Around the World

September 28 - October 19, 2010 Full--call for last-minute openings
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Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

Depart your hometown independently on a commercial flight to Washington, D.C. Meet your fellow travelers and the expedition staff at a reception at the National Geographic Headquarters followed by dinner at our fine hotel.

The Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

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Lima, Cusco & Machu Picchu or The North Coast, Peru
Sacred Citadels of Vanished Civilizations
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, September 29, 30 & October 1.

Fly to Lima and overnight, then transfer by local air to Cusco, center of the Andean world for centuries. See the historic district where Spanish Baroque palaces, a beautiful cathedral, and the grand Plaza de Armas were built directly on foundations laid by the Incas. In the colorful square, visit local artisans—including master Andean weaver Nilda Callañaupa—who are dedicated to preserving the region’s distinctive music and arts.

The next day, travel by train through the spectacularly scenic Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. This sacred citadel was abandoned by the Incas, reclaimed by the jungle, and lost to history until it was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. It is truly one of the world’s most extraordinary architectural achievements. Explore its terraced gardens and examine the artfully-cut stone Sun Temple.

Swissôtel, Lima and Hotel Monasterio, Cusco

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

Instead of spending two nights in Cusco, you may opt to spend one of these nights near Machu Picchu at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel. Spaces are very limited.

Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

Travelers who wish to avoid the high altitude of Cusco and Machu Picchu may instead choose an excursion to Northern Peru, to visit the temples of Chiclayo and Trujillo, where the richest burial chambers ever found in the Americas were discovered. See where the ancient Moche and Chimu peoples lived, including Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the world. Visit Huaca de la Luna and learn more about this extraordinary site at the National University of Trujillo Archeological Museum. At the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán, discover Peru’s ancient Mochica culture.

Costa Del Sol, Chiclayo; Libertador, Trujillo; and Swissôtel, Lima 

Our expedition will bring supplies to a primary school attended by the Quechua children of Willoq village in the Urubamba Valley.

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Easter Island
Enduring Mysteries of the Moai
Saturday & Sunday, October 2 & 3.

Fly more than 2,300 miles westward across the Pacific Ocean to Easter Island, the most remote inhabited island in the world and an open-air museum of ancient stone villages, sanctuaries, and giant statues called moai. Explore many parts of this island—a UNESCO World Heritage site—with local archaeologist Edmundo Edwards, who will reveal the stories behind the moai, ceremonial centers, petroglyphs, and lava formations. In the evening, marvel at the award-winning Kari Kari Rapanui Ethnic Ballet dancers who will perform lively and authentic dances and songs at a festive dinner.

Hanga Roa Hotel

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

In Easter Island, hike the grassy hills or explore additional archaeological sites with our guides.

Our expedition will contribute funds to the Eastern Pacific Research Foundation, which supports the ongoing work of archaeologists, including Edmundo Edwards.

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Apia, Samoa
Unspoiled Natural Beauty & Traditional Polynesian Culture
Monday, October 4.

Experience the relaxing atmosphere of Samoa—a land that has changed little from ancient times, making it one of the most traditional of Polynesian cultures. This beautiful chain of volcanic islands enchanted Robert Louis Stevenson who called it home and wrote of the “sense of seduction” inspired by this unique habitat where some of the world’s most vivid natural colors can be found. On Upolu Island, Samoa, we’ll be treated to an island feast, and a fia fia, a colorful performance of traditional Samoan dance and song.

Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Beach Resort & Spa

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

Visit Vailima, Stevenson’s lovely plantation-style estate and his last home, now a museum restored to show the lavish comfort he and his wife, Fanny, enjoyed.

Our expedition will bring supplies to the Satapuala Primary School, attended by more than 300 children from Satapuala and nearby villages.

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Cross the International Date Line

Tuesday, October 5.

From Polynesia we continue our voyage westward, crossing the International Date Line. We lose a day en route and arrive in Australia the following afternoon.

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The Great Barrier Reef or The Daintree Rain Forest, Australia
Natural Wonders & Aboriginal Culture of Australia
Wednesday & Thursday, October 6 & 7.

We land in Cairns and transfer to Port Douglas, a charming resort town on the shores of the South Pacific Ocean. From here, venture out to the pristine northern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef, where the fish and coral are the most colorful and diverse. This 1,250 mile stretch of reefs is home to an exceptionally rich variety of marine life, unparalleled in the world. Snorkel amongst rainbow-colored corals and schools of triggerfish, unicornfish, and sea turtles.

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, you can discover the flora and fauna of the world’s oldest rain forest—the Daintree—approximately 90 million years older than the Amazon rain forest. Take a Dreamtime walk with an Aboriginal guide, a member of the Kuku Yalanji group, to learn about his people’s legends and special relationship with this unique tropical environment.

Our expedition will support an artisan of the Gumbaynggirr tribe who creates traditional paintings. We will also donate funds to the Royal Flying Doctor Service that provides medical care and transportation to people who live in the Outback.

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Angkor, Cambodia or Hanoi & Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Cultural & Natural Treasures of Southeast Asia
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, October 8, 9 & 10.

Fly to Siem Reap, our base for a leisurely exploration of Angkor, the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire and one of humankind’s greatest architectural triumphs. Visit the stunningly beautiful Angkor Wat temple complex, and survey its massive towers, carved murals, colonnades, and courtyards that exemplify classic Khmer architecture. See Angkor Thom, which features the famous Bayon Temple and the Terrace of the Elephants; and visit Ta Prohm, which has been left largely as it was found, still engulfed by thick banyan trees. Enjoy cocktails and a sumptuous spread of the local cuisine at our historic luxury accommodations.

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following in Cambodia:

Photographers may take advantage of a sunrise excursion to Angkor Wat to capture the shadows and changing light of this fabled monument.

Also, if you wish, browse Siem Reap’s Old Market; visit the Angkor National Museum to see treasures from the golden era of the Khmer Empire; or stop by a local school.

Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following in Cambodia:

Instead of visiting Angkor Wat, travel to the lost jungle temple of Beng Melea, overgrown with majestic trees and surrounded by a lush bamboo forest. Then travel to the ninth-century Rolous temple complex, which includes Preah Ko, the first temple built at this ancient site. Visit Bakong Temple and the multitowered Lolei, once an island temple in the center of the great reservoir. Take part in a tea ceremony with a resident monk at a pagoda and learn about monastic life here. Then visit village workshops to observe the production of silk textiles, ceramics, miniature sculptures, and shadow puppets.

Alternate to Cambodia - Travelers who prefer not to explore Angkor may instead continue by commercial air to Vietnam.

Explore historic Hanoi, a beautiful 1,000-year-old city filled with lakes and parks. Visit Ho Chi Minh’s wooden house on stilts and the curiously shaped One Pillar Pagoda, originally built in 1049. Then travel to the spectacular seascape of Ha Long Bay, and cruise among more than a thousand karst limestone pillars, islets, and floating villages. Return by commercial air to Siem Reap, to rejoin travelers who remained in Cambodia.

InterContinental Westlake Hanoi and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

Our expedition will support Watthan Artisans Cambodia in Phnom Penh, which provides training and employment in traditional Cambodian textile arts. We will also donate funds to the Preahatit Orphanage, located in a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake.

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The Taj Mahal & Jaipur, India
Treasured Masterpieces of the Mughal Dynasty
Monday & Tuesday, October 11 & 12.

We board our private jet and fly to Agra, India, site of the famous Taj Mahal. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned this astoundingly beautiful monument in the 17th century as a tribute to the memory of his second wife. Wander this enchanting work of art, which incorporates and expands on Persian, Hindu, and Islamic styles. Admire the Taj Mahal’s lovely form among the reflecting pools and gardens that surround it, and observe up-close the intricate ornamentation and inlaid precious stones.

Reboard our private jet and fly to Jaipur, the “Pink City,” named for 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 unique Palace of the Winds, an oasis for women of the court to secretly observe palace activities. Visit the sumptuous City Palace and its museum to see royal artworks and artifacts, including exquisite robes, toys from the royal playroom, and antique weaponry. Explore the whimsical Jantar Mantar, an 18th-century observatory with enormous and sculptural astronomical tools. In the evening, gather for a gala Rajasthani dinner at Dera Amer, beautiful home of the family of the legendary Maharaja of Jaipur, Mansinghji.

Rambagh Palace

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following in Jaipur:

Browse local shops for a chance to see fine traditional carpets and other textile arts, and Jaipur’s renowned gems, including exquisite pieces made for Rajasthani princes.

Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following in Agra:

Instead of exploring the Taj Mahal, you may visit the first Mughal structure built entirely of marble, the tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah; and visit Kachhpura, a village in Agra inhabited by the Harijan people, otherwise known as “Untouchables.”

Our expedition will donate supplies to the school of Kuchpura Village near Jaipur. Our expedition will also donate funds to Jaipur Foot, an organization that distributes prosthetics to impoverished people in India and around the world.

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Tanzania Safari Adventure
An Unmatched Spectacle of Scenery & Wildlife
Wednesday & Thursday, October 13 & 14.

Depart India in the morning and fly by private jet to Kilimanjaro Airport, where you will transfer to private local aircraft to venture into one of two different areas of Tanzania. No other country on Earth has more land devoted to national parks and game reserves.

Take a short flight to the Serengeti National Park, site of the most complex and least disturbed ecosystem on Earth. Begin your safari from the moment you land in the bush with a game drive en route to your lodgings. Later, venture deep into the savannah and be surrounded by the beauty of the land and the staggering concentration of animals that live here. Africa’s densest “big cat” predator populations (lions, cheetahs, and leopards) thrive here. Wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, impala, and giraffe also abound, and although these animals are protected from human hunters, they may not be spared by the “big cats,” as we may witness while exploring this area.

Serengeti Sopa Lodge or Migration Camp

Or descend into the Ngorongoro Crater to observe the permanent population of about 30,000 animals in the largest unbroken caldera in the world. Aside from the great herds of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra, you may also see the “big five” (rhinoceroses, lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo).

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Note: Travelers who stay at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge and the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge will have the opportunity to meet either Meave or Louise Leakey, whose family of renowned anthropologists and paleontologists has discovered many important fossil finds in the area.

Handicrafts made by a local women’s cooperative will be purchased and given to travelers on this expedition. We will also donate supplies to a local school.

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Luxor, Egypt or The Lost City of Petra, Jordan, & The Pyramids
Treasures of the Divine Pharaohs or Ancient City of the Mysterious Nabataeans
Friday & Saturday, October 15 & 16.

Arrive in Luxor, site of the ancient city of Thebes, where temples and tombs of some of history’s greatest kings and queens are found. Spend time in the Valley of the Kings and visit Tutankhamun’s tomb, discovered nearly completely intact in 1923. Stop at the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the longest reigning female pharaoh and one of history’s great leaders. Visit the Colossi of Memnon, and gaze up at the colorful reliefs at Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III, considered Egypt’s last great pharaoh. See Luxor Museum’s stunning collection of statues, figures, bas-reliefs, and mummies. Sail the Nile River in a felucca, a traditional sailboat. Then visit the Great Hypostyle Hall and temples at Karnak, the largest ancient religious site in the world, described by the ancient Egyptians as “the most perfect of places.” In Luxor, a leading Egyptologist will give a talk and answer questions about the incredible sites we visit. In the evening, enjoy a gala dinner.

Sonesta St. George Hotel, Luxor

Sunday, October 17. Board our private jet and fly to Cairo, then transfer to Gîza to visit the Pyramids, including the 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). After a luncheon in view of the Sphinx, we continue on to Morocco.

Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

Instead of exploring Luxor, visit one of the world’s most enchanting archaeological sites—Petra, Jordan. Hidden in deep canyons south of the Dead Sea, this awe-inspiring site was founded more than 2,000 years ago. Marvel at the elaborate buildings and tombs carved into rose-red rock of a mountainside. On Saturday evening, return to Luxor, rejoin the expedition in Egypt, and enjoy a gala dinner.

Mövenpick Resort Petra and Sonesta St. George Hotel, Luxor

Our expedition will provide supplies to the Awladi Orphanage, which provides a home and education through university level, for more than 300 boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 21.

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Marrakech or The Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Fabled Gateway to the Sahara & Berber Culture
Sunday (continued) & Monday, October 17 & 18.

On Sunday evening, after arriving in Marrakech, we transfer to our fine hotel. The following morning, we begin to explore this 1,000-year-old city, situated in an oasis of palm and olive groves, and steeped in Berber tradition. Enter the halls of the Ben Youssef Madrasa, an Islamic college founded during the Merinid Dynasty. Wander through the craftsmen sections of the bustling souk to catch a glimpse of daily life in the medinas of Morocco. Explore the lavishly decorated rooms of Bahia Palace, many of which open onto small pleasure gardens. Gaze up at the towering minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, the largest mosque in Marrakech. Wander through the enchanted Djemaa el Fna, the busiest market square in all of Africa, with its snake charmers, storytellers, acrobats, and a myriad of fascinating diversions. In the evening, celebrate our adventure at a gala farewell dinner with traditional entertainment.

Mandarin Oriental Jnan Rahma, Marrakech

Option - In addition to an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

If you wish, in the afternoon, immerse yourself in the blue and green paradise of Jardin Majorelle, a garden estate created in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent. Admire the delightful combination of traditional Moroccan architecture, Islamic art and artifacts, rare plants from five continents, and North African birds.

Alternate - Instead of an activity or excursion in the main itinerary, choose the following:

Instead of exploring the city of Marrakech, you may choose to spend the day in the Atlas Mountains and visit a Berber village.

Our expedition will provide supplies and contribute funds to the school at Tallatast, a remote Berber village in the Atlas Mountains.

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Morocco / Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, October 19.

Following breakfast, our private jet flies us to Washington, D.C., to connect with your regularly scheduled commercial flight home.