Hi, I’m Will Duran.
I am not a tour operator. I don’t own a bus. I don’t employ guides. And I am definitely not trying to sell you a ticket to a “Narco Theme Park.”
I am a traveler and writer who spent a couple of years living in Medellin. When I first arrived, I had a backpack and a head full of stereotypes from Netflix.
Why This Site Exists
When I first arrived in Colombia, I wanted to see the history I had watched on screen. I booked the first “Pablo Escobar Tour” I found on Google.
It was a disaster.
I was packed into a hot van with 20 other people, driven to a random wall in a random neighborhood, and told a script that was 50% Wikipedia and 50% pure fiction. I felt like a walking wallet. Worse, I felt disrespectful to the locals who actually lived through the violence.
I realized that finding a good, honest, and safe tour in Medellin is harder than it looks. There are hundreds of operators, and many are just tourist traps.
I created this website to solve that problem.
My Mission: Unfiltered Truth
My goal is simple: to help you navigate the complex history of Medellin without wasting your money or offending the locals.
- I’ve personally explored and tested the routes I write about.
- I pay close attention to the practical logistics — including what can actually go wrong on the way to places like La Catedral.
- I recommend only operators that treat this history with the respect it deserves.
An Important Note on Ethics
Medellin has undergone a remarkable transformation. While this site focuses on the “Escobar” history because that is what many travelers search for, I always encourage you to look beyond it.
The tours I recommend are carefully selected. They don’t glorify the violence; they explain it. They don’t treat the drug lord as a hero; they focus on the resilience of the city and the people who lived through that period, including at places such as Inflexion Park and Comuna 13.
Independent & Unbiased
Transparency Disclosure: This is an informational blog. I may earn a small commission if you book a tour through links on this site (at no extra cost to you). This helps keep the server running and the coffee brewing.
However, I am independent. No tour company pays me to write positive reviews. If a tour is bad, unsafe, or a scam, I will tell you bluntly.
Medellin remains one of my favorite cities in the world. I spent a couple of years living there, and the city left a much bigger impression on me than the Escobar story that first brought me there.
I hope this site helps you see that side of Medellin too.
Safe travels,
Will Duran