Asia
National Geographic Expeditions
Trans-Siberia Rail Journey
June 10-26, 2009
Tour Leader: Sharon Hudgins
On an epic train journey across eight time zones and one-third of the world, travel more than 6,000 miles from Vladivostok to Moscow on the Trans-Siberian Railway. From the wilds of Khabarovsk and the monuments of Mongolia's capital city to Lake Baikal's remote shores and the snowcapped Ural Mountains, enjoy a level of comfort few travelers have known on this route. Click here.
Smithsonian Journeys
Timeless China
June 28-July 8, 2009
Tour Leader: Shirley Gans
Follow the course of China’s history, from the unification of the country by Qin Shi Huang-di, the building of the Great Wall, and the introduction of Buddhism, through the imperial glory of the dynasties. Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Shanghai are China’s gems, showcases of the dynastic eras. Today, they also reflect the changes of modern China while retaining the shadows and brilliance of the past. Experience the many faces of China as you visit ancient sites, carefully preserved neighborhoods, and other timeless wonders. Join us this March, November, or June, each a pleasant time of year with fewer travelers. Email us here for more details.
Graced with glacial mountains, dramatic fjords, cascading waterfalls, and sky-blue lakes, New Zealand is a paradise for those who love the outdoors. Explore lush rain forests, cruise the stunning Milford Sound, float on a subterranean river, search for whales and other sea mammals, and kayak in secluded bays on New Zealand's exotic South Island. 
What traveler hasn’t dreamed of standing at the foot of the mighty pyramids of Giza, exploring a tomb in the Valley of the Kings, or sailing down the mysterious Nile? Egypt’s captivating heritage begins with the legacy of the pharaohs and continues with rich Greco-Roman, Coptic Christian, and Islamic periods. Recall the adventure of “discovering” Egypt in the fashion of the intrepid 19th-century traveler while enjoying all of today’s modern comforts. Our itinerary is designed to enrich your understanding of Egyptian cultures, past and present. 
Morocco's mystique can be found in medinas that brim with color, snowcapped mountains that give way to endless desert, oases thick with palms, and stunning Moorish architecture. Discover the enchanting cities of Marrakech and Fez, venture into rose-colored casbahs, and visit Berbers in their mountain villages. Listen to the strains of Berber music around a campfire in the Sahara, and stay at the glorious Palais Jamai in Fez. 
Florence is a wealth of Renaissance treasures, yet many of its riches elude all but the most experienced travelers. During this exclusive tour, our resident expert and popular art historian Elaine Ruffolo takes you behind the scenes to discover the city’s hidden gems. You’ll enjoy special access to some of Florence’s most celebrated sites during private after-hours visits and gain insight from local experts, curators, and museum directors. You’ll learn about restoration issues with a conservator in the Uffizi’s conservation lab, take tea with a principessa after viewing her art collection, and meet with artisans practicing their ages-old art forms. During a special day in the countryside, go behind the scenes to explore lovely villas and gardens once owned by members of the Medici family. Plus, enjoy time on your own to explore the city’s remarkable rhythm. This distinctive journey offers first-time and returning visitors a chance to delve deeper into the arts of Florence. 
The water-laced city of Venice lies suspended between reality and fantasy. Join us as we meander its maze of winding streets, elegant arched bridges, and charming squares to experience the unique pleasures of this ethereal city. Venturing beyond the beautiful facades of public galleries and notable churches, we’ll enter a special world of private access and behind-the-scenes tours. We’ll view the great Venetian masterpieces and learn about the modern issues facing this magical city—all with our resident expert, a true insider! 
America's premier horticultural event, the 2009 Philadelphia Flower Show, Bella Italia, features the landscapes and culture of Italy's many distinctive regions and cities. Enjoy pre-show access to the exhibition followed by lunch in a private home. Visit the Barnes Foundation, one of the most important private collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern art in America. Spend a day in the bucolic Brandywine Valley, seeing DuPonts at Winterthur; the Wyeths' artistic legacy; and the breathtaking conservatory gardens at Longwood Gardens. 
From the winding Great Wall to the dramatic landscapes of the Three Gorges, experience the timeless beauty of a changing China. Beginning in Beijing, venture to the ancient capital of Xi'an, cruise the Yangtze, and discover cosmopolitan Shanghai. Immerse yourself in Chinese culture through discussions with local experts, and catch a glimpse of old China in traditional neighborhoods off the beaten track. 
Discover Holland at the height of its beauty — when the tulips bloom in springtime. On a cruise aboard the intimate river barge Charlemagne, glide past scenic Dutch towns and windmills. Step into the heart of the flower trade, meet local artisans, stroll through stunning Keukenhof Gardens, and ride a bicycle along narrow canals. In vibrant Amsterdam, view the world's largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh.
In the heart of France's southwest lies a treasure trove of fairy tale castles, gentle green pastures, limestone cliffs, and age-old hilltop hamlets. Its natural bounty is legendary—from wine and walnuts to foie gras and truffles. On visits to artisanal cheese and oil producers, outdoor markets, and family farms, soak up the rhythms—and the flavors—of everyday life in southwestern France. 
Experience Morocco's mystique with National Geographic photographer Chris Rainier on a special photography expedition. Photographic opportunities abound in medinas that brim with color, snowcapped mountains that give way to endless desert, oases thick with palms, and stunning Moorish architecture. With your camera in hand, discover the enchanting cities of Marrakech and Fez, venture into rose-colored casbahs, and visit Berbers in their mountain villages. Along the way, Chris will share techniques and insights about how to best capture the variety of images you'll encounter—from intricate mosaics to vast desert panoramas. 
Just south of Rome lies a region that is home to fascinating tales of ancient civilizations. Under the bright pastel villages and bustling modern-day cities lies a timeless legacy of the Roman empire. Peel back the layers of history to explore the streets and people of Pompeii, Roman villas of Capri, and great cities of Magna Grecia. Discover firsthand how the region’s spectacular cliffs, turquoise seas, and rumbling volcanoes bewitched Virgil and Caesar and set the stage for the legends of Ulysses and Hercules. 
Artistic innovation and achievement have been celebrated in Italy since the days of ancient Rome. The medieval era saw breathtaking architectural advancements as Gothic and Byzantine cathedrals sprung up from Venice to Rome. As humanist ideals began to influence art, Florence gave birth to the Renaissance, and its creative brilliance radiated throughout Europe. This is a journey for lovers of art, architecture, and human ingenuity. 
Tulane Univesity Alumni Association
On the evening of June 5th, 1944, thousands of young men embarked upon a perilous journey taking them across the English Channel to the fog-covered beaches of Normandy. Retrace their valiant steps, beginning with the preparation operations in London, Winchester and Portsmouth, and continue your journey by crossing the English Channel to Normandy to explore the many sites still bearing the mark of their heroic actions that took place 65 years ago. From the imposing cliffs of the Pointe du Hoc, the peaceful beaches of Utah and Omaha, and the small chapel at St. Mère Eglise, to the somber and stunning white crosses of the American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, experience and recall the events which were set in motion one stormy day in 1944 and changed the course of history. 
Commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day, one of the most tragic—and heroic—chapters in western history. Explore London's important World War II sites. Then trace the path of the Allied advance from Portsmouth, England, to the shores of Normandy. Stroll the legendary beaches, visit villages caught up in the fighting, lay a wreath at the American Cemetery, and attend the official remembrance ceremonies. 
Discover the stark beauty of Mongolia on a journey that offers a rare opportunity to witness the ancient customs of one of the world's last surviving nomadic cultures. Meet nomads and get a glimpse of their lifestyle during a stay in a traditional ger tent, hike in sweeping grasslands and along the shores of breathtaking Hövsgöl Nuur, and visit a camel breeder's desert camp. 
Travel with your children and grandchildren, and discover some of the most memorable places China has to offer, from the serpentine Great Wall and Beijing's massive Forbidden City to the awe-inspiring Terra Cotta Army of China’s first emperor in Xian. Cruise down the Yangtze River before ending your adventures in Shanghai, China’s skyscraper-studded gateway to the future. A youth counselor will organize learning activities for the children throughout the program, including flying kites at The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, riding an alpine slide at the Great Wall, and playing Chinese games with local children. As the Western world becomes ever more linked to Asia, this is an ideal time to introduce yourself and the young ones in your life to the excitement of China today. 
Take an unforgettable special journey aboard the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, as you travel across Russia, a 5,772-mile adventure with stops in Mongolia and other seldom-visited locales. Begin your trip in Vladivostok, a city only opened to foreigners in 1991. Here board the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express for a multi-city tour through an ever-changing landscape of mountains, forests, foothills, lakes, and rivers. Along the way, stop at Khabarovsk, Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, Lake Baikal, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk. Discover the natural splendors of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. The journey ends in Moscow where you can explore Russia's capital, including St. Basil's Cathedral, with its vividly colored onion domes, the Kremlin, and Red Square. 
Completed at the end of the 19th century, the Trans-Siberian Railway allows adventurous travelers to journey 6,000 miles across Russia's great expanse. Join us aboard the newly-renovated, luxury Golden Eagle Express as we travel from the enigmatic Russian Far East and its legendary outposts to Moscow’s Red Square, crossing eight time zones and two continents. Along the way we’ll stop in remote outposts to learn about the fascinating peoples and cultures of Siberia and Mongolia, visit museums, and enjoy a traditional meal in a private ger (tented home). Exclusive lectures by historian George Munro highlight Russian history from before the Romanovs to the present. Even the most experienced travelers will be spellbound by this special journey. 
The windswept desert and snow-capped mountains of Mongolia were once best known for Chinggis Khaan and his ferocious armies. Modern-day Mongolians are horsemen of gentler stock, dedicated to their heritage and well versed in their rugged land. Discover the stark beauty of Mongolia on a journey that offers the adventuresome traveler a rare opportunity to witness the ancient customs of one of the world’s last surviving nomadic cultures. This action-packed program will take you from the dunes of the Gobi Desert to the shores of a pristine alpine lake. Trek through a glacial valley in search of rare wildlife and ride by camelback in the Gobi Desert. Explore beautiful Terelj Valley by horseback. Travel by mountain bike through the Khan Khentii Protected Area and spend a night in gers, traditional Mongolian tents, by the ruins of Gunjiin sum Temple. Take a rafting trip down the Tuul River. Hike, canoe and fish along the shores of Lake Hövsgöl in the far north of Mongolia, and end your adventure exploring the rapidly growing city of Ulaanbaatar. 
Sculpted by time into stunning pinnacles and saw-toothed crags, the unique limestone rocks of the Dolomites entrance hikers with incredibly varied landscapes and the constantly changing play of sunlight on towering peaks. In the summer, this lush section of the Italian Alps is a haven for hikers both ambitious and leisurely. Two delightful villages, Canazei and Corvara, serve as our base on this special hiking program, and hiking leaders assist in choosing among trails of all levels of difficulty. Each day brings a new trail with chances to explore breathtaking ridges, verdant valleys, glacier lakes, and meadows dotted with wildflowers. 
Hike in the sunny Ticino! From your base in Intragna, a picturesque village above Lago Maggiore, venture forth each day to hike a surprising variety of trails; through wooded forests and narrow valleys or high up in the Alps. The small village of Intragna, where cars are banned, features an historic core of stone buildings and narrow lanes. 
Join fellow Smithsonian travelers to celebrate a traditional Christmas in the ancient cathedral city of Canterbury. Explore the medieval city known to Chaucer’s pilgrims and meet contemporary pilgrims in town to celebrate the holidays. Experience the cathedral during the feast of Christmas, attending the traditional Lessons and Carols and Christmas Day service, which is presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the frost-covered landscape of Kent, visit Rochester, once home to Charles Dickens, and Leeds Castle, one of the loveliest in England. 
Join us in Salzburg this Christmas for an enchanting program that features the festive traditions of the holiday season as well as special activities centered on Salzburg’s most illustrious son. From Mozart’s birthplace to a sleigh ride through the Alpine countryside and midnight services in a historic baroque church, you’ll spend seven magical nights in this city of music. Venture out this winter to share new traditions of the holiday season with new friends. 