I just returned from an absolutely life-changing trip to Colombia and wanted to put some thoughts down before the emotions and impressions of this magical journey inevitably begin to slip away. If you do not have Colombia on your list of places to travel, I’m about to change that for you.
Colombia, me robaste el corazon − Colombia, you stole my heart!
Why Colombia?
Ever since romance novelist Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) traveled to Cartagena in the 1984 movie Romancing the Stone, I have dreamed of traveling to Colombia. “Cartagena” – it sounded so exotic! I was captivated by the images of the cities, the jungle, the language, the danger and the exhilaration of her adventure and her romance with bird smuggler, Jack Colton (Michael Douglas).
It took me 21 years to get there, mainly due to safety concerns, but my fascination with this place and the desire to travel there never waned.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez – A National Treasure
One of my all-time favorite books is Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The author is one of Colombia’s most important national treasures. In this love story, Garcia Marquez captures the essence of this magical place and the depth of the heart of the Colombian people. His use of words to describe the pain of his unrequited love for Fermina Daza is heartbreakingly poetic.
This book is an absolute must-read before a trip to Colombia. It gives you a sense of place, plus you will visit some of the locations in this book on the Wonders of Colombia itinerary.
Recommended Reading – Magdalena: River of Dreams by Wade Davis
As a solo female traveler, I had some trepidation leading up to this trip. It didn’t help that when I began a search for reading material on the history of Colombia, 90% of the search results related to Pablo Escobar and Colombia’s infamous history as the land of drug cartels, kidnapping and violence.
Fortunately, I found Magdalena by Wade Davis which is an incredibly rich and exhaustive history of Colombia that sketched out the complicated history of this place while also painting the picture of the importance and significance of the Rio Magdalena. If you decide to take this trip, it is a must-read but I would recommend listening to it as an audiobook and giving yourself plenty of time to get through it before you travel.
The book transports you through the formative years of the country and captures the essence of its complex history. I re-listened to parts of the book as I traveled which made the experience all the more vibrant.
Colombia – The Land of a Thousand Rhythms
Colombia is referred to as The Land of a Thousand Rhythms because of its music. The blend of sounds influenced by indigenous people, Spanish conquerors and African slaves makes up the score that accompanies you throughout your travels. It’s a powerful and sometimes chaotic blend of a war cry, of desperation, heart break, exhilaration and ecstasy all rolled into one.
The Magdalena River
For this trip, I spent the majority of the time on El Rio Magdalena, the main river in Colombia which travels nearly 1000 miles through the entire western side of the country. The Magdalena played a critical role in the history of Colombia due to it being the main transportation and communication route between the Andes mountains and the Caribbean sea. It is also home to some of the most abundant natural treasures in the world – birds!
Colombia has more birds than the U.S., Canada and Central America combined so I have been eager to get started on meeting their birds. This was not primarily a birding trip, but I saw a total of 51 birds in what would be the equivalent of 1.5 days of birding. For me, 24 were new life listers which is incredible for one trip. Traveling by river was a great way to get started on exploring the birds of this country without spending so much time on the road. I know that I barely scratched the surface.
Until very recently, there was no way to travel by river in Colombia as a tourist. AMA Waterways has spent the past 5 years on a mission to change that in an effort to find a way to open the doors and windows of this South American treasure to the world.
My detailed review of my trip on the AMA Magdalena is coming soon, but I have to express my overwhelming gratitude to this family for what they have accomplished. The Magdalena River is the vein of life in Colombia, and I am forever changed after being carried on the arms of her currents and by her people.
A New Bookmark in the History of Colombia – AMA Magdalena
The launch of the AMA Waterways river cruise will bookmark a new chapter in the history of Colombia. For the first time ever, Colombians will truly be seen by the world. They will be seen for their rich history, their pride, for their resiliency, for their passion of country and not for being the invisible prisoners of drug lords.
To the People of Colombia – I See You
I was overcome with emotion on this trip more times than I can count. I experienced the kind of joy that can’t be predicted or prepared for, but which is now forever imprinted on my soul. I keep a journal for recording the most important moments of my life, and I will need more than one page to record my experiences on this trip.
In every village we visited, we were greeted by crowds. They were cautious and curious but I found that when I offered a wide smile and a “buenos dias” it was quickly and eagerly returned. I experienced their joyful anticipation as we arrived and the warm embrace of each culture as it unfolded.
We traveled past many villages along the route where we did not stop yet the people of the village came out to see us drift past, waving and even in some cases cheering for us. It was powerful to experience their excitement to welcome foreign visitors to their world. I found myself glued to the railing of the ship, waving back and making huge heart shapes with my arms which were quickly returned by those who could see me from land. It turns out we speak the same language after all.
The impression I had over and over again as the journey progressed was how much people want to be seen. We all just want to be seen.
I returned to Dallas on Saturday night, but when I woke up Sunday morning I realized my heart was still in Colombia. It has been 4 days since my return, and still I feel a sense of loss at leaving the country, the birds and the people behind. To quote Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “I love you not because of who you are, but for who I am when I’m with you“.
Without the hospitality of the people who shepherded me on this trip, I would have just been another tourist. It was not only the crew of the AMA Magdalena who made my trip special, but the smiles and spirit of every single Colombian I encountered along my journey.
My sincere thank you to everyone at AMA Waterways – Shadia, Jesus, Willy, Escarli, Olivia, Paulina, Luis, Jose, Ariel, Miguel (my future PR agent), Chef Sebastian, Ana, Laura and many others- if I forgot your name, just know I will not forget you. Special shout out to Eduardo in Cartagena for sharing the neighborhood of Getsemani with me – someone share this with Eduardo!
I want to say to all of the people of Colombia, I see you. I see your beauty, your unique history, your resilience as a people, your pride in your heritage, your passion to share it with me. I see you in the images of your artwork, I taste you in the flavors of your food, I savor the scents of you carried on the river breezes, I feel you in the rhythms of your music and I carry you forever in my heart.
Colombia, me robaste el corazón. Siempre te recordaré. Regresso pronto, mi amor.
A full review of my Wonders of Colombia trip and how I traveled through the country is now posted on my website.
We are taking this cruise in February 2026 and reading your article was super helpful! Do you happen to remember the timing of the walled city walking tour in the pre cruise time in Cartagena?
Sorry for the delayed response! I missed your comment! The walled city tour was on arrival day, so 2 days before departure. It was around 3pm so that most people had arrived and had time to check in. Don’t miss the walking tour of Getsemani! That is on embarkation day and so wonderful!