Around the World

February 1, 2014 - February 24, 2014

Orlando, Florida

Feb. 1, 2014. Meet fellow travelers and the expedition staff at our welcome dinner.

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

Machu Picchu or the North Coast, Peru

Feb. 2-4. Our first stop on this grand world journey is Lima, where we see the Larco Museum’s extensive pre-Columbian ceramic collection.

Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima

 

A local flight into the Andes brings us to Cusco, a city that was once a complex urban center of the Incan Empire. A few steps away from our hotel is 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. Meet with a master Andean weaver and artisans who keep the country’s rich and renowned textile arts alive.

We ride a privately chartered historic train through the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. This sacred site was abandoned by the Incas, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to history until American explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911. Examine the stone altars, staircases and terraces of this incomparable archaeological treasure. Hotel Monasterio, Cusco

Alternative: From Lima, head to Northern Peru to explore the temples of Chiclayo and Trujillo, where the richest burial chambers in the Americas were discovered. At the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán, see the golden treasures of Moche kings. We reunite with the group in Lima before departing for Easter Island. Libertador, Trujillo, and Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima

Easter Island, Chile

Feb. 5-6. Fly more than 2,300 miles west across the Pacific Ocean to the most remote inhabited island in the world, home to an open-air museum of ancient stone villages, sanctuaries and giant statues called moai. Easter Island has confounded researchers since Europeans first laid eyes on it on Easter Sunday in 1722: How did its native population first navigate to this isolated island in the vast Pacific? What do the huge, brooding statues represent? How were they moved from the hills to the coasts? We will ponder these questions with renowned archeologists while exploring the island’s ancient ceremonial centers, petroglyphs and moai quarry. Hangaroa Eco Village & Spa

 

 

Cross the International Date Line

Feb. 7. Depart Easter Island and cross the international date line to arrive in

Samoa the next day.

 

Apia, Samoa

Feb. 8. Samoa’s beautiful chain of volcanic islands enchanted Robert Louis Stevenson, who called it home and wrote many stories featuring its customs and beliefs. See how his family lived in this Polynesian paradise at Vailima, Stevenson’s lovingly restored last home. During dinner, enjoy a fia-fia—a colorful performance of traditional dance and song.

Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Beach Resort & Spa, Apia

 

The Great Barrier Reef or the Daintree Rainforest, Australia

Feb. 9-10. From the shores of the South Pacific Ocean we cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest known coral reef in the world and home to an exceptionally rich variety of marine life. We journey to the reef to observe a diverse array of fish and coral and enjoy the chance to snorkel and explore this precious natural resource and UNESCO World Heritage area.  Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Port Douglas

Alternative: Instead of the reef, discover the secrets of our planet’s oldest rainforest on a Dreamtime walk with an Aboriginal guide. The Daintree is 90 million years older than the Amazon rainforest and has been inhabited for more than 40,000 years.

Angkor Wat or Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Feb. 11-13. Using Siem Reap as our base, we will explore the ancient Khmer Empire and one of humankind’s greatest architectural triumphs—the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat temple complex. At Angkor Thom, explore the Bayon Temple and the Terrace of the Elephants. Wander among the ghostly ruins of Ta Prohm that are still tangled in the thick roots of banyan trees. Enjoy a traditional performance by exquisitely costumed dancers. Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

Alternative: Instead of Angkor, fly from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh for a two-day exploration of Cambodia’s recent history at the Tuol Sleng (Genocide) Museum and the infamous “killing fields.” See Khmer dynasty treasures at the Royal Palace and the national museum, or stroll through the labyrinthine Russian Market with an expert local guide.

The Taj Mahal, India

Feb. 14-15. Enjoy the rare chance to spend Valentine’s Day at one of the world’s most romantic sites, the Taj Mahal. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan created this astoundingly beautiful monument in the 17th century as a tribute to the memory of his second wife. Admire its lovely form among the reflecting pools that surround it, and examine its intricate mosaics made of precious stones. Then relax at our hotel, a lavish oasis only a few hundred yards away, or choose from a variety of activities. Meet with families in a village inhabited by people known as “untouchables;” see the magnificent tomb of Emperor Akbar; or go birding at Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Finally, gather for a gala Mughal-style dinner with traditional entertainment. Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

The Serengeti Plain or Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Feb. 16-17. Tanzania has more land devoted to national parks and game reserves than any other country on Earth. A short flight on private local aircraft takes you from Kilimanjaro International Airport to the Serengeti National Park, site of the least disturbed ecosystem on our planet. Begin your safari from the moment you land in the bush with a game drive en route to your lodge. Venture deep into the savannah where the annual migration is expected to pass and where Africa’s densest “big cat” predator populations thrive. Wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, impala and giraffe abound, and while these animals are protected from human hunters, as we may observe, they are not spared by the “big cats.” Bilila Lodge

 

Alternative: Descend into the largest unbroken caldera in the world. In the Ngorongoro Crater, observe the permanent population of about 25,000 animals.

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Petra or Wadi Rum, Jordan

Feb. 18-19. Petra thrived in its remote valley, queen city of a rich and fiercely independent kingdom until an earthquake crippled its vital aqueducts. In the Negev Desert, we arrive at this vanished Nabatean city by foot or carriage, passing through a narrow chasm in the rocks to behold the Treasury. Undisputed architectural triumphs of the ancient world, Petra’s large monuments were carved into sheer rose-red cliffs. Today less than a twentieth has been unearthed, and new wonders continue to emerge. Mövenpick Hotel, Petra

 

Alternative: Explore the lunar-like landscape of Wadi Rum made famous by T.E. Lawrence and the film Lawrence of Arabia. This beautiful valley features spectacular rock formations and ancient pictographs and inscriptions.

Fez, Morocco

Feb. 20-21. Founded in the ninth century, Fez is considered to be the spiritual, cultural and intellectual capital of Morocco thanks to its countless architectural treasures and an age-old way of life that is still intact. At Fez-el-Bali, a colorful medina in the oldest part of town, wander through a maze of narrow streets filled with fountains, restored medieval-period madrassas and mosques. At bustling souks and hidden fondouks, where the country’s traditional crafts flourish, we observe tanners, silk dyers, brass workers and other skilled artisans at work. At our final stop on this grand world journey, enjoy a farewell cocktail party and savor a meal of traditional North African delicacies and entertainments.

Sofitel Fès Palais Jamaï

 

Morocco / Orlando, Florida / Homeward

Feb. 22-23. Our private jet returns to Orlando, where we enjoy a casual meal and a night’s rest before returning home. Hyatt Regency International Airport, Orlando