Guatapé & Peñol Rock: Private Day Trip with Llama Farm

Summary

Colorful Guatapé streets, llamas and the view from Peñol Rock

You’ll feed llamas or taste exotic fruit before climbing Peñol Rock for those wild views over lakes and islands. Wander Guatapé’s painted streets with a local guide who knows every story behind those zócalos—and enjoy lunch by the water before heading home with tired legs and probably carrot on your shoes.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Guatape animal farm, rock climb, town visit

• Pick up at your place
• Visit animal farm and feed animals
• Optional exotic fruit tasting instead
• Drive to Guatape Rock with scenic views
• Climb 749 steps to top of rock
• Enjoy panoramic views from the top
• Descend and drive to Guatape town
• Have lunch with lake view
• Drink authentic Colombian coffee
• Guided tour of Guatape town and Zocalos

Top questions

How long does the Guatapé & Peñol Rock day trip take?

The tour lasts around 8 hours including all stops.

Is hotel pickup included in this private tour?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are both included.

Can we skip the animal farm visit?

Yes, you can choose to skip it or do an exotic fruit tasting instead.

How many steps are there to climb Peñol Rock?

You’ll climb 749 steps to reach the top of Peñol Rock.

Is lunch included during the tour?

The tour includes lunch at a local restaurant in Guatapé town.

Are guides multilingual?

The tour may be operated by a multilingual guide depending on availability.

What animals can we feed at the farm?

You can feed llamas, alpacas, ostriches, ponies, donkeys, rabbits, goats, pigs and more.

How far is Guatapé from Medellín?

The drive takes about two hours each way depending on traffic.

What’s included

Your day includes private hotel pickup and drop-off in Medellín, all transport by private vehicle with your guide-driver along for stories and laughs; entry to the animal farm (with bags of carrots if you want them) or an exotic fruit tasting at a traditional market; time to climb Peñol Rock at your own pace; lunch overlooking Guatapé’s lake; plus guided walks through town before heading back home tired but happy.

What’s the experience like?

Ever tried feeding a llama before breakfast? I hadn’t, but that’s how our Guatapé day trip from Medellín started. Our guide, Camilo, handed me a bag of carrots and grinned as I hesitated in front of this shaggy llama who looked both bored and slightly judgy. The farm was alive with noises—kids laughing, some kind of bird squawking, and the weirdly satisfying crunch of carrots. I got nuzzled by an alpaca (softer than I thought), and then Camilo asked if we wanted to try fruit tasting instead next time—apparently Colombia grows over 400 kinds. Next time, maybe. But honestly, the animal smell stuck to my hands for hours (not in a bad way).

The drive out toward Peñol Rock is all rolling hills and fields—onions, sugar cane, coffee plants if you know what to look for. Camilo kept pointing out things I’d never have noticed: “That’s kale,” he’d say, or tell us about when people first climbed the rock (not that long ago). The climb itself is no joke—749 steps up this massive chunk of stone jutting out of nowhere. My legs were burning by step 400 but there’s something about the wind up there and the lake below that makes you forget it. At the top there’s cold beer for sale (yes) and plastic chairs where you can just sit forever if you want. I think we stayed longer than most.

Guatapé town itself is like someone spilled paint everywhere on purpose. The zócalos—the little storybook panels on every house—are wild: cows in hats, boats, flowers. Camilo explained how each one means something about the family inside or their history; he even showed us his favorite bakery where they sell guava pastries that stick to your fingers. Lunch was trout by the lake (I still remember the lime and cilantro), followed by coffee so strong it made me blink twice. Walking through Remembrance Street after lunch felt slow in a good way—the sun was hot but everyone seemed to move at their own pace here.