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AMA Waterways Wonders of Colombia

After many years of being misunderstood by the world, Colombia is finally ready to be seen.

River Cruise: Wonders of Colombia
Cartagena to Barranquilla on the Magdalena River

Review Date – September 2025

Wonders of Colombia – Know Before You Go

If you think Colombia is still a land of drug cartels and violence, let me be the first to show you something very different. I just returned from this life-altering trip and can’t wait to share all the details with those of you who are researching it for yourselves. If you are worried about the safety of traveling in Colombia, put your fears aside. The AMA Waterways and the Magdalena River will carry you safely throughout your journey.

Overall, I my ratings uses a 5-star system. I’m giving AMA Waterway’s Wonders of Colombia itinerary 10 STARS. They earned every one of them. I would like to express my eternal gratitude to the AMA Waterways family for opening up this incredible jewel of a country for the world to see.

AMA Waterways

Family-owned AMA Waterways has been cruising the rivers of the world since 2002. Their mission is “to personally connect with our guests and make a positive impact on the world so that every mile of your river cruise experience becomes one of their most cherishes memories.”

AMA Waterways has boats in the usual river cruise destinations − Europe, Asia, Africa. But they are the first to go to Colombia and to pioneer river cruising on the magnificent Magdalena River. It is my understanding that they spent 5 years preparing the river, building infrastructure, connecting to local communities and developing an itinerary that would tempt travelers to brave Colombia, a country whose reputation tends to be overshadowed by its less-than-appealing history as a place ruled by drug lords and a people imprisoned by fear and violence.

I am forever grateful to have been one of the first people to take this journey and to experience the magic of Colombia for myself. This itinerary is a treasure-trove of tradition, history, abundant natural beauty and rich culture.

Wonders of Colombia- Getting There

AMA Waterways Wonders of Colombia begins in Cartagena which is just over 2 hours by plane from Miami. Arrival was easy, Uber is available to take you to your hotel (or take advantage of the pre-cruise extension with AMA and they will arrange it for you).

Fly into Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG), go through customs and head out to the taxi stand. Your AMA Waterways representative will be waiting for you. The drive to the walled city and your hotel (Sofitel Legend Santa Clara) is just a few minutes.

I took advantage of 2 days in Cartagena pre-cruise, but wish I would have also added the additional 2 days in Medellin − somehow this was not offered when I originally booked and may not be available on all dates.

Magic of Colombia is the itinerary that goes in the opposite direction from Barranquilla to Cartagena. I was originally booked on this route and ended up switching. Now that I’ve experienced the itinerary, I would recommend the Wonders of Colombia route over the reverse just based on the way the trip unfolded.

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara – Cartagena

AMA Waterways has partnered with the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara as their pre-cruise hotel. It is a beautiful and historic hotel that has served at various times in history as a prison, a hospital and a convent. Arrival and check-in was smooth. Hotel staff everywhere you turned. They were courteous and professional. The rooms were very nice, good A/C, cramped bathroom but up to date enough to meet my standards.

The hotel has French influences in addition to Colombian. I was surprised to find a full-on French patisserie display in the breakfast buffet. It was really over the top.

Pro-Tip: I booked a massage and a facial at the hotel spa in advance because I had a 1/2 day free. The spa was nice, services were B+ but the prices were A+ compared to the U.S.

Pro Tip #2: I also booked a 10-course tasting dinner at Restaurant 1621 in the hotel. I highly recommend it. Some dishes were spectacular, some just really good but the dining space is absolutely gorgeous and has its own history. Even with wine and after dinner drinks I believe my bill was still only around $150!! Also, be sure to be in the El Coro Lounge bar around 6pm at night…..trust me….see my reviews of this hotel, the restaurant and the bar on TripAdvisor for more details.

AMA Magdalena −The Ship ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Embarkation on the AMA Magdalena was easy and efficient. The boat is brand new, so everything is immaculately clean and still smells new. The room was standard size for a river cruise (160 sq ft I believe) and all rooms have balconies with chairs plus a French balcony. Tons of closet space, a small refrigerator (ask them to turn it on), shelving and a space to tuck your luggage away.

It should be noted that this river cruise ship is about half the size of standard river boats, making for a much more intimate experience. I believe there were only 50 guests on my cruise.

Pro Tip: The hot water in the shower is not intuitive. Ask someone to show you. I took lukewarm showers for 3 days before I figured it out.

I really wanted a 2nd level room or a suite for Wonders of Colombia, but as a solo traveler I could not stomach the extra cost for these luxuries. As it turns out, I was quite happy with my 1st level room. I LOVED being right on the water. There was no benefit to being on the 2nd level from a view perspective. On this route, I was on the left side of the ship. I don’t see any benefit to one side or the other. I also quickly figured out that I would spend most of my time on board on the 3rd floor outdoor viewing deck so the view from the room didn’t really matter.

On the viewing deck, there was ample outdoor seating for all −some covered, some not. The small pool was perfectly placed and believe it or not, they somehow kept the temperature refreshing despite the suffocating heat and humidity. It was the best spot to be during our movement between ports.

Pro-Tip: The ship does not have an elevator. The only way to get from one level to another is an open spiral staircase. I was a little worried about this as the average age of the guests on this trip was probably 75 years old. That said, everyone did fine but be aware of this if you have mobility issues.

Pro-Tip #2: There are yoga mats provided in the gym! The boat ride is smooth enough for outdoor yoga if you find the time. There are yoga classes offered though they were either very early or for those who were not doing excursions.

AMA Magdalena – Food ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Welcome to all of you who skipped the rest and scrolled right to the review of the food. You’re my people 😉

As everyone knows, I have extremely high hopes when it comes to food. I can honestly say that Chef Sebastian Coronel exceeded my expectations at literally every meal. I ate every bite of everything they served me. Somehow I neglected to take photos so that means you’ll just have to wait and see….

Breakfast was buffet style but you could still order eggs, omelets, waffles or just ice cream 🙂 No one is going hungry and they had the full spread out no matter how early the excursions were. Zero complaints. They had all the basics from toasts to cereals to yogurt and granola to fruit to meat and cheese trays. They had hard boiled eggs everyday.

For lunch and dinner, I loved that they put a small table outside of the dining room before each meal showcasing the actual dishes that would be available. Brilliant!! The sight of food is as important to the taste as the actual flavors so that made it much easier to choose a dish that would hit the spot.

A menu was provided with multi-course options for lunch and dinner. As expected, it was WAY more food than one really needs. Two things really impressed me − first, they offered a LEGIT vegetarian option at every meal. Not just roasted vegetables on a plate or a rotating selection of boring pasta. LEGIT vegetarian. Second thing that impressed me was that if you did not want the menu options, you always had a choice to get a salad with a protein (shrimp or salmon) or a burger with french fries. As a french fry connoisseur, I give their fries an A+.

There were no repeats. Not once. The cuisine was flavorful and perfectly executed every time. No request went unanswered. There were ceviches, curries, Mediterranean influences and traditional Colombian flavors. They are making their own ice cream on board and it was hugely popular. I’m not joking – pretty much everyone was adding ice cream to everything by the end of the week.

Chef Sebastian’s team works their assess off (obviously they are one of the Wonders of Colombia themselves). They must be in the kitchen 24 hours a day based on how much food they prepared. It is really unbelievable how much they are doing in such a small space. As if that is not enough, they have a Chef’s Table dinner during 3 nights of the cruise where Chef Sebastian showcases his talents with another totally unique menu. Definitely sign up for that experience.

Pro Tip: The Chef’s Table experience was set up outside only one of the three nights. I would ask about that in advance and plan for that night if you can. Indoors was still lovely, but the outdoor experience would have been more special.

Wonders of Colombia: Excursions & Ports of Call ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Considering that this is a brand new itinerary and that no other tour company operates on the Magdalena River, I thought AMA did an exceptional job of putting together excursions and ports of call. I’m providing a more detailed review of each below.

Seasoned travelers and adrenaline junkies may not find the activity level to be what you are used to, so I encourage you to go into Wonders of Colombia with an open mind and to let it be more about “experiencing” than “doing”. The most magical parts of my trip were not things I did, it was the people I interacted with and the cultural immersion.

Cartagena – The Walled City Walking Tour, San Felipe Castle, Naval Museum, Gold Museum

Pro Tip: Wear flats for navigating the old streets and deep sidewalks.

If you do an extension in Cartagena on the Wonders of Colombia itinerary, you will have a few tour options. I did the walking city tour which was a good way to explore the maze of streets inside the walled city. It was short and sweet. In my case, the guide I got was not very good but I still enjoyed walking around and getting a feel for the overall safety of the neighborhood as part of a group before I wandered on my own.

The Walled City is great for retail therapy. There were all kinds of cute boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops to explore with good quality clothing, art and jewelry. I wish I would have had more time (and more space in my suitcase) to take advantage because the prices were very reasonable for really nice stuff.

I was supposed to do the San Felipe Castle Visit but we got rained out so I took the Gold Museum and Naval Museum tour instead. Normally, this is not my thing at all but I decided to go for it. Glad I did − Eduardo was my guide and he was FANTASTIC.

If you can get me interested in military history AND keep my attention for more than a few minutes, you’re doing something right. I found myself very engaged because of Eduardo’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject. He was able to use the very basic displays in the one-room naval museum to show Cartagena’s importance as a port and how it was relentlessly attacked by potential invaders. I learned a lot.

The gold museum was a quick stop. The best part of that was the video presentation that explains how the indigenous people of Mompox (a port of call later on the trip) were able to tame the wild river they lived on. Take a minute to watch that after Eduardo explains what they did. Like the pyramids of Egypt, scientists and geologists still haven’t figured out how they did it.

The Vaults Walking Tour & Getsemaní

On the day of embarkation for Wonders of Colombia, you can take a morning walking tour of “The Vaults” which is just a visit to a local artisan market. I had seen it as I was passing through the city on the previous day and decided not to take the formal tour, mainly because I had no room for souvenirs. In talking to other guests who did the tour, they didn’t have much to say. There wasn’t any real tour, just time to shop but the quality of goods was just so-so.

DO NOT miss the tour of Getsemaní. This neighborhood was so vibrant and full of life. It is the home of the lowest class of Colombians but it felt more alive than the Walled City by a landslide. Saw some incredible art and bought a few pieces of handmade jewelry along our walk. Eduardo was my guide again, and this is the neighborhood where he lives so it was that much more special with him as the narrator. This was one of my favorite excursions on the Wonders of Colombia itinerary.

Eduardo, muchas gracias por compartir su barrio con nosotros.

Wonders of Colombia: San Basilio de Palenque

The first port of call on Wonders of Colombia is Mahates with a visit to San Basilio de Palenque. This is an important village because it was the first place in Colombia where black people became free. It is also unique because despite being a very rural community, not one person in this village died from COVID.

When the Spanish invaded Colombia, they brought European diseases with them that killed off the indigenous people whom they were using as laborers. They brought millions of Africans to Colombia to serve as workers instead. Some escaped, and they established the hidden town of Palenque. Today, Palenque is still very remote and without consistent resources, but they are working to become recognized as an actual city.

The tour involved guides who actually live in the neighborhood. We saw murals, met the local Medicine Man, and visited a music store. There is also a performance of traditional dance and music before you return to the boat. Have a extra cash on hand to leave for the performers (see my cash and tipping section below).

I wanted one of these bags so bad….someone buy one for me and mail it to Dallas 🙂

Wonders of Colombia: Calamar

This port of call was where I started to get emotional. As we approached the dock, you could see the people lined up on shore to get a look at the foreign strangers. Once we were on land, I was overcome with emotion as my tuk tuk passed through the streets and the people came out of their homes to wave at us.

I was struck by the fact that these people wanted to be seen. They wanted to welcome us to their community. They were full of pride that we had chosen to visit their home. It was reflected on every face I saw. I found myself brought to tears at the simple beauty of being able to give them that small moment of feeling seen.

The town put together a performance for us, again showcasing traditional music and dance. It was SICK. Those boys (and girls) can dance!! There is an opportunity to buy more local crafts so bring a little cash with you.

My tuk tuk driver was Mauricio. He told me that he had a wife and 2 children but that he dreamed of seeing other places someday. The fact that AMA Waterways and Wonders of Colombia had opened the doors of his community to tourists also ignited the fires of hope in Mauricio that someday HE would be the one to travel beyond the borders of his community.

When I left him, he looked at me with a smile but with tears in his eyes and said, “I will remember you. Will you remember me?”

Si Mauricio, siempre te recordaré.

Wonders of Colombia: Tacaloa

This was not a port of call, just a nature excursion by boat. Really fun. The boat was comfortable for the 2 hour ride. We got a demonstration of how the locals net fish.

One of the Wonders of Colombia is the abundant flora and fauna. I am a bird nerd and bird photographer, so this was a great excursion for me as I was able to photographs quite a few marsh species plus the bonus of some water buffalo we came across on our journey. I was using a Nikon D500 with a 500mm fixed lens and easily got every bird we saw.

Bird Report: I got shots of a white faced water tyrant and a pied water tyrant, kingfishers, Tropical kingbirds, kiskadees, a bare faced ibis, a limpkin, neotropic cormorants and more on this excursion plus the usual suspects such as great egrets, osprey, black vulture, and both smooth billed and groove billed anis.

Wonders of Colombia: Mompox

This port of call was a highlight of the Wonders of Colombia itinerary for me. First, the town is just beautiful. It is more sophisticated than other ports of call, so get you can get your retail on and they take credit cards.

I did the city tour which was really nice (but it’s all about getting the right guide as some are just better than others). I wasn’t vibing with my guide, so I just changed the channel on my headset and started listening to Willy, who in my opinion is an excellent guide. Willy has also forged a relationship with a lovely woman in this village who has opened her home to his groups. I won’t spoil the surprise, but try to get in Willy’s group if you can. Those kinds of interactions are GOLD and I’m very glad that I clandestinely moved into Willy’s group right before he made that visit.

Mompox is known for their handmade filigree jewelry. I did not attend the workshop that AMA set up for guests because I needed some alone time to wander and take a break from a tour. Instead, I spent a few wonderful hours in Mompox, shopping and chatting with the locals. Fortunately I speak some Spanish because I did not find any locals who could speak English. That said, they told me they are excited to welcome tourists and that they want to interact more with the visitors. Please don’t be shy − get out there and just use your smile as your words if you can’t speak the language.

Pro Tip: When shops give you a price, they may say “70” or “50”. They are not quoting U.S. dollars. They mean “70,000 pesos” or “50,000 pesos” which is the equivalent of $18 or $13. The deals are real so take advantage!! The shops and street vendors all took credit cards but not Apple pay.

I bought a total of 4 filigree rings from 4 different shops/street vendors and also got to see how the filigree is made as most shops are actually making the jewelry on site. I also had several cervezas frias because at $4000 pesos for a tall draft ($1 U.S.) I could not resist (another Wonder of Colombia)!

Be sure to get off the boat and wander at night. The town was totally safe and some of my best photos were in the evening.

Mompox – Nature Excursions

Wonders of Colombia offers early morning and early evening nature excursions offered at this port. I did both, of course. I highly recommend doing it at least once. The boat tour is 2 hours but goes by fast. They take you on a canal that is through a marsh. Birdy Disney World!!! We saw a lot more birds on the early tour so if you are a bird nerd, make sure to do the morning excursion.

There is also a chance of seeing howler monkeys…..

Bird Report: I shot photos of yellow crowned night herons, black herons, a rufescent tiger heron, all 3 kingfishers (Amazon, ringed and green), black collared hawks, snail kites, Cocio herons, wattled jacanas, Southern lapwings, striated herons and more on this excursion. And there were always plenty of yellow caracaras and crested caracaras everywhere we went.

Santa Barbara de Pinto

This port was a huge highlight of the trip for me. The excursion starts with a 1-mile walk through a local farm (flat, you can get away with flip flops if you didn’t bring tennis shoes).

Bird Report: I shot a photo of a red-and-green macaw as soon as we stepped off the boat. I also got a olive-gray saltator and a russet-throated puffbird plus good shots of brown throated parakeets on this walk.

From there, you move through town and then see a demonstration of tobacco rolling and how the local fisherman make their nets.

But it was so much more than that….

The local school turned it into a field trip so the local children could come out and interact with us. I spoke with many groups of kids, some very young but others around 10th grade. It was fun to be a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl that day as this is still something novel to people of this community.

The town also put on a dance and music performance for us. This was the most authentic example of cultural immersion I have experienced during my travels. While some of it is “scripted”, this is still a very new route for AMA and they are still working it out in some ways but being able to wander around and talk to children is always unscripted.

There were some vendors selling various items at this stop – nothing that you really wanted to buy, but buy something anyway.

This video of the community is truly a Wonder of Colombia and a video I will treasure forever.

Nueva Venecia or Usiacuri

I was very much looking forward to seeing Nueva Venecia, or New Venice, as it is a community of floating houses. I didn’t even realize until just now as I am going back through my Wonders of Colombia itinerary that we never made it there.

There must have been a change in plans. Instead of Nueva Venecia, we took a trip to the village of Usiacuri. Hidden gem alert!!!! It was a 1 hour bus ride each way (comfortable, air conditioned bus) and totally worth it. My only complaint was that I would have liked to spend at least an hour wandering around the village.

Usiacuri was spotlessly clean, there was an ice cream shop or a bakery on every corner and they had incredible murals on every available space. The community is known for their artisans and their handcrafted rattan goods (things made from dried palm fronds).

Bring your spending money for this trip – I got several pairs of earrings but there was a lot of other good stuff from placemats to napkin holders to purses to belts. It was really just a matter of what I thought I could fit in a suitcase at that point. Credit cards were accepted but cash is always king.

How they make these things is another of the Wonders of Colombia − I couldn’t even weave my single front into a knot.

There wasn’t much in terms of the tour for this village, so I would recommend that AMA combine the art workshop and historical tour with some free time for the Wonders of Colombia itinerary. The village felt incredibly safe and I would have gladly wandered around to photograph the architecture and murals.

Barranquilla

Final stop on Wonders of Colombia! We enjoyed a lovely local Carnaval performance on arrival in Barranquilla. This was a much bigger city that I anticipated. I did not venture into town, but other guests took Ubers to dinner. There did not appear to be a “tourist” area that you could Uber to and there is nothing in walking distance of where the boat docks, so most of the guests just stayed on board to enjoy a final night of one another’s company and the delicious food of Chef Sebastian and his team.

Wonders of Colombia −Service ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

This was my first-ever river cruise. I’m not much for cruising, and my only previous experiences were Carnival way back in my early 20s (and never again), one cruise on Windstar (good) and once with Celebrity (Galapagos so not really a typical cruise).

I am now in love with river cruising. Unpack once, no seasickness, things to look at between ports.

I am more in love with the service of the AMA Waterways team!

The entire crew is from Colombia!! This was a surprise, so my hat is off to AMA for engaging local people, educating them, helping them with their English and making jobs that are meaningful for them so that they can experience the joy of representing their country.

My Cruise Manager was Shadia and she was absolutely lovely. She was always available, and she let me go on and on about how much I loved the cultural immersions after each experience. Shadia, eres mi hermana ahora!

There were two Cruise Managers in training on this ship: Paulina from Cartagena and Olivia from Mompox – tambien, ellos son mis hermanas. Paulina has hips that don’t lie and Olivia keeps a good secret 🙂

The river guides were all outstanding.

Escarli is from Palenque and his community should be very proud that he is representing them. I was having so much fun photographing birds on the farm tour in Santa Barbara de Pinto that I got separated from the group, but Escarli was my wingman so I eventually made it to town. I hope he did not get in trouble for letting me linger behind because it was one of the best parts of my trip (I got a red and green macaw!!).

Willy was my favorite in terms of the quality of his tours. He really knows his history and he feels a passion for sharing it that is evident. Willy (and all the guides) took an interest in my bird photography and in learning about their own national treasures (Colombia has more birds than the U.S., Canada and Central America combined). Willy – I am counting on you to become the best bird guide on the boat!

Jesus was also very knowledgeable about the local history and did a fantastic job of translating local guides when needed. I appreciate that he was patient with me because I have been known to wander off from the group and he never scolded me for it. Jesus was always ready with a playlist for the long rides back to the boat (sometimes strange choices but how can you not love a guy who has Olivia Newton John and Queen on the same playlist)? He also has the most beautiful eyes….follow Jesus!

The kitchen team was really great. Most spoke very good English, some are still learning but they are working very hard and doing just fine. I would like to recognize Jose and Luis as standouts for sure, always greeting me with a smile and always eager to please.

Miguel or “Mike” at the front desk was also always ready to help.

Thank you to Laura, now I can salsa!

Special thank you to Ana who was responsible for housekeeping on Deck 1. She was just lovely and went above and beyond when I needed late laundry or a fresh set of sheets (hot flashes in Colombia are no joke).

What to Pack

It’s hot all day, every day. Pack things that are as light as possible that you can sweat through without showing more than you planned.

Quick dry hiking pants and thin underwear can be washed easily in the sink and hung up to dry on your shower clothesline, but the humidity did make it a little tough to get things totally dry. I wish I had brought more tank tops and less fancy clothes (although you will want fresh clothes for dinner for sure and people did dress up a little meaning no Lulu’s or sweatpants).

You will dry off between excursions, but you will probably want two outfits for lounging around the boat on days when you are not going out, having the spare means you can send one for laundry while wearing the other. Bring two bathing suits, skip the cover ups.

Truth be told, I did not need my tennis shoes for this trip. I did 90% of it in sandals. I had one pair of high heels for dinner and they will stay home next time.

I managed to get everything I needed into one carry-on luggage, but it was packed for sure.

Tipping and Cash

I always convert U.S. currency to local cash before I travel. In this case, I converted $300 U.S. I figured that would be enough for tips and shopping. This was a little over $1 million Colombian pesos (how fun to hold a million dollars in your hand).

Key points to remember − You can prepay your Cruise Manager and river guides, or you can add their tips at the end and have them put on your credit card. I ended up having to do that because I didn’t have enough pesos left to give the tips I wanted. I hate tipping on credit cards so I would bring a lot more cash next time (I also felt the suggested tip amounts were way too small which is why I didn’t have enough cash).

On most excursions, you’ll want $8000 pesos ($2 US) for the boat or van drivers, plus $20000 pesos ($5 US) for the guides. In some cases, your river guide is with you plus a local guide. You don’t need to tip the river guide in that case, just save it for the end. On excursions where I had just my river guide and no local guide, I did give them the tip I had set aside for the local person.

AMA provided a good tipping guide, but I think you may want to double what they suggest just to be safe. My $300 in US converted to pesos was more than enough to tip local guides, drivers and boat captains plus to buy beer when I was thirsty and earrings whenever I saw them. The key is to have a lot of $4000 pesos bills, $10000, $20000 and a couple of $50000 bills.

Recommended Reading

• Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Of Love and Other Demons, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

• Magdalena: River of Dreams, A Story of Colombia, Wade Davis
• Merlin Bird ID App – free to download, then download the species list for Colombia before you travel for easy reference on your trip

Wonders of Colombia −Final Thoughts

I would like to again express my tremendous gratitude to AMA Waterways for pioneering the magnificent Magdalena and opening the door to this incredible country. I have wanted to visit her for so many years, but fear of the safety as a solo female traveler kept me away.

The richness of this experience has forever changed me. I landed back in Dallas but woke up the next morning knowing my heart was still in Colombia.

You accomplished your mission to personally connect with this guest and make an impact on the world. I can truly say that every mile of my journey was a cherished memory. I keep a special journal for recording the most joyous moments of my life, and this trip will require more than one page.

It is harder and harder to find authentic experiences these days, but this trip re-inspired me to keep looking. If you are a student of the world as I am, and you are the kind of person who isn’t afraid to go where others don’t, I highly recommend traveling with AMA Waterways on the Wonder of Colombia itinerary.

I already put my deposit down to come back and do the trip in reverse so I can experience it all over again!

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