Medellin: Guided Tour to Guatape & 1-Night Lakeside Glamping

The advertising was a little vague about how transportation worked and how the glamping fit in but it was way better than expected. The tour is folded in with other tours for that area. All of which were excellent. The real surprise was how marvelous the glamping part was. They don't explain your tent sits on a platform that floats on the water or that there is a jacuzzi nestled in the jungle. The staff prepared custom meals that were exceptional and the whole experience was very relaxing. They were also very flexible about our pick up and departure which helped a lot. The guides were nice and friendly. I would highly recommend this excursion.

This amazing experience includes the normal Guatapé tour (climbing Piedra del Peñol, guided tour of Guatapé, boat tour etc.), but it’s what happens outside of this that really blows your mind. After I had done half of the “standard” tour, the owner of the tour company, JJ, picked me up in Guatapé and we went with a fast taxi boat through the amazing water landscape to a hidden waterfall. This way you get to see places of the lake that you wouldn’t see in a normal tour (including the truly beautiful parts with only nature). Upon arrival to the beautiful site of the glamping, I was greeted with a fresh mango juice and had time to settle in in my tent (which really is like a hotel room with bed, heater, electricity for charging your phone, and even wifi(!)), before we went for a nice hike up to a hill where we had a 360 view of the stunning landscape (including over the other three rocks, or Piedras, that are found in the region). During the hike we met locals and neighbors, stopped in the local tienda to buy a beer, and I had the chance to learn more about the area and the story behind the glamping site. In the evening I was offered to choose between various options for dinner, all cooked on demand by the chef - and they set the table nicely with candles and with view over the campfire. The owners joined me and we had a good time sharing stories. The evening I spent in my tent looking out over the beautiful lake before going to sleep. The morning I spent “floating” the tent into the bay, had a delicious breakfast with eggs followed by French toast, bananas and maple syrup (delicious - and also made on demand). Then I went kayaking together with one of the owners (as I was traveling by myself) and we had a fun kayaking experience out on the lake - and I learned more about the local stories. After that it was time to jump on the fast taxi boat again to continue the “standard” Guatape tour. In sum - if just doing the standard tour of Guatape you miss out on what really makes this visit a memory for life, namely the glamping! I’m so happy I made the choice to do this tour, as I’ll now have a very special memory to bring with me home. I’ve already recommended it to all my friends here in Medellín and I can for sure recommend it to you as well. A BIG THANKS to JJ, Andrea and the staff for this experience and for your hospitality!! I hope I can come back with my girlfriend one day!! :)