Disappointing. A 4 hour tour, most of it spent sitting in a car. The sights were puffed up nothings. The rooftop is essentially a drive by of a house owned by some random person that you have no access to. The neighbors don’t want you there so you are told not to get out. It took about 20 minutes to get there and we spent 5 minutes looking at it and being shown pictures off the internet of what it looked like when Escobar was killed. The cemetery and church are fine, as advertised but not terribly exciting. The cathedral was a complete sham. You have to drive a very long way up a mountain to get there and you cannot even access the site as it has been closed off by the government. All you get to do is look down on some ramshackle buildings from the parking lot of the monastery adjacent , which was also closed when we were there. This tour is a load of rubbish and false advertising. Do not waste your time or money.
Operator response
Hello,
We are responding to your comments about the tour you described. We would like to ask you to send us documentation that proves you took a tour with us, because your user name is very odd and lacks a proper name, also it's not on our list of clients. Normally, when our clients have any issues, they contact us directly before leaving a review. This helps us understand our customer needs or expectations. We want to clarify several points for other travelers so they can get real information about our unique Pablo Escobar tour directly from the source.
* The place of Escobar's death. The house where we stop for our customers to see the property and take photos from the vehicle is the same one where he was staying. He tried to escape and was shot down on the roof of the house located in the back. In that area our guests have the option to get out, but it seems like in your case according to your description, you didn't want to get out, perhaps because you had some form of reduced mobility or no desire to explore the area. The original house is located on a main avenue with heavy traffic restrictions, so it's not possible to get out of the car there entirely to prevent accidents and for our customers safety, this is the only way to witness this historic site, neighbors there are very friendly, received tourist daily and even display a large photo of Pablo Escobar for guests to take photos.
* Access to La Catedral. La Catedral is a complex that covers the entire mountain La Miel from the lower part of Envigado to the top. The tour includes a 30 to 40-minute vehicle ride to get to the high part of the mountain, during the drive our guests pass by several points used by Pablo and different gates and hidden houses where Pablo Escobar's former prison was located it's a very large mountain and complex not only 1 building. What's included in the tour is exactly what's described: A drive outside the city to the country side, we pass by different viewpoints to see the city and the complex that was the prison of La Catedral. It's important to clarify that the church is NOT included in the tour description and is an option for worshippers when it is open. Also, there is a restriction on visiting the Salto del Ángel waterfall, as the mayor's office has placed safety fences in 4 entrance points to prevent accidents. This area is NOT included in the tour, and the guide even if you pay extra cannot take you there period, since if something were to happen, we would be responsible for your life and safety. To say that the tour is a "scam" because of this is simply incorrect.
In Colombia, these types of accusations are taken very seriously and can have legal consequences.
* Medellín is a big city. Travel time is an inevitable part of the tour, as the historical sites are spread out. This is a very complete tour that visits four municipalities. The tour's duration with the cathedral can vary from 4 to 5 hours, depending on traffic. The time in the vehicle is used for narration and for the guide to answer questions, making every moment educational.
This tour is a historical journey that focuses on the facts and reality of a dark era, not an amusement park. The importance of this tour is that it is narrated by people who lived through that era and were directly affected, even losing family members. Each guide shares personal stories and anecdotes with tourists that they won't find on Netflix or in documentaries.
We pride ourselves on offering a very unique experience. Our prices reflect this, we pay high commissions, taxes, and contributions to local nonprofits operating legally and sustainably. We pay our staff well, as they are professionals providing a high level of service.
If that's not what you were looking for, there are other types of experiences in Medellín that might be more to your liking and budget.
Lina from Medellintravels.com
