Medellín to Cali

By James Smith @onlybyland

Plaza Botero, Medellín

Medellín is famous for many reasons
  • Pablo Escobar and the Medellín cartel
  • Beautiful women
  • Great weather all year round
  • The best Spanish accent
You will find that the best area in the city to stay is El Poblado, you'll feel safe during the day and night here.  Also from El Poblado it is easy to get to the metro and go to other parts of the city.  There is a park called Parque Lleras and around here you'll find lots of restaurants, bars and discos.
You can easily take the metro from El Poblado to downtown Medellín, take note that you should only visit downtown in daylight hours, it doesn't feel too safe.  However, downtown there are many must see places such as, Parque Explora, Antioquia Musuem, Botanical Gardens and the Plaza Botero (pictured above).

A view from La Piedra Del Peñol (The Rock of Guatapé)

How to get to La Piedra Del Peñol (The Rock of Guatapé)

The rock of Guatapé is about a 2 hour bus ride away from Medellín.  As you can see from the above photo, it is a worthwhile journey just for the views from the top of the rock.  From the terminal del norte bus station, take a bus to Guatapé and get off when you see the rock.

You don't have to count the steps on the The Rock of Guatapé

There are 650 steps up the rock, you don't have to count them as every 50 steps the number is written on the step.  Returning from the rock, just stand at the opposite side of the road to which you got off and flag the next bus to Medellín down.

Hacienda Napoles, Colombia

How to get to Hacienda Napoles

Hacienda Napoles is the former home of famous drug lord Pablo Escobar.  It is possible to visit Hacienda Napoles on a day trip from Medellín by taking Coonorte Bus from terminal del norte to Doradal.  From the Doradal bus station you must call for a rickshaw to pick you up and take you to the park.

Pablo Escobar's hippos

The cost of the rickshaw is around 50,000 pesos for the day, this will take you all around the park and back to the bus station in Doradal afterwards.
In the park, the rickshaw driver can take you anywhere you want, he tell you the route, and you can plan it with him.  Obviously he works there everyday so he has a good idea of the best route to take to see everything in the time frame you have.
In the park you will find:
  • Pablo Escobar's house
  • Pablo Escobar's family houses
  • Pablo Escobar's huge dinosaurs
  • Pablo Escobar's landing strip
  • Pablo Escobar's hippos
  • A newly made zoo
  • Water park
  • Butterfly enclosure
  • Hotels
  • Restarants
  • African musuem (In Pablo Escobar's converted bull ring)
Hacienda Napoles is definitely worth a visit, be it on a day trip from Medellín or on an overnight stay on the way to Bogotá.

Bus from Medellín to Cali, 9 hours, 48,000 pesos

Again you can take a Bolivariano bus service, this time from Medellín, terminal del sur bus station.  There are 2 bus stations in Medellín, generally buses going south leave from terminal del sur, and those going north or east leave from terminal del norte.