Completed Tours, 2007
[January through June]
AGS Publications
Last Updated:
November 15, 2007
The AGS Travel Program
THE 2007 SEASON [July through December]
brochure for the individual AGS Education Tour.COMPLETED PROGRAMS
WESTERN AFRICA: Casablanca to Cape Town
October 19 - November 8, 2007 (21 days)
Imagine a grand journey that sweeps a continent, beginning in cosmopolitan Casablanca, moving southward to end at the southernmost tip of Cape Point—providing
an experience of Africa unlike any other. This is a trip only possible via private air, and we travel in true comfort with just 44 guests in a jet
originally designed for twice as many. This journey will take you to the Sahara, one of the oldest and most mythical deserts in the world; bring you face
to face with the rich biodiversity of the Congo basin; and take you into unforgettable landscapes and cultures from the souks of Marrakech to the confluence
of great rivers in the Dogon to Tuareg camel trains. Explore dense equatorial rainforests and unexplored rivers where BaAka (Pygmy) trackers lead us into
an ancient world of forest life and haunting music once played for the pharaohs. Even if you know Africa well, join our AGS lecturer David Keeling on a
trip that reveals places few travelers have ventured.
AGS Lecturer: David Keeling, Professor and Head of the Department of
Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University.
AROUND THE WORLD BY PRIVATE JET
October 26 - November 18, 2007 (24 days)
Circle the globe aboard a private jet discovering the wonder and beauty of ancient civilizations and timeless landscapes that shaped human experience. Visit Kyoto & Nara, Japan; Da Nang, Hoi An & Hue,
Vietnam; Jodhpur, India; Esfahan, Iran; Cairo & the Great Pyramids, Egypt; Tripoli, Sabratha & Leptis Magna, Libya; Togo & villages of Benin; Salvador, Brazil; and the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
AGS Lecturer: Alec Murphy, Ripley Professor of Geography, University of Oregon
JAPAN UNVEILED: From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Culture
October 26 - November 8, 2007 (14 days)
Absorb and experience Japan and Korea's history, cultures, and outstanding natural beauty, traveling via the luxurious, 57-cabin vessel Spirit of Oceanus. Discover Japan's myriad cultural treasures
with two nights in Tokyo and four nights in Kyoto, before embarking for full week of exploration by ship. Highlights in Japan include traditional Kyoto; the ancient city of Nara; Himeji Castle, a World
Heritage Site; cruising the Inland Sea; a Zodiac excursion to Miyajima Island, with its famous Itsukushima Shinto Shrine; Hagi's samurai quarter and Toko-ji Temple; and Kanazawa’s formal Kenrokuen
Garden. In South Korea, visit the ancient capital of Kyongju, a World Heritage Site.
AGS Lecturer: Clifton Pannell, Professor of Geography at the University of Georgia.
MEDITERRANEAN MOSAIC
PART I: September 23 - October 2, 2007 Turkey to Crete (11 days)
PART II: September 29 - October 12, 2007 Crete to Malta (14 days)
This magical two-part voyage aboard the luxurious, 40-cabin Le Levant begins in Istanbul where we observe the mosaic art and architecture for which it is known world-wide. Sailing between
Europe and Asia through the Dardanelles Straits into the Aegean Sea, we follow Turkey’s coastline and take Zodiac excursions into tiny harbors to explore the ruins of ancient civilizations. Expert lecturers
join us on this journey, which will bring to life both history and mythology. Our exploration continues along the northern coast of Africa, where Greeks and Romans founded a series of large cities that remain
in ruins, temples, mosques, churches, and casbahs left to our discovery. We follow in the wake of Ulysses, Alexander, and Julius Caesar, from the Palace of Knossos on Crete to Tunisia’s World Heritage
Sites—Carthage, El-Jem, and Dougga—and ending on enchanting Malta.
AGS Lecturer: Larry Ford, Professor of Geography at San Diego State University.
THE MEDITERRANEAN: The Moors, the Ottomans, and Islam
September 27 - October 19, 2007 (23 days)
Join us on this fascinating expedition that explores the multi-faceted Mediterranean from east to west—from its varied geography and ancient history to
its modern cultures and magnificent architecture—with delicious discoveries in food and wine along the way. With the help and in the company of AGS
lecturer Dorothy Drummond, we will better understand the influence of two early Islamic powers—Moorish Spain and Ottoman Turkey—on later Mediterranean
nations and cultures. In the comfort of a 44-guest private jet, we will navigate easily to and from remote and exotic destinations, including Damascus,
Syria; Cairo, Egypt; Tripoli, Libya; Qairouan, Tunisia; Palermo, Sicily; southern Spain; and several cities in Morocco. Return home with a deeper
understanding of ancient Mediterranean cultures, new perspectives on how those traditions matter in the modern world, and how geography is integral to it
all.
AGS Lecturer: Dorothy Drummond, retired Adjunct Assistant Professor of Geography at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Indiana State University.
TREASURES OF ITALY AND CROATIA: The Tyrrhenian & Adriatic Seas
September 30 - October 9, 2007 (10 days)
Star attractions and hidden gems are featured on this our voyage aboard the luxurious, 57-suite Corinthian II from ancient Rome to the sun-dappled isles of Dalmatia and serene Venice. After
reveling in the magnificent temples of Paestum, second only to Pompeii as Italy’s most remarkable ancient site, we spend two full days in Sicily. Baroque Palermo and the magical Norman cathedral of
Monreale are in our sights, before a full day in Syracuse to take in the full measure of this incredible ancient city. From here, we explore the hidden treasures of Puglia, Italy’s “boot-heel,” a seldom-visited,
charmingly traditional region where Otranto’s Cathedral mosaic floor is legendary. After sampling the heralded oysters of Ston and the marvelous Renaissance atmosphere of Dubrovnik, we will delve into the
medieval lanes of Korcula and the sprawling ancient Palace of Diocletian in Split before concluding in Venice.
AGS Lecturer: David Hooson, Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of California - Berkeley.
IN HARRIMAN'S WAKE: PART I - The Bering Sea
July 14 to July 27, 2007 (14 days)
IN HARRIMAN'S WAKE: PART II - Alaska Coastal Odyssey
July 27 to August 7, 2007 (12 days)
Follow in the wake of Edward H. Harriman's 1899 scientific expedition, which was to become the most significant ever undertaken in Alaskan
waters. This epic voyage aboard the all-suite 57-cabin Spirit of Oceanus knits together two exceptional voyages into one dramatic whole as you
revisit the areas explored between Nome, Alaska and Vancouver, B.C., a voyage of almost 3,600 miles. In 25 life-changing days discover, as they
did, the true wonders of Alaska - its welcoming people and thundering glaciers, clamoring wildlife, and scenic wonders, including the scenery
of Glacier Bay, Unalaska, the Pribilofs, the Shumagin Islands, Kodiak, Sitka, and Metlakatla. Watch for whales, seals, bald eagles, bears,
murres, and puffins. A fleet of Zodiacs allows access to remote ports of call and shores.
AGS Lecturer: David Keeling, Professor and Head of the Department of
Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University.
THE GRAND TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL JOURNEY: Russia by Private Train from Vladivostok to Moscow
September 4 - September 21, 2007 (18 days)
We are pleased to announce an exciting new opportunity to re-live the golden age of travel along the famed Trans-Siberian Railway. Join us this fall on a
scenic adventure covering almost 6,000 miles from Vladivostok to Moscow aboard the luxurious Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express. Begin in the port city of
Vladivostok, Russia, where we board our train and set off through Russia’s Siberia and Republics of Buryat and Tatarstan, plus a full day in Mongolia’s
capital city of UlaanBaatar. In addition to stopping nearly every day along our route for outstanding cultural excursions at fascinating locations amid
remarkable and varied landscapes, our program also includes a number of special wildlife viewing opportunities, including a visit to the Amur (Siberian)
Tiger Rehabilitation Center; a day on and around Lake Baikal—the world’s deepest lake; and a cruise to Popov Island, part of UNESCO’s Far East Marine
Biosphere Reserve. Arrive in Moscow and celebrate the culmination of our grand journey through ten time zones with visits to some of the city’s most
spectacular sites, including a special private tour of the Diamond Fund. The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express offers the highest standard of comfort
for our twelve-night rail journey, combining the elegance of fine, Old World-style travel with modern amenities and superb cuisine. The train’s Silver and
Gold Class Cars offer the finest accommodations of any private train, with en-suite baths, plenty of room and storage space, individual climate control, a
state-of-the-art audiovisual system, and a team of highly qualified attendants.
AGS Lecturer: Susan Hardwick, Professor of Geography at the University of Oregon.
VIETNAM & THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
September 8 - September 24, 2007 (17 days)
Our Indochina voyage begins with an exploration of fabled Angkor Wat before embarking the Clipper Odyssey in Ho Chi Minh City and sailing north along the Vietnam coast. We explore sparkling
beaches backed by mystical mountains, centuries-old terraced rice fields, fascinating colonial cities, charming fishing villages and markets, and renowned archeological treasures.
AGS Lecturer: Joseph Wood, Provost and Professor of Geography at the University of Southern Maine.
CROSSROADS OF CULTURE:
Ancient Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians & Etruscans in Central Mediterranean & North Africa
September 23 - October 2, 2007 (10 days)
Civilizations flourish when different cultures meet and trigger an exchange of ideas and innovations. Nowhere in the world have more diverse cultures
convened throughout history than in the Mediterranean, the birthplace of Western civilization. It is our pleasure to invite you on a voyage aboard the
luxury, 57-all suite Corinthian II that will allow you to see for yourself the long succession of peoples and cultures in the central Mediterranean,
from the islands of Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica to Tunisia and the mainland of Italy. We will not only focus on the monuments of the ancient
Greeks and Romans but also on Phoenician and Etruscan sites that rarely appear on Mediterranean itineraries. We have selected our destinations carefully,
both for their ancient significance and for their contemporary pleasures. Agrigento, with its famed temples, reveals the power, wealth, and artistic
excellence the Greeks attained on Sicily. On the eastern coast of Tunisia is El Djem, with its magnificent Roman amphitheater, a testament to the strong
Roman presence in North Africa. On Sardinia, we will explore the remarkable prehistoric nuraghi at Su Nuraxi; and on Corsica, we will travel along the
island’s east coast to the rarely-visited site of Aleria, founded by Greeks in the 6th century B.C. on a beautiful spot overlooking the sea.
AGS Lecturer: David Hooson, Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of California, Berkeley.
Click here to go forward to the first half of 2007.
*** For further information about these or possible future trips contact:
47 Main Street, Suite One
P.O. Box 938
Walpole, New Hampshire 03608-0938
Tel: (888) 805-0884 or (603) 756-2553
Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
Fax: (603)756-2922
Email: ags@studytours.org