Alumni Travel Programme - Unbound 2013 - Issue 3 by University of Cambridge Development and Alumni Relations

Unbound Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme

Alumni Relations Office

Edition 3 / 2013

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was a wonderful journey of discovery. We are extremely grateful to you for having the courage and commitment to organise such an imaginative and challenging itinerary.â&#x20AC;? Journey through Central Asia Distant Horizons

Unbound Welcome to the new issue of Unbound, the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme listing of trips for 2013. The journeys offered by the Alumni Travel Programme are special. They range in price, destination and theme, but all have some important things in common. All are run by a select group of expert travel operators, carefully chosen by the University and who in most cases have worked with us for many years. The itineraries are designed for alumni with enquiring minds and are chosen with meticulous attention for detail, offering well-structured trips planned with expertise and a great deal of specialist information and local knowledge. Many of the tours visit places out of reach to most tourists, and can include special access to Cambridge research sites. You travel with a small group of like-minded people – typically between just 12 and 20 other alumni. And in each case the trips are accompanied by an expert, there to enlighten and inspire you with their unmatched knowledge, special insight and passion for their subject. Destinations for 2013 include Spitsbergen, Albania, Pompeii, the Black Sea, Egypt, Namibia, Indochina, South India and Sri Lanka, Burma and the Galapagos Islands. All the trips offer a wonderful way to connect back to Cambridge and benefit again from academic excellence; and at the same time to support the work of the University, as each booking results in a donation from our partner tour operators. Rediscover your enquiring mind and sense of adventure and let the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme show you the world.

Europe 4 – 5 In the Realm of the Polar Bear Provence and the Camargue Salzburg Easter Music Festival From Cracow to Warsaw Bulgarian Monasteries Europe 6 – 7 Roman Lives in Pompeii and the Bay of Naples Albania: Land of the Eagles Inside Rome on Foot Ravenna and Aquileia Inside Istanbul On Foot Europe 8 – 9 When Can their Glory Fade? O’ The Wild Charge They Made Amazing Anatolia Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast The Turquoise Coast Ancient Routes of the Caucasus Africa 10 Egypt Uncovered Namibian Landscapes Last Kingdoms of Africa Asia 11 – 12 A Short Trek in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal Kingdoms in the Sky Crossing the Ancient Silk Road Sacred and Tribal China Journey through Indochina Asia 13 - 14 Golden Road to Samarkand Enchanting Sri Lanka Burma Exploring South India and Sri Lanka Singapore and Burma: Land of Contrasts Asia & South America 15 Journey through Indonesia The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

Full details of how to contact the operators, find out more about the trips and to book can be found on P18 Key D Date

T Tour Operators

P Price

S Scholars

Front cover image: Potala Palace, Tibet

Inside back cover image: Philip Newth (Queens’)

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Europe

In the Realm of the Polar Bear – Provence and Spitsbergen Circumnavigation the Camargue Jointly with University of Oxford

Luxury barge cruise from Avignon to Aigues Mortes

28 August – 5 September 2013

28 July – 3 August 2013

Hurtigruten / hurtigruten.co.uk +44 (0)208 846 2633

Temple World / templeworld.com +44 (0)208 940 4114

From £3,925 per person; includes airfare from London

£2,680 from London Single supplement on request

Professor Julian Dowdeswell is Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute and Professor of Physical Geography in Cambridge.

Professor Rosamund McKitterick, Chair in Medieval History, Cambridge.

Remote, mysterious and extreme, the island of Spitsbergen is the crown of Arctic Norway. Located right on the southern fringe of the Arctic Ocean, this land is forged by ice, wind and sea. Here you will find both an untouched wilderness and a biological hot spot - and roaming across this fragile food web is the top predator, the polar bear. On this circumnavigation of Spitsbergen you will experience the low-hanging Midnight Sun creating unearthly hues reflected off the sea’s surface, the ice and the glaciers. The seven-night voyage on the MS Fram includes visits to Barentsburg, Ny Ålesund, Edgeøya,Hornsund, Isfjord and Longyearbyen highlights include expedition-style daily landings (where weather allows), onboard lectures, and an extraordinary opportunity to see wildlife including polar bears, walrus, whales, arctic fox and myriad seabirds. There is an overnight stay in Longyearbyen before the voyage allowing time to explore. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.

Meander along the Rhone River through the stunning scenery of the Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon regions in style and comfort. Starting in Avignon, we visit the Palais des Papes, a magnificent symbol of the church’s influence in the 14th century followed by a wine-tasting in Chateauneuf-du-pape. We also visit Le Pont Du Garde and the fortified village of Les Beaux de Provence, atop a rocky outcrop in the Alpilles. At Arles, see the superb Roman theatre and arena and the Romanesque Cathédrale St Trophîme with its renowned sculpture of the Last Supper. We end in the virtually intact medieval walled city of Aigues Mortes from which Louis IX launched the Seventh Crusade. We have exclusive use of Le Phénicien, a deluxe, air-conditioned hotel barge taking just 18 guests in comfort, with private ensuite cabins and an on board chef to prepare wonderful Provençal cuisine complemented by local wines.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Salzburg Easter Music Festival

From Cracow to Warsaw

Bulgarian Monasteries

A week of world-class music

A musical journey through Poland’s historic capitals

Hidden architectural gems and art treasures

27 March – 2 April 2013

T Ace Cultural Tours aceculturaltours.co.uk + 44 (0)1223 841055

16 – 21 October 2013

T Ace Cultural Tours aceculturaltours.co.uk + 44 (0)1223 841055

21 September – 5 October 2013

T Ace Cultural Tours aceculturaltours.co.uk + 44 (0)1223 841055

£2,490 including flights from London. Single supplement £150

£1,490 including flights from London. Single supplement £250

£2,290 including flights from London. Single supplement £250

John Deathridge, King Edward Professor of Music at King’s College, London

S Daniel Snowman (Jesus 1958) is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research (London University).

Dr Alex Koller (Magdalene 1993) is an expert in art history and architecture who specialises in Slavonic studies.

Appropriately for Wagner’s anniversary year, the Easter Festival features a new production of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal, conducted by Christian Thielemann, with Johan Botha in the lead role. Wolfgang Koch takes on two roles, Amfortas and Klingsor; mezzo-soprano Michaela Schuster interprets the role of Kundry and Stephen Milling appears as Gurnemanz. The 2013 concert programme focuses on three composers: Beethoven, Brahms and Henze. World-acclaimed pianists, Evgeny Kissin and Yefim Bronfman, perform Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5. Henze’s new work Isoldes Tod will premiere and Christian Thielemann, Michael Volle (baritone) and Christiane Karg (soprano) will perform Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. We will enjoy a private tour of original manuscripts in the Mozart archives and other excursions.

No two cities reflect the vicissitudes of Polish history more dramatically than Cracow, with its mediaeval centre, and Warsaw, restored brickby-brick after the ravages of WWII. The tour will be interspersed with musical interludes in both cities and will explore the history of Polish opera. In the 500 years up to 1609, the Polish Kings were crowned and entombed in Cracow’s Gothic cathedral and made the Royal Castle their official residence. Chunks of Communist-era architecture survive in Warsaw alongside the unique 13th to 18th century styles found in the capital’s Old Town. Opera arrived in Poland at the invitation of Prince Ladislaus IV in 1632. At first an Italian opera troupe performed at Warsaw’s Royal Castle, but for the last 170 years Polish National Opera has resided at the city’s Grand Theatre.

Carpeted in thick forest and studded with snowcapped peaks, Bulgaria’s natural landscape is only surpassed by the wealth of its cultural inheritance. Our circuit will visit six UNESCO World Heritage sites, from the Madara Horseman, an 8th century rock relief carved into a towering cliff, to the 4th century BC Thracian tomb at Kazanlak with its Helenistic murals. Our tour focuses on Bulgaria’s flamboyantly decorated monasteries, the symbolic strongholds of the nation’s values and traditions, which display a rich legacy of religious art in their wall paintings. We will also see perhaps the most groundbreaking archaeological discoveries in Europe in the last 50 years, found in the tombs of Thracian rulers, as well as the remains of the most monumental planned cities in earlymediaeval Europe, barely known to the world outside Bulgaria but of enormous importance.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Europe

Roman Lives in Pompeii and the Bay of Naples

Albania Land of the Eagles

A haunting vision of ordinary Roman lives, caught at a moment of extraordinary disaster.

A small country coveted by her neighbours, Greece and Rome. Glorious unspoilt landscapes and 2,000 years of untouched archaeological heritage.

23 – 27 January 2013 (wait list only) / October 2013*

Andante Travels / andantetravels.com/Cambridge +44 (0)1722 713800

£1,350 (Single supplement £85)

Guide lecturers include Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, Master of Sidney Sussex College and Director of the Herculaneum Conservation Project.

This trip offers an intimate introduction to the lives of ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary disaster. Before the eruption of Vesuvius, Pompeii was a prosperous town of around 12,000 people. The catastrophic events of AD79 brought the life of the town (and the surrounding region) to an abrupt halt. Houses, private possessions, mortal remains were frozen in situ. We plan carefully, approaching the sites at the best times and in the best order to avoid the crowds. We also visit the smaller, exceptionally wellpreserved town of Herculaneum and a magnificent Villa at Oplontis as well as three impressive Greek temples at Paestum. The tour is based in a wellloved, family-run hotel where a roaring fire and good Italian dinner await your return (and a good indoor pool in the autumn). *Our original January departure filled very rapidly, but we are now arranging a second tour in autumn 2013 – please ring for details.

19 – 27 April 2013

Andante Travels / andantetravels.com/Cambridge +44 (0)1722 713800

£1,995 (Single supplement £125)

Oliver Gilkes is a leading expert in Albanian archaeology and has led excavations at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint for many years; he speaks Albanian and has been instrumental in establishing and encouraging the study of archaeology in post-communist Albania.

Albania is like no other country in Europe – a beautiful and fascinating place, still very much off the tourist trail. Caught between Greece and Rome, the Ottoman Empire and Europe, Albania was once home to classical cities which vied in splendour with those of her neighbours. Today, there is a wonderful sense of discovery about Albanian archaeology: this is a place where pristine ruins really do still stand untouched, in splendid isolation, often amid meadows of wildflowers. Oliver Gilkes has worked in Albania for many years and has witnessed the country’s exuberant (and sometimes turbulent) post-communist transformation first-hand. Albanian hotels are not the country’s strongpoint – but we have handpicked an interesting and really enjoyable mix, and created an exciting and varied itinerary introducing sites from many periods of Albania’s history.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Inside Rome On foot

Ravenna and Aquileia

Inside Istanbul On foot

With private evening visit for our party to the Sistine Chapel

Glorious flowering of arts and architecture under Rome’s last Emperors.

Escape the crowds and get to know the hidden corners of the city

28 October – 02 November 2013

T Andante Travels andantetravels.com/Cambridge +44 (0)1722 713800 P

£1,995 (Single supplement £330)

S Henry Hurst is Emeritus Reader in Classics and a Fellow of Churchill College.

Rome is one of the most charismatic and engaging of the great cities of the world, her monuments an omnipresent testament to a past in which she controlled an Mediterraneanspanning Empire. Surprisingly, this is also an intimate city - the historic centre is small, still centred on a core 2000 years old. It is easy to understand, and it is all within comfortable walking distance of our quiet hotel, situated just behind the Pantheon. We will be walking through a panorama of Rome’s history, from some of the earliest monuments of the forum Rome’s transformation into a holy city and modern capital. Venturing outside Rome, we also visit Emperor Hadrian’s extraordinary villa at Tivoli, and the ancient harbour city of Ostia. We have arranged a private evening visit to the Sistine Chapel – an unusual opportunity to see Michaelangelo’s masterwork at close quarters and without the usual crowds.

8 – 15 October 2013

T Andante Travels andantetravels.com/Cambridge +44 (0)1722 713800

7 – 13 October 2013

T Andante Travels andantetravels.com/Cambridge +44 (0)1722 713800

£1,950 (Single supplement £200)

£1,800 (Single supplement £340)

Trip scholar to be confirmed

Terry Richardson is author of the Rough Guides for Turkey and Istanbul. He lives and works in Turkey.

The journey begins in Aquileia, a city which was Rome’s gatekeeper of the north with fantastic mosaics. The lagoon landscapes of the northern Po Valley and the foothills of the Julian Alps make a striking back-drop for our exploration of Romans, Goths, Byzantines and Lombards. It is Ravenna, however, which is the climax. The world-famous mosaics of Italy’s last imperial capital provide an awe-inspiring finale, as intended by their makers. The tour presents a dramatic picture of the end of Rome and the arrival of new players on the stage of early medieval Italy in the northern Adriatic. The tour is based for 3 nights in a small, friendly hotel overlooking the harbour front in Grado and for 4 nights in a comfortable hotel near to the Basilica of San Vitale in the centre of Ravenna.

A chance to escape the crowds around Istanbul’s major monuments and get to know the hidden corners and vibrant street life of this great city, whose history is so tightly bound-up with the development of both Eastern and Western civilisation. For two days, we walk in the shadow of the great Theodosian Walls. Our route takes us through back streets and alleyways; past hidden mosques and churches, thriving market gardens and local bazaars. Further days are spent meandering along the hilltops of the old city’s northwest quarter and, on the ‘European side’, the old Genoese colony of Galata. The tour is based in one wonderfully situated hotel, right in the heart of old Sultanahmet with the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar all within a few hundred metres. This is a small group tour, limited to 16 guests maximum.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Europe

When Can their Glory Fade? Amazing O’ The Wild Charge They Made Anatolia Black Sea Cruise Jointly with University of Oxford

Cappadocia, the Hittite Empire and the enigmatic statues of Nemrut Dag

30 August – 12 September 2013

26 June – 7 July 2013

Voyages to Antiquity / voyagestoantiquity.com +44 (0)1865 302550

Temple World / templeworld.com +44 (0)208 940 4114

From £2,645pp, including flights; £3,100 with single occupancy

£2,995 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

Oswyn Murray is an Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and history editor of the Oxford History of the Classical World.

Dr David Price Williams, lecturer in Archaelogy for 37 years at UCL.

The Crimean War forms a central part of many people’s knowledge of the history of the Black Sea but there is so much more to the story of the area. No other city has played a more important role in the fortunes of the region than Istanbul and it is here that this journey begins. Aegean Odyssey, a beautiful small ship which carries an average of just 350 passengers, sails through the Bosphorus to the Turkish coast calling at Trabzon where there is a visit to the 4th century Sumela monastery high in the mountains. We then reach Batumi in Georgia, a city that has played host to the Greeks, Byzantines, Persians, Turks and Mongols. Next stop is the spa town of Sochi and then we cross to the port of Feodosiya and the splendid Genoese fortress at Sudak, the Russian imperial palaces of Yalta and Sevastopol. The ship will also call at the Ukrainian resort of Odessa - Catherine the Great’s St Petersburg of the South - and Nessebur in Bulgaria. The trip includes flights from the UK, a 2-night stay in Istanbul, all meals on board, wine with dinner, shore excursions and on-board gratuities.

The Hittites had one of the most powerful empires of the Bronze Age, rival to the Egyptians, and they have left impressive remains at their capital, Hattusas. Nearby are the sanctuary of Yazlikaya and the magnificent tombs at Alaça Hüyük. We shall also visit the Syro-Hittite sites of Aslantepe and Karatepe, the ruins of the walled city of King Azatiwatas with its famous Sphynx gate. In between the two areas and eras is the Göreme valley, a whimsical landscape of pink and white “fairy chimneys”, vast pinnacles of eroded volcanic ash. Here over 350 churches are hewn out of the tuff, some containing superb Byzantine frescoes. We also explore the subterranean “cities” of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu. We end with the Hierotheseion of Antiochos at Nemrut Dag, where the mountainside is littered with giant statues of lions, gods and the king of the Commagenes himself.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast

The Turquoise Coast

Ancient Routes of the Caucasus

Exclusive yacht cruise from Split to Dubrovnik

Georgia and Armenia

11 – 25 September 2013

30 June – 7 July 2013

Cruising the shores of Ancient Caria D 7 – 21 September 2013

Temple World / templeworld.com +44 (0)208 940 4114

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk +44 (0)151 625 3425

£2,450 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

£2,950 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

£3,080 from London. Can be joined without flight

Professor Geoff Horrocks is Professor of Comparative Philology, Cambridge.

S Dr Peter Sarris is Lecturer in Roman, Medieval and Byzantine History, Cambridge.

The hauntingly beautiful Dalmatian coast has been occupied by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and for almost 700 years by the Venetians. This incredible architectural, artistic and cultural legacy is explored in comfort as we travel aboard the yacht MS Barbara, chartered for our exclusive use and with just 16 ensuite cabins. In Split, we visit Diocletian’s imposing palace, then cruise to Hvar, the Greek colony of Pharos, where the churches house paintings by Tintoretto and Bellini. We spend a day on the island of Mljet in the stunning national park before cruising to Korcula, where there is a beautifully preserved medieval city. Our highlight will be Dubrovnik, where amongst other delights there is time to explore the Stradun, walk the city walls, see the Sponza Palace and visit the baroque Assumption Cathedral, which houses not only a polyptych by Titian but also a piece of the true cross.

Our favourite gulet itinerary cruises the azure waters of Ancient Caria, Turkey, where the scenery and sea views are surpassed only by the magnificence of the ruined cities. We set off in the shadow of the crusader castle at Bodrum, and cruise to classical Knidos, set majestically above its two harbours. We find further evidence of the Dorians settlement of Asia Minor at Kasara. In eastern Caria we visit the city of Caunos, with its famous royal tombs carved out of the rock face. Beyond, the haunting ruins of Lydae and Arymaxa offer outstanding views. Many previously un-noted Byzantine remains, especially those on Gemiler, tell of the birth of the early Christian Church and its final demise under the advance of Islam. As always we shall travel in comfort aboard classic Turkish yachts, each cabin with en-suite facilities and proper beds. Delicious Turkish cuisine is prepared by the onboard Chef and there is plenty of time built in for relaxing and swimming in peaceful bays.

Dr Hubertus Jahn lectures in East European history at Cambridge.

From the legend of the Golden Fleece to the stories of ancient Ararat, Georgia and Armenia share turbulent histories, extraordinary cultural traditions and spectacularly beautiful landscapes. The journey begins in Georgia, which for centuries stood as a key stop on the Silk Road; a stepping stone between Europe and Asia. From Tbilisi explore the easternmost part of the country – Kakheti – a province of Georgia rich in historic monuments and home to its greatest vineyards. Travel north into the spectacular high Caucasus and en route to Armenia visit, Mtskheta, a World Heritage site where Christianity was first adopted. The Armenian monastic complex of Haghbat is an excellent example of 10th century Armenian architecture and nearby is beautiful Lake Sevan. Spend three days in Yerevan, Armenia’s elegant capital, and visit the Matenadaran, the world’s largest collection of ancient manuscripts. including works by Aristotle.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Africa

Egypt Uncovered

Namibian Landscapes

Last Kingdoms of Africa

Giza and Saqqara, Siwa and the Desert Oases, Luxor, Abydos and Dendera

Exploring and photographing the dunes, deserts, wildlife and rock art of Namibia

Royal Swaziland, Zululand battlefields, big five safari and ancient rock art D

28 September – 10 October 2013

12 – 25 March 2013

Temple World / templeworld.com +44 (0)208 940 4114

£2,450 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

£4,195 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

£3,595 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

Professor Mark J Smith, Professor of Egyptology, University College Oxford.

David Tolley, professional photographer and Tutor in Fine Art at the Ruskin School, University of Oxford.

Dr David Price Williams FRGS was Swaziland’s Director of Antiquities and built the National Museum.

Designed to suit both first and second time visitors, this unusual tour goes off the beaten track to visit Egypt’s unsung gems. We start in Cairo, where alongside the Egyptian museum and Giza pyramids, we visit lesserknown Saqqara with its iconic Step Pyramid. Heading into the desert, we explore the Coptic monasteries at Wadi Natrun, some of the oldest in Christendom. We continue to Alexandria, once home to the Pharos lighthouse and now showcasing its spectacular new Biblioteca Alexandrina. We visit El Alamein, then turning in from the coast, we arrive at the great oasis of Siwa, famed for its temple of Amun where the oracle made Alexander the Great a god. Journey through the oases of Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga until we reach the Nile. End with visits to Luxor, Abydos and the amazingly well-preserved Temple of Hathor at Dendera. Optional 4-7 night Nile Cruises are available to add on from Luxor.

22 June – 3 July 2013

Accompanied by an expert local naturalist as well as by professional photographer and tutor David Tolley, this journey is for nature lovers and budding photography enthusiasts alike. The Namib Desert is home to the world’s largest sand dunes at Sossusvlei, and some of nature’s rarest plants. From Sesriem canyon to the eerily foggy coastline of the Atlantic, this landscape is a photographer’s dream. We travel up the starkly beautiful Skeleton Coast, where shipwrecks rust in the sand, to Damaraland, home to the uniquely adapted desert elephant. We see the amazing rock art at Twyfelfontein, and we stay at Etosha, where the shimmering salt pan is alive with mighty herds of game - zebra, rhino, elephant and giraffe. We end at Okonjima, where we have a chance to get up-close to cheetah and lion. With workshops such as landscape and longlens photography given by David, this is a chance to take photographs which do justice to the incredible scenery and wildlife seen on this tour.

Africa’s kingdoms are vanishing. Catch a glimpse of this disappearing heritage in Swaziland, one of the world’s last absolute monarchies, where traditional culture, dress and song are still a way of life. Here we see dancing at the cultural village and visit the oldest mine in the world. We move on to KwaZulu Natal, once the hunting preserve of Zulu kings and now superb for Big 5 game viewing. On safari at Leopard Mountain Reserve we go in search of majestic elephant, rhino, lion and other plains game as well as elusive leopards. Here too is the richest diversity of birdlife anywhere south of the equator. We continue to Isandhlwana Lodge in the Zulu heartland. It was near here in 1879 that the Anglo Zulu war started and experts will bring the fabled battles of Rorkes Drift and Isandhlwana to life. Finally we travel to the spectacular scenery of the southern Drakensberg Range and visit the world famous prehistoric rock art sites left by the San, earliest inhabitants of this land.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Asia

A Short Trek in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal

Kingdoms in the Sky

Crossing the Ancient Silk Road

Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan

China and Central Asia

5 – 19 April 2013 / 1 – 15 October 2013

16 – 30 October 2013

18 August – 5 September 2013

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk +44 (0)151 625 3425

£2,380 from London. Can be joined without flight

£3,680 from London. Can be joined without flight

P £3,690 from London. Can be joined without flight

Dr Charles Ramble is a former lecturer in Himalayan Studies at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.

Edging the utmost heights of the Himalayas, Nepal is a spectacular country whose history and culture are steeped in ancient customs and traditions. The itinerary involves an eight-day trek following one of the oldest trade routes between India and the Tibetan plateau. The days walking also provide a wonderful opportunity to explore the great cultural diversity of this region where Dr Ramble has carried out research. The journey has been designed as a ‘first time’ trek and does not require particularly high fitness levels. Along the trek the party will visit Jomsom, capital of the semi-restricted district of Mustang, Muktinath with its blend of animistic Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and Marpha, one of the prettiest villages in the Himalayas, surrounded by apple and peach orchards. The party will also explore the great cultural centres of Nepal at Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Pokhara with their exquisite temples and bustling markets.

Zara Fleming is a cultural historian specialising in Himalayan and South Asian history, art and culture.

Isolated by formidable mountain barriers, the peoples of Sikkim and Bhutan have preserved a sophisticated yet thriving medieval culture in the modern world. The fortresses and monasteries are the repositories not only of great art treasures but of centuries of belief. From Kathmandu enjoy a wonderful drive through terraced fields, tea estates, small towns and soothing green landscapes to Darjeeling – one of India’s finest hill stations. Sikkim is a kingdom of relentlessly steep hills, knife-edged valleys and a stunning variety of plants and animals. On a spectacular road enter Bhutan where the sense of near-impregnability deepens as one drives to Thimpu, its capital. No bigger than Switzerland, Bhutan is one of the most beautiful and unspoilt countries in Asia and its architecture is stunning. The journey finishes in Calcutta - an intense city in stark contrast to the peace and serenity of Bhutan.

Dr Jamie Greenbaum is currently at Beijing University where he is researching the early State of Yan.

The ancient Silk Road was actually a vast network of roads with a number of branches stretching westwards from Xi’an to Venice and Rome. Routes passed through spectacular cities and tiny hamlets, through harsh forbidding mountains, gentle steppe lands and hot deserts. It was a mechanism not just for the trade of silk and other precious items, but also a crossroads for the expansion of ideas, arts and culture. In Xi’an, learn more about the great 9th century Tang court, which opened its doors to the cultural influences of Byzantium and Arabia. At Dunhuang, in caves hewn over a millennium, discover one of the world’s richest treasure troves of Buddhist art. Arrive in Kashgar for the famous Sunday market with some of the most colourful figures in Asia. The journey ends amidst the spectacular landscape of the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan, a small and beautiful country in the heart of Central Asia.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Asia

Sacred and Tribal China

Journey through Indochina

Laos, Tibet and Yunnan

Vietnam and Cambodia

16 October – 6 November 2013

29 October – 13 November 2013

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk / +44 (0)151 625 3425

£3,580 per person from London. Not including international flights

£3,540 from London. Can be joined without flight

Dr Charles Ramble is a former lecturer in Himalayan Studies at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford.

Dr Peter Sharrock (Downing 1963) covered the American war in Indochina for four years as Reuters’ correspondent He is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology at SOAS in London.

China is officially made up of 55 minority groups covering 9% of the population whom over the last few generations have been marginalised into mountain and border regions. The journey begins in the royal town of Luang Prabang, a small backwater in the heart of Laos and one of Asia’s last unspoiled havens. Take a beautiful northern road, through endless rice paddies and lush jungle to the misty mountains of the Hmong hill tribes whose settlements are perched precariously on high cliff faces. Here enter China through a small ‘back door’ border crossing with the Himalayan foothills beyond. Yunnan Province (literally ‘South of the Clouds’), is home to some of China’s most diverse variations in flora, fauna and ethnicity. Continue on through bamboo forests and the lush tea plantations to the ancient towns of Dali and Lijiang with their colourful markets left over from the Southern Silk Route. Rolling terraced hills give way to jagged snow capped peaks as one ascends into the Tibetan world of Shangri-La. On the Himalayan plateau of Tibet, the party will explore the traditions of China’s most famous minority group, in the medieval capital city of Lhasa and surrounding towns of Gyantse and Shigatse. Then finally return to earth on the newly opened and world’s highest (Sino Tibet) railway.

The journey begins in Vietnam, a country of stirring beauty and sublimely cultured people whose transformation over the last thirty years from bomb-scarred war zone to one of Asia’s fastest growing economies is mesmerizing. Visit Ho Chi Minh city, formerly Saigon and see one of the most intensely living cities imaginable. Travel to Hue, the old imperial capital which in stark contrast is a sleepy backwater situated on the banks of the shimmering Perfume River. Fly to Hanoi and admire the chic elegance of this great city with its buzzing art scene, once one of the jewels in the French empire. Enjoy a one night cruise on your own private junk through the ‘out of this world’ seascape of Halong Bay. Continue on through the heart of the Mekong Delta to Phnom Penh, the distinctive capital of Cambodia. The journey ends at Angkor, the spiritual and political centre of the Khmer Empire which at its height extended over most of Indochina and produced some of Asia’s most exquisite art and architecture. Explore this magnificent capital with its hundreds of monuments. For those who wish the journey can be extended with a journey up the mighty Mekong River to Laos.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Golden Road to Samarkand

Enchanting Sri Lanka

Burma

A Journey through Central Asia

The art and culture of the Golden Land

29 October – 12 November 2013

2 – 16 April 2013

Ancient cities, colonial history and wonderful wildlife D 2 – 15 June 2013

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk +44 (0)151 625 3425

Temple World / templeworld.com +44 (0)208 940 4114

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk +44 (0)151 625 3425

£2,970 from London. Can be joined without flight.

£3,350 from London. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight

£3,640 from London. Can be joined without flight

Dr Iain Shearer is an Islamic scholar currently on secondment at the V&A

Professor Robin Coningham (King’s 1985), Chair in Archaeology, University of Durham

Janice Stargardt is a Professorial Fellow in Asian Historical Archaeology at Cambridge.

Few landmarks have tantalised the minds of travellers and artists more than the legendary cities of Central Asia. Originally caravanserais on the Golden Trade route across Central Asia, they developed into thriving centres of commerce and culture. Learn more of the region’s great kingdoms whose magnificent civilizations have produced some of Asia’s most beautiful art and architecture. The journey begins in Khiva whose many mosques and colleges have been rebuilt and where it is still possible to experience the timelessness of a Central Asian Caravan town. In Turkmenistan, visit the ancient ruins of Merv which in medieval times was the second most important city in Asia Minor after Bagdad. Cross the Oxus River to ‘Divine Bukhara’, a town of hundreds of mosques, madrassas and minarets. The journey finishes in Samarkand whose main square, the Registan was described by Lord Curzon as ‘the noblest square in the world’.

Sri Lanka, the ‘Enchanted Isle’ is an island of marvellous contrasts, and we have included as many highlights as possible whilst devoting extra time to the ancient civilizations of the cultural triangle. Here Professor Coningham can offer unique insights from his extensive experience excavating in this region. We start at the sacred city of Anuradhapura, and climb the awe-inspiring rock fortress at Sigiriya. At Dambulla, cave temples contain colourful ancient artwork. We explore Polonnaruwa, known for its beautiful reclining Buddha, before heading to Kandy, place of Sri Lankan pilgrimage. We travel by rail to the colonial tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya, then to Yala National Park, home to the highest density of leopards in the world. We end at the 17th century Dutch fort at Galle, with historic architecture, palm-fringed beaches and a cosmopolitan vibe. Stay in historic, stylish and unique places including Geoffrey Bawa hotels.

Explore the ancient land of Burma, one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries in Asia. Burma is the last of the truly magical destinations of the Orient, a glimpse of old Asia and the most devoutly Buddhist nation on earth. Begin the journey in Yangon (formerly Rangoon), and explore this curiously Victorian city with its majestic colonial facades. Continue on to Inle Lake, beautifully situated amidst the Shan Mountains at over 1000 metres above sea level. Travel on through lush countryside to the ancient citadel of Sri Ksetra which has been the focus of much of Professor Stargardt’s research. Mandalay, today the cultural heart of the country, was Burma’s last royal capital with a romantic and evocative past. Nearby is the ancient capital of Bagan, spectacularly situated on the Irrawaddy River. It is a true wonder of the ancient world with its hundreds of huge pagodas soaring towards the sky.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Asia

Exploring South India and Sri Lanka

Singapore and Burma: Land of Contrasts Cruise to Southeast Asia Jointly with University of Oxford

8 – 25 November 2013

15 February – 2 March 2013

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk / +44 (0)151 625 3425

Voyages to Antiquity / voyagestoantiquity.com +44 (0)1865 302550

£3,870 from London. Can be joined without flight P

Price from £2,845 pp / £3,245 single occupancy

Professor Julius Lipner is a Professor of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at Cambridge. He was born and raised in India and has accompanied seven alumni trips.

Robert Gordon is the former British Ambassador to Burma and Head of the FCO’s South East Asia Department. He is currently President of the Britain-Burma Society.

Often overlooked, Southern India is an exotic land full of centuries-old temple complexes, bazaars selling fragrant spices, women dressed in vibrant silks and wild-life parks abounding with rare fauna and flora. On this unique itinerary, discover the distinctive cultures of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states. Wander through the spectacular shore temples of Mahabalipuram near the city of Madras. In Madurai, a town throbbing with life and teeming with pilgrims, visit the temple dedicated to Meenakshi which dominates the skyline. Continue on through forests, tea plantations and the beautiful Game Reserve at Periyar to Kottayam. Enjoy a one night cruise in traditional houseboats along a beautiful stretch of inland waterways to Cochin, a picturesque harbour with islands, backwaters, magnificent buildings, and a rich history. Visit Hyderabad, a vibrant city of mosques and palaces. The tranquil and beautiful island of Sri Lanka was one of the world’s first great Buddhist kingdoms. Explore its ruined ancient cities, palaces and gardens. Professor Lipner will trace the history of the remarkable kingdoms who created an irrigation system to make the landscape bloom, then crowned its rocky outcroppings and fertile valleys with magnificent temples and royal residences.

In 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles was determined that Great Britain should replace the Netherlands as the dominant power in the Malaysian archipelago and founded Singapore as a trading post in 1819. Subsequently, few cities in Southeast Asia can boast Singapore’s fascinating cultural mix. Not only has Singapore’s history of migration left a rich cultural and architectural legacy that makes wandering the streets an absorbing delight, it has created one of the world’s great gastronomic capitals. From here it is on to Phuket in Thailand and the beautiful Phi Phi Islands, sailing on the 350-passenger Aegean Odyssey. And then to Burma: a land of incredible landscapes, of truly breathtaking man-made edifices like the temples at Bagan or the shimmering golden Shwedagon, and of course a warm and friendly people. Your arrival is fittingly spectacular as the small size of our Aegean Odyssey ship, allows us to sail up the Yangon River to berth in the centrally-located port of Yangon (Rangoon), the capital of Burma. The trip includes flights from the UK, a 2-night stay in Singapore, all meals on board, wine with dinner, shore excursions and on-board gratuities.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Asia & South America

Journey through Indonesia

The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

Secrets of the Spice Islands

The zoology, ecology and ornithology of the Pacific

2 – 21 July 2013

10 - 21 October 2013

Distant Horizons / distanthorizons.co.uk / +44 (0)151 625 3425

Temple World / templeworld.com / +44 (0)208 940 4114

£4,380 from London. Can be joined without flight.

£4,850 from London / Lower Cabin. Upper Cabin +£250 p.p. Single supplement on request. Can be joined without flight.

Robert Barnes is Professor at Oxford’s Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology and specialises in the cultures and societies of Eastern Indonesia. Professor Ruth Barnes is an art historian and an expert in Southeast Asian textiles.

Professor John Parker was Director of the University Botanic Garden from 1996 to 2011. He is an expert in the life and work of the Garden’s founder and Charles Darwin’s mentor, Professor John Henslow.

Indonesia is a land of extraordinary beauty and astounding cultural diversity. Its many islands sprawl over one eighth of the globe and encompass mindstupefying extremes from the highest peaks linked by chains of dramatic volcanoes to vast savannahs and tropical rain forests inhabited by over 300 ethnic groups; Indonesia is the most complex single nation on earth. Explore three of the country’s major islands; Java, Sulawesi and Bali. Begin in Java, at Indonesia’s ‘cultural’ capital, Jogjakarta whose nearby temples and monuments such as Borobudur are rivalled only by Angkor and Bagan. All Southeast Asian art forms have found perfection in central Java and many originated here. Drive through lush tropical forests to the stunning complex of Candi Sukuh built on the slopes of the majestic and eternally restless volcanic Mt. Lawu. On the tropcial island of Sulawesi, travel through idyllic villages tucked away amid the rugged peaks and fertile plateaux where the Toraja people are perhaps best known for their colourful feasts in honour of the dead. The journey finishes on the magical island of Bali where the heartland of Balinese culture has always been, and still is, in the hills. Experience one of the most complex social and religious structures in the world.

Experience first hand the astonishing ecology which contributed to Charles Darwin’s pivotal theory of evolution. The tour begins in colonial Quito, the first city to receive World Heritage status. We visit Quito’s Old City and Otavalo’s famous market. In the Galapagos, we have arranged a week-long private cruise exclusively for Cambridge and Oxford alumni aboard CORAL I, a cruiser with just 18 fully air-conditioned outside cabins, all with private facilities. We have time to visit a cross-section of islands in the Galapagos where we will encounter its harsh and dynamic volcanic landscape and its fascinating flora. 500 species of “higher” plants are endemic and these together with endemic mosses, lichens and liverworts give the Galapagos its complex ecosystem. Living in this unique environment are an astonishing array of birds including all fifteen species of the famous Darwin’s finches, animals such as sea lions, iguanas and giant tortoises and colourful marine life including rays and reef sharks. You may get the chance to swim with sea lions, playful penguins or even dolphins, as they are unafraid of humans. Amazon pre-tour and Peru post-tour available.

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Trip scholars 2013

Professor Robert Barnes Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford

Henry Hurst Emeritus Reader in Classics and a Fellow of Churchill College

Terry Richardson Author of the Rough Guides for Turkey and Istanbul, he lives and works in Turkey

Professor Robin Coningham King’s 1985, Chair in Archaeology, University of Durham

Dr Hubertus Jahn Lecturer in East European history, Cambridge

Dr Peter Sarris Lecturer in Roman, Medieval and Byzantine History, Cambridge

Professor John Deathridge King Edward Professor of Music at King’s College London

Dr Alex Koller Expert in art history and architecture who specializes in Slavonic studies

Dr Peter Sharrock Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology at SOAS in London and former Reuter’s correspondent for Indochina

Professor Julian Dowdeswell Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute and Professor of Physical Geography, Cambridge Zara Fleming Cultural historian specialising in Himalayan and South Asian history, art and culture Oliver Gilkes Leading expert in Albanian archaeology and has led excavations at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint for many years Robert Gordon Robert Gordon is the former British Ambassador to Burma.

Professor Julius Lipner Professor of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion, Cambridge

Dr Iain Shearer Islamic scholar currently on secondment at the V&A

Professor Rosamund McKitterick Chair in Medieval History, Cambridge

Professor Mark J Smith Professor of Egyptology, University College, Oxford

Oswyn Murray Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. Also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and former history editor of the Oxford History of the Classical World

Daniel Snowman Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research (London University)

Professor John Parker Former Director of the University Botanic Garden, Cambridge (1996-2011)

Dr Jamie Greenbaum Currently researching the history of early Chinese utopias and the early State of Yan at Beijing University

Dr David Price Williams Lecturer in Archaeology at UCL, former Director of Antiquities in Swaziland

Professor Geoff Horrocks Professor of Comparative Philology, Cambridge

Dr Charles Ramble Former lecturer in Himalayan Studies at the Oriental Institute, Oxford

Professor Janice Stargardt Professorial Fellow in Asian Historical Archaeology, Cambridge David Tolley Professional photographer and Tutor in Fine Art at the Ruskin School, University of Oxford Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and Director of the Herculaneum Conservation Project

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Travel diary 2013

23 – 27 January Roman Lives in Pompeii and the Bay of Naples 12 – 25 March Egypt Uncovered 15 February – 2 March Singapore and Burma: Land of Contrasts 27 March – 2 April Salzburg Easter Music Festival 2 – 16 April Golden Road to Samarkand 5 – 19 April A Short Trek in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal 19 – 27 April Albania: Land of the Eagles

18 August – 5 September Crossing the Ancient Silk Road

P11

28 August – 5 September In the Realm of the Polar Bear

P11

16 October – 6 November Sacred and Tribal China

P12

P10

P14

P13

30 August – 12 September When Can their Glory Fade? O’ The Wild Charge They Made 7 – 21 September The Turquoise Coast

29 October – 12 November Burma P13 P8 29 October – 13 November Journey through Indochina

11 – 25 September Ancient Routes of the Caucasus

TBC October Roman Lives in Pompeii and the Bay of Naples

21 September – 5 October Bulgarian Monasteries

8 – 25 November Exploring South India and Sri Lanka

P11 28 September – 10 October Last Kingdoms of Africa

P10

P11

P13

1 – 15 October A Short Trek in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal

22 June – 3 July Namibian Landscapes

P10

7 – 13 October Inside Istanbul on Foot

26 June – 7 July Amazing Anatolia

8 – 15 October Ravenna and Aquileia

30 June – 7 July Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast

10 – 21 October The Galapagos Islands & Ecuador

28 July – 3 Aug Provence and the Camargue

16 – 21 October From Cracow to Warsaw

28 October – 2 November Inside Rome on Foot

P15

P12

2 – 15 June Enchanting Sri Lanka

2 – 21 July Journey Through Indonesia

16 – 30 October Kingdoms in the Sky

P15

P14

Unbound / Edition 3 / 2013

Unbound For further information and to book

ACE Cultural Tours

Hurtigruten Ltd

To find out more about a trip that interests you or to book, please contact the individual operator, either by email or phone. All the operator contact details are listed opposite, and they are all more than happy to provide further information to help you make your booking decision and to discuss whether a trip is right for you. More information about the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme can be found at www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel, where you can search for a trip by destination, date or favourite trip scholar.

The Granary, Bury Farm, Stapleford Cambridge CB22 5BP

Bedford House 69 – 79 Fulham High Street London SW6 3JW

T +44 (0)1223 841055 E ace@aceculturaltours.co.uk W www.aceculturaltours.co.uk

T +44 (0)208 846 2633 E uk.groups@hurtigruten.com W www.hurtigruten.co.uk

Important Note

Andante Travels

Temple World

All the trips in this brochure are run by tried and tested travel operator partners. The operators have sole responsibility for the trips and the University has no control over or responsibility for the operation of the tours. All queries about individual trips should be addressed to the operator concerned. The information provided in this brochure is for general information only; if you are interested in making a booking, please contact the travel operator directly.

The Old Barn, Old Road, Alderbury, Salisbury, SP5 3AR

(incorporating IMA Travel) 13 The Avenue, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2AL

T +44 (0)1722 713800 E tours@andantetravels.co.uk W www.andantetravels.com/cambridge

T +44 (0)208 940 4114 E info@templeworld.com W www.templeworld.com

Distant Horizons

Voyages to Antiquity

13 Melloncroft Drive, Caldy Wirral CH48 2JA

8 South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JL

T +44 (0)151 6253425 E info@distanthorizons.co.uk W www.distanthorizons.co.uk

T +44 (0)1865 302550 E reservations@voyagestoantiquity.com W www.voyagestoantiquity.com

What is it like to travel with us? “We both considered it to be an amazing and immensely enjoyable experience. All the arrangements worked perfectly and we enjoyed the company of all our party. We have seen some fantastic sights and we have learned a great deal about ancient and modern China. Our holiday was incalculably enhanced by our guide Jamie Greenbaum…” Crossing the Ancient Silk Road, summer 2012 Distant Horizons “It was wonderful. Manifestly Hurtigruten is a company of the highest standards […]The various excursions were imaginative and rewarding […] The countryside was magnificent in its beauty. That of course was God’s business and not Hurtigruten’s but Hurtigruten let us see it in all its loveliness.” Classic Norwegian Round Voyage, autumn 2012 Hurtigruten

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found the trip to Egypt organised by Temple World one of the most memorable holidays I have had.â&#x20AC;? Eternal Egypt, spring 2012 Temple World

Cambridge Alumni Relations Office University of Cambridge 1 Quayside Bridge Street Cambridge CB5 8AB

+44 (0)1223 332288

E contact@alumni.cam.ac.uk

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