Plan on about 5 h 26 min of driving for the 175-mile (282 km) trip from Manizales to Guatapé, before any stops.
Read the full advisory before you go: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Colombia: “Travel only during daylight hours.”
| Total distance | 175 mi (282 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | 25BAN |
| Departments on the route | Caldas, Antioquia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Manizales to Guatapé drive plays out
25BAN (20 mi) carries about 11% of the 175 miles. It runs through 2 departments: Caldas, Antioquia. Of the 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Manizales and Guatapé
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–91 | 91 | Caldas, Antioquia |
| 25BAN | 91–111 | 20 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 111–125 | 14 | Antioquia |
| connecting roads | 125–126 | 1 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 126–130 | 4 | Antioquia |
| connecting roads | 130–134 | 4 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 134–175 | 41 | Antioquia |
- Mile 69 of this route: Caldas → Antioquia (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Manizales and Guatapé
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (mile 121), Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, La Estrella (mile 125), El Castillo Museum (mile 130), Casa de la Convención (mile 152)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (mile 121), Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá, La Estrella (mile 125), El Castillo Museum (mile 130), Museum of Antioquia (mile 134), Casa de la Convención (mile 152)
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.
Museum of Antioquia
This Medellín art museum holds a large collection of works by Medellín native Fernando Botero and by Pedro Nel Gómez.
Teatro Lido
On the edge of Bolívar Park in Medellín, the Teatro Lido opened in 1945 and reopened in 2007 after a careful restoration.
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.
Once you reach 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
- Pereira to Guatapé
- Cartago, Colombia to Guatapé
- Armenia to Guatapé
- Tuluá to Guatapé
- Cali to Guatapé
From Manizales to other places in Colombia
- Manizales to Girardot City
- Manizales to Tuluá
- Manizales to Zipaquirá
- Manizales to Tunja
- Manizales to Sogamoso
- Manizales to Yopal
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Manizales to Guatapé?
About 5 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 175 miles.
How far is Guatapé from Manizales by car?
About 175 miles (282 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.
Is it safe to drive from Manizales to Guatapé?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Manizales to Guatapé?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, Caldas (cathedral, mile 121, 0.1 mi from the route); El Castillo Museum (museum, mile 130, 0.5 mi from the route); Casa de la Convención (museum, mile 152, 0.2 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.