October 31-November 20, 2012
Meet fellow travelers, lecturers, and expedition leaders at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner at our fine hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Board our private jet bound for the jungles of El Petén in northeast Guatemala. On arrival, transfer to our hotel that overlooks Lake Petén Itza inside the Cerro Cahui Protected Biotope. Discover tropical birds such as brilliantly plumed parrots and large-billed toucans on a birdwatching excursion, or during an independent hike.
The next day, explore the awe-inspiring ruins of Tikal, erected 2,000 years ago by the Maya. Tikal flourished for hundreds of years, reaching its peak from A.D. 550 to 850. Mysteriously abandoned, the city was lost to the jungle for a thousand years until its rediscovery in 1848. Visit Tikal’s monuments including the Temple of the Great Jaguar and the Temple of the Masks, which tower 300 feet above the jungle; and the Observatory, ingeniously built to display the sun’s position during annual solstices. Enjoy your choice of activities such as a hike in Cerro Cahui Natural Reserve, a cruise on Lake Petén Itza, a visit with a local school, a harness ride over the jungle canopy, or a walking tour of Flores, a charming Spanish-Colonial town.
Camino Real Hotel, San Jóse, Petén
Fly by private jet to Lima, once a thriving capital in Spain’s New World empire. Visit the Larco Herrera Museum, a private, 18th-century mansion built above a pre-Columbian pyramid with a world-class collection of Incan art and artifacts. Enjoy cocktails and a sunset dinner at our hotel.
Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima
Board a local flight bound for Cusco, center of the Andean world for centuries. See the historic district where Spanish colonists built Baroque palaces, a lovely cathedral, and the grand Plaza de Armas directly above stone foundations laid by the Inca. Marvel at the treasures of the Pre-Colombian Art Museum, and meet with master Andean weaver Nilda Callañaupa, who works with traditional weavers throughout Peru to preserve local textile arts. Travel on the privately chartered, vintage Hiram Bingham train through the spectacular Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu, conveniently arriving after larger crowds have left. Abandoned by the Inca and lost to history until its rediscovery in 1911, the sacred Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological treasures. Examine the artfully cut stone altars, temples, fountains, staircases, terraced gardens, and an observatory that the Inca used to predict equinoxes and other celestial events.
Hotel Monasterio, Cusco
Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:
Instead of visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu, head to Peru’s North Coast via a local jet flight and marvel at the region’s archeological treasure troves. Near Trujillo, visit Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), an extraordinary Moche edifice. And see where the ancient Chimú moon worshippers lived, including Chan Chan, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest adobe city in the world. Learn more about indigenous culture and find artifacts from the richest burial chambers ever found in the Americas at the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán.
Libertador, Trujillo; Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima
Note: If you prefer to remain in Lima instead of exploring Cusco and Machu Picchu or the North Coast, we can arrange an alternate program for you. Call for details.
Fly more than 2,300 miles westward across the Pacific Ocean to Easter Island. Scattered with mysterious, colossal stone statues called moai, the island is an open-air museum of the ruins of an enigmatic culture. Since the island was first seen by Europeans on Easter Sunday in 1722, it has been the subject of debate. How did its native people use the stars to guide them here? What transpired over the centuries? What do the tall, brooding
statues mean? Explore many parts of this island—a UNESCO World Heritage site—with award-winning expert archaeologists who will reveal the stories behind the moai, ceremonial centers, and petroglyphs. Then enjoy a splendid performance by local Rapa Nui dancers.
Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa
We board our private jet and depart for Samoa, crossing the International Date Line en route and arriving the next day in Apia, where we spend the night.
Aggie Grey’s Resort & Spa
Fly deep into the heart of Australia and explore Ayers Rock, one of the world’s great landmarks. The mammoth sandstone monolith has long been a sacred place for Australia’s indigenous peoples, who call it Uluru. Walk the base of the rock with an Aboriginal guide who will share his insights into the mythology, geology, flora, and wildlife such as koalas and kangaroos. Nearby, take in the Olgas (Kata Tjuta), 28 dome-like formations of sedimentary rock scattered across the vast Outback plain. Watch a breathtaking display of the sunset’s changing colors on their flanks, followed by a special dinner and stargazing under the sky of the Southern Cross constellation, weather permitting. In addition, we can arrange an optional sunrise excursion to Ayers Rock.
Sails in the Desert Hotel, Ayers Rock Township
Fly by private jet to Cairns and transfer to Port Douglas on the shores of the South Pacific Ocean. Explore the northern reaches of the pristine Great Barrier Reef, the largest known coral reef in the world and home to an exceptionally rich variety of marine life. Board a glass-bottomed boat or go snorkeling to discover a rainbow variety of sea corals and schools of triggerfish, unicornfish, bumphead parrot fish, and sea turtles.
Early in the morning before leaving Australia, witness firsthand, weather permitting, an extremely rare celestial phenomenon—a total solar eclipse—from a special viewpoint away from city lights. Look for daytime stars, the sun’s corona, Baily’s Beads, and more. After this event, we board our private jet and fly to Indonesia.
Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Port Douglas
Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:
Instead of exploring the Great Barrier Reef, discover the natural wonders of the world’s oldest rain forest—the Daintree—approximately 90 million years older than the Amazon. Go on a Dreamtime walk in Mossman Gorge with an Aboriginal guide—a member of the Kuku Yalanji tribe—to learn about the rain forest’s unique flora and fauna and this tribe’s special relationship to this captivating environment. We will also visit the Botanical Ark, a private garden and sanctuary for 3,000 species of precious rain forest plants, where we enjoy a special lunch.
Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Port Douglas
Arrive in Yogyakarta on the island of Java, the cultural heart of the vast Indonesian archipelago. Visit the island’s wondrous temple of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world, built 1,200 years ago during the short reign of the Sailendra dynasty and mysteriously abandoned shortly thereafter. In 1006, the eruption of a neighboring volcano concealed the site in ash for centuries, preserving its original form so that what we see today appears much as it did so long ago. Explore this colossal temple, consisting of three main levels which illustrate the main tenets of Buddhist cosmology—Kamadhatu (the world of desires), Rupadhatu (the world of forms), and Arupadhatu (the formless world). As you ascend the levels of this pyramidal structure, marvel at the many decorative panels depicting Buddhist doctrines and everyday life in ancient Java. And at the very top, walk among circular terraces ringed with Buddhas for a panoramic view. At dinner, see a Ramayana Ballet performance that blends Javanese dance, Hindu mythology, and traditional gamelan music.
The next morning, visit Prambanan—an enormous Hindu temple complex whose main shrine soars 154 feet above the lush, green valley of subtropical forest.
Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta
Reboard our private jet and fly to Jaipur, the “Pink City,” which refers to the rose color of its prominent buildings that were painted for a citywide makeover to honor a visit by the Prince of Wales in 1876. See the Palace of the Winds, where women of the court hid behind its honeycombed lattice screens to catch the breeze and discreetly observe palace activities. Stroll through the monumental gateway of the ornate City Palace, guarded by stone elephants, and visit its museum to see royal artworks and artifacts, including exquisite robes, toys from the royal playroom, and antique weaponry.
Explore the Jantar Mantar observatory, commissioned by the city founder, Maharaja Jai Singh, an 18th-century philosopher-prince celebrated for his military leadership, scholarship, and passion for astronomy. Wander through the collection of enormous, curiously architectural stone instruments, and consult the stars just as the Maharaja and his soothsayers once did. In the evening, gather for a gala Rajasthani dinner at Dera Amer, beautiful home of the family of Mansinghji, another great Maharaja of Jaipur. Later that night, watchers of the skies can join a local astronomer and stargaze during the famed Leonid Meteor Shower, weather permitting.
Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur
Fly by private jet to Aqaba, Jordan. Step back in history in the ancient city of Petra, half-built, half-carved into rose-red cliffs by the mysterious Nabataean people more than 2,000 years ago. Venture through the Siq, a narrow chasm in the bedrock, and arrive at the iconic Treasury. Explore elaborate buildings and tombs, and observe up close the superb blending of Eastern traditions with Hellenistic architecture. Discover Wadi Rum, a vast lunar-like expanse made famous by British adventurer, T. E. Lawrence—the subject of the film, Lawrence of Arabia. Take a 4x4 jeep safari to see the spectacular rock formation known as the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. And celebrate the end of our expedition with a gala dinner and folkloric performance.
Mövenpick Hotel, Petra
Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:
Instead of visiting Petra and Wadi Rum, take a two-night excursion to the Greco-Roman city of Jerash and the Dead Sea. Known as the “Pompeii of the East” as it remained preserved for eons under blankets of desert sands, Jerash shows signs of human habitation dating back 6,500 years. Wander among its ruins to discover plazas, temples, theaters, baths, colonnaded streets, and stone roads once traveled by chariots. Then unwind in our modern hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea and soak in its rejuvenating, mineral-rich waters, one of the most salinated in the world.
Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea
Our private jet flies us to London, where we will enjoy a fine meal and bid farewell to fellow travelers. Following breakfast the next morning, transfer to the airport to connect with your regularly scheduled commercial flight home.
The Dorchester, London
Limited to 78 Travelers
Cost Per Person:
$63,950 (double occupancy)
$8,250 (single supplement)
Featured Accommodations
Hotel Monasterio, Peru
Hotel Monasterio, Peru
Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Australia
