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South
of the Clouds: Yunnan and Sichuan
Beginning
in Yunnan, where excavations have revealed a sophisticated
Bronze Age culture, we will study the complex history
of this very beautiful region. We will travel to two distinctive
ethnic areas: Dali and Lijiang, each having a diversity
of religions, languages, and culture. We will visit temples
and cave sites that show the impact of Taoism and Tantric
Buddhism on the numerous peoples who occupy the area.
Traveling into Sichuan, our touring will include Chengdu,
the Sanxingdui site museum, the Taoist temples on Qingchengshan,
birthplace of the Celestial Master sect in the Han dynasty,
and the fabulous Buddhist grottoes in Dazu, ending in
Shanghai. Lush vegetation, spectacular scenery and colorful
peoples will enhance our enjoyment of these exotic regions.
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Indonesia:
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 on Sulawesi exploring the highlands
of Tana Toraja. Torajans are known for their distinctive
steep-pitched houses and their spectacular funerary rituals.
The tour ends with five days in the lush tropical paradise
of Bali. In addition to our scheduled visits to temples,
artist villages and shrines, there may be unscheduled
religious rituals, pageants and cremations. Throughout
our tour we have commission special music and dance events.
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Central
Asia (Kazakhstan, 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 as well as Khiva, Nisa and Merv. In
Kazakhstan, tour highlights include fascinating Scythian
burial mounds, including the mound from which the famous
Golden Warrior was excavated, and amazing prehistoric
rock art sites. Interspersed with the ancient sites
will be visits to fine local museums, dance programs
and Cental Asia's legendary bazaars.
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The
Ancient Capitals of China
with an Optional
Yangtze River Cruise
This
tour focuses on the major capitals of Imperial China,
including Beijing, Xian, Luoyang and the garden city
of Suzhou. Some of the tour’s highlights are the
Longmen Buddhist caves in Luoyang, the famous terra-cotta
warriors and the recently excavated Famensi Temple near
Xian, the newly installed museums in Beijing and Shanghai
— plus an optional four days on the Yangtze River,
sailing from Chongqing to Wuhan through the famous Three
Gorges.
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Ancient
Japan
Our tour introduces the entire span of Japanese archaeology,
from Paleolithic sites to medieval castles. It includes
some of Japan’s great museums and newly discovered
archaeological sites. 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 concludes with six days exploring Nara and Kyoto’s
famed temples and gardens. Throughout, we will attend
special cultural events and study the role of Japan’s
ancient culture in today’s modern nation.
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Khmer
Kingdoms
Myanmar, Thailand, Laos &
Cambodia
This popular tour focuses on the historical,
religious and aesthetic aspects of these four countries.
Beginning in Luang Prabang in Laos and the magnificent
7th-century Khmer temples at Wat Phou, we continue to
remote northeastern Thailand. In Myanmar visits include
the ancient royal cities, pagodas and golden temples
in Yangon, Mandalay and Pagan. 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.
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South
Korea with Gaeseong North Korea
This
new tour explores Korea’s history, which stretches
back over 5,000 years, placing it in the heart of Northeast
Asian political and cultural developments. Beginning
in Seoul, capital of the Joseon-dynasty and home to
royal palaces, museums and prehistoric sites, we continue
to Gongju visiting the royal tomb of the Baekje-dynasty,
and on to Gyeongju, capital of the Silla-dynasty. Tour
highlights include the Seokguram Buddhist Grotto, Buseoksa
Temple, the Tripitaka Koreana of Haeinsa Temple nestled
in Mount Kaya, the port of Busan, the ancient tumuli,
pagodas and rock sculptures that dot the countryside
around Gwangju and the exceptional museums in the Provincial
capitals. An additional highlight will be our full day
in North Korea, where we will visit Gaeseong, the capital
of Korea from the 10th through 14th century. As we travel
through Korea’s lush agricultural landscapes and
traditional villages we will sample its music, dance,
crafts and folklore.
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