Guatapé Lake Boat Tour: What to Expect
A boat tour on the Guatapé reservoir is the second iconic experience after the Piedra del Peñol. The lake is huge, dotted with green islands and weighted with stories, from a sunken church to a once luxurious narco hideout.
Most boat tours last 60 to 90 minutes and leave from the malecón below the pueblo. Here is what to expect, what to look for and which option fits your day plan.
Public boats leave the Guatapé malecón roughly every hour and run 60 to 90 minutes past the flooded church tower, the Escobar ruin and the island villas, for about 25,000 to 35,000 Colombian pesos per person. Booked as part of a day from Medellín, the Guatape & Boat Ride & El Peñol Rock & Quaint Town From Medellin bundles the boat with the rock and the town from $171, rated 5.0 with 50 reviews over about 9 hours. Prices are estimates.
- Duration: boat 60 to 90 minutes, full day about 9 hours
- Included: reservoir cruise past the sunken church tower
- For whom: anyone who wants the lake from the water, not the rock
- Public boats sell out on Sunday afternoons, go before 14:00
- The upper deck is windy and unshaded, take a hat
Full day with the boat ride on the reservoir plus the rock and the town, guided from Medellín.
Check availability →Estimated "from" price, confirm on the operator site.
Where the boats leave from
The main dock is the Malecón Turístico de Guatapé, a five minute walk from the central plaza. Companies sell tickets at small kiosks along the waterfront, normally without need to book ahead on weekdays.
On weekends and holidays it is wise to reserve in advance through your hotel or as part of a packaged Medellín tour to avoid waiting for the next departure.
Book this tour: Guatape & Boat Ride & El Peñol Rock & Quaint Town →
What you will see on board
The standard route passes the sunken church bell tower of old Peñol, the islands of the rich, the famous Hacienda Nápoles ruins of Pablo Escobar and the dam wall of the hydroelectric project.
Guides usually narrate in Spanish, with a few key facts in English on shared boats. On private charters you can request a fully bilingual guide for an extra fee.
Types of boats
Two main options exist, the large two deck boats with capacity for 60 to 100 passengers and the smaller speedboats for groups of 6 to 12. Big boats are cheaper and slower, speedboats are faster and let you stop closer to islands.
Tickets on a large boat cost around 25,000 COP per person. A speedboat for a small group runs 200,000 to 350,000 COP for the whole boat depending on duration.
Best time of day for the lake
Late morning is busiest. Around 4 PM the light turns golden, the wind drops and the views back at the rock are at their best. That is also when you can see the silhouettes of paragliders if any are flying.
If you get seasick easily, the morning lake is calmer. By midday the breeze can pick up and create small choppy waves between the islands.
The boat tour adds a different angle to the Guatapé story, literally and historically. Pair it with the rock and the pueblo and you have a complete day trip that few other places in Colombia can match.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a boat tour in Guatapé?
Public boats from the malecón charge around 25,000 to 35,000 Colombian pesos per person for a 60 to 90 minute loop. Private launches are quoted per boat.
What do you see on the Guatapé boat tour?
The tower of the old church of El Peñol poking out of the water, the ruined Escobar mansion at La Manuela, island holiday homes and the wall of the dam.
How long is the boat ride on Guatapé lake?
Standard loops run 60 to 90 minutes. Two hour routes exist but repeat much of the same shoreline, so the shorter one is usually enough.
Can you swim in Guatapé reservoir?
Swimming happens from private docks and from the boats rather than public beaches. The water is cool year round and depth drops quickly away from the shore.
Ready to plan? Browse our Guatapé Lake boat tours.