Expedition Details
Join National Geographic on an unforgettable expedition around the world, traveling in ease and comfort by private jet. Explore the world’s most treasured natural and cultural wonders, from Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat to the Great Barrier Reef and the Serengeti plain. Visit Peru, Easter Island, Samoa, Australia, Cambodia, India, Tanzania, Egypt, and Morocco on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.Trip Highlights
- Explore 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, the Taj Mahal, and the Pyramids of Gîza.
- Meet with National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Meave or Louise Leakey in Tanzania.
- Discover Easter Island’s giant moai statues and famously lost culture with resident archaeologist Edmundo Edwards.
- Delve into the natural world on game drives in the Serengeti Plain and snorkeling excursions on the Great Barrier Reef.
Itinerary - 22 Days
Day 1 — Washington, D.C.
We begin this extraordinary adventure with a welcome reception at National Geographic Society headquarters, followed by dinner at our hotel.
Mayflower Hotel (D)
Day 2 — Lima, Peru
This morning our private jet takes us to Lima, once a thriving capital in Spain’s New World empire. Arrive in the evening and enjoy dinner in town.
Swissôtel (B,L,D)
Days 3 & 4 — Cusco/Machu Picchu
Travel to Cusco by local flight, and explore the Plaza de Armas and the Sacsayhuaman fortress overlooking the city. Continue to Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca citadel abandoned by the Inca and rediscovered only in 1911. Excavated by Hiram Bingham with funding from National Geographic, Machu Picchu is one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.
Hotel Monasterio (B,L,D)
Days 5 & 6 — Easter Island, Chile
Travel 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile to Easter Island, an open-air museum of ancient stone villages, sanctuaries, and giant statues called moai. Explore the island’s treasures with resident archaeologist Edmundo Edwards.
Explora Rapa Nui, Hanga Roa Hotel, or Iorana Hotel (B,L,D)
Day 7 — Apia, Samoa
Visit Vailima, Robert Louis Stevenson’s former home, and take a scenic drive by seaside villages. Enjoy a traditional Polynesian welcome ceremony and a fiafia, a colorful performance of Samoan dance and song.
Aggie Grey's Lagoon Beach Resort & Spa (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Cross the International Date Line
Depart for Australia and lose a day crossing the international date line.
(B,L,D)
Days 9 & 10 — The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is home to 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of coral, and more than 200 species of birds. Enjoy bird-watching, snorkeling, and swimming in this magnificent marine ecosystem.
Sea Temple Resort & Spa, Port Douglas (B,L,D)
Days 11, 12, & 13 — Angkor, Cambodia or Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Fly to Siem Reap and travel to Angkor. Survey Angkor Wat’s massive temple complex, and visit the royal city of Angkor Thom and the extraordinary Bayon Temple. Or instead of exploring Angkor, you may travel to Hanoi, Vietnam and go on an excursion to see the breathtaking Ha Long Bay.
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Cambodia or Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam (B,L,D)
Days 14 & 15 — The Taj Mahal and Jaipur, India
Fly to Agra, where we will see the majestic Taj Mahal, one of the world’s greatest monuments to love, and admire its form in the reflecting pools. Then reboard the jet and continue on to Jaipur, where we will explore the sumptuous palaces of the maharajas of Rajasthan.
Rambagh Palace (B,L,D)
Days 16 & 17 — Tanzania
Fly to Kilimanjaro Airport and choose from two options: go deep into Serengeti National Park to witness the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa; or at Ngorongoro Crater, observe the permanent population of about 30,000 animals in the largest unbroken caldera in the world. Meave or Louise Leakey will join us to discuss their finds at Olduvai Gorge.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge or mobile tented camp; Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (B,L,D)
Days 18 & 19 — Luxor, the Pyramids, and the Sphinx, Egypt or The Lost City of Petra, Jordan
Explore the wondrous Temple of Karnak, the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and enjoy a special gala event at the Luxor Temple. Then fly to Cairo and visit the Pyramids and the Sphinx at Gîza. Or instead of exploring Luxor, you may fly to Jordan, where you can explore the lost city of the ancient Nabataeans at Petra.
Sonesta St. George Hotel, Egypt or Movenpick Petra, Jordan (B,L,D)
Days 20 & 21 — Marrakech, Morocco
Arrive in Marrakech and transfer to our hotel. The next day, visit the Koutoubia Mosque, the tombs of the Saadian kings, and the Dar Si Said Museum of Moroccan Arts. Wander through the medina and the open-air market of Djemaa el Fna, or you may choose to visit the stunning Majorelle Gardens. Tonight, gather for a festive farewell banquet with traditional entertainment.
Sofitel Marrakech (B,L,D)
Day 22 — London, England/U.S.
Fly to London and connect with your flight home.
(B,L)
Note: If you wish, enjoy a complimentary night at a hotel near one of London’s airports and fly home the next day.
For more information or reservations on this expedition, please call 1-800-224-1894.
View LargerNational Geographic Expert
Chris Johns
As Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic magazine, Chris Johns has led the magazine’s recent coverage of topics ranging from Morocco’s Berbers and a changing India to new discoveries in Egypt. He was named editor of the year by Advertising Age magazine in 2008, and under his direction, National Geographic magazine has won numerous National Magazine Awards. Chris is one of the world’s top wildlife photographers, having produced more than 20 articles for National Geographic, as well as several books, including Valley of Life: Africa's Great Rift. Chris will join us beginning in Angkor Wat.
Chris will join the following departure:
Feb 05 - 26, 2010
Expedition Dates 
indicates a departure that has a slightly different itinerary than the one shown on this page. Click the icon to see the day-to-day itinerary.
The October 2009 departure is 24 days, includes a stop in Tibet, and ends in Washington, D.C.
Expedition Costs
Our specially outfitted Boeing 757 is ideally suited for this extraordinary expedition. Its long-range capabilities and ability to land in smaller airports afford us unmatched flexibility. We set our own schedules, flying direct and avoiding layovers, which allows us the freedom to make the most of our adventures on land. Instead of the standard 233 seats, the jet’s interior has been customized and refitted to accommodate just 72 passengers in two-by-two, VIP-style leather seating.
For your protection, all payments are secured in a bank escrow account. See special terms and conditions for this expedition.
