Destination
Medellin`s (and indeed all of Colombia`s) hidden gem; GUATAPE, is only a couple hours away from the mega-city, but forever far from the clutter of civilization…
…and Paradise Finca, in El Verde de Magdalena, is the great escape to peace, nature and tranquility, a must do over-night experience, for those who seek out to pause, take a moment, and TRULY enjoy life and all its pleasures!
find out more about GUATAPE, and El Verde De Magdalena
Guatape
The area of, ¨GUATAPE¨ , (pronounced, ¨Gu-wa-ta-pay¨), was originally populated by local natives, as early back as the 15th century, then ruled by a type of indiginous monarchy system, (lead by a prince or king), from which the town is named after today.
First declared a municipality back in 1867, Guatape would undergo its most significant transformation during the 1980´s after the completion of the Punchiná Dam, at the time (2021); Colombia’s largest power station; The ¨San Carlos Hydroelectric Power Plant¨.
The Punchiná Dam, drastically transformed the landscape, purposely flooding the area and creating a massive reservoir, capable of holding Over 72 million cubic meters of water, (58,000 acre⋅ft), with a surface area of approximately 3.4km. (1.3 sq mi), perfect for vacationing and water sports!
(apart from being a major part of the national hydro-electric industry supplying 70% of Colombia`s energy, and serving as the main source of freshwater for Medellin)
Verde de Magdalena
The reservoir itself has a surface area of approx. 3.4 km, however that is spread over approx. 96 square kilometers, and with all its inlets and islands, it is a labyrinth of waterways leading to all kinds of interesting places to visit and things to see. (for those who know where to go)
Located in an area known as the, ¨Verde de Magdalana¨, (directly translated to the, ¨Green of Magdalana¨) Paradise Finca is in a region in the north western side of the lake, known for its pristine green countryside, and even more so, the Finca proudly boasts 50% of its property is a highly protected natural reserve that is home to a variety of local flora and fauna, (a constant variety of hummingbirds, butterflies and even light bugs, to name just a few) and being in its own bay, marine and aquatic life are only a snorkel away!
The largest attraction to Paradise Finca, and the pristine green of the Verde de Magdalena, is it`s peace and privacy, as it is far away from the touristic helicopters flying overhead, or tourist boats constantly splashing waves on your ever achieving tranquility and che.
Intricate Experiences
Adventures abound in a land with a perfect climate to do; A B S O L U T E L Y nothing…
… to almost ANYTHING !!!
The options are seemingly endless and are catered to your specific tastes, whether it be: Absolutely nothing (more than) lounging in a hammock lakeside, laying on the dock of the bay, catching some rays, or, in our private reserve, listening in peace, patiently waiting in sweet suspense, to see which resident butterflies amd humming birds decide to reveal themselves to you that day.
Or go and CHOOSE YOIR OWN ADVENTURE!! Options included but are NOT limited to:
Seasons
Being in a, ¨Tropical Mountain Climate¨, seasons as the rest of the world knows them, do not exist in Guatape. There is no significant variation in temperature, the only main variant between the seasons is precipitation, or amount of rainfall each month.
Officially the most rain falls in the months of October, November, and December, with some verification to the old saying, ¨April showers, bring May flowers, ¨ as those 2 months are traditionally a little more wet than the others as well, however if you ask any residents they will laugh at the ¨rainy season/ dry season theory¨, as everyday in Guatape the weather is pretty much the same;
Temperatures from 15 degrees celsius at night (59 degrees fahrenheit), to 25+ degrees Celsius in the sun during the day, (77 degrees fahrenheit), sunny, partly cloudy, with a chance of rain, each and everyday of the year, is what you can expect.
This is what gives it that permanent springtime reputation and feel, as it’s always so nice out, always fresh, clean, crisp, tropical mountain air in the mornings, awaking you with the ambition of a young buck in the wild, ready to go take on the day’s adventures!
Getting there
Arriving to the Verde de Magdalena, can be done in either vehicle or boat, however the easiest and most economical way is to arrive via one of the many package deals offered such as;
ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE from MEDELLIN
This is a 1 night stay option, (with extensions easily arranged), that takes you, and your guest(s) from Medellin, to the famous Penol Rock, where you have the option to climb the 740 steps to see the view from the top, after that, to the town of Guatape, and after a guided tour of the Colonial, historic town, and lunch in the colorful pueblo, an hour tour, via boat ride on the actual lake brings you to Paradise Finca, where the real adventure begins, and after settling in to your luxurious glamping lodgings, it’s off to your pre-chosen adventure!!
After finally deciding to come back to reality, on your second, third, or even fourth morning, you are again sailed back to Guatape, for a nice lunch, then back to Medellin, via our safe, professional, courteous drivers.
Quickly becoming a very popular vacation destination for local Colombians, who were quick to develop the area, sprinkling the countryside, specifically the reservoir`s shores, with hotels and finca A “Finca”, in Colombia, is typically a vacation home in the countryside., and, getting away on long weekends- to the finca in Guatape, became the normal routine.
The ¨City of Eternal Spring,¨ (Medellin), while constantly fresh with its tropical climate and relative elevation, is landlocked, in a valley, surrounded by mountains, and the closest major bodies of water, either the Caribbean or Pacific Oceans, and both are approximately a day’s drive away in a vehicle, not a very efficient option for a long weekend.
So when this man-made lake appeared in the early eighties, a mere 2 hours away from Medellin by car, it is not hard to imagine how it become so popular, and after you actually see the almost out of this world landscape created by reservoir, and experience the peace that is found in the Colombian countryside, you will know why it has become a national treasure, and quickly becoming an international sensation!
The Punchiná Dam, drastically transformed the landscape, purposely flooding the area and creating a massive reservoir, capable of holding over 72 million cubic meters of water, (58,000 acre⋅ft), with a surface area of approximately 3.4km. (1.3 sq mi), perfect for watersports!
For this reason, (the watersports), it quickly became a very popular vacation destination for local Colombians, who were quick to develop the area, sprinkling the countryside, specifically the reservoir`s shores, with hotels and fincaA “Finca”, in Colombia, is typically a vacation home in the countryside., and, getting away on long weekends- to the finca in Guatape, became the normal routine.
The ¨City of Eternal Spring,¨ (Medellin), while constantly fresh with its tropical climate and relative elevation, is landlocked, in a valley, surrounded by mountains, and the closest major bodies of water, either the Caribbean or Pacific Oceans, and both are a good day drive away in a vehicle.
So when this man-made lake appeared in the early eighties, a mere 2 hours from Medellin away by car, it is not hard to imagine how it become so popular, and after you actually see the almost out of this world landscape created by reservoir, (a view best demonstrated from the top of the famous Penol Rock), and experience the peace that is found in the Colombian countryside, you will know why it has become a national treasure, and quickly becoming an international sensation!
its property is a highly protected natural reserve that is home to a variety of local flora and fauna, (a constant variety of hummingbirds, butterflies and even light bugs, to name just a few) and being in its own bay, marine and aquatic life are only a snorkel away!
The largest attraction to Paradise Finca, and the pristine green of the Verde de Magdalena, is it`s peace and privacy, as it is far away from the touristic helicopters flying overhead, or tourist boats constantly splashing waves on your ever achieving tranquility and che.
Of course it is not a monastery sworn to silence and there is A LOT of fun to be had, and if you do not feel like contemplating the mysteries of the universe from your hammock, as you watch the birds fly by, no prob, there’s hiking, cycling, kayaking, fishing, boating, tubing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, or jumping off a bridge, even visiting a beautiful waterfall !! … to a jacuzzi, campfires, music, dancing, and star gazing at night… but after enjoying the most delicious local cuisine, prepared by our dedicated team, complete with premium alcoholic beverages- whatever your flavor!
Intendedly a direct contrast to the hustle and bustle of the MEGA city Medellin; Paradise Finca in the Verde de Magdalena, with its optional; finca (house), jungle (tree house) or lakeside (tent) glamping lodgings, will have you waking up each morning feeling like you TRULY ARE, living in a DREAM.
No alarm clock necessary as each morning the birds will gently rise you from your slumber and the view only improves as the Colombian Sun climbs higher and higher in the sky and after a quick dip in the lake, and sip from (of course) some of the best and freshest coffee in the world, you choose your paradise for the day….
Of course it is not a monastery sworn to silence and there is A LOT of fun to be had, and if you do not feel like contemplating the mysteries of the universe from your hammock, as you watch the birds fly by, no prob.
There’s hiking, cycling, kayaking, fishing, boating, tubing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, or jumping off a bridge, even visiting a beautiful waterfall … to a jacuzzi, campfires, music, dancing, and star gazing at night… all after enjoying the most delicious local cuisine, prepared by our dedicated team, complete with premium alcoholic beverages- whatever your flavor!
Intendedly a direct contrast to the hustle and bustle of the MEGA city Medellin; Paradise Finca in the Verde de Magdalena, with its optional; finca (house), jungle (tree house) or lakeside (tent) glamping lodgings, will have you waking up each morning feeling like you TRULY ARE, living in a DREAM.
No alarm clock necessary as each morning the birds will gently rise you from your slumber and the view only improves as the Colombian Sun climbs higher and higher in the sky and after a quick dip in the lake, and sip from (of course) some of the best and freshest coffee in the world, you CHOOSE YOUR PARADISE FOR THE DAY….
Water sports:
boat tours to town, and “rare and interesting” locations (ask for details), wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, bridge jumping, snorkeling, fishing and swimming
Other activities:
4×4 tours to different towns, helicopter tours, horseback riding, bird watching, cycling, hiking, yoga, meditating, relaxing in the jacuzzi, campfires and star gazing at night!
…the difference is at Paradise Finca, you don’t sit by the dock of the bay, you sit while sippin´ on a fresh fruit smoothie, or an ice cold beer, and if out on one of our super popular boat excursions, you better believe the boat is well prepared with a special attention to ALL the details. (each excursion with their own surprises)
Apart from all the premetitive safety measures, and high quality safety gear, our professionally certified, highly trained, and dedicated crew pay extra attention to the, ¨WOW Factors¨, which are the things that throughout the day, constantly have you going, ¨WOW !!¨
These are ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCES, with the ONCE IN A LIFETIME PEOPLE that you hold dear, and at Paradise Finca in La Verde de Magdalena, GUATAPE, it is our mission to ensure that you achieve those ONCE IN A LIFETIME MEMORIES !!!
A B S O L U T E L Y nothing (more than); lounging in a hammock lakeside, laying on the dock on the bay, catching some rays, or, in our private reserve listening in peace, patiently waiting in sweet suspense to see which resident butterflies and hummingbirds, decide to reveal themselves to you that day, or go do almost ANYTHING else your heart desires, including but not limited to;
water sports such as; boat tours to ¨rare and interesting¨ locations, (ask for details), wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, bridge jumping, snorkeling, fishing, swimming
other activities; helicopter or 4×4 tours of the town of Guatape and area, bird watching, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, yoga, meditating, relaxing in the jacuzzi, campfires, and star gazing at night!
…the difference is at Paradise Finca, you don’t sit by the dock of the bay, you sit while sippin´ on a fresh fruit smoothie, or an ice cold beer, and if out on one of our super popular boat excursions, you better believe the boat is well prepared with a special attention to ALL the details. (each excursion with their own surprises)
Apart from all the premetitive safety measures, and high quality safety gear, our professionally certified, highly trained, and dedicated crew pay extra attention to the, ¨WOW Factors¨, which are the things that throughout the day, that constantly have you going, ¨WOW !!¨
These are ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCES, with the ONCE IN A LIFETIME PEOPLE that you hold dear, and at Paradise Finca in La Verde de Magdalena, GUATAPE, it is our mission to ensure that you achieve those ONCE IN A LIFETIME MEMORIES !!!
Choose your own ADVENTURES!
Maybe you have already seen the famous view from atop the rock, and want to get to The Finca as fast as possible?
Well not a problem, other packages are as open as your imagination!
You can be shuttled directly to The Finca, from Medellin, or from the international airport to begin your adventure as soon as possible, of course, if you have your own transportation arranged, you could arrive by your own accord, however kindly inform the uber driver that an off road motorcycle or 4×4 vehicle is required for some of the mountain passages on route to The Finca.