AROUND THE WORLD, CLASSIC
Machu Picchu or Trujillo, Peru • Easter Island, Chile • Samoa • Australia's Great Barrier Reef • Papua New Guinea • Angkor, Cambodia
Taj Mahal (Agra), India • Dubai, United Arab Emirates • Serengeti Plain, Tanzania • Marrakech, Morocco
Day 1: Orlando, Florida
Days 2, 3 & 4: Lima, Cusco, & Machu Picchu, Peru
The following day, board the deluxe Hiram Bingham train to travel through the sacred Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. Explore the mysterious and beautiful altars, temples, staircases, and terraced gardens set amid the breathtaking Andes. After a full day of exploration, return to Cusco for the night.
Days 5 & 6: Easter Island, Chile
Resident archaeologists lead you to hidden troves of statuary, as well as pictographs and petroglyphs that detail the annual rituals of the birdman cult.
Day 7: Apia, Samoa
Day 8: Cross the International Dateline
Days 9 & 10: Great Barrier Reef, Australia Alternately, cruise down the Daintree River, with its crocodiles and lush ferns, and hike through the Daintree Rain Forest — a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Days 11, 12 & 13: Port Moresby & the Highlands or Sepik River Basin, Papua New Guinea
Those who choose to explore the Highlands will have two options. Take a short drive from Mount Hagen to Rondon Ridge, where you stay in a cozy mountain lodge, explore tea plantations, and visit with members of the Melpa tribe. Or, fly to Tari, then travel overland to the Ambua Lodge, where Huli tribespeople — many sporting huge wigs of human hair — honor you with a traditional sing-sing and share the rituals of their colorful self-decoration. Returning to Tari Gap, spot some of its many exotic birds.
Those choosing to explore the Sepik River will fly to Mount Hagen, then to Karawari. In nearby villages meet people making sago, a staple food derived from the sago palm, and skilled artisans who create the area’s much sought-after art — from spirit houses to elaborately carved dugout canoes.
Days 14 & 15: Angkor, Cambodia If you have visited Angkor before, we would be happy to arrange an excursion to Banteay Srei — the citadel of women — or to the Rolos Group of temples built 400 years before Angkor Wat.
As a third option, visit Tonlé Sap, the "great lake" created when the Mekong River swells with monsoon rains. Discover an entire floating village of homes, shops, and deepwater rice paddies.
Days 16 & 17: Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Days 18 & 19: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The following day, choose from several options. Explore Dubai’s magnificent mosque; glimpse daily Arab life as a guest in a Dubai home; on a city tour, discover contrasts between the historic Bastakiya district and the rapidly developing 21st-century skyline of new Dubai; shop in the gold souk; take tea at the Burj al-Arab; visit a wharf to see a traditional dhow under construction and explore old wind-tower houses; or visit famed stables for a hands-on experience with magnificent Arabian horses.
Days 20 & 21: Serengeti Plain, Tanzania
Days 22 & 23: Marrakech, Morocco
Day 24: Return to London
Day 25: Depart London for Home
Meet fellow travelers, lecturers and expedition staff for a welcome reception and dinner at our hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando
Board our private jet for Lima, where beautiful cathedrals, palaces, and houses sit atop superbly crafted foundations created by the region’s indigenous people.
The next morning we depart for Cusco, the western hemisphere’s oldest continuously inhabited city. Explore the imposing cathedral in the Plaza de Armas and the remains of the great fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
Sheraton Hotel, Lima & Hotel Libertador, Cusco
An alternate excursion to Trujillo’s ancient temples and murals is available.
There’s much the world could learn from this remote island that sits more than 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile. A thousand years ago, a sophisticated society developed, then disappeared, leaving stone villages, open-air sanctuaries, and giant statues called moai.
Hanga Roa Hotel or Taha Tai Hotel, Easter Island
Robert Louis Stevenson was enticed by the lush beauty of Upolu, Samoa's main island. Find out why as you experience a traditional kava ceremony at Stevenson's estate, and enjoy a fiafia, a colorful peformance of Samoan dancing.
Aggie Grey's Lagoon Beach Resort & Spa, Apia
From Samoa, fly west across the South Pacific. Crossing the International Dateline, lose a day en route to Australia and arrive the next day.
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, stretches 1,250 miles from Papua New Guinea to the Tropic of Capricorn. Its brilliantly colored marine life includes more than 300 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish — many of which you see for yourself as you swim, explore, and snorkel.
Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Port Douglas
Next stop — Port Moresby, jumping off point for the seldom-visited mountainous Highlands area or the art-rich Sepik River basin. Impenetrable jungle and jagged mountain ranges have kept the country’s tribes isolated for centuries, supporting more than 700 distinct languages and cultures in a population of just over three million.
Airways Hotel, Port Moresby and Ambua Lodge, Tari Gap; Rondon Ridge Lodge, Western Highlands; or Karawari Lodge, Sepik River River Basin
While the French were laying the cornerstone of Notre-Dame in Paris, the Khmer kings were finishing the great temples of Angkor Wat. This complex of towers, carved murals, colonnades, and courtyards ushered in the classic age of Khmer art and architecture, and continues to draw countless monks and pilgrims. At the royal walled city of Angkor Thom, explore the extraordinary Bayon, a temple with dozens of stone towers carved with more than 200 giant faces.
Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap
Emperor Shah Jahan built his architectural masterpiece in Agra, capital of India’s Mogul empire, to honor his beloved wife. The shimmering white marble Taj Mahal is surrounded by gardens and pools. Also explore the pilgrimage site of Fatehpur Sikri and the Agra Fort.
the Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
Originally a small fishing village, Dubai developed the busiest souks on the Persian Gulf coast. Travel into the desert by four-wheel-drive vehicle to enjoy spectacular views. Celebrate with champagne atop the dunes and savor a falconry show and dinner at a desert camp.
Grosvenor House Resort, Dubai
From Kilimanjaro, fly by small plane into the Serengeti where four-wheel-drive vehicles take you on game drives to search out and photograph the abundant wildlife. Each year, millions of wildebeest and zebra — stalked by lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas — gather to calve and begin their 500-mile migration to grazing lands.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti National Park
An oasis of palm and olive groves, Marrakech boasts a vibrant medina with winding streets, colorful souks, and the Place Djemaa el Fna. See the Koutoubia Mosque, the tombs of the Saadian kings, and the Museum of Moroccan Arts. Traveling outside the city, discover the Ourika Valley where rural Berber villages are nestled within sight of the spectacular Atlas Mountains. On your last evening, celebrate at a gala farewell dinner.
Sofitel, Marrakech
This morning, depart for London on the last leg of our private jet expedition. We arrive in the afternoon, transfer to our deluxe hotel, and enjoy a relaxing dinner.
The Dorchester, London
Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for regularly scheduled commercial flights homeward.
| Date | Priced from |
| February 4 - 28, 2009 | $59,950 |
| Single Occupancy: | $64,150 |
Please note that the following items are NOT included:
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To check availability or receive additional information on TCS Expeditions drop us a note, or call.... 800-777-7739 |
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