Unbound 5 by University of Cambridge Development and Alumni Relations

Unbound Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme

Edition 5 / 2014 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

“It was in a word, excellent. The itinerary was interesting and varied…brought to life by our trip scholar’s huge knowledge, only matched by his obvious enthusiasm for his subject.” Sri Lanka, Temple World 2013

Unbound Welcome to the new issue of Unbound, the Alumni Travel Programme, listing tours and journeys available in 2014 and early 2015. The Cambridge Alumni Travel Programme offers a unique opportunity for you to join with like-minded alumni on trips that explore parts of the world you may not find in a conventional travel brochure. Some of the more unusual journeys in this edition of Unbound include trekking in the ancient kingdom of Mustang – locked away in the wilderness of the Himalayas, its borders are now open to visitors after decades of isolation – and our most luxurious trip yet, a 15 day journey by private train from the southern Caucasus, across the Caspian Sea to the ancient trading posts of the Silk Road. Other destinations for 2014/15 include Japan, Antarctica, Munich, Turkey, Ethiopia, South India, Sri Lanka and Burma, to name just some of the 32 trips listed on the following pages. Wherever takes your fancy, a recognised academic expert will be on hand to offer an extra dimension – specialist information, insight and in many cases another connection to Cambridge. Over half of the trips scholars listed in this brochure are Cambridge academics or alumni themselves. The trips are a wonderful way to connect back to Cambridge and to directly support the work of the University. Every booking made results in a valuable donation from our travel operators and over the 22 years the Travel Programme has been running, donations have totalled over £1m. For the most up to date information about all of our trips, please visit the travel section of our website at www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Europe 4 – 5 Across the Front Line: The Great War in Flanders Shropshire Country Houses Munich Opera Festival “Those Who Seek Paradise on Earth Should See Dubrovnik” Minoan Crete and Santorini Europe 6 – 7 Polar Nights and Mystical Northern Lights Voyage North – Heritage of the Vikings Medieval Alsace-Lorraine Jewels of the Dodecanese Europe 8 – 9 Inside Istanbul on Foot Pompeii & Herculaneum – the Lives of the Romans Sicilia Antiqua Ice Age Art in the Dordogne Europe 10 “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” Eastern Turkey Ancient Routes of the Caucasus Africa 11 – 12 In Livingstone’s Footsteps Ancient Ethiopia Magical Madagascar Wine, Whales and Wildflowers Asia 13 The Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang Heaven’s Gate: A Journey through Ladakh and Kashmir Voyage of a lifetime by private train 14 – 15 A Caspian Odyssey Asia 16 – 17 Tribal and Sacred China The Splendours of South India and Sri Lanka Ancient Japan China: The Literati and Arts Asia 18 Exploring Central Asia Burma: The Art and Culture of the Golden Land Kingdoms in the Sky: Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan South America & Antarctica 19 The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador Antarctica: Fire and Ice

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: Santorini

Inside front cover image: Lamayuru Monastery, Ladakh

Key D Date

T Tour Operators

P Price

S Scholars

Inside back cover image: Bukhara, Central Asia

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Europe

Across the Front Line

Shropshire Country Houses

Munich Opera Festival

The Great War in Flanders

World-class opera, chamber music and song recitals D 21 – 27 July 2014

29 September – 4 October 2014

Exclusive access to the county’s hidden gems D 7 – 12 July 2014

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

£1,330 per person to include return coach travel from London, breakfast, dinner, two lunches and all visits. Single room supplement £175.

£1,195 per person to include breakfast, four lunches and all dinners and visits. Single supplement £120.

£2,790 per person including flights from London, breakfast, four dinners, one lunch, seven performances and visits. Single supplement £190.

Professor Christopher Catherwood (Sidney Sussex 1978) is a military historian, Churchill biographer and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

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

Professor John Deathridge (King’s 1982), King Edward Professor of Music at King’s College London.

The First World War was the conflict that changed history: today we still live with the consequences of a war that began 100 years ago. It was one of the bloodiest wars in history, with new technology creating carnage of a kind unthinkable in previous centuries. The place where it was waged most savagely was the Western Front, in the trenches of Flanders and northern France, the area that we will visit to mark the centenary in 2014. This is a unique chance to journey between and compare the battlefields in Belgian Flanders and French Flanders. It is also a rare opportunity to gain insight into the Great War of 1914–18 from one of the world’s foremost experts on the period, Hew Strachan, who will guest lecture on tour.

The glorious countryside around Ludlow is the setting for the splendid country houses that are the main focus of this tour. The emphasis will be on private houses that are not generally open to the public, and highlights include: Acton Round, a delectable Queen Anne doll’s-house of a building; Mawley Hall, with one of the finest baroque interiors in England; Oakly Park and Millichope Park, both with notable Greek Revival interiors; and High Victorian Stokesay Court, the largest country house in the county, where we will have dinner. We venture into Herefordshire to see Berrington Hall, with its exquisite neoclassical interiors, together with a private visit to the remarkable modern folly garden at Elton Hall. We will stay at Ludlow’s Clive Hotel and enjoy refreshments and meals as guests of the owners of the private houses we visit.

Every July since 1875 Munich’s finest theatres are filled with dynamic opera performances, song recitals and evocative chamber music concerts. We will see the Bavarian State Opera and Orchestra performing Mozart’s Figaro with Gerald Finley (King’s 1980) in the title role as well as two comedic operas by Richard Strauss in his 150th anniversary year: Ariadne auf Naxos and Der Rosenkavalier. In the luxurious surroundings of the Rococo Cuvilliés Theatre we will enjoy chamber music by Isang Yun and Mozart, and in the Prince Regent’s Theatre, we will hear pieces by Bellini, Verdi and Wagner as well as the voice of the renowned German bass René Pape. Our musical tour includes visits to Baroque Nymphenburg Palace, and Schloss Herrenchiemsee, designed by Wagner’s great admirer, King Ludwig II.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Adriatic Cruise from Venice to Athens

Minoan Crete and Santorini

“Those Who Seek Paradise on Earth Should See Dubrovnik” Jointly with University of Oxford

“Out in the dark blue sea there lies an island called Crete, a rich and lovely land”

27 June – 9 July 2014

24 September – 2 October 2014

Voyages to Antiquity/ Voyagestoantiquity.com / + 44 (0)1865 302 573

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

£2,295 per person including flights from London. Cruise-only prices available on request. Low single fares available.

£2,195 per person sharing, not including flight to and from Crete. Optional flights from London from £280 including taxes. Single supplement £350.

Professor Robin Cormack (Robinson 1984) teaches Greek, Roman and Byzantine art history at the University of Cambridge and recently curated the major Byzantium 330-1453 exhibition at the Royal Academy.

Dr Lisa Bendall (Jesus 1995), Lecturer in Aegean Prehistory, Keble College, Oxford.

The dramatic beauty of the Adriatic coast has long inspired writers, poets and artists. Indeed, cruising the Kornati Islands and the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro allows guests to see two of the most memorable landscapes found anywhere in the world. As well as this natural beauty, this small-ship cruise also offers you the opportunity to visit some remarkable classical sites, from the Byzantine splendour of St Mark’s and the tranquility of the Venetian canals to stunning Epidaurus and the magnificent Roman Palace of Diocletian in Split. As you leave Dalmatia behind and continue your voyage to Athens, you will call at the island of Corfu and the post of Katakolon for a tour of the site of Ancient Olympia. Then, MV Aegean Odyssey will call at Nauplia where you will have the opportunity to see Epidaurus and Mycenae. Finally, you arrive at the Athenian port of Piraeus to enjoy a tour of the magnificent sites of the “Golden Age” of Athens including the Acropolis and its new Museum as part of your two-night hotel stay. Please quote the code ALUCAM14 at time of booking.

Island of myth and legend, Crete can claim to be home to the oldest civilization in Europe with the Bronze Age Minoans who left their legacy here more than 4,000 years ago. Their sophisticated and highly artistic civilization came to an end around 1,400 BC, leaving fascinating remains including figurines and frescoes, whilst subsequent invaders from the Mycenaeans, Dorians and Romans to the more recent Arabs and Venetians have also left a wonderful architectural legacy on this beautiful island. We stay at Chania, with its lovely Venetian harbour and lighthouse, and Heraklion with its medieval city centre. The impressive palaces of Knossos (now reconstructed) and Malia show the Minoan’s building ingenuity, and even simpler Minoan dwellings on the island show evidence of sewage systems, running water and even central heating. To complete the Minoan picture we shall visit the stunning island of Santorini, with its iconic white cubist houses and blue church domes. Here, recent excavations have unearthed the buried Minoan village of Akrotiri under layers of ash.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Europe

Polar Nights and Mystical Northern Lights

Voyage North – Heritage of the Vikings

Jointly with University of Oxford

26 – 30 January 2014 MS Polarlys 9 – 13 March 2014 MS Nordkapp

3 – 11 September 2014 MS Trollfjord

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

From £1,429 per person (January 2014) and £1,449 per person (March 2014) for inside twin cabin, includes return flights to UK.

From £2,199 per person for inside twin cabin, includes return flights to UK. From £1,424 for 6 nights only (excluding flights and any land arrangements).

Professor Roger Davies (Churchill 1975), Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics, University of Oxford (26-30 January); Dr Carolin Crawford (Newnham 1982) Professor of Astronomy, Gresham College and Outreach Officer for the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge (9-13 March).

Dr Elizabeth Ashman Rowe, Lecturer in Scandinavian History of the Medieval Period at Cambridge and Fellow of Clare Hall.

Our universe abounds with objects of spectacular natural beauty, some of which can be seen on this trip. Starting with a discussion of the aurorae and the other effects the sun can have on the earth, we will take a whistle-stop tour of the universe and explore the night sky, as well as looking at the effects of climate change on the landscape closer by. We hope to spend at least one session on deck at night exploring the heavens. The trip begins in Tromsø, then journeys to the North Cape and Kirkenes, before heading back south to Tromsø. The voyage includes full board, a one night stay in Tromsø, excursion to the North Cape, Honningsvåg, drinks reception on the first night on board and welcome and farewell group dinners, along with the services of a dedicated tour manager. Hurtigruten’s working ships have been part of daily life on the Norwegian coast for more than 120 years, offering voyages that go far beyond the realms of conventional cruises.

This six night voyage onboard MS Trollfjord is focused on the heritage of the fascinating Norwegian coastline with a look at the Vikings; their way of life and their legacy. Sailing from UNESCO-listed Bergen in the south, we will be taking a voyage north to the Norwegian/Russian frontier town of Kirkenes. En route, we will be offering a series of Viking-based excursions and lectures with UK and Norwegian experts. There will be the opportunity to take part in a traditional Viking feast in the beautiful Lofoten Islands, a diversion into the breath-taking Hjørundfjord and a two night post-voyage stopover in Oslo to explore the city and visit the Viking Ship Museum at Bygdøy before returning to the UK. The seven-day Voyage North calls at 34 ports, large and small, from the old Viking capital, Trondheim to the tiny northern ports of the Arctic Circle. Meals on board are made from the only the freshest local produce (much of it sourced at ports en route), a drinks reception on the first night is also included along with the services of a dedicated tour manager and as with all Hurtigruten ships, the highest levels of comfort and relaxation are offered, leaving you to enjoy the ever-changing vistas of this iconic coastline.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Medieval Alsace-Lorraine

Jewels of the Dodecanese

A hotel barge cruise along two historic canals

Cruising the Greek Isles by classic gulet

27 June – 03 July 2014

21 – 28 June 2014

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

£2,550 per person sharing, not including transport to and from Strasbourg. Optional train from London from £180.

£2,295 per person sharing, not including flights to and from Turkey. Optional flights from London from £300 including taxes.

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

Professor Geoff Horrocks (Downing 1969), Professor of Comparative Philology at Cambridge and Fellow of St John’s College.

Travel by hotel barge through the heart of Alsace-Lorraine, where French and German culture entwine to create one of France’s most enchanting regions, with fabulous scenery and fascinating architecture. The experience is a relaxing mix of local wines, French cuisine and escorted visits to medieval sites. Our privately chartered barge, Madeleine, has just 12 twin cabins, all with ensuite bathrooms and large windows. She is brand new for 2014, but built to a classic design, with fresh, modern furnishings and bright fabrics making her one of the most attractive barges in France today. The bright lounge and sundeck are lovely places to watch the scenery glide by. For the energetic, there are opportunities to cycle along the tow path as the barge carries bicycles on board. In the Rhine Valley we visit the ‘Hansel and Gretel’-style 15th-century town of Riquewihr for a tasting of local Alsace wines and Colmar with its maze of medieval streets, Renaissance buildings and waterside ‘Little Venice’ area. In Strasbourg, we shall visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame, probably one of the finest in Europe, and the medieval riverside district of ‘Petite France’. The barge passes through the beautiful scenery of the Zorn valley and Vosges mountains and in Lorraine the barge is lifted 45m at the inclined plane of Arzwiller, an incredible feat of engineering.

The islands of the Dodecanese run like a necklace around the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, from Patmos in the north west to Rhodes in the south east. Their proximity to the Ottoman coast of mainland Turkey allowed them to become tax-exempt in the 16th century, the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, hence they became known as the “Privileged Islands”. And privileged they are indeed today, isles of great beauty set in the balmy climate of the eastern Mediterranean. Their history goes back beyond the Classical world, and one can imagine Homeric heroes charting these lovely waters. Our journey will doubtless be considerably more comfortable, however, as we travel on a superior classic gulet fitted with all mod cons, and in cabins with ensuite bathrooms and proper beds. Travel from Kos, famed island of Hippocrates, to Niseros, the volcano said to house the legendary giant Polivotis. From here cruise to the delightful and unspoiled island of Tilos which was once home to the pygmy elephant, and on to Symi with its spectacular Cycladic houses rising up around its beautiful harbour, one of the loveliest in Greece. Finally we reach the wealthy Island of Rhodes, haunt of the Crusader Knights of St John. This cruise coordinates with our “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” tour from 7-21 June.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Europe

Inside Istanbul on Foot Where East meets West and Europe and Asia connect. Slip away from the crowds and into the backstreets and alleyways of Old Istanbul…

Pompeii & Herculaneum – the Lives of the Romans Two ordinary Roman towns, caught in a moment of extraordinary disaster

21 – 27 April 2014

22 – 26 January 2014

Andante Travels / andantetravels.com / +44 (0)1722 713 800

£1,950 including flights from London.

£1,450 including flights from London.

S Terry Richardson is author of the Rough Guides for Turkey and Istanbul.

Dr Gillian Shepherd (Trinity 1988) is Director of the Trendall Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe, Australia.

Founded as a Byzantium, famed as Constantinople, Istanbul remains one of the most enigmatic cities in the world, poised at the meeting point of Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus. Avoid the crowds around the major monuments and explore this great city on foot led by an expert guide who has spent decades exploring the city. Tracing the route of the great Theodosian Walls, built and expanded to ward off the marauding forces of Attila and the Huns in the 5th century AD, we wander through the church-filled district of Blachernae, location of the original Byzantine Imperial Palace, down to the coast past a series of impressive gateway monuments. We head further off the beaten track as we cross over to the “European side” to explore the merchant quarter of the old Genoese colony of Galata, with its Ottoman banks, Art-Nouveau mansions and imposing tower. Go beyond the familiar monuments of old Sultanahmet to gain an intimate knowledge of the real Istanbul.

Before 79 AD Pompeii and Herculaneum were thriving Roman seaside towns - the Brighton and Hove of the ancient world - where Roman pleasure seekers would come to revel in the bars and brothels. The catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius brought life to an abrupt halt. The houses and villas, bars and restaurants, were covered in ash and pumice, preserving private possessions and their owners to eerie perfection. These extraordinary sites are hauntingly quiet in January, and often bathed in bright winter sunshine. By visiting at the best times of the day, and making use of the best routes, we avoid the crowds and are often able to secure private access within Herculaneum. We also visit some of the less well-known but equally important sites in the region - telling the full story of life and death in the Bay of Naples.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Sicilia Antiqua

Ice Age Art in the Dordogne

An island full of unexpected joys, where incursions of Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Normans and Arabs all left their mark, leaving behind a vibrant and multicultural heritage to explore

Special access to the strikingly life-like painting, created between 35,000 and 10,000 BC in the limestone caverns and beautiful valleys of this lovely region of France

10 – 20 October 2014

23 – 30 June 2014

Andante Travels / andantetravels.com / +44 (0)1722 713 800

£2,600 including flights from London.

£2,200 including trains from London.

Dr Dirk Booms (Fitzwilliam 2005) is the Curator of Roman Architecture and Inscriptions at the British Museum.

Dr Paul Bahn (Caius 1971) is a renowned world expert on prehistoric art.

The jewel of Magna Graecia, Sicily already had a long history of cultural exchange by the time Greek colonists dropped anchor in the beautiful bays that ring the southerly Italian island. Phoenician traders had bartered and argued over their wares in ports highly influenced by their base at Carthage, while indigenous Sicels left haunting traces of earlier traditions in the mountainous interior. With the arrival of the Greeks imposing monuments, theatres and temples were added to the melange of cultures already present on the island. The later arrivals of Romans, Arab and Norman settlers only augmented the beautiful architecture and cultural variety of the island, adding gothic cathedrals and intricately decorated palaces. From the natural beauty of Mount Etna, home of the Cyclops, to the imposing churches designed by 17th-century Spaniards, follow the history of Sicily through a series of breathtaking ancient cities peppered with myths, mosaics, and mosques.

A spluttering lamp in one hand, and a fistful of ochre in the other. For over 20,000 years people ventured deep into the caves and rock shelters of the Dordogne region of France, leaving behind them atmospheric images of animals, people, handprints and geometric marks and designs. Little is known about the creators of these images, who survived the extreme cold of the last the Ice Age. The Dordogne is one of the regions in which these communities are thought to have retreated, protected by a benevolent microclimate. With special access to caves, and insights into the latest interpretations of the art, journey through the Ice Age to the present day in this exploration of the first outpouring of artistic expression in the western world.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Europe

“Great is Diana of the Ephesians”

Eastern Turkey

Ancient Routes of the Caucasus

Classical sites of Ionia and Caria by land and sea D 7 – 21 June 2014

Lost Empires and Forgotten Kingdoms

Georgia and Armenia

24 June – 4 July 2014

9 – 24 September 2014

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

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

£2,650 per person sharing, not including flights to and from Turkey. Optional flights from London from £300 including taxes.

£2,895 per person sharing, not including flight to and from Turkey. Optional flights from London from £300 including taxes.

£3,180 from London, can be joined without international flights.

Dr Jeremy Paterson, Lecturer in Ancient History, Newcastle University (retired).

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

The Aegean coast of ancient Caria and Ionia provides the setting for some superbly preserved classical sites. From Smyrna and Pergamon, which once had a library to rival Alexandria’s, we visit Sardis then enjoy the iconic hot springs of Pamukkale. Explore the incredible cities of Aphrodisias and Ephesus, whose commerce at the time of Hadrian rivalled Rome itself. Having reached the coast we continue as the ancients did – by sea. The Ceramic Gulf is still one of the least spoiled areas of the Turkish Coast with hundreds of uninhabited tiny bays. We shall cruise from bay to bay, weighing anchor to visit romantic ruins such as the Carian cities of Euromos and Labranda, with plenty of time for swimming. Enjoy the leisurely pace of cruising aboard a modern gulet built to an ancient design, with twin or double cabins, all with ensuite bathrooms, and a chef to prepare delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

Explore dramatic eastern Anatolia with its fertile plateaux, stunning lakes and mountains, and the architectural legacy of the Urartian, Armenian, Seljukian and Ottoman empires. Beginning in Trabzon on the Black Sea, visit St Sophia with its extraordinary Byzantine frescoes and the 4th-century Orthodox Monastery of Sumela. We travel through Erzurum, Turkey’s highest city and on to Kars to explore the lost medieval city of Ani. Continue along the Silk Road to the romantic semi-ruined Ishak Pasa Palace, with wonderful views of Mount Ararat. Descending to Lake Van at Tatvan, we explore Seljukian tombs at Ahlat and visit picturesque Akdamar Island with its exquisite 10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Cross. The tour finishes with visits to the ancient Urartian fortress at Cavustepe and (if open) the imposing Kurdish castle of Hosap in Guzelsu, once a frontier town of the Ottoman Empire.

S Dr Hubertus Jahn, Lecturer in East European History, University of 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 eastern most 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.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Africa

In Livingstone’s Footsteps

Ancient Ethiopia

Exclusive Safari to Victoria Falls, Chobe and the Okavango Delta

The Empire of Aksum, the Rock-cut Churches of Lalibela and the Meskel Festival D 25 September – 7 October 2014 (including flying days)

8 D – 18 March 2014 (including flying days) T

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

£3,350 per person sharing, not including flights to Africa. Optional flights from London from £1,345 per person including taxes.

£2,895 per person sharing, not including flights to and from Ethiopia. Optional flights from London from £550 including taxes.

Dr Jacke Phillips, Dept. of Art History and Archaeology, SOAS. Former Assistant Director of the Aksum Archaeological Project.

S Grant Truthe, naturalist and Botswana expert, born and raised in Botswana. Accompanied by naturalist and Botswana expert Grant Truthe, this special safari starts in Zambia then crosses into Botswana, following the missionary Dr David Livingstone’s footsteps. One of the natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls is a spectacular sight. Explore the area with walking tours and cruise on the mighty Zambezi looking for crocodiles, hippo and elephants. Crossing over the Zambezi from Zambia into Botswana, we spend the next two nights in Chobe National Park. Host to unique birdlife and game viewing, these waterways are best navigated by boat, where we look for birds such as the night herons, African skimmers and pygmy geese and large mammals such as large herds of elephant, hippo and buffalo. A scenic flight over the Chobe brings us to the glittering waters of the Okavango Delta, where travellers are poled through tranquil reeds in a traditional canoe or track great herds in an open-sided 4x4. The Moremi Reserve is rated as one of Africa’s finest game-viewing areas, offering sanctuary to abundant herds of elephant, sable, giraffe, tsessebe, lechwe, wildebeest, impala and waterbuck. Lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog and hyena are also resident and the birdlife is superb in March with over 250 species including fish eagles and rare slaty egrets.

The fascination of Ethiopia lies in its ancient monasteries, rock-hewn churches and dramatic mountain scenery. Aksum was the seat of an empire that reached across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, had its own alphabet and was one of the four great powers of the ancient world. It is also claimed to be the home of the Ark of the Covenant, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Travellers will visit Gondar’s fascinating castles and the unique church of Debre Berhane Selassie. Go in search of gelada baboon in the stunning Simyen Mountains before visiting the legendary sources of the Blue Nile. Conclude in Lalibela where, wreathed in mystery, the rock-cut churches of Ethiopia’s ‘New Jerusalem’ have been welcoming pilgrims for almost 1,000 years. The tour is timed to coincide with Meskel, a vibrant 1,600 year old festival commemorating the discovery of the true cross, a piece of which is believed to be kept in Ethiopia. It’s a wonderful opportunity to witness an unusual, ancient ritual, as huge bonfires are lit, topped with yellow Meskel daisies, and magnificently robed priests carrying silver Coptic crosses dance with their followers around the fires, singing, chanting and carrying flaming torches.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Africa

Magical Madagascar

Wine, Whales and Wildflowers

Evolution and the Zoology of a Gondwanaland Island

Cape & Garden Route in springtime

17 D – 30 August 2014 (including flying days)

23 August – 6 September 2014 (including flying days)

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

Temple World / templeworld.com / +44 208 940 4114

£3,190 per person sharing, not including flights to and from Madagascar. Optional flights from London from £750 including taxes.

£3,195 per person sharing, not including flights to and from South Africa. Optional flights from London from £1,050 including taxes.

Dr Matt Friedman (Churchill 2002), lecturer in Palaeobiology, University of Oxford.

Professor John Parker, former Director of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

Uninhabited by man until just 2,000 years ago, 80% of Madagascar’s species are endemic, making it possible to witness what happens when a large isolated island is left to evolve without big predators for 165 million years. A host of protected reserves and rainforests contain amazingly diverse wildlife, from impish ringtailed lemurs and ‘dancing’ sifakas to brightly coloured chameleons, frogs and butterflies. Madagascar is one of the world’s ten biodiversity hotspots and six of the world’s eight species of Baobab tree (Adansonia) are endemic to the island. It’s also a treasure trove for palaeontologists, with a remarkable fossil record creating a ‘time capsule’ for today’s scientists to examine the island’s role in the plate tectonic history of the Southern Hemisphere. Bird lovers will find a superb array in each new habitat, with six endemic families of birds and more than 70 species of singing birds and parrots. Not forgetting that Madagascar also boasts superb unspoiled white sand beaches fronting its 5,000km of prime Indian Ocean coastline, with a large barrier reef and hundreds of off-shore islands. Private extensions to Indian Ocean beach resorts such as the marvellous Anjajavy, a Relais & Chateau property, are available after the main tour.

We are delighted to include the Garden Route in this new version of our perennially popular itinerary. The Cape of Good Hope is the Mediterranean of the Southern Hemisphere – balmy weather, blue seas, fine wines and spectacular scenery. Cape Town is Africa’s jewel and, as well as Table Mountain, we visit the Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, famous for native plants, and Boulders Beach with its colonies of Jackass penguins. We also explore the Cederberg Mountains and the world famous Fynbos Biome from luxurious Bushman’s Kloof, home to a profusion of flowering plants including the King Protea. We learn about the Cape’s world-class wines with a two night stay in the Cape’s historic wine region, now almost as well known for its gastronomy, and stay in Oudshoorn in the Klein Karoo, once the epicentre of a Victorian ostrich feather empire. We descend to the coast and pretty Knysna enroute to Plettenberg Bay, jewel of the Garden Route. See Tsitsikamma where the temperate high forest and fynbos roll down to the sea in an unspoilt verdant carpet, and go in search of southern right whales and bottlenose dolphins as they breed in the waters off this stunning coast. Bird-watchers will also find this tour a delight, as the Garden Route offers a diverse range of habitats and is home to approximately 300 species of birds with close to 30 species endemic to the Southern Cape.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Asia

A Trek to the Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang

Heaven’s Gate: A Journey through Ladakh and Kashmir

1 – 17 April 2014

5 – 21 September 2014

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

£3,120 from London, can be joined without international flights.

£3,540 from London, can be joined without international flights.

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

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

Locked away in the wilderness of the Himalayas, 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 Mustang 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 – eight hours of walking per day. Accommodation is in very simple mountain lodges. After two nights in Kathmandu and one in Pokhara, fly to Jomsom on a spectacular flight path that loops around the Annapurna range. Enter Mustang through the expansive Kali Gandaki gorge, one of the deepest in the world. From here begin a trek across some of Asia’s most spectacular landscapes to Lo Manthang, the kingdom’s capital and the repository not only of art treasures, but also of centuries of beliefs. 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.

Cradled by the mighty Himalayan and Karakorum mountain ranges, the remote kingdoms of Ladakh and Kashmir offer a spectacular diversity of landscapes, cultures and people. The journey begins in Ladakh, strategically located between the historic mercantile towns of south and Central Asia. Over many centuries, salt, spice and silk caravans journeyed across these silent valleys and huge open spaces. This was a region crucial to the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet. The party will visit the ancient towns of Leh, Basgo and Shey; all capitals of the historic kingdoms within Tibet’s cultural sphere, attracting trade, prosperity and new faiths. Cross the highest motorable pass in the Himalayas and journey to the otherworldly and magical Nubra valley, with its cultural jewel; the Alchi Monasatary for many this truly is a lost paradise on earth. Fly to Srinagar and staying on a traditional boathouse, explore this lakeside city at the heart of the hauntingly beautiful vale of Kashmir. Discover a gentle countryside of lakes surrounded by apple orchards and fields of saffron. The Mogul Empire was a defining influence in 16th and 17th centuries as whole courts would arrive from the heat of India, luxuriating in the lush landscape and creating sublime gardens and beautifully carved pavilions.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

A voyage of a lifetime by private train

A Caspian Odyssey A unique 15-day journey by private train with the world’s leading operator of luxury rail cruises, travelling from the southern Caucasus across the Caspian Sea to the ancient trading posts of the Silk Road Jointly with University of Oxford

15 – 30 October 2014

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains goldeneagleluxurytrains.com +44 (0)161 928 9410

From £13,695 per person, including flights.

Dr Firuza Melville, specialist in Persian and Russian literature, is an Academic Associate for the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge and Head of the Shahnama Centre at Pembroke College.

Your 5-star hotel on wheels and home for this 15-day journey of discovery is The Golden Eagle, the only fully en-suite train operating in the former Soviet Union. Launched in 2007, The Golden Eagle’s rail cruises allow you to travel in splendour in elegant surroundings across remote lands and through centuries of rich history. The luxurious cabins of the Golden Eagle are amongst the most spacious available in rail accommodation anywhere in the world. Silver and Gold class cabins and the Imperial suite offer superb accommodation, and carefully planned lunch and dinner menus include a generous drinks allowance, showcasing the best of Russian and International cuisine. Your Caspian Odyssey starts in the 8,000 year old Armenian capital Yerevan,

where the skyline is dominated by Mount Ararat in nearby Turkey, with its snow covered peak towering in the distance. Heading towards the historic Georgian capital of Tbilisi, and our journey takes in the birthplace of one of Russia’s more infamous characters, Joseph Stalin, and such wonders as the ancient cave-city of Uplistsikhe, one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia, combining the rock cultures of Anatolia and Iran. Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, offers the juxtaposition of the UNESCO walled city set against the spectacularly contemporary architecture afforded by the mineral wealth of this former Soviet republic and is the departure port for our journey east across the Caspian Sea

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Highlights include

Yerevan

Lake Sevan

Gori

where the enigmatic state of Turkmenistan and the capital Ashgabat awaits us - a bizarre marble and gold clad city set amongst the Kara Kum desert and Kopet Dag Mountains. Omnipresent golden effigies of former president for life Saparmurat Niyazov and ornate fountains, golden domes and marble sidewalks appear strangely incongruous in this desert setting. From here, we head into the heart of the Kara Kum desert to visit the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Burning Sandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; a gas crater fire still burning bright after 40 years, continuing east through some of the Silk Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important trading posts of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand; a truly magnificent sight to behold with its superb Islamic architecture rising from the desert, dating back to the 14th-century.

Tbilisi

Telavi

Mtskheta

Baku

Khiva

Bukhara

Samarkand

All included in the price:

Return flights from London

Fine wine with lunch and dinner

Transfers to/from airport

Tea, coffee, mineral water throughout

5 star pre/post-tour accommodation

En-suite accommodation

All gratuities

Professional train management team

Welcome & farewell dinners

Two elegant restaurants and lounge with bar

All meals on board and lunch during land tours

A comprehensive excursion programme with qualified local guides

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Asia

Tribal and Sacred China: Laos, Yunnan and Tibet

The Splendours of South India and Sri Lanka

14 October – 4 November 2014

9 – 26 November 2014

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

£3,550 not including international flights from London.

£3,780 from London, can be joined without international flights.

Dr Ulrike Roesler, University Lecturer in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, University of Oxford.

Professor Julius Lipner, Chair of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at Cambridge and Fellow of Clare Hall.

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 world’s highest and most spectacular (Sino Tibet) railway.

Often overlooked, Southern India is an exotic land full of centuries-old temple complexes, bazaars selling fragrant spices, women dressed in vibrant silks and wildlife parks abounding with rare fauna and flora. On this unique itinerary, discover the distinctive cultures of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states. Wander through with its exquisite sandstone 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 that created an irrigation system to make the landscape bloom, then crowned rocky outcroppings and fertile valleys with magnificent temples and royal residences.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Ancient Japan

China: The Literati and Arts

Flame pots and northern capitals: among the Ainu and their ancestors Jointly with University of Oxford

6 – 23 May 2014

15 – 30 September 2014

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

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

£6,095 including flights from London.

£3,240 not including international flights from London.

Dr Simon Kaner (Selwyn 1981), Deputy Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies, University of East Anglia.

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

On the far side of the world from us, the closed society of pre-19thcentury Japan was one of the last major civilisations to engage with the rest of the world. Nevertheless, its culture and history have had an extraordinary influence on the progress of other modern cultures. This is a unique tour, exploring the rich archaeology of the highlands of Honshu; the less-visited western shore, and the little-known cultural history of Japan’s indigenous people – the Ainu – on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. We also visit the beautiful temples and gardens of Hiraizumi and the dramatic forested islands of Matsushima Bay. We are very lucky to have Simon Kaner, Deputy Director for the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia as our scholar for this tour. Dr Kaner is a passionate advocate of Japanese culture and heritage and has unrivalled contacts among archaeologists in Japan and we hope to arrange a number of special behind-the-scenes visits. The ambitious itinerary looks at the very origins of Japanese civilisation, as well as touching upon almost the entire scope of Japanese history from the Stone Age to the post-Imperial era. We hope to give guests a real hands-on introduction to the archaeology of this extraordinary country, whose history and culture has so profoundly shaped the modern world.

Faced with China’s sprawling economic powerhouses of Shanghai and Guangzhou, it is easy to ignore the influence of China’s south on the country’s intellectual and artistic development. Historically the southern merchant classes, in a bid to distance themselves from their humble beginnings, embraced pastimes deemed to be more civilised by the ruling classes. The result was an unprecedented flowering of creative pursuits during the six centuries of the Song and Ming dynasties. Dr Greenbaum will trace this artistic development in fields such as poetry, calligraphy, landscape painting, gardening, tea-culture and music as well as the corresponding philosophical-religious interests, in Confucian Ritualism, Daoism, and Buddhism. This unique journey begins in Taipei with a visit to the Palace museum, the definitive holding house for the great treasures of Chinese Art. Continue on to the mainland, beginning in Suzhou with an in depth study of the Chinese garden and the origins of Chinese opera. Visit the mystical peaks of Mount Huangshan and explore a natural landscape that has inspired painters and calligraphers. Emperors and scholars alike have flocked to Hangzhou for over a thousand years to enjoy its magnificent lakeside scenery, the ritual of Chinese tea culture and Chinese Buddhism. The journey will incorporate exclusive private visits together with lectures and demonstrations by modern day masters of the traditional arts.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Asia

Exploring Central Asia

Burma

Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

The Art and Culture of the Golden Land

Kingdoms in the Sky

15 – 29 April 2014

29 October – 12 November 2014

8 – 24 October 2014

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

£3,120 from London, can be joined without international flights.

£3,550 from London, can be joined without international flights.

£3,780 from London, can be joined without international flights.

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

Professor Janice Stargardt (Sidney Sussex 1964), Professorial Research Fellow in Asian Archaeology at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.

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

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’.

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.

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, vital and crowded city in stark contrast to the peace and serenity of Bhutan.

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

South America, Antarctica

The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

Antarctica Fire and Ice

The zoology, ecology and ornithology of the Pacific

A Voyage from Tierra del Fuego to Antarctica

2 D – 13 October 2014 (including flying days)

1 – 16 March 2015 (including flying days)

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

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

£4,850 per person sharing, not including flights to and from Ecuador. Optional flights from London from £900 per person including taxes.

£7,865 (based on twin porthole cabin) including domestic flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and back. Optional return flights from London to Buenos Aires approximately £950 including taxes.

Professor David Walton is an Emeritus Professor with the British Antarctic Survey, where he was a practicing scientist for 40 years. He has written and edited six books on research in Antarctica and is editor in chief of the journal Antarctic Science.

S Professor Chris Perrins, Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford. 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. Visit Quito’s Old City and Otavalo’s famous market, known for its colourful handmade textiles. In the Galapagos, board CORAL I, a cruiser with just 18 fully air-conditioned outside cabins, all with private facilities for a week-long private cruise exclusively for Cambridge and Oxford alumni. Visiting a cross-section of islands in the Galapagos, 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 15 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. There may also be the chance to swim with sea lions, playful penguins or even dolphins, many of whom are completely unafraid of humans. An Amazon pre tour and Peru post-tour to see Cusco, the Sacred Valley and magnificent Machu Picchu are also available for travellers who wish to extend their trip.

Antarctica represents one of the world’s last pristine wildernesses, a magical place barely touched by human presence. Heroic feats of endurance, intense scientific study, extraordinary scenery and superb wildlife, combined with a hostile environment for much of the year, are all part of its allure. The summer wildlife of whales, penguins, leopard seals and multitudinous endemic birds is in amazing contrast to the towering walls of ice. Starting in Ushuaia on Tierra del Fuego, this cruise on the highly rated expedition cruise ship M/V Plancius crosses the Drake Passage to explore the islands of the Bellingshausen Sea and land on the Antarctic Peninsula. Taking just 114 passengers in ensuite cabins with portholes or windows, Plancius is small enough to be licenced to land passengers on the continent and get up close to wildlife on exhilarating shore and zodiac (dinghy) excursions. Plancius also offers an incredible range of optional activities at no extra cost, such as climbing, snow-shoeing, camping and kayak explorations. This is a rare chance to understand the importance of one of the most remote parts of the planet up close, in comfort and in the company of a world expert.

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Trip scholars 2014 – 15

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

Dr Matt Friedman (Churchill 2002) Lecturer in Palaeobiology, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford

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

Dr Elizabeth Ashman-Rowe Lecturer in Scandinavian History of the Medieval Period, Fellow of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge

Dr Jamie Greenbaum Researching the history of early Chinese utopias and the early State if Yan at Beijing University

Terry Richardson Author of the Rough Guides for Turkey and Istanbul

Professor Geoff Horrocks (Downing 1969) Professor of Comparative Philology at Cambridge and Fellow of St John’s College

Dr Ulrike Roesler University Lecturer in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies, University of Oxford

Dr Paul Bahn (Caius 1971) World expert on prehistoric art Dr Lisa Bendall (Jesus 1995) Lecturer in Aegean Prehistory, Keble College, University of Oxford

Dr Hubertus Jahn Lecturer in East European History, University of Cambridge

Dr Dirk Booms (Fitzwilliam 2005) Curator of Roman architecture and inscriptions at the British Museum

Dr Simon Kaner (Selwyn 1981) Deputy Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies, University of East Anglia

Professor Christopher Catherwood (Sidney Sussex 1978) Fellow of the Royal Historical Society Professor Catherwood also supervises for the History Faculty at the University of Cambridge

Professor Julius Lipner Chair of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at Cambridge and Fellow of Clare Hall

Professor Robin Cormack (Robinson 1984) Lecturer in Greek, Roman and Byzantine Art History, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge Dr Carolin Crawford (Newnham 1982) Professor of Astronomy, Gresham College and Outreach Officer for the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge Professor Roger Davies (Churchill 1975) Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics, University of Oxford Professor John Deathridge (King’s 1982) King Edward Professor of Music at King’s College London Zara Fleming Cultural historian specialising in Himalayan and South Asian history, art and culture

Dr Firuza Melville Academic Associate for the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge and Head of the Shahnama Centre at Pembroke College Professor John Parker Former Director of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden Dr Jeremy Paterson Lecturer in Ancient History, Newcastle University (retired) Professor Chris Perrins Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford Dr Jacke Phillips Department of Art History and Archaeology, SOAS and Former Assistant Director of the Aksum Archaeological Project

Dr Peter Sarris Lecturer in Roman, Medieval and Byzantine History, University of Cambridge Dr Gillian Shepherd (Trinity 1988) Director for the Trendall Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe, Australia Professor Janice Stargardt (Sidney Sussex 1964) Professorial Research Fellow in Asian Archaeology at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge Grant Truthe Naturalist and Botswana expert, born and raised in Botswana Professor David Walton Emeritus Professor with the British Antarctic Survey and Editor in Chief of the journal, ‘Antarctic Science’ Bruce Wannell Writer, linguist and lecturer, has spent many years travelling in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Arabia and eastern Africa Roger White (Christ’s 1969) Architectural historian and former Secretary of the Georgian Group and Garden History Society

alumni.cam.ac.uk/travel

Travel diary 2014 – 15

22 – 26 January 2014 Pompeii & Herculaneum – the Lives of the Romans 26 – 30 January 2014 Polar Nights and Mystical Northern Lights 8 – 18 March 2014 In Livingstone’s Footsteps 9 – 13 March 2014 Polar Nights and Mystical Northern Lights

21 – 27 July 2014 Munich Opera Festival

P8 17 – 30 August 2014 Magical Madagascar

P12

24 August – 6 September 2014 Wine, Whales and Wildflowers

P12

P11 3 – 11 September 2014 Voyage North – Heritage of the Vikings

P13

1 – 17 April 2014 The Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang

P13

5 – 21 September 2014 A Journey through Ladakh and Kashmir

15 – 29 April 2014 Exploring Central Asia

P18

9 – 24 September 2014 Ancient Routes of the Caucasus

P10

21 – 27 April 2014 Inside Istanbul on Foot

15 – 30 September 2014 China: The Literati and Arts

P17

6 – 23 May 2014 Ancient Japan

P17

24 September – 2 October 2014 Minoan Crete and Santorini

7 – 21 June 2014 “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”

P10

25 September – 7 October 2014 Ancient Ethiopia

P11

29 September – 4 October 2014 Across the Front Line: The Great War in Flanders

27 June – 03 July 2014 Medieval Alsace-Lorraine 21 – 28 June 2014 Jewels of the Dodecanese 23 – 30 June 2014 Ice Age Art in the Dordogne 24 June – 4 July 2014 Eastern Turkey 27 June – 03 July 2014 Medieval Alsace-Lorraine

2 – 13 October 2014 The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

P19

8 – 24 October 2014 Kingdoms in the Sky: Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan

P18

P10 10 – 20 October 2014 Sicilia Antiqua

27 June – 9 July 2014 Adriatic Cruise from Venice to Athens

14 October – 4 November 2014 Tribal and Sacred China: Laos, Yunnan and Tibet

7 – 12 July 2014 Shropshire Country Houses

15 – 30 October 2014 A Caspian Odyssey

P16

P14 – 15

29 October – 12 November 2014 Burma: The Art and Culture of the Golden Land

P18

9 – 26 November 2014 The Splendours of South India and Sri Lanka

P16

1 – 16 March 2015 Fire and Ice: A Voyage from Tierra del Fuego to Antarctica

P19

Unbound / Edition 5 / 2014 – 15

Unbound For further information and to book

ACE Cultural Tours

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains

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

Denzell House, Denzell Gardens, Dunham Road Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QF

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

T +44 (0)161 928 9410 E mail@goldeneagleluxurytrains.com W goldeneagleluxurytrains.com

Important note

Andante Travels

Hurtigruten Ltd

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

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

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

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

What is it like to travel with us?

Distant Horizons

Temple World

“The trip was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable, not only for giving us an insight into Albania and its amazing archaeological sites, but also for the company of likeminded Cambridge alumni.”

13 Melloncroft Drive, Caldy Wirral CH48 2JA

13 The Avenue, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2AL

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

Image Credits

Voyages to Antiquity

Great is Diana of the Ephesians: Benh LIEU SONG

8 South Parade, Oxford, OX2 7JL

Galapagos and Ecuador: E. Hayes (Newnham 2006)

T + 44 (0)1865 302 573 E reservations@voyagestoantiquity.com W voyagestoantiquity.com

(incorporating IMA Travel)

Albania Andante 2013

“We had an excellent holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it all. Grant Truthe was an exceptional guide – very knowledgeable and always thoughtful and helpful.” Livingstone’s Footsteps Templeworld

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The contribution made by our tour leader was absolutely indispensable in enhancing our experience. His combination of impressive erudition with a light touch and a warm sense of humour created a most congenial atmosphere and established a context for our experiences that was deeply enriching.â&#x20AC;? Central Asia, Distant Horizons 2013

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

+44 (0)1223 332288

E contact@alumni.cam.ac.uk

facebook.com/cambridgealumni

@CARO1209 / #camtravel