The Wayro route from Cartago, Colombia to Guatapé is 199 miles (320 km), about 6 h 5 min of driving without stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Colombia: “Mountain roads may lack safety features such as crash barriers or guard rails.”
| Distance by road | 199 mi (320 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | 25BAN |
| Departments on the route | Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, Antioquia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
On the road from Cartago to Guatapé
25BAN (20 mi) carries about 10% of the 199 miles. It runs through 4 departments: Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, Antioquia. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Cartago to Guatapé: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–64 | 64 | Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas |
| connecting roads | 64–65 | 1 | Caldas |
| local roads | 65–115 | 50 | Caldas, Antioquia |
| 25BAN | 115–135 | 20 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 135–154 | 19 | Antioquia |
| connecting roads | 154–158 | 4 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 158–199 | 41 | Antioquia |
- Mile 2 of this route: Valle del Cauca → Risaralda (department line)
- Mile 18 of this route: Risaralda → Caldas (department line)
- Mile 55 of this route: Caldas → Risaralda (department line)
- Mile 58 of this route: Risaralda → Caldas (department line)
- Mile 93 of this route: Caldas → Antioquia (department line)
Stops between Cartago and Guatapé
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (mile 144), Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, La Estrella (mile 149), El Castillo Museum (mile 155), Casa de la Convención (mile 175)
- Nature and outdoors: Arví Park (mile 162)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (mile 144), Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, La Estrella (mile 149), El Castillo Museum (mile 155), Parque de la Conservación (mile 156), San Pedro Cemetery Museum (mile 158), Casa de la Convención (mile 175)
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas
This Catholic cathedral in the Colombian municipality of Caldas is dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy and serves as the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Caldas.
Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, La Estrella
Part of the Archdiocese of Medellín, this Catholic minor basilica dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá stands in the municipality of La Estrella, Antioquia.
El Castillo Museum
In Medellín's El Poblado district, El Castillo Museum displays porcelain and glass, stained glass, antiques, paintings and sculptures in its permanent exhibitions.
Parque de la Conservación
Formerly the Santa Fe Zoo and renamed in 2020, Medellín's Parque de la Conservación holds more than 500 animals of 122 species, mostly from the Americas.
San Pedro Cemetery Museum
Built in 1842 and named a museum in 1998, Medellín's San Pedro Cemetery Museum was declared a national monument of Colombia in 1999.
Arví Park
On the eastern slopes of the Aburrá Valley above Medellín, Arví Park is both a nature preserve and a pre-Hispanic archaeological site, reaching into Envigado, Bello and Copacabana.
Casa de la Convención
Built in colonial style, the Casa de la Convención is a history museum honoring the Constitution of the United States of Colombia, which was written in this building.
Arriving in Guatapé
Embalse del Peñol
Embalse del Peñol (Embalse Peñol-Guatapé) is a reservoir in eastern Antioquia that covers a quarter of Guatapé's land. Visitors come for water sports and rides on motorboats, jet skis and yachts.
More drives to Guatapé
- Quibdó to Guatapé
- Manizales to Guatapé
- Pereira to Guatapé
- Armenia to Guatapé
- Tuluá to Guatapé
- Cali to Guatapé
From Cartago to other places in Colombia
- Cartago, Colombia to Girardot City
- Cartago, Colombia to Zipaquirá
- Cartago, Colombia to Sogamoso
- Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Cartago, Colombia to Magangué
- Cartago, Colombia to Rincón del Mar
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cartago, Colombia to Guatapé?
About 6 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 199 miles.
How far is Guatapé from Cartago, Colombia by car?
About 199 miles (320 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cartago to Guatapé drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Colombia: Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Cartago to Guatapé?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (cathedral, mile 144, 0.2 mi from the route); El Castillo Museum (museum, mile 155, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de la Convención (museum, mile 175, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.