Last summer we went to one of Pablo Escobar´s biggest ranchs.
Everyone needs a place to get away, and violent cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar was no exception. The spot he chose was on the shores of the Peñol Reservoir in the idyllic resort town of Guatapé. There, Escobar built a lavish estate called La Manuela (named after his daughter) that would be the scene of one of the most dramatic episodes in his downfall.
Covering eight hectares (20 acres), La Manuela consisted of a stately mansion surrounded by a pool, tennis courts, a soccer field (which doubled as a helipad), stables, a guest house, a seaplane dock, a special driveway for motorcycles, trees imported from around the world, and a security force of 120 goons. The main house was, of course, luxuriously appointed, and even included its own disco tech. It was also built for practicality, however, featuring double-layered walls used for hiding mountains of cash and cocaine. La Manuela was Pablo Escobar’s second-favorite house.
In 1993, it was bombed by Los Pepes, a vigilante group whose name stood for “Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar” (“People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar”). Allegedly funded by the rival Cali Cartel and other enemies of Escobar, Los Pepes stuffed 200kg of TNT into a bathroom at La Manuela, the detonation of which blew the house to bits. Police forces quickly swooped in and seized the drugs and money revealed by the explosion. Escobar was shot and killed by authorities eight months later in Medellín.

La Manuela has now been taken over by nature. Visitors may enter the ruins but must exercise care while on