If you like to be at the forefront of things, La Peña is the place for you. This climbing area is young, but has been developed in a great way. It even has a guide already, and more than 40 routes from 5.8 to 5.13c. It’s only 3 hours from Medellin in the midst of an astounding landscape with gorgeous cliff-lines, beautiful hikes and more. This is how to get to La Peña.
If you’ll be in Medellin at all, you may like to read our tips on what to do in Medellin!
How to get to La Peña
*Note: the map to get from Medellin to La Peña is at the end of this post!
These instructions are taken from La Peña’s website, simplified and translated for your convenience.
In Public Transportation:
- Go to the Terminal del Norte de Medellin (Medellin’s northern bus terminal). The company you’ll be riding with is Sonar, and you can call them to book a ride or for information at 4364385 or 3613121. The buses leave at 5:30am, 8:30am and 1:15pm.
- Buy a ticket to get to “Vereda La Peña.”
- Once on the bus, tell the driver to drop you off at “Tienda la 80” of Vereda La Peña.
- What’s funny is that the directions on their website say, “Here, call your guide to tell you how to get there.” So I guess you’ll just have to do that. I found this phone number (321 8750843) on their Facebook page and none on their website. To be safe, contact them before you head over (link above).
In a Car:
With a GPS: enter “La peña, Abejorral, Antioquia” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.
Without a GPS:
- In Medellin, get on the Autopista Sur (the highway heading south) towards Caldas, the “Alto de las Minas,” and all the way to the town of Santa Barbara.
- Once you pass the gas station in town, drive 3 km (1.9 miles) to a turn on your left that says El Cairo.
- On this road, you’ll pass a cement factory, cross a bridge and turn right.
- Continue down this road for 2 km (1.2 miles) and then cross a bridge. From there, keep right.
- Stay on this road for 12 km (7.5 miles) and you’ll arrive at the entrance to the La Peña farm.
- Some parts of this road are pretty rough and best taken on with a 4×4 vehicle. Also, if you’re visual like me, check out the map below!
If you’re looking for other places to climb, check out this comprehensive list of Colombia’s best climbing areas!
What to do at La Peña:
Climb
The main thing you need to do is climb, of course! If you’re a climber and have your gear, head over to the La Peña hostel, which is right in front of the rocks, and start climbing. If you’re not a rock climber or need gear or guide services, the hostel can hook you up. This place has rock climbing for all levels and even more waiting to be developed. If you want to help open some more climbing, talk to the people there to see what they say. From what I’ve heard, they’re open to people helping out.
Go Hiking
La Peña is on an imposing mountain, which also houses a lot of awesome trails for hiking. Just ask around at the hostel, because these trails aren’t on the guide. 2 trails I’ve heard of are to the summit of the mountain and to a striking cave. Definitely worth it for the adventure of the day or on a rest day from climbing!
Visit the Aero Hostel
I guess this blog post could also be called “How to get to La Casa en el Aire.” Very close to the climbing area is a hostel that has gone viral worldwide. It’s located on the side of a cliff, is super quaint and you can chill in hammocks way above the ground. The Aero Hostel Casa en el Aire (House in the Air) is spectacular, and definitely worth a visit. You may even want to stay there during your trip, although I’ve heard it can be pricey and you have to book way in advance.
Some things to know:
- This climbing area is located in a private farm, so obey the rules to keep this place open to us!
- All the climbing is sport.
- You can always contact the hostel if you’re interested in opening new routes.
- The hostel by the cliff doesn’t have food services, but it has a kitchen for you to make your own food.
- It’s dog-friendly!
- The road to La Peña is best handled by 4×4 vehicles.
I hope this blog post helped you learn how to get to La Peña, plus a little more. Definitely try to make it to this wonderful area!
So you like the mountains, but how about the sea? Read about this island in the Caribbean that you need to visit someday!
