Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya

March 21-April 3, 2010
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London, U.K.

Sunday, March 21, 2010.

Meet fellow travelers and the expedition staff at a gala welcome dinner in London. Please note that most travelers from the U.S. will need to take an overnight flight departing March 20 in order to arrive in time for the expedition.

The Dorchester, London

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Mopti & Djenné or Timbuktu, Mali

Monday & Tuesday, March 22 & 23.

Fly by private jet to Mopti, Mali. Located at the confluence of the Niger and Bani rivers, this busy port town was once the outpost of desert kings and continues to be a major gathering center of the region. Board a traditional flat-bottomed pinasse and cruise the Niger to see daily life on the river where Bambara, Fulani, and Bozo fishermen and merchants ply the waters in boats laden with fish, salt, and produce. Later, marvel at a “stilt dance” performed by colorfully-dressed Dogon dancers who move deftly on stilts up to 15 feet high.

The next morning, visit Djenné, the oldest-known city in Sub-Saharan Africa and home to outstanding examples of old-world Muslim architecture. To this day, Djenné builders are revered as great artists and magicians. See the extraordinary Grand Mosque, the oldest and largest mud mosque in the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire its beautiful symmetry, and stroll the city’s jumble of narrow streets shaded by traditional two-story, mud-brick homes. The Bozo people, or “masters of the river,” founded this remote African village along the Niger River in 250 B.C. To learn about the little-known culture of the Bozo people, visit a mud cloth studio for a demonstration and meet the artisans who dye and stitch traditional mud cloth.

Kanaga Hotel, Mopti

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

Or, instead of visiting Djenné, take a private local flight to Timbuktu. Spend a day in this fabled city, which enjoyed its golden years under the Askia dynasty during the 15th century, and was a major stop along the prosperous trans-Saharan route and the Great Ink Road of Africa. Timbuktu’s medieval period mud-brick library is one of 120 that spanned West and East Africa, most of them now lost to the desert sands. Marvel at Timbuktu’s most famous edifice—the Dijinguereber Mosque—enjoy a Taureg dance performance at a desert camp, and if you wish, join them for a camel ride into the Sahara desert.

Kanaga Hotel, Mopti

Our expedition will provide supplies to the kindergarten at SOS Children’s Village Socoura near Mopti, where 150 impoverished and abandoned children receive an education. Our expedition will also support Le Ndomo, a workshop that is devoted to teaching young men and women centuries-old methods of creating Malian mud cloth.

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Luxor’s Egyptian Antiquities or The Siwa Oasis in the Sahara Desert, Egypt

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, March 24, 25 & 26.

Continue by private jet to Egypt and arrive in Luxor on the Nile River, where a treasure trove of monumental achievements has been admired the world over for thousands of years. Visit the Luxor Museum to view its stunning collection of statues, figures, bas-reliefs, and mummies. Sail on the Nile River in a felucca, a traditional sailboat, and spend time in the Valley of the Kings visiting the tombs of divine pharaohs, including King Tutankhamun. Stop at the majestic temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the longest-reigning female pharaoh and one of history’s great leaders. See the Colossi of Memnon, two enormous statues and all that remains of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. Visit Medinet Habu, the best-preserved temple in the area, and gaze up at its colorful reliefs detailing the triumphs of Ramses III, considered the last great pharaoh. Marvel at the Great Hypostyle Hall and temples at Karnak, the largest ancient religious site in the world and once described by Egyptians as ‘the most perfect of places.’ And meet with a local Egyptologist who will share his insights into local treasures. In the evening, enjoy an unforgettable gala dinner at the Luxor Temple.

Sonesta St. George Hotel, Luxor

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

Instead of spending a third night in Luxor and visiting Karnak, you may spend one at the Siwa Oasis, deep in the Egyptian Sahara at the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Home to the Berber Siwan people for thousands of years, the Siwa Oasis is a world apart, filled with numerous salt lakes, freshwater springs, ancient olive and palm groves, fantastic sandstone hills, Greek temple ruins, and ingenious dwellings made of mud, salt, and straw. Take a private local flight to the Oasis and unwind in a truly extraordinary ecolodge, which has hosted such luminaries as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Built with traditional methods, this lodge has no electricity and is softly lit by candles and the starry desert sky. Then return to Luxor in time for our departure to Jordan. This excursion is limited to a small number of travelers.

Adrère Amellal, Siwa Oasis & Sonesta St. George Hotel, Luxor

Our expedition will support Siwan women who create traditional dresses, scarves, tools, baskets, and silver jewelry, and who seek training in how to market their goods throughout Egypt and beyond. Also, supplies will be contributed to a local school.

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The Lost City of Petra or Wadi Rum, Jordan

Saturday & Sunday, March 27 & 28.

Step back in time 2,000 years as you stroll through the enchanting Lost City of Petra. Half-built, half-carved into the rose-red rock of a mountain, Petra is undoubtedly one of the world’s most impressive archaeological achievements. Its builders, the Nabataeans, have long since vanished from this region, which is now home to the Bedouin, who have been nomadic herdsmen here for centuries. Step through the Siq, a dramatic opening in the bedrock that serves as the entry to Petra, and observe up-close the superb blending of Eastern traditions with Hellenistic architecture.

Mövenpick Hotel, Petra

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

Or, instead of Petra, visit the lunar-like landscapes of Wadi Rum and meet with Bedouins who live in this storied desert valley.

Our expedition will support the work of the Jordan River Foundation, established in 1995 by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. The Foundation works to raise awareness of child abuse—a first for the Arab world—and empowers women through job training, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurialism.

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The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Monday & Tuesday, March 29 & 30.

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 beloved 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 of inlaid precious stones.

Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

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

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 the “Untouchables.” Meet with families, visit a school, and learn about community projects such as the Mughal Heritage Trail, which connects many rarely visited monuments.

Our expedition will donate medical supplies to a health clinic in Kachhpura village in Agra.

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The Kingdom of Bhutan

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, March 31, April 1 & 2.

Fly by private jet to Kathmandu, Nepal, to connect with our local flight to Bhutan. Along the way, see magnificent views of the mighty Mount Everest (weather permitting). Land in Paro, deep in a valley dotted with mountaintop Buddhist monasteries and gaily decorated fortresses, or dzongs. Visit the great Paro Dzong, home to a monastic community of 200, and visit the National Museum, housing a superb collection of textiles and classical thangka paintings depicting Buddhist cosmology. Witness a Buddhist prayer ceremony recited by monks at Choeding Temple, enjoy a picnic beside the Paro River, and visit with a Bhutanese family at their farmhouse. Then transfer to Thimphu for a day to see the Dechen Phodrang Monastery and the Memorial Chorten, and visit the Folk Heritage Museum, the Textile Museum, and the National Library. Schedule permitting, we will meet with the revered Mynak R. Tulku Rinpoche, a spiritual leader and professor emeritus of the National Library in Thimphu. Savor a sumptuous spread of local cuisine at a gala farewell dinner in Paro.

Zhiwa Ling and Uma Paro (Accommodation upgrades are available at the Amankora)

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

Instead of exploring Thimphu for a day, hearty travelers may hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched at more than 9,500 feet. It is one of the country’s most revered sites, named for the flying tigress that carried the Guru Rinpoche to this sacred site.

Our expedition will donate supplies to the Drukyel School for the Hearing-Impaired, where a newly developed sign language is used for lessons, and children receive guidance to help them integrate with the hearing world.

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Return Home or Extend Your Journey

Saturday, April 3.

Take a local flight back to Kathmandu to connect with our private jet and fly to Bangkok. Depart for home via an individual commercial flight on Saturday or, if you prefer, spend one complimentary night at the Peninsula Bangkok or a hotel near the airport and depart for home the next day. Or journey to other lands, if you wish. For more information, please download the brochure and call us.