By Karen Quinn-Panzer
Travel Matters
Karen Quinn-Panzer
For the last five years, AmaWaterways has been working on bringing river cruising to Colombia on the Magdelena River. Dubbed the “river of life,” it is the second most biodiverse river in the world – second only to the Amazon. AmaWaterways faced a monumental task which required finding the right partner in Colombia to build the infrastructure along the river and the right shipbuilder to build two new river ships that are ideally suited to the Magdelena.
AmaWaterways has knocked it out of the park. The itinerary runs on the AmaMagdelena ship from Cartagena to Baranquilla (the second largest Carnivale destination in the world). AmaMelodia runs a similar itinerary with a few differences. Pre- and post-trips include two nights in Cartagena – or you can spend three nights in Medellin and two nights in Cartagena. Post trips includes Panama, featuring a tour of the Panama Canal.
The bulk of the trip, however, is exploring these small towns and cities along the river to learn about Colombian nature, culture and flavors. There are three river guides onboard who are founts of knowledge about the people, the flora and wildlife of the area. The common birds of the lower Magdelena are mostly indigenous, a birdwatcher’s dream.
The ship is beautiful with only 30 cabins, a restaurant featuring both Colombian dishes and Western food for those who prefer it; and a top sundeck and pool, which you truly enjoy with the Colombian weather. The ship has been designed by a well-known designer from Colombia and the co-owner, Kristin Karst, has hand-picked paintings from Cartagena – from the artsy section of Getsemeni. The lounge is inviting and friendly in terms of the setup, with Jenga and other games to enjoy while sailing down the river.
While the temperature only gets up in the 80s, it’s humid, and AmaWaterways has planned outdoor activities and exploration for morning and just before sunset. In between, you can enjoy Spanish lessons, learning local dances and enjoying musicians such as tonight’s jazz duo.
Mompox is the name of the main city along the river, and we are spending two nights there with nature trips in smaller boats that hold 20 people each so we can get closer to the nature – in early morning and at sunset. We also have the opportunity to go to a filagree factory, which is the most popular form of jewelry in Colombia – and actually try our hand at this ancient metalwork.
While we are at the beginning of our trip, one of the highlights is spending 48 hours in Cartagena – a more tropical and Latin version of New Orleans. The old town pulses in the evening with people enjoying this metropolis with its bouganvillia and street art everywhere.
The Navigation Museum was very educational about Colombia, the only country in South America bordered by two oceans. With direct five-hour flights from JFK, I highly recommend the river cruise on the AmaMagdelena.
Karen Quinn-Panzer is the owner and vacation specialist at Dream Vacations Quinn Panzer Travel in Milford.