The Rock of Guatapé or El Peñón de Guatapé
Guatape is a beautiful town two hours from Medellin, Colombia. The town’s main attraction is the gigantic rock, visible pretty much anywhere you are in the city.
The massive stone was formed millions of years ago. The Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of this region, worshiped the rock.
The rock has a curious history. On the northern face of the stone there are painted large white letters, “G”, and an incomplete “U” (only the single vertical stroke was completed). According to Wikipedia, Guatapé and El Peñol had long disputed ownership of the rock, and the residents of Guatapé decided to settle the matter by painting the town’s name on the rock in huge white letters. It did not take long for the residents of El Peñol to notice the work, and a large mob was assembled to stop it. Only the “G” and part of the “U” were completed.
At its highest part, on the rear (southeast side), it has an elevation of 2,135 metres (7,005 ft) over sea level. 659 steps lead you to the top of La Piedra Del Peñol (Spanish for “The Rock of Guatapé”). The view from there is great, as you can imagine.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- La Piedra del Peñol, on the El Peñol–Guatapé road, Antioquia, Colombia
- Coordinates
- 6.22, -75.1794
- Access
- Stair climb with 740 steps; ascent time depends on fitness
- Admission
- Operator lists COP 30,000 per person; cash payment
- Time needed
- The operator publishes no fixed ascent duration: it says timing depends on physical capacity. The stair route has 740 steps; allow time for rests and summit viewing, and do not treat a third-party estimate as an official time.
- Best season
- Colombia Travel describes Guatapé as a destination for any time of year. As a broad weather-based planning guide for this outdoor climb, the national tourism authority lists December–March and July–August as generally drier across Colombia; it cautions that local patterns vary, so check the forecast for Guatapé. This is regional climate context, not a site-specific guarantee.
- Opening hours
- Operator schedule conflict: its current ascent page lists daily 08:00–17:00, but a dated August 12, 2024 notice says summit operations were 07:00–16:00 during site adjustments. The pages do not confirm whether the earlier summit schedule expired; contact Centro Turístico La Piedra before travel rather than assuming the full summit remains open until 17:00.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-24
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-01
Location
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Truly awe inspiring!