Unbound 6

Unbound Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme

Edition 6 / 2015

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

“We managed to do a great deal at what seemed to be a comfortable pace and I came home just wanting to go back again!�

Miss B A Charles (Newnham 1971) Inside Rome on Foot, Andante Travels 2013

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Unbound

South America 4 Wildlife of Costa Rica Peru and Bolivia Africa 5 Enigmatic Egypt Morocco’s Imperial Cities Namibian Odyssey

Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme presents the new issue of Unbound, featuring trips for 2015

Europe 6 – 7 Provence and the Camargue Hellespont: Gateway of Legends Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast Gastronomic Piedmont Europe 8 – 9 Malta and Gozo Berlin In the footsteps of the Romans

For 21 years the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme has been taking alumni to fascinating places around the world in the company of experts.

Europe 10 – 11 Alexander’s Path Art Treasures of St Petersburg The Norwegian Fjords Arctic Explorer Arctic Highlights

Take the adventure of a lifetime or indulge in a perfectly-proportioned educational break on our diverse tours which are tailored to anyone with an enquiring mind.

Accompanied by an academic trip scholar, every trip is an opportunity to explore subjects old and new in captivating surroundings with like-minded travellers.

Europe 12 Hereford Three Choirs Festival Scottish Borders Waterloo 2015

Whether it is marvelling at the dramatic scenery of the Scottish borders, spotting the Rajah Brooke Birdwing Butterfly in Borneo, undertaking the trip of a lifetime to Peru and Bolivia or hunting the Northern Lights on a polar expedition, the itineraries offered by the Alumni Travel Programme are meticulously planned by our trusted tour operators with their Cambridge guests in mind.

Asia 14 – 15 Bengal by River Colliding Continents Golden Road from Samarkand The Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang

Our scholars’ reputation precedes them, often opening doors to places most tourists will never see; the expertise of our operators and the knowledge of their local guides provide a depth of understanding that travelling alone never could.

This year, experienced operators Martin Randall Travel are working with the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme to offer exciting new group tours for alumni, the first of which are a gastronomic tour of Piedmont and a spectacular cruise of the Bay of Bengal.

Asia 16 – 17 Into the Kingdom of the Clouds Magnificent Mekong Best of Borneo

Other destinations for 2015 include Costa Rica, Berlin, Central Asia, Nepal, Croatia and Norway – to name just a few. Every booking made directly supports the work of the University and to date the Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme has generated over £1.1m through donations received from our tour operators – a hugely significant contribution and our grateful thanks go to all travellers who have helped in this way.

Let Cambridge take you on another intellectual journey.

Full details of how to contact the operators, find out more about the trips and to book can be found on P22 Front cover image: Proboscis monkeys, Borneo Key Date

Tour Operators

Price

Scholars

Inside front cover image: The Colosseum Inside back cover image: Yellow Warbler, Galapagos Islands

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alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

South America

Wildlife of Costa Rica

Peru and Bolivia

Central America’s Garden of Eden

Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines

14 – 27 February 2015

9 – 29 September 2015

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

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

£2995 ground only. Optional flights from London c. £650.

Single supplement £640

£6695 including flights. Guaranteed to run with eight guests.

Single supplement £940. Nazca lines flight supplement approx. £100 payable on the ground

Dr Nicholas James, Affiliated Scholar in Archaeology, University of Cambridge and Tutor at the Institute of Continuing Education

Professor Chris Perrins, Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, Edward

Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford

A jungle-clad jewel nestled between the Pacific and the Caribbean and fringed by powder-white beaches, Costa Rica is considered one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. In this stunning setting, this exploration goes in search of some of the world’s most unusual mammals such as sloths, tapirs and armadillos, as well as a host of monkeys and fabulous birds, from bright toucans, macaws and parrots to the highly prized resplendent quetzal. Staying in carefully chosen lodges and hotels throughout, this tour sets itself apart with the quality of the accommodation, congenial companions and expert trip scholar. With ornithologist Dr Chris Perrins, discover the waterways of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast and the lush rainforests, waterfalls and lakes of Arenal Volcano. Experience outstanding wildlife in the mist-covered Cloud Forests of Monteverde and jungle beaches of Manuel Antonio. Encounter squirrel monkeys, cheeky white-faced capuchins, white-nosed coatis, birds such as roseates and northern jacanas and stunning butterflies such as the blue morpho.

Truly a paradise on earth, Costa Rica is utterly beguiling.

A true trip of a life-time, uncovering the depths and heights of Andean civilisation. The tour is led by Nicholas James, published expert in preColumbian archaeology who has lectured at both Oxford and Cambridge.

Beginning in Lima, home to some of the world’s finest museums, we travel along the coast to view the Nazca Lines. An optional flight will be organised to view these vast depictions of animals, birds and geometric forms, etched into the desert.

Explore over 21 days the once fabulously wealthy cities, citadels and temples of the Incas and their enigmatic ancestors at Lake Titicaca, Tiwanaku and Cuzco. Ascend into the mountains to view the incomparable site of Machu Picchu, spending a full day among the temples and vertiginous terraces.

Other highlights include the beautiful colonial city of Arequipa, royal estate of Ollantaytambo and traditional Inca markets at Pisac. This spectacular variety of sites, cultures and landscapes make for an unforgettable journey.

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Unbound / Edition 6 / 2014

Africa

Enigmatic Egypt

Morocco’s Imperial Cities

Namibian Odyssey

Cairo and Saqqara, Coptic monasteries, desert oases, Luxor, Abydos and Dendera

Islamic art and architecture, Roman North Africa

Dunes, deserts, wildlife and rock art

17 – 30 March 2015

3 – 13 October 2015

10 – 20 September 2015

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

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

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

£2390 ground only. Single supplement £490. Optional flights from London from £450

£3350 ground only. Optional flights from London from £260. Single supplement £795

£3200 ground only. Optional flights

from London from £1100. Single supplement £530

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

Professor James Allan, Emeritus Professor of Eastern Art, University of Oxford

Designed to suit both first and second time visitors, this unusual tour goes off the beaten track to visit Egypt’s unsung gems. Start in Cairo, where as well as the Egyptian Museum and Giza pyramids, visit lesser-known Saqqara with its iconic Step Pyramid. Heading into the desert, explore the Coptic monasteries at Wadi Natrun, some of the oldest in Christendom.

Continue to Alexandria, once home to the Pharos lighthouse and now showcasing its spectacular new Biblioteca Alexandrina. Visit the poignant Commonwealth war cemetery at El Alamein then turning in from the coast, 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 fascinating remote oases of Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga to reach the glittering Nile.

End with visits to the treasures of Luxor as well as Abydos and the amazingly well-preserved Temple of Hathor at Dendera. Optional four to seven-day Nile cruises are available to add from Luxor.

Staying in boutique hotels and riads, this tour studies Morocco’s 6000 years of archaeology, art and architecture. Morocco benefits from the rich artistic legacy of the Berbers, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Portuguese, French and Spanish. Travel to Moorish Tetouan, with its fascinating original Medina, and delight in the picturesque blue-hued houses of Chefchaouen. Continue southwards to the Umayyad Imperial cities of Fes and Meknes, discovering their palaces and medieval medinas.

Here too lie the ruins of Roman Volubilis, with beautifully preserved mosaics. After experiencing Rabat and Casablanca, reach mighty Marrakech, from which the Moroccans ruled lands stretching from the Iberian Peninsula to Timbuktu. Highlighting art and architecture, the tour encompasses much more, with desert dunes, magnificent scenery, exotic bazaars and wonderful local cuisine.

Professor Andrew Goudie (Trinity Hall 1964), Emeritus Professor in Geography, University of Oxford

Join Professor Andrew Goudie, a specialist in desert geomorphology with decades of research in Namibia, to explore this spectacular landscape.

The Namib Desert is home to the world’s largest sand dunes at Sossusvlei, and some of nature’s rarest plants. From the pools and shadows of Sesriem canyon to the eerily foggy coastline of the Atlantic, this arid and ever-changing landscape is a photographer’s dream. Travel up the starkly beautiful Skeleton Coast where shipwrecks rust in the sand to Damaraland, home to the uniquely adapted desert elephant. Discover the rock art at Twyfelfontein, and stay at Etosha National Park, where the shimmering salt pan is alive with mighty herds of game – zebra, rhino, elephant and giraffe.

Also accompanied by a superb local naturalist throughout, end at Okonjima, where there is a chance to get up-close to cheetahs and lions.

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Europe

Provence and the Camargue

Hellespont: Gateway Croatia’s Dalmatian of Legends Coast

Luxury barge cruise from Avignon to Aigues Mortes

12 – 18 July 2015

Dardanelles, Gallipoli, Troy and Istanbul

Cruise from Split to Dubrovnik

19 – 26 September 2015

20 – 27 September 2015

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

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

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

£2590 ground only. Single supplement £1500. Optional train from London from £180 – £250

£1395 ground only. Single supplement £250. Optional flights from London from £150

Dr Rowena E Archer, Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Oxford

Professor Geoff Horrocks (Downing 1969), Professor of Comparative Philology, University of Cambridge

Meander along the Rhône River through the stunning scenery of the Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon regions in style and comfort. Starting in Avignon, 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. Explore le Pont du Gard and the fortified village of les Beaux de Provence, atop a rocky outcrop in the Alpilles. At Arles, see the superb Roman theatre and the 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 18 guests, with ensuite cabins and an on-board chef to prepare wonderful Provençal cuisine complemented by local wines.

Taking a timely look at this geographically pivotal region, explore the fascinating history of the cities surrounding the Sea of Marmara, from the classical legends of Troy to the Allied invasion of Gallipoli, marking its 100th anniversary in 2015.

The Sea of Marmara divides Europe from Asia and has been the focus of military ambition since the Bronze Age. The Trojan War is the stuff of legend and literature and recent excavations at Troy help bring the site to life. Also included are visits to Assos, a fine Hellenistic city and Iznik, Byzantine Nicea, famous as the place where the Nicene creed was agreed in 325AD. At Gallipoli, discover the significance of the Dardanelles in WWI, sparking the Gallipoli landings and the disastrous Allied defeat which helped shape modern Turkey. Conclude with a reminder of the might of the Byzantines and Ottomans at Constantine’s glittering capital, Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul.

£2350 excluding flights. Single supplement

£1300. Optional flights from London from £330

Dr Peter Sarris, Reader in Roman, Medieval and Byzantine History, University of 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 aboard the yacht M/S Barbara, chartered for exclusive use 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. 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. A 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 a polyptych

by Titian and what is said to be a piece of the true cross.

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Europe

Gastronomic Piedmont Some of the finest food and wine in Italy

3 – 9 October 2015

Martin Randall Travel/ martinrandall.com/

+44 (0) 20 8742 3355

£2790 inclusive of flights, accommodation, all food tastings, two wine tastings and entrance to all museums. Single supplement £180

Marc Millon, wine, food and travel writer, and author of The Food Lover’s Companion to Italy

Gastronomically, Piedmont is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most interesting regions. Its wines are superb, the food is varied and the delicious cooking ranges from traditional country fare to creatively modern cuisine. Moreover, the region is the centre of the Slow Food revolution which is transforming gastronomy in Italy and beyond.

There is also another winning feature: many Piedmontese in the food and wine business have a desire to share their passion, and welcome interested visitors with generous amounts of their time and produce. In part this may be because visitors are relatively few, despite the high reputation which Piedmont enjoys. For this tour we have bypassed Turin in favour of spending time in the countryside, seeing the origins of the food and wine and meeting the producers. This bucolic exile is not at the expense of culinary excellence; you will find superb restaurants, from simple rustic trattorias to Michelin-starred and innovative establishments.

The study and enjoyment of wines is a large part of the tour. Barolo is the dominant wine, noble, austere and complex, and the Nebbiolo grape is used for the elegant, tarry

Barbaresco, and various other DOCs. We meet makers, chosen as much for their charm and communicativeness as for their wines, in some cases study their vines and the wine-making process, and taste the results. Among the foods we investigate, truffles are significant – Alba is something of a truffle capital – but the mountain cheeses such as Tomino and Castelmagno make an equally powerful impression.

Landscape is another of the great pleasures of the tour. As its name suggests, Piedmont reaches from high pastures to alluvial plains, and much of it is used for agriculture or small family-run farms. The Langhe hills are among the most beautiful in Italy, the flanks almost entirely carpeted with vineyards, the summits sporting castles, little medieval towns or ancient farmsteads.

Includes: air travel; travel by private coach throughout; accommodation; breakfasts, six lunches and four dinners with wine, water and coffee; two wine tastings with the option of an additional third; all admissions to museums visited with the group; all food tastings; all tips for waiters and drivers, and all taxes.

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alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Europe

Malta and Gozo

Berlin

Megaliths, Romans and crusaders

600 years at the heart of Europe

6 – 12 July 2015

23 – 27 April 2015

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

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

£3300 including flights. Guaranteed to run with just 10 guests.

Single supplement £390

£1600 not including flights. Guaranteed to run with just 10 guests.

Single supplement £100

Dr Simon Stoddart (Magdalene 1977), archaeologist at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Magdalene College

Professor Tim Blanning (Sidney Sussex 1960), retired Professor of Modern European History, University of Cambridge and Fellow of Sidney Sussex College

Experience a privileged introduction led by Cambridge archaeologist, Dr Simon Stoddart, whose research has shed new light on Malta’s 5500year history. Dr Stoddart will introduce the mighty prehistoric monuments of this tiny Mediterranean island. Explore the finely decorated tombs and temples of Malta and Gozo: constructed over 5000 years ago (1000 years before the Great Pyramid at Giza).

Strategically placed with a fine natural harbour, Malta was coveted by empires through the ages. Walk the streets of Roman Malta, ancient Melita where villas and catacombs have been revealed. The tour is based throughout in a grand five-star hotel in Valletta, built in the colonial style.

A full day is spent on foot in Malta’s capital, founded by the Crusading Knights Hospitallers after the long and hard-fought siege of 1565, and now a World Heritage Site. You will gain special access to ongoing excavations and some of the island’s finest prehistoric monuments on this unique trip exploring Maltese culture past and present.

Discover one of Europe’s great historic cities from the ostentatious monuments of Frederick the Great through her imperial history to the years of division as the Iron Curtain descended. Award-winning historian and author Professor Tim Blanning traces the development of the city over 600 years, introducing the city’s architectural gems and their place in world history. Highlights of the tour include Museum Island, the cultural heart of the city, where spectacular architecture from Pergamon and Babylon is displayed. Venture beyond the city to Frederick’s summer palace at Sanssouci – surrounded by lavish gardens often described as the German Versailles.

In Berlin, you will explore the city’s turbulent, often tragic 20th century history: World War II bunkers, Templehof Airport and the poignant memorials to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Based in a stylish four-star hotel in the centre of the city, the tour includes a special dinner on the roof of the Reichstag building, with panoramic views over the city. A fascinating introduction into the divided history of a now united city.

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Europe In the footsteps of the Romans In Rome and Pompeii

6 – 14 April 2015

Andante Travels/ andantetravels.com/

+44 (0)1722 713800

£3300 including flights. Guaranteed to

run with just 10 guests. Single supplement £425

Dr Diana Spencer (St John’s 1992), Reader in Roman Intellectual Culture, University of Birmingham

Bloodthirsty imperialists or the greatest empire the world has ever known? At its peak, the Roman rule stretched from Scotland to Syria, overseen by a cast of capricious Emperors who remain household names to this day. Take a fantastic journey into the heart of the Roman Empire, contrasting the marble grandeur of Rome with the haunting streets of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Over 10 days Roman and Classical scholar Dr Diana Spencer delves into every stratum of Roman society from slaves to Caesars.

The tour starts in Rome, where you spend four days exploring the 2000-year-old monuments of the Eternal City. Other highlights include the Roman harbour of Ostia where goods from all over the Empire flowed into the capital and Hadrian’s grand imperial retreat at Tivoli in the rolling Sabine hills.

Travel south, following in the footsteps of the Roman elite, through lovely Italian countryside to the extraordinary cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Buried but preserved by the cataclysmic eruption of Vesuvius in AD79, the cities of the bay of Naples are a window into the Roman world. Wander the ancient streets past villas, baths, brothels, bars, amphitheatre and theatres. There is also a chance to view the smaller town of Herculaneum – where two-storey buildings and carbonised furniture still survive.

Complete this picture of Roman life at Naples Museum, home to treasures unearthed over 200 years of excavations. A vivid portrait of the extraordinary and the everyday in Roman Italy.

Day by Day

Day 1 – Fly to Rome and transfer to our hotel in the centre of the city.

Day 6 – Travel south, along the route of the ancient Via Appia, to the Bay of Naples. Afternoon amongst the treasures of Naples Museum.

Day 2 – Visit the extraordinary excavations at San Clemente, followed by an afternoon on foot in ancient Rome, viewing the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill.

Day 7 – Take a full day to explore the extraordinary site of Pompeii, preserved untouched for hundreds of years beneath volcanic ash and debris.

Day 3 – Go beyond the tourist trail visiting the imperial Baths of Caracalla and great port city of Ostia.

Day 8 – Spend a morning at the smaller town of Herculaneum. Our final afternoon is spent at Oplontis, a grand villa perhaps owned by Poppea.

Day 4 – Return to Rome to view Piazza Navona, the dome of the Pantheon and Ara Pacis.

Afternoon free for further exploration.

Day 9 – To Naples for afternoon flights home.

Day 5 – Drive into the rolling Sabine Hills to Hadrian’s imperial villa at Tivoli, a World Heritage Site.

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Europe

Alexander’s Path

Art Treasures of St Petersburg

Classic yacht cruise through Lycia and Pamphylia

15 – 29 June 2015

26 February – 3 March 2015

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

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

£2795 ground only. Single supplement on request. Optional flight from London from £330

£2160 including flights from London

Dr Claudia Wagner, Director of the gem database at the Beazley archive, Oxford

Professor Alexei Leporc, Curator of Western European Art at the Hermitage

Back by popular demand, this delightful itinerary is full of theatres, tombs and the beautiful Taurus Mountains. The sea passage has changed little in appearance over the last few thousand years, with dramatic peaks and deep-set wooded inlets making this a spectacular route. Travelling in comfort aboard a beautiful Turkish gulet, visit wonderful classical cities such as Xanthos, Phaselis and Myra which feature widely in the history of the eastern Mediterranean. Among the gems is the beautiful mountain city of Arykanda, in the alpine-like valleys behind Phoenix, reminiscent of Delphi. Explore rare sites including Oenanda and Pinara in the Akdağ Mountains. Other lovely places include the Kekova Sound, with picturesque sunken ruins and dozens of lagoons. Accommodation is aboard a classic Turkish yacht, built to a Byzantine design but fitted with the most modern conveniences. Enjoy pleasant cabins with proper beds and ensuite bathrooms, a chef to prepare excellent fresh Turkish cuisine, and stewards to wait on your every need. For those who enjoy the cruising life there is also plenty of time for relaxation and swimming in the crystal-clear azure bays.

Wander through beautiful St Petersburg, known as the Venice of the North, on this stimulating tour. Explore a city founded by Peter the Great to demonstrate his wish that Russia was a major power with its roots firmly fixed in Europe. The visit has been specially planned for February/March when the snow makes everything picturesque and the city looks magnificent.

The theatres are open, the vodka and furs are out and it’s cosy and warm inside the buildings. Enjoy the city’s wonderful architecture and superb museums without the crowds later in the year.

Experience the Hermitage in two visits, so you can take in its hundreds of glittering, gilded rooms and its unrivalled collection of European and Russian art. Enjoy a day excursion to Tsarskoye Selo, the spectacular town of Imperial Palaces just outside St Petersburg, the Peter and Paul Fortress and Yussopev Palace at least as spectacular in its way as the Hermitage but on a smaller scale. For those who wish, the journey can be extended to include a four-day visit to Russia’s traditional ‘Holy Mother’ – Moscow.

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Europe

The Norwegian Fjords

Arctic Explorer

Arctic Highlights

1 – 10 May 2015

17 – 24 March 2015

18 – 23 February 2015

Hurtigruten / Hurtigruten.co.uk/ +44 (0)20 8846 2633

Hurtigruten / Hurtigruten.co.uk/ +44 (0)20 8846 2633

Hurtigruten / Hurtigruten.co.uk/ +44 (0)20 8846 2633

From £1871 for an inside cabin — departure from Dover

From £1769 for an inside cabin to include return flights from London Gatwick

From £1529 for an inside cabin to include return flights from London Gatwick

Professor Julian Dowdeswell (Jesus 1977), Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute and Professor of Physical Geography, University of Cambridge

Dr Robin Catchpole, Astronomer at

the Institute of Astronomy, University

of Cambridge and former Senior

Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

Professor Roger Davies (Churchill 1975), Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics, and Head of Astrophysics, University of Oxford

Starting in Dover, this voyage aboard the MS Fram will give you the ultimate fjord experience.

Enjoy many of Norway’s most beautiful fjords including Lysefjord, Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord. Witness the extraordinary coastal landscape, and visit picturesque villages and stave churches where the scenery and cultural heritage have held visitors spellbound for centuries. Enjoy the most authentic experience of Norway’s fjords with kayaking, guided walks and lectures. Highlights include; a visit to Luster where you have the opportunity to visit the UNESCO-listed Urnes Stave Church dating back to the 1100s, cosy villages and bustling towns, some of them seemingly clinging to the edges of the fjord’s cliffs and well as the beautiful castle at Rosendal.

Hurtigruten ships have been a vital link between the cities, towns and hamlets, carrying local passengers, freight and guests since 1893.

Taking you closer to the heart of this coastline, Hurtigruten is the only operator that lets you discover and experience the authentic Norwegian winter. Flying direct to the northern town of Bodø, you’ll sail north aboard MS Midnatsol to Kirkenes and back to the charming town of Svolvær. Here you will dock for two nights to enjoy the beautiful Lofoten Islands, explore Svolvær’s Viking heritage and the stunning scenery of this coastline, before taking the fast ferry back to Bodø to fly home.

This seven-night package is a must for all serious aurora hunters.

Winter is perhaps the most special time to explore the wild and untamed Norwegian scenery and the Arctic Highlights voyage spends its entirety within the Arctic Circle giving you the best opportunity to see the Northern Lights. You also get the chance to take part in some fantastic winter excursions to areas of this frozen land that are seldom seen by tourists such as informative city tours and husky sledging, or a snow mobile trip into the Polar Night through a frozen landscape with beautiful views to the Arctic wilderness. Enjoy a drinks reception on the first night on board, group dinners and the services of a dedicated tour manager. Flying direct to Tromsø, this tour includes three nights on board the MS Richard With, full board, one night pre and one night post stay in the Radisson Blu hotel in Tromsø.

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Europe

Hereford Three Choirs Festival

Scottish Borders

Waterloo 2015

Celebrate the 300th Anniversary of one of the world’s oldest choral festivals

29 July – 2 August 2015

Exclusive access to Scotland’s finest castles and country houses

15 – 21 July 2015

Commemorating 200 years since the Waterloo Campaign

8 – 10 May 2015

ACE Cultural Tours / aceculturaltours.co.uk / +44 (0)1223 841 055

ACE Cultural Tours / aceculturaltours.co.uk / +44 (0)1223 841 055

ACE Cultural Tours / aceculturaltours.co.uk / +44 (0)1223 841 055

£950, single room supplement £55

£1595 including welcome drink, breakfast, dinner, five lunches and all visits

£920 sharing including return travel

by Eurostar

John Bryden (Emmanuel 1965), international concert pianist, organist and director of the Edinburgh Society of Music

Roger White (Christ’s 1969), architectural historian and former secretary of the Georgian Group and Garden History Society

Professor Jeremy Black MBE (Queens’ 1975), Professor of History at the University of Exeter and author of The Battle of Waterloo: A New History

In 2015 the Three Choirs Festival will celebrate its 300th anniversary, making it the world’s oldest continuously running music festival.

Festival details have not yet been released however the format will follow its usual pattern.

Large-scale choral and orchestral concerts take place each evening in Hereford Cathedral, featuring the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and the Philharmonia Orchestra, while daytime concerts and chamber music recitals boast premier guest soloists and ensembles from around the world. A celebratory opening service and Sunday festival eucharist ensures that liturgical music remains at the heart of the festival as it has been for 300 years, while its uniquely diverse artistic programme establishes it as a must-visit for lovers of choral music.

The rolling, and sometimes dramatic, scenery of the Scottish Borders provides a glorious backdrop for some of Scotland’s finest castles, monastic ruins and country houses. Gain access to private estates not normally open to the public including Mertoun, with its exceptional ducal art collection and Marchmont with fine baroque plasterwork by Thomas Clayton. At Mellerstain House, admire perhaps the finest Robert Adam interior north of the border and at Abbotsford explore the romantic creation of Sir Walter Scott.

Further highlights include Bowhill House, renowned for its paintings by Canaletto and Gainsborough; Traquair, one of Scotland’s most historic houses where locked gates await the return of a Stuart dynasty; and Paxton House, a Palladian mansion on the banks of the River Tweed.

“It has been a dammed serious business…

The nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.”

So the Duke of Wellington described Waterloo.

Join leading experts Professor Jeremy Black and Nick Lipscombe for a comprehensive exploration of one of the most decisive battles in history – the monumental clash that ended over 23 years of European conflict and ushered in half a century of peace. Before the crowds descend, survey the battlefields of Ligny, Quatre Bras, and Waterloo, as well as nearby museums and monuments including the Wellington Museum and the atmospheric Waterloo crypt. Further highlights include the Hougoumont Farm, fiercely defended by the British for the entire day, and the newly restored Panorama fresco depicting a key moment in the battle.

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Asia

Bengal

by River Calcutta and a week’s cruise along the Hooghly

26 September – 9 October 2015

Martin Randall Travel/ martinrandall.com/

+44 (0) 20 8742 3355

£5280 including flights from London

Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, an authority on colonial India from the 18th to the 20th century

Bengal was an outpost of the Mughal Empire and the first region to come under the control of the East India Company. Calcutta (now Kolkata) was founded in 1690 on the banks of the mighty Hooghly River where it became the capital of British India until 1911. It is now home to over 15 million, but the central district remains largely as it was during the Raj. West Bengal is the land of lost capitals and fading grandeur: Hindus, Muslims, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish and French also founded settlements on the dreamy, fertile banks of the river. In the company of Dr Llewellyn-Jones you will gain a valuable insight into colonial India as well as the fascinating local life that continues to flourish on the banks of the Hooghly.

Four days are dedicated to the exploration of Calcutta and its myriad Georgian and Victorian buildings that formed the British city, before boarding an exclusively chartered river cruiser for a week-long journey on the Hooghly. Stops include Kalna, home to numerous, stunning 18th-century terracotta Hindu temples, and Murshidabad, once the Mughal capital of Bengal, where the magnificent Hazarduari Palace

(1837) and gorgeous Katra mosque (1724) are a testament to the town’s former glory. There is an excursion to the site of the battle of Plassey, where Robert Clive’s 1757 victory of the Nawabs served as prelude to the extension of the East India Company’s power in Bengal. Cruise past villages and watch rural life on the banks as dusk falls after a day sight-seeing, gin and tonic in hand, in what comes pretty close to a perfect Indian experience.

Steeped in history but still very much off the conventional tourist route, this tour adds a new dimension to India for those who already know it, and for those who are yet to encounter it in what was once the richest province in India.

Includes: All air travel (economy class flights with Emirates); transport by private air-conditioned coach and one journey by train (in the best class available); accommodation in the hotel and aboard the river cruiser; breakfasts, 11 lunches (including one packed lunch) and 12 dinners with wine or beer, water and coffee; all admissions to museums and sites; all tips for drivers, restaurant staff, and local guides and airport taxes.

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Asia

Colliding Continents

The Golden Road from Samarkand

A geological journey through the Himalayan mountains of Nepal

11 – 25 May 2015

A journey through Central Asia

The Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang

14 – 28 April 2015

16 April – 3 May 2015

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

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

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

£2780 including flights from London

£3230 including flights from London

£3350 including flights from London

Professor Mike Searle, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford

Bruce Wannell, writer, linguist and lecturer who has accompanied many alumni trips to Central Asia

Professor Charles Ramble, former lecturer in Himalayan Studies at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford

The crash of the Indian plate into Asia is the biggest known collision in geological history, and it continues today. The result is the Himalaya and Karakoram - the largest mountain range on Earth. This region has half of the world’s highest mountains and a reputation as being one of the most remote and savage ranges of all. Professor Searle, a geologist at the University of Oxford and one of the most experienced field geologists of our time, will accompany this eight-day trek to Annapurna base camp along the Modi Khola Riaver. The nine-day trek does not require special technical abilities and will involve about five to eight hours of walking per day. Accommodation is in very simple mountain lodges and the party will ascend to about 4000 metres in altitude. Using his personal accounts of extreme mountaineering and research in the region Professor Searle will explain more about the geological processes that formed such impressive peaks.

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 civilisations 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 Baghdad.

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.

On the very edge of the Tibetan plateau, lies the secret, ancient kingdom of Mustang, known to its inhabitants as the land of Lo. After decades of isolation its borders are now open but little has changed in this remote land and for many this is a kingdom more Tibetan than Tibet. It is a spectacular land whose history and culture are steeped in ancient customs and traditions. The 10-day trek does not require special technical abilities and will involve about five to eight hours of walking per day. Accommodation is in very simple mountain lodges. The trek passes through open valleys, deep ravines, desert canyons, grasslands with white-walled villages and ancient cave homes all set against the magnificent backdrop of the soaring snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Enjoy spectacular dawns and sunsets on an endless sea of mountains and discover a world that lives in another time, a world of silence, shadows and spirits.

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Asia

Kingdom of the Clouds

Magnificent Mekong Exclusive cruise from Siem Reap to Saigon

21 April – 6 May 2015

29 October – 11 November 2015

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

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

£3580 including flights from London

£3490 ground only. Optional flights from London from £850.

Single supplement £1400

Dr Jamie Greenbaum, visiting Fellow at Peking National University where he is researching the early Northern State of Yan

Professor Charles Higham (St Catharine’s 1959), Archaeological Research Professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand and Honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge

China is officially made up of 56 ethnic groups, many of which live in rural communities in the south and west of the country. The journey involves several walks (between 5 and 7 hours per day) over uneven and hilly terrain.

This unique itinerary will give the party access to these remote lands whose cultures are fast disappearing.

Begin in the remote southern reaches of Guizhou province and enjoy a circular trek amongst the region’s spectacular rice terraces where the Yao have been carving out a living on this precarious landscape for centuries.

Push on west to the Don minority village of Chenyang and in a series of walks through these rural landlocked backwaters enjoy the vibrant mix of minority tradition, beautiful landscapes and local cuisine. Continue through the Himalayan foothills of northern Yunnan province, with its rich abundance of flora and fauna. Discover colourful markets left over from the Southern Silk Route, as the rolling terraces give way to jagged snow-capped peaks, where matriarchal clans of the Bai, Naxi, Yi and Mosuo reside amongst the shadows of the sacred Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Spring is the best times to visit the region as the water-filled rice terraces resemble glistening mirrors and much of the Yunnan’s spectacular flora is in full bloom.

Accompanied by a world expert on the origins of the Angkor civilisation, this tour begins at wonderful Siem Reap. Explore the vast temple complex at Angkor, from romantic Ta Prohm, still half-covered in jungle, to Angkor Wat itself, with its incredible 12th-century bas reliefs. Commencing the scenic journey south along the mighty Mekong, glide along aboard the exclusively chartered 20 passenger Tioum Tou I, with just 10 comfortable ensuite cabins and a charming colonial feel. With the benefit of the ship’s shallow draft, get up close to the banks to see entire towns on stilts, gleaming paddy fields and spectacular pagodas en route, with stops to discover local life. Also explore Phnom Penh, the charming ‘Pearl of Asia’ with its tree-lined boulevards and magnificent Royal Palace. Crossing the border into Vietnam, the river fans out into a fertile delta known for its rice production and lush orchards of mangoes and citrus fruit. Here, at the lively floating markets, sampans jostle for trade, laden with mounds of colourful fresh produce. End in charming Saigon where there is time to explore its French colonial heritage and reflect on more recent history at the Cu Chi Tunnels.

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Asia

Best of Borneo White Rajahs, Orangutans and the Birdwing Butterfly

24 June – 5 July 2015

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

£2750 ground only. Single supplement £490. Optional flights from London from £750 – £950

Dr Michael Brooke (Magdalene 1968), Curator of Ornithology, University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology and distant relation to the White Rajahs of Sarawak

Discover the lushly forested island of Borneo, one of the most untouched wildlife habitats in Asia. Home to orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and a superb array of birds, the island also boasts a fascinating colonial legacy. Beginning with Kuching, historical home of Sarawak’s unique White Rajahs, learn about the city’s heritage then search for rare proboscis monkeys and Irrawaddy dolphins with a cruise on the nearby Santubong River. As dusk arrives, thousands of fireflies light up the trees along the banks like fairy-lights. Explore Bako National Park which boasts seven complete eco-systems, from beach and mangrove forests to grasslands and peat swamps. Wonder at the proboscis monkeys and over 150 species of birds. Flying to Sabah, visit Kota Kinabalu Park, a botanical haven, with

pitcher plants, orchids and the very rare Rafflesia plant. At Poring, a canopy trail allows treetop views and Dr Brooke hopes to fulfil his ambition to spot Malaysia’s colourful national butterfly, the Rajah Brooke Birdwing. Then on to Sepilok, renowned for its orang-utan orphanage. See the important work of the centre and watch some of its fascinating inhabitants at feeding time. The final highlight is the Kinabatangan River, navigating the backwaters by boat in search of the endangered pygmy elephant, wild orang-utans, macaques, monitor lizards and scores of tropical birds such as rhinoceros hornbills, crested serpent eagles and blue-banded kingfishers. With like-minded fellow travellers and Cambridge naturalist Dr Brooke’s insightful lectures, there can be few better ways to explore this wonderful region.

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Trip scholars 2015

Professor James Allan Emeritus Professor of Eastern Art, University of Oxford Dr Rowena E Archer Lecturer of Medieval History, University of Oxford Professor Jeremy Black MBE (Queens’ 1975) Professor of History at the University of Exeter and author of The Battle of Waterloo: A New History Professor Timothy Blanning (Sidney Sussex 1960) Retired Professor of Modern European History, University of Cambridge and Fellow of Sidney Sussex College

Professor Charles Higham (St Catharine’s 1959) Research Professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand and Honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge Professor Geoff Horrocks (Downing 1969) Professor of Comparative Philology, University of Cambridge and Fellow of St John’s College Dr Diana Spencer (St John’s 1992) Reader in Roman Intellectual Culture, University of Birmingham Professor Alexei Leporc Curator of Western European Art at the Hermitage Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones An authority on colonial India from the 18th to the 20th century

Dr Michael Brooke (Magdalene 1968) Hans Gadow Memorial Fellow & Strickland Curator of Ornithology, University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology

Marc Milton Wine, food and travel writer, and author of The Food Lover’s Companion to Italy

John Bryden (Emmanuel 1965) International musician and concert pianist and Director of the Edinburgh Society of Music

Professor Chris Perrins Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, Edward Grey Institute of Ornithology, University of Oxford

Dr Robin Catchpole Astronomer at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge and previous Senior Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

Professor Charles Ramble Former lecturer in Himalayan Studies at the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford

Professor Roger Davies (Churchill 1975) Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics, University of Oxford Professor Julian Dowdeswell (Jesus 1977) Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute, Fellow of Jesus College and Professor of Physical Geography, University of Cambridge Professor Andrew Goudie (Trinity Hall 1964) Emeritus Professor in Geography, University of Oxford and President of the British Institute in Eastern Africa

Dr Peter Sarris Reader in Roman, Medieval and Byzantine History, University of Cambridge Professor Mike Searle Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford Dr Simon Stoddart (Magdalene 1977) Archaeologist at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Magdalene College Professor Mark J Smith Professor of Egyptology, University College, Oxford

Dr Jamie Greenbaum Visiting Fellow at Peking National University where he is researching the early Northern State of Yan Dr Nicholas James Affiliated Scholar in Archaeology, University of Cambridge and tutor at the Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge Dr Claudia Wagner Classical Archaeologist, University of Oxford and Director of the gem database at the Beazley Archive Bruce Wannell Writer, linguist and lecturer; has accompanied many alumni trips to Central Asia Roger White (Christ’s 1969) Architectural historian and former Secretary of the Georgian Group and Garden History Society

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Travel diary 2015

14 – 27 February 2015 Wildlife of Costa Rica

24 June – 5 July 2015 Best of Borneo

18 – 23 February 2015 Arctic Highlights

6 – 12 July 2015 Malta and Gozo

26 February – 3 March 2015 Art Treasures of St Petersburg

12 – 18 July 2015 Provence and the Camargue

17 – 24 March 2015 Arctic Explorer

15 – 21 July 2015 Scottish Borders

17 – 30 March 2015 Enigmatic Egypt

29 July – 2 August 2015 Hereford Three Choirs Festival

6 – 14 April 2015 In the footsteps of the Romans

9 – 29 September 2015 Peru and Bolivia

14 – 28 April 2015 Along the Golden Road from Samarkand

10 – 20 September 2015 Namibian Odyssey

16 April – 3 May 2015 The Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang

19 – 26 September 2015 Hellespont: Gateway of Legends

21 April – 6 May 2015 Kingdom of the Clouds

20 – 27 September 2015 Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast

23 – 27 April 2015 Berlin

26 September – 9 October 2015 Bengal by River

1 – 10 May 2015 The Norwegian Fjords

3 – 9 October 2015 Gastronomic Piedmont

8 – 10 May 2015 Waterloo 2015

3 – 13 October 2015 Morocco’s Imperial Cities

11 – 25 May 2015 Colliding Continents

29 October – 11 November 2015 Magnificent Mekong

15 – 29 June 2015 Alexander’s Path

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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 aceculturaltours.co.uk

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

Important note

Andante Travels

Martin Randall Travel

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 and indicate you are a Cambridge alumnus/a.

The Clock Tower, Unit 4 Oakridge Office Park, Southampton Road, Whaddon, Salisbury, SP5 3HR

Voysey House, Barley Mow Passage London, W4 4GF

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

T +44 (0)20 8742 3355 E info@martinrandall.co.uk W www.martinrandall.com

5085

What is it like to travel with us?

“We found the Tour Guide excellent – with an apparently inexhaustible supply of information, coupled with an approachable and informal manner.”

Distant Horizons 13 Melloncroft Drive, Caldy Wirral CH48 2JA

13 The Avenue, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2AL

Mr M Gore (Christ’s 1959) and Mrs S Gore Pompeii and Herculaneum, Andante Travels 2014

T +44 (0)151 625 3425 E info@distanthorizons.co.uk W distanthorizons.co.uk

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

“This trip fully came up to expectation and was a great pleasure: the ship was comfortable; the food was good; the tour manager was excellent and well-organised, and the Scholar could not have been a better choice” Mr P Peterzan (Queens’ 1950) Alexander’s Path, Temple World 2013

Temple World (incorporating IMA Travel)

“Everybody got on well, I found the food and accommodation excellent and the guides well informed and helpful.

The intellectual buzz was priceless, happy memories.�

Mr P Arnold (Emmanuel 1961) Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, Templeworld 2013

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

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+44 (0)1223 332288

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facebook.com/cambridgealumni @camalumni