When we think of Asia, we recall images of cultures and adventures so distinct as to be truly astounding...Tracking the Royal Bengal Tiger from the back of an elephant... Quietly observing as a Buddhist monk sits in the lotus position outside a mountaintop temple, chanting prayers and presiding over offerings made by a deceased man’s family... Embarking on an exotic camel trek to the picturesque dunes and villages of the Thar Desert...Visiting a Nepalese primary school as twenty smiling children greet us with a collective “Namaste,” sing their national anthem and recite lessons in unison...Hot air ballooning over Kathmandu Valley, enjoying the backdrop of the Himalayas...Listening to colorful tales from Hindu mythology...Bicycling down Mt. Batur and through the beautiful Balinese countryside...Gazing endlessly at the Taj Mahal...Hiking through Balinese rice fields and villages...Whitewater rafting through the scenic mountainside valleys of Nepal... Taking a scenic flight to Mount Everest...Visiting the home of a Balinese musician and learning to play various instruments of the gamelan ensemble... Learning the basic tenets of fascinating religions such as Jainism and Sikhism... Learning the Topeng mask dance and hiking through Himalayan villages and along side Hindu and Buddhist temples. Now discover your own unforgettable images of Asia!

All included adventures are elective and low-intensity.

China

REMOTE GEMS OF CHINA: FROM LIJIANG TO HUANG SHAN

Highlights: Hiking along a remote, beautiful and untouristed stretch of the Great Wall. Easy bicycling or hiking through an exquisite area outside Lijiang. Meeting with a Naxi family to learn of their matriarchal culture and meeting with a Dongba shaman priest to learn of their animist belief system and ancient pictographic language. Li River cruise and Yellow Mountain. Elective classes in Xi'an and Guilin: Tai Chi, Chinese calligraphy/art; Chinese cooking, Chinese traditional medicine (acupuncture) and/or Chinese chess. Fantastically scenic bicycling excursion outside Yangshuo. Enchanting tea ceremony. Home visit in Beijing's old Hutong district. Watching children taking after school classes in ballet, music, painting, drawing, opera singing and model making. Optional side trips to Tibet and/or Wolong Nature Reserve to see Giant Pandas!

15 Days

India

TAJ, TIGERS AND TEMPLES

Highlights: Camel trekking to the remote villages and dunes of the Thar Desert. Tracking the Royal Bengal Tiger. Luxuriating in Palace Hotels. Attending a yoga lesson. Watching pilgrims bathe and pray in the Ganges at sunset. Marveling at Ranakpur and the Taj Mahal. Scenic hiking or horseback riding to the Mughal fortress of Kumbalgarh. Elephant ride to Amber Fort.

Lecture options: History (pre-1700); History (post-1700); Hinduism and Jainism; The Royal Bengal Tiger; Indian Temple architecture; Yoga seminar; Current Events and modern Indian Politics; Indian religious Literature; Indian cuisine.

18 Days

.   India & Nepal FROM RANAKPUR TO KATHMANDU

Highlights: Camel trekking to the remote villages and dunes of the Thar Desert. Tracking the Royal Bengal Tiger from the back of an elephant. Scenic flight to Mt. Everest. Luxuriating in Palace Hotels. Marveling at Ranakpur and the Taj Mahal. Scenic hiking or horseback riding to the Mughal fortress. Learning about Buddhism and Hinduism. Whitewater rafting through picturesque valleys. Hiking through Himalayan villages and alongside temples.

India lecture options: History (pre-1700); History (post-1700); Hinduism and Jainism; The Royal Bengal Tiger; Indian Temple architecture; Yoga seminar; Current Events and modern Indian Politics; Indian religious Literature; Indian cuisine.

Nepal lecture options: History; Nepali peoples and cultures; Hinduism; Buddhism; Flora and fauna of Royal Chitwan; Vipasana Meditation; Nepali woodcarving and crafts; Nepali sculpture; Yoga seminar.

22 Days

Nepal HIMALAYAN MAJESTY

Highlights:  Tracking the Royal Bengal Tiger from the back of an elephant. Scenic flight to Mt. Everest. Visiting Nepalese schools. Whitewater rafting through picturesque valleys. Learning about Buddhism and Hinduism. Hiking through Himalayan villages and alongside temples.

Lecture options: History; Nepali peoples and cultures; Hinduism; Buddhism; Flora and fauna of Royal Chitwan; Vipasana Meditation; Nepali woodcarving and crafts; Nepali sculpture; Yoga seminar.

13 Days

Indonesia TREASURES OF BALI AND JAVA

Highlights: bicycling down Mt. Batur and through picturesque Balines countryside. Visiting the home of a renowned teacher to learn the Topeng mask dance and how to play various instruments of the gamelan ensemble. Whitwater rafting on the scenic Ayund River. Hiking through Balinese rice fielda and villages. Attending performances of the Monkey and Fire dances. Visiting Borobudur and Prambanan.

Lecture options: Indonesian dance and the gamelan; Mask making workshop;Indonesian anthropology; Balinese Arts; Hinduism; Balinese culture and customs; Indonesian cuisine; Overview of Indonesian History.

12 Days

Highlights:  Hot air ballooning over the ancient kingdom of Bagan at sunset. Elephant back trekking to the jungle ruins of Angkor Wat. Visiting the incomparable Shwedagon Pagoda. Cruising by the villages on stilts and floating markets of Inle Lake. Bicycling near Bagan’s prominent temples and pagodas. Pasting gold leafs on the Maha muni Buddha image in Mandalay. Taking a scenic horsecart ride among the picturesque villages, farms, monasteries and pagodas of Inwa.

14 Days

Highlights: Elephant back trekking to the jungle ruins of Angkor Wat. Bicycling through Hoi An and the imperial city of Hue. Cruising through spectacular Halong Bay. Attending a water puppet show. Exploring the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City. Enjoying a private lesson in Tai Chi. Teaching English to Cambodian students (optional). Taking a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Dining at the home of a former UPI journalist/ photographer. Enjoying a private dinner cruise with Hue's royal Music Show. Learning about traditional farming techniques in a small village.

16 Days

Highlights: easy bicycling excursion through the ancient Thai capital of Sukhothai; enjoying a class in Thai cooking, silk weaving or Thai dancing in Chiang Mai; visiting with the Padaung and Meo people near Mae Hong Son; taking an exciting mahout training course at Lampang Elephant camp; visiting Chiang Rai's Opium Museum and cruising across the Lao border; listening to a lecture on Buddhism followed by meditation with a monk; partaking in a short elephant back trek through tropical jungle; exploring Bangkok's canals and the exquisite Emerald Buddha; and taking an easy bicycle ride to hill-tribe villages.

12 Days