AmaWaterways has found a way to pair two of South America's biggest draws in one trip. Guests booked on the line's Magdalena River sailings in Colombia can now add a post-cruise land tour to Machu Picchu in Peru, with departures available from April 2027.
The add-on works like this: after disembarking in Cartagena as normal, travellers fly to Lima for a five-night extension. The tour begins in the Peruvian capital with guided time in the coastal neighbourhoods of Miraflores and Barranco, both known for food and atmosphere, before the group continues to Cusco. There, the focus shifts to Inca heritage and colonial architecture, plus plenty of Peruvian cooking.
The centrepiece is the trip to Machu Picchu itself, taken aboard either the Hiram Bingham, A Belmond Train, or a first-class Inca Rail service, with a local guide alongside. The itinerary also threads in the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo, the striking Maras salt pans, Moray's concentric agricultural terraces, Cusco's historic centre, the former Inca temple of Koricancha and the hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
It doesn't come cheap. The Boutique version of the five-night package costs £4,081 per person on top of the cruise, while the Luxury tier runs to £6,620 per person. For context, the seven-night Magic of Colombia sailing from Barranquilla to Cartagena starts from £5,176 per person, based on a 15 May 2027 departure.
Why does this matter beyond one itinerary? AmaWaterways is the only major river cruise line operating on the Magdalena, so if the idea of a Colombian river cruise appeals, this is essentially the only game in town — and now it can stretch across two countries. It also signals where luxury river cruising is heading, something AmaWaterways chief executive Catherine Powell was explicit about, describing the tour as part of the line's evolving approach and its first-ever Peruvian journey.
The timing fits a broader boom. Industry body Cruise Lines International Association counts 21 new river ships due to enter service in 2027, spread across the Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Mekong and Amazon. AmaWaterways itself is launching three — AmaRudi, AmaFiora and AmaMaya — while Celebrity Cruises moves into the sector with Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker. Emerald Cruises adds Emerald Lumi on the Seine and Emerald Nova on the Douro, and Uniworld brings in S.S. Audrey, S.S. Marlene and S.S. São Rafael.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple. If you've been weighing a Magdalena cruise against a Peru trip, you can now do both without stitching the logistics together yourself — trains, internal flights, guides and hotels are handled. It suits travellers with the budget and time for a two-week-plus South America holiday, and anyone who'd rather see Machu Picchu with the rails-and-ruins arrangements sorted. Expect the pricier tiers to sell first on early departures, so booking ahead for 2027 dates makes sense.
