Join CAU Summer fan-favorite Charlie Green aboard the 64-passenger AmaMelodia as you sail the Magdalena River from Cartagena to Barranquilla, tracing the path of Gabriel García Márquez and the iconic characters of Love in the Time of Cholera.

For rates, terms, and more, download the brochure.

Because cruise pricing can be complex and varies by cabin type, we encourage you to download the brochure and refer to page 7 for a detailed overview of available options and rates.

Charlie Green is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Literatures in English. He is also the author of the newly published novel The Shah of Texas, and the poetry collection Feral Ornamentals. His writing has appeared in Image, New England Review, and Missouri Review Online, among other venues. He teaches a variety of writing courses at Cornell and hosts the Talking Poem Podcast. His critical work engages with the terminology of the creative writing classroom, critical readings of Flannery O'Connor's fiction and essays, and the fiction of Toni Morrison.

On tour, Charlie will provide lectures designed for writers of all genres as well as lead multiple collective writing sessions designed to spark your inspiration in this unique destination.

Be among the first to cruise Colombia's legendary Magdalena River. On this enchanting journey, prepare to be enthralled by Colombia’s sensational landscapes, diverse wildlife, and intriguing cultural heritage. Dive deeper with Senior Lecturer Charlie Green's immersive lectures that bring the literary world of Colombia's renowned authors to life and inspire you to put pen to paper.

AmaMelodia will dock in historic riverside villages, such as the UNESCO recognized San Basilio de Palenque, the first legally free African settlement in the Americas. Learn the history of its residents who still speak Palenquero—the world’s only Spanish-Bantú Creole language.

Aboard the AmaMelodia, you get a front-row seat on your cabin's private balcony to the passing tropical scenery. On exclusive wildlife and bird watching excursions, join naturalists to spot howler monkeys, neotropic cormorants, parrots, and other species in one of Earth’s most biodiverse wetland ecosystems. Delight in the leisurely pace of travel by riverboat, and enjoy the rejuvenating heated pool, fitness room, and spa offering massage and nail services.

In addition to lectures from your CAU Study Tour leader, Charlie Green, enjoy lectures from Yale faculty.

The AmaMelodia has been thoughtfully designed with eco-friendly elements, including LED lights, insulated windows that reduce heating and cooling needs, solar heating systems, and methods of microfiltration and recycling of all water used on board.

Arrive in the historic seaside city of Cartagena and transfer to your hotel for the evening, located within the walls of the Old City, with its colorful architecture and cobblestone streets. A guided walking tour, festive welcome reception, and private dance performance await you this evening.

(Meals included: Reception)

Join an expert-led morning walk along Cartagena’s centuries-old streets shaded by wooden balconies draped in pink bougainvillea. Later, embark the awaiting AmaMelodia and settle into your stateroom as you prepare for your leisurely journey along the Magdalena River. Enjoy New Year’s Eve festivities onboard this evening, counting down to 2026 with fellow guests.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Basilio de Palenque, the Americas’ first legally recognized free Black settlement in 1691, learn local traditions, sample the cuisine, and enjoy a private concert. Later, travel by paolo (a bicycle rickshaw built for two) through Calamar, an 1840s river settlement where the Canal del Dique branches from the Magdalena River.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Spot local landmarks and marvel at intricate handmade crafts on a walking tour in the morning; later, arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mompox, where local musicians will treat you to an exclusive jazz performance.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Dating back to 1540 when this secluded village was a Spanish trading post, Mompox has gained renown for its exquisite filigree jewelry. Later, venture with naturalist guides into Ciénaga de Pijiño to meet a variety of native fauna, including howler monkeys swinging through the canopy. At dinner, sample local delights such as capa cheese.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Travel through the La Mojana wetlands, a vast floodplain where the Magdalena River carves winding channels, en route to El Banco. This region is known as the birthplace of cumbia, an intensely percussive music and dance genre with roots as a courtship dance in Africa that has since incorporated worldwide instrumentation. During dinner, watch local dancers bring cumbia to life during a private performance.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

In Magangué, wake to the calls of tropical birds and head out to explore lush wetlands teeming with life on a guided bird watching tour. Take the optional guided hiking tour through Ciénaga, the town that inspired Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism.

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Discover the floating village of Nueva Venecia (“New Venice”), where a local guide will lead you through stilted houses and canals in this remarkable waterborne community. Sail into Barranquilla, Colombia’s “Golden Gate,” where the Magdalena River spills into the Caribbean. This evening, experience the vibrancy of Barranquilla’s UNESCO-honored Carnival a month before the official holiday. Celebrate with a farewell event filled with cumbia and the flavors of sancocho de guandú (hearty meat-and-pea stew) and bollos de yuca (cassava dumplings).

(Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Disembark AmaMelodia early this morning and transfer to the Barranquilla or the Cartagena airport for your afternoon flight home.

(Meals included: Breakfast)

December 30, 2025 - January 7, 2026
Aboard the AmaMelodia
Featuring Charlie Green, Senior Lecturer in Cornell's Department of Literatures in English
In partnership with Arrangements Abroad

To reserve your space, contact CAU partner Arrangements Abroad:
Phone: 800-221-1944  |  Email: trips@arrangementsabroad.com

December 7 - 18, 2025
Study Tour featuring Warren Allmon,  Director of the Paleontological Research Institution
In partnership with Lindblad Expeditions
Registration is open!

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