Central Asia
(Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan)
The magical names of Samarkand and Bukhara conjure up images of the ancient Silk Road, Alexander the Great and Kublai Khan. We will travel in their footsteps, visiting Tamerlane’s glorious cities resplendent in intricately designed glazed tiles and brick work, as well as Khiva and Nisa, capital of the Parthian empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour highlights include the archaeological remains of ancient Merv and visits to the ongoing excavations at Pikent, Varaksha in Uzbekistan and Gonur-Tepe in the Kara Kum desert of Turkmenistan. Interspersed with the ancient sites will be visits to fine local museums, cultural programs and Central Asia’s legendary bazaars.

Indonesia: The Islands of Java, Sulawesi & Bali
Our tour studies three of Indonesia’s most interesting and exotic islands: Java, Sulawesi and Bali. Beginning in Yogyakarta, the tour includes the renowned temples at Borobudur and Prambanan, a spectacular day trip through mountain villages to the Dieng Plateau, as well as Solo and the nearby Bima cult temples. In eastern Java, we visit the largest temple complex in Indonesia at Panataran and the ancient capital of the Majapahit Empire at Trowulan. We will spend four days in the highlands of Tana Toraja on Sulawesi and five days in the lush tropical paradise of Bali, visiting Hindu temples and traditional villages. Our experience will be enhanced by the many specially commissioned musical and dance performances arranged for us.

China: Beyond The Great Wall
This unique new tour highlights major sites of alien dynasties. It includes visits to the Yungang cave-chapels of the Northern Wei; the capital and tombs of the Korean Koguryo kingdom that dominated the Northeast for seven centuries; and the capitals, tombs and architecture of the Liao, Jin, Mongol, and Manchu emperors. Crossing the plain of Manchuria and the grassland steppe of Inner Mongolia, our tour explores chapters in Chinese civilization untouched by other Archaeological Tours itineraries.

This exotic tour traces the fabled Silk Road from Xian to Kashgar. It includes the newly-discovered temples near remote Hotan, famed in antiquity for its silk and jade production; Ürümqi; and the fascinating Sunday bazaar at Kashgar. We will explore the caravan oasis of Turpan; Dunhuang’s spectacular Mogao grottoes of sculpture and murals; Buddhist caves at Binglingsi, the extraordinary archaeological sites around Xian; Lanzhou’s excellent museum; and end in Beijing.

Burma In-Depth
This in-depth tour will take us into some of the most remote and culturally rewarding areas of this magical land. Beginning at Yangon’s great Shwedagon Pagoda, Burma’s most sacred Buddhist site, tour highlights include a boat trip to Mrauk-U to visit unique 15th-century temples scattered amid the island’s rice paddies; Mt. Popa, abode of Burma’s most powerful Nats; and Pagan and Mandalay. Our adventure ends with a three-day visit to Inle Lake, famous for its floating farms and unique leg-rowers. The warmth of the Burmese people and the beauty of the countryside will enhance our journey..

Khmer Kingdoms
(Myanmar, Thailand, Laos & Cambodia)
This popular tour focuses on the historical, religious and aesthetic aspects of these four countries. Beginning in Myanmar visits include the ancient royal cities, pagodas and golden temples in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan. We continue to Laos’s magnificent 7th-century Khmer temples at Wat Phu and to remote northeastern Thailand to visit Wat Prasat Phanam Rung and Phimai. In The tour ends in Cambodia with five days at Angkor Wat. These exciting days will be enhanced by colorful markets and traditional music and dance performances.

Japan

Our tour introduces the entire span of Japanese archaeology, from Paleolithic sites to medieval castles. Beginning in Tokyo, we fly to Kyushu, visiting samurai houses and gardens, ancient burial mounds and prehistoric town sites as well as Kyushu’s famous traditional craft villages. The tour continues with seven days exploring Nara and Kyoto’s famed temples and gardens as well as the famous Meho Museum designed by I. M. Pei. We have scheduled this tour in the spring, one of Japan’s most beautiful seasons. Throughout, we will visit Japan’s great museums, attend special cultural events and study the role of Japan’s ancient culture in today’s modern nation.