Hacienda Nápoles: Pablo Escobar's ranch today (2026 visitor guide)

• Km 165Medellín-Bogotá highway
• Wed-Sun+ holidays, 8:30am to 5pm
• From COP 99,000Basic adult pass (~US$25, 2026)
• ~1,000 hapark area (El Colombiano)

From Pablo Escobar's hacienda to theme park

Escobar bought the land in the late 1970s and built a private zoo there with animals smuggled in from Africa and the US, an airstrip, a bullring and the gate topped with a small plane. After his death in 1993 the estate was seized by the state and fell into ruin. In 2007 it reopened as Hacienda Nápoles Parques Temáticos, a park of about 1,000 hectares (around 600 of forest and reserves, per El Colombiano) with more than 80 attractions.

Today the park is about rescued wildlife, water parks and remembrance. The Museo Memorial inside the old house ruins is dedicated to the victims of drug-trafficking violence. If you are coming for the history, budget time for it, and read about Escobar's hippos, which still live in the area.

Then and now

• Then (1980s): private zoo, Escobar's mansion, vintage cars and a runway.
• Now: the mansion ruins house the memorial museum; the zoo became wildlife sanctuaries for rescued animals; the grounds hold water parks, a dinosaur park and a new ride park.

The parks, one by one

• Wildlife sanctuaries: African Savanna (hippos, zebras, an elephant, big cats, meerkats, crocodiles), Amazon Safari (capybaras, tapirs, deer, monkeys), butterfly house, reptile house and turtle pond.
• Aventura Jurásica + Octopus water zone: giant dinosaurs, an animatronic dinosaur cave and family slides.
• Aventura Acuática water park: Río Salvaje lazy river, Cataratas Victoria and Cobras slides.
• Mundo de Pangea / Kamaria: a giant sphere, extreme slides and the Vanessa show.
• Parque Congo: 20+ thrill rides including Colombia's tallest drop tower.
• Museums: Memorial Museum and African Museum.

2026 ticket prices (summary)

Colombian pesos, official site haciendanapoles.com, October 18, 2026. See all extra costs and discounts.

Opening hours

Wednesday to Sunday and holiday Mondays, 8:30am-5pm; the ticket office opens at 8am. Water zones open around 9-10am and close around 4pm. Closed on regular Mondays and Tuesdays. Arrive early, the heat kicks in by mid-morning (see Doradal weather).

The hippos

The four hippos Escobar imported in the 1980s multiplied out of control: the 2022 official survey counted 169 (estimated 181-215) in the region, according to the Environment Ministry's management plan. Inside the park you can see them near Hotel África. Read the full story.

Getting there

The entrance is on the Medellín-Bogotá highway in Doradal. It is about 3-4 hours from Medellín (route and buses) and 5-7 from Bogotá (route and buses). If you arrive by bus at the Doradal terminal, take a taxi or moto-taxi to the gate. Prefer an organized trip? See Hacienda Nápoles tours from Medellín.