AmaWaterways is adding a Peru land program that ends at Machu Picchu to its Colombia river cruise, marking the company’s first product in that country. The 6-day extension will follow select 2027 departures of the Magic of Colombia itinerary starting in April, and from 2028 it will be offered with all post-cruise sailings of that itinerary.
The extension begins where the cruise ends. Guests leave the ship in Cartagena and fly to Lima on airfare included in the land price, then travel inland to Cusco and the Sacred Valley, finishing with a privately guided visit to Machu Picchu. “We have always believed the best and most memorable experiences are those that connect our guests deeply to the places they visit,” said Catherine Powell, CEO of AmaWaterways, in a press statement.
AmaWaterways: Luxury Options
For clients, the main decision is which of two hotel tiers to book. The Boutique option, which the company ties to The Luxury Collection, uses The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, Tambo del Inka, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa and Palacio del Inka, A Luxury Collection Hotel. The Iconic option includes Belmond Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel in Lima and Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel in Cusco. Rail service to Machu Picchu runs on the Hiram Bingham, A Belmond Train (Iconic tier), or first-class Inca Rail.
Between flights and trains, the program mixes guided touring with unscheduled hours, a flexible, semi-guided format. A local guide leads clients through Lima’s Miraflores and Barranco neighborhoods. In the Andes, stops include Ollantaytambo, the Maras salt pans, the agricultural terraces at Moray, Cusco’s historic center, the Sacsayhuaman hilltop fortress and Koricancha, a former Inca temple, with free time left for Cusco’s streets. The tour also covers Peruvian food, art and local traditions.
Why it Matters
The 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report, based on a survey of more than 3,100 advisors, found clients building multicity trips around contrast, such as pairing time in a city with time in the countryside, and ranked cultural immersion among its top five travel trends. The same report found that 59 percent of advisors expect spending per trip to rise at least modestly, making the hotel-tier choice a natural place to discuss an upgrade.
For more information, visit amawaterways.com.
