The drug lord’s paradise
People seem to be weirdly attracted to tragedy and death. That might show in their interest in serial killers, national disasters or other dark stuff. And where there’s interest, there is also an opportunity to earn some money. That is crystal clear to people who dabble in dark tourism.
Dark tourism, also known as black or grief tourism, is defined as tourism that involves traveling to places associated with death and tragedy. One might say that even the concentration camps from WWII are a form of dark tourism, even though they of course primarily serve as a memorial and a reminder of history that shouldn’t be repeated. There are other tragic sites that attract millions of tourists every year, for example Ground Zero in New York or Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
However, there is one country in particular that has seen a significant rise in dark tourism, all thanks to a super popular Netflix show called Narcos. The show is about the rise and fall of the (probably) most famous drug lord in the world, Pablo Escobar. In its three seasons, the show has gained such a following, the Colombian people realized they can do something about it. Pablo Escobar has killed (or had them killed ) thousands of people, but the show is crafted in such a way that a viewer still kind of likes the guy. And if the viewer is also a traveler by heart, what better idea there is than to choose Colombia for your next travel destination?
A Paisa Robin Hood or a monster?
If Narcos make you want to visit Colombia, you already know the place to go first if you really want to follow Escobar’s footsteps. Medellín, the second largest city in Colombia with the population of over three million people. Also Escobar’s hometown, the place where people still can’t decide if he was their Robin Hood or the biggest monster that ever lived.
An honest Colombian tour guide will tell you that of course one shouldn’t idolize Escobar, and the older people know that, because they still remember the time when Medellín was the most dangerous city in the world and the corpses in the street were an everyday thing. On the other hand, young people are the ones who don’t remember the terror of the ’80s and they only know Escobar as a character from the telenovela El Patron or as the Robin Hood who used his immense wealth to build their neighborhoods and the soccer fields children run on.
But in the end, all of them try to make money from it until the hype lasts. You will notice tons of t-shirts with the drug lord’s face on it, saying ‘El Patron’, like he is the Che Guevara of Colombia, and several tour agencies offering tourists what they came for — a piece of his life.
Paintball on “La Manuela”
One of the many agencies that are trying to milk the cow that is Escobar, so to speak, is the VIT Tours Medellín. They are also offering other tours, for example a graffiti tour of the town, which is also very famous for its colorful walls, a coffee tour and also paragliding in Cocorna Valley and San Felix.
Someone in the agency came up with a very peculiar idea, but it works wonderfully. Tourists that are there for Escobar, definitely get what they wanted.
The agency offers a paintball tour, but not just anywhere — it takes place on the ranch La Manuela, once owned by Escobar, named after his daughter. It was blown up by his enemies, so it’s mostly ruins, but you can still get a feeling of his wealth.
The whole tour is built to make you feel like you’re on an adventure. After a two hours’ bus ride from Medellin, you arrive to the small replica of an old town of Peñol de Guatapé, which was destroyed due to construction of the neighboring reservoir. There the group that usually consists out of 20 to 30 people boards a jeep, and oh, man, is it a bumpy ride. A friendly tip: even though it looks like fun, don’t choose to sit on the roof of the jeep. You will have to hold on for dear life and your butt might hurt quite a bit.
After arriving, the tour guides give a half an hour or so tour of the property, where you once again hear tons of almost unbelievable facts about Escobar and his extravagant life style that make your jaw drop. For example, not one of the magnificent trees on the ranch is originally from Colombia — he had them all imported from countries all over the world, so you can also capture a true Canadian maple with your camera. The view is gorgeous and it is said that’s the reason Escobar bought the property in the first place. As he named it after his daughter, it’s presumed it meant a big deal to him.
What’s the most interesting (and bizarre) thing about the place is that the owner is not the state, but an ex-bodyguard of Escobar, who has been the caretaker of the house for more than 30 years now. He has worked for Escobar since he was 16 and sometimes he even joins the tour. We weren’t that lucky.
After the tour, it’s paintball time. Be better prepared than we were and wear some jeans and thicker clothing, because the protective clothes you get aren’t protecting you at all. Your head and face is of course safe under the mask, but do wear it at all times. Your legs on the other hand might hurt noticeably, especially if you bruise easily. But the thrill and fun you get out of the experience — totally worth it! Besides the game “Capture the Flag”, there is one game in which one team is the police and the other is Pablo and his bodyguards. The mission is to “kill” Pablo in 15 minutes. Dark tourism at its finest.
You get quite an exercise out of it, so the lunch that follows on the property is more than welcome. That is followed by a refreshing boat ride to the town of Guatapé, where you get a coffee and some free time to explore one of the most colorful and charming little towns in the region.
And you surely need that rest, because what follows can be pretty exhausting. Climbing “El Peñol”, the second biggest rock in South America with an elevation of 2,135 meters, is not a piece of cake. The 659 stairs that take you to the top take quite a toll on your already battered legs, but the view is as breathtaking as the climb.
What does that part of the tour have to do with Escobar? Not much, but it definitely adds a nice and not so violent touch.
The other things to see in Medellín are the Monaco Building, where Escobar lived with his family and where his daughter Manuela was hurt in a bomb explosion. There is also “La Catedral”, a prison he built for himself … and later escaped it as well. If you want to get really dark, you can also visit his grave and see the rooftop where he was killed by the police in 1993, one day after his 44th birthday.
Is it twisted and dark? Yes. You still want to do it? Go ahead, dark tourism is definitely a thing right now.
