Pablo Escobar Tour in Medellín (Private)

From $82 USD per person

Medellín does not hide this part of its history, and it does not agree about it either. This five-hour private tour goes to the places where Pablo Escobar’s story happened: the prison he had built for himself, the rooftop in La América where it ended in 1993, the grave at Montesacro that still gets fresh flowers, and the neighbourhood he built for families who had nothing. Your guide grew up with this legacy and does not tell you what to think about it.

How the day works

• Your private guide collects you from your hotel and drives towards El Poblado, setting out what Medellín was in the 1980s and 1990s.
• You visit sites tied to the cartel, including the prison Escobar entered voluntarily in 1991 to avoid extradition to the United States.
• You go to the building in La América where he died in 1993, and hear the competing accounts of what happened there.
• You stop at Montesacro cemetery, where his tomb is still one of the most visited in the city.
• You walk the neighbourhood he built for the poor, and hear why part of the city remembers him differently. Then back to your hotel. Five hours in total.

What’s included

• Private English-speaking guide
• Private hotel pickup and drop-off in Medellín
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Breakfast and lunch
• Personal purchases

Good to know

• There is walking involved. Comfortable trainers and a light jacket are the right call.
• Medellín averages 23°C to 30°C and changes through the day. Sunglasses and a cap help.
• Light cotton clothing is the most comfortable option for five hours.
• Some stops deal with violence, loss and organised crime. Your guide handles it factually and from more than one side.
• No particular fitness level is needed, but you are on your feet for parts of the tour.
• The tour runs rain or shine.

Frequently asked questions

Does this glorify Escobar?

No. Your guide is from Medellín and presents the man who bombed the city alongside the man who housed part of it, because both are true and Colombians lived through both. It is not the Netflix version.

Do we go inside the buildings?

The sites are approached and explained from outside. Montesacro cemetery is public and open.

Is it appropriate for teenagers?

Generally yes, with a parent’s judgement. The material is serious, not graphic, and your guide adjusts to who is in the car.

How much of it is walking?

Portions of it, mainly at the cemetery and in the neighbourhood. The rest is covered by private car with your guide.

Will I be the only one on the tour?

Yes. This is private, so the guide is yours and the conversation goes wherever you take it.