: the walk up Peñol Rock. It's the massive stone formation rising out of the water, and yes, you climb it. All the way to the top. The view from up there is the kind of thing you'll pull up on your phone for months afterward: the lake spreads out below you, the town of Guatapé sits in the distance with its painted colonial buildings, and the reservoir stretches toward the horizon.

Before you head back to Medellín, you get time to walk around Guatapé itself. The streets are narrow and the buildings are painted in bright, almost neon colors: each one a different shade. It's the kind of place where you can grab another coffee if you want one, or just wander and watch how the town actually works when tourists aren't the main event. Bottled water is included throughout the day, so you're not buying drinks at inflated prices. The whole thing runs on a private basis, which means the pace is yours and the guide adjusts to what you want to see or skip.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Medellín, a private motorboat tour of Guatapé lake with views of the submerged town and flooded mansion, exotic fruit sampling at a lakeside cabin, lunch (sandwich or BBQ) with included beer or wine depending on your package, entry and the climb to the summit of Peñol Rock, a walk through the colorful streets of Guatapé town, and a bilingual guide for the entire experience. Bottled water and snacks are provided throughout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guatapé lake tour with sandwichGuide in English or Spanish · 08:00Private motorboat ride. Duration: 8 hours. Includes 1 gourmet sandwich, 2 beers and 2 soft drinks, plus 1 cup of Colombian coffee. Guatapé lake tour with sandwich: stroll around Guatapé, climb La Piedra del Peñol, take a private motorboat ride around the dam and have lunch at a private cabin. Pickup is included.

Guatapé lake tour with BBQGuide in English or Spanish · 08:00Private motorboat ride. Duration: 8 hours. BBQ, wine, beer and soft drinks: a BBQ featuring several local products, 2 glasses of wine, 2 soft drinks and 1 cup of Colombian coffee. Guatapé lake tour with BBQ: stroll around Guatapé, climb La Piedra del Peñol, take a private motorboat ride around the dam and have lunch at a private cabin. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 to 65 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by FURŌ

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Guatapé and El Peñol highlights (the lake, the rock, the town) without arranging transport, entry fees, or timing it yourself. The private format and bilingual guide mean you're not figuring out logistics or translation on the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is the motorboat ride included?

Yes. The private motorboat tour around the lake, including views of the flooded town and old mansion, is part of the all-inclusive package.

What's included in lunch?

Either a sandwich or BBQ, depending on your tour package. Beer or wine is also included, depending on which tier you book.

Is this tour private or in a group?

It's a private all-inclusive tour. A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.

Are there age restrictions?

Yes. Minimum age is 18 years. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers.

What's included in the price?

Bottled water, snacks, lunch, beer or wine (depending on package), the motorboat ride, Peñol Rock entry, and the bilingual guide for the full day.