Prado Reservoir
A large Tolima reservoir with islands and inlets, called the inland sea locally, built for power in the 1970s.
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The reservoir was created by damming the Prado river in the early 1970s for hydroelectricity, flooding a valley and leaving an irregular body of water of around forty square kilometres with hills standing as islands and long inlets running back into the surrounding country - which is what generates the local name of Tolima's inland sea. It is warm, at about four hundred metres, and used for boating, fishing and water sports, with lodges around the shore and boat access to places with no road. Petroglyphs from pre-Hispanic peoples are found on rocks around the margins. Water levels vary with generation and rainfall and can drop substantially in dry periods, exposing shoreline and stranding jetties.
What you actually see
- Around forty square kilometres of water - hills left as islands.
- Long inlets into the surrounding country - reached only by boat.
- Petroglyphs on rocks at the margins - pre-Hispanic.
- Lodges around the shore - some accessible only by water.
When to go
December to March. A full day or overnight.
Honest expectations
Water level varies with power generation and can be low, exposing muddy shoreline. Boat hire is informal and prices should be agreed. It is hot. Weekends and holidays bring crowds from Ibague and Bogota.
Nearby
Prado town is on the shore; Espinal is north.
What to pack for Prado Reservoir
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.