Expedition Details
Join National Geographic on an unforgettable expedition, traveling in ease and comfort by private jet. While circling the globe, explore the world's most treasured and legendary natural and cultural wonders. 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 - 24 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.
Mandarin Oriental (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 a fine dinner of traditional Peruvian cuisine.
Miraflores Park Hotel (B,L,D)
Days 3 & 4 — Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru
Travel to Cusco by local flight, and explore the imposing cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, considered by many to be the Western Hemisphere's finest combination of Spanish Renaissance style and legendary Inca stonemasonry. In the colorful market, visit local artisans-including National Geographic grantee and master weaver Nilda Callanaupa-who are dedicated to preserving the region's distinctive music and arts. Discover the remains of the great fortress Sacsayhuaman overlooking Cusco.
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. Examine the artfully cut stone altars, temples, fountains, staircases, and terraced gardens.
Hotel Monasterio (B,L,D daily)
Days 5 & 6 — Easter Island, Chile
Travel 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile to Easter Island, one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world and an open-air museum of ancient stone villages, sanctuaries, and giant statues called moai. Since it was first seen by Europeans on Easter Sunday in 1722, it has been the subject of debate. How did its native people first arrive? What transpired over the centuries? What do the tall, brooding statues mean? Discover the ancient ceremonial centers, volcanic craters, petroglyphs, lava formations, and gorgeous beaches with resident archaeologist Edmundo Edwards.
Hanga Roa Hotel (B,L,D daily)
Day 7 — Apia, Samoa
Samoa is one of the few places where pure Polynesian culture remains essentially intact-tribal rituals and hierarchies are little changed from ancient times. Trace the coast on a scenic drive, passing through charming 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 or the Daintree Rain Forest, Australia
While in Australia, you may choose one of two options. If you wish, explore the Great Barrier Reef, the largest known coral reef in the world and home to an exceptionally rich variety of marine life. Snorkel among rainbow-colored corals with schools of unicornfish, surgeonfish, bumphead parrot fish, and sea turtles. Or in the Daintree, discover the natural wonders of a rain forest that is approximately 90 million years older than the Amazon rain forest. Go on a Dreamtime walk with an elder from the Kuku Yalanji tribe who will share his tribe's legends and take you to sacred sites.
Sea Temple Resort & Spa (B, L, D daily)
Days 11 & 12 — Angkor, Cambodia
Fly to Siem Reap and explore the astoundingly beautiful monuments at nearby Angkor. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, Angkor is the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire and one of the world's greatest architectural triumphs. Survey Angkor Wat's massive temple complex of towers, carved murals, colonnades, and courtyards that capture the peak of Khmer artistry and architecture in stone. We also visit the royal city of Angkor Thom and the extraordinary Bayon Temple.
Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor (B, L, D daily)
Day 13 — Chengdu, China
Travel to Chengdu, where we visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center and overnight before flying to Tibet.
Kempinski Hotel Chengdu (B,L,D)
Days 14 & 15 — Lhasa, Tibet or Xi’an, China
Depart by local flight to Lhasa, Tibet's capital, located on one of the world's oldest plateaus. Once a "forbidden city," this Himalayan center of Buddhist pilgrimage-with the spectacular Potala Palace dominating its skyline-still maintains a mystical atmosphere. During our visit, see the Jokhang Temple, the region’s oldest and most revered; and explore the colorful Tibetan markets, known for their finely crafted ornaments, rugs, and religious paintings and carvings. The next day, visit the fabled Potala Palace, a highlight of our time in Lhasa. The palace, with its hundreds of rooms, lavish decor, and labyrinthine corridors, was once the winter residence of the Dalai Lama and served as the seat of the Tibetan government for more than 300 years. Stop by the nearly 600-year-old Sera Monastery, where we may see monks in the debating courtyard.
Alternatively, you may choose to travel to Xi’an, China, to view the famous 7,000-strong army of life-sized terra-cotta warriors, the Ming dynasty walls, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Xi'an City Museum.
Brahmaputra Grand Hotel or Sofitel Xi’an on Renmin Square (B, L, D daily)
Days 16 & 17 — Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Return to Chengdu by local flight and continue on our private jet to Agra. See the majestic Taj Mahal, one of the world’s most famous monuments, built in the 17th century by Shah Jehan as a tribute to his wife. A masterpiece of the Mogul empire, the Taj soars majestically above the banks of the Yamuna River. Wander the site, admire its form in the reflecting pools and gardens that surround it, and observe the intricate ornamentation of inlaid precious stones.
The Oberoi Amarvilás (B, L, D daily)
Days 18 & 19 — Tanzania
Fly to Kilimanjaro Airport and choose from two options: go deep into Serengeti National Park to witness Africa's greatest concentration of wildebeests and zebras as well as big cats, including lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Or descend into the Ngorongoro Crater to observe the permanent population of about 25,000 large animals in one of the largest unbroken calderas in the world. Along with the great herds of wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras, we may also see the "big five" (rhinoceros, lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo). National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Meave or Louise Leakey will join us to discuss the family’s historic fossil finds.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Mobile Tented Camp, or Serengeti Migration Camp; Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (B, L, D daily)
Days 20 & 21 — Luxor, Egypt or Petra, Jordan; and the Pyramids and Sphinx, Egypt
Arrive in Luxor and head to the Luxor Museum to view its stunning collection of statues, figures, bas reliefs, mummies, and some sepulchral treasures from King Tutankhamun's Tomb. Spend the next day in the Valley of the Kings, where we visit the tombs of the divine pharaohs. Stop at the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the longest reigning female pharaoh and one of history's great leaders. Visit the Great Hypostyle Hall and temples at Karnak, the largest ancient religious site in the world, described by the ancient Egyptians as the most perfect of places. Or you may fly to Jordan and venture into the lost city of Petra. Then enjoy a special gala event at the Temple of Luxor. The next morning, fly to Cairo to visit the Pyramids-including the 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)-and the Sphinx at Gîza.
Sonesta St. George Hotel, Egypt or Movenpick Petra, Jordan (B, L, D daily)
Days 22 & 23 — Marrakech, Morocco
Arrive in Marrakech and transfer to our hotel. The next day, visit the Koutoubia Mosque, the tomb of the Saadian kings, and the Bahia Palace. Wander through the medina, a jumble of colorful suqs; and stroll the Djemaa el Fna, a living square where snake charmers, acrobats, and magicians enchant the passsersby. Or visit the stunning Majorelle Garden, a garden estate created in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent. Admire the delightful combination of traditional Moroccan architecture, Islamic art and artifacts, rare plants from five continents, and North African birds. Tonight, gather for a festive farewell banquet with traditional entertainment.
La Mamounia (B, L, D daily)
Day 24 — Marrakech, Morocco/Washington, D.C.
Fly by private jet to Washington, D.C. and connect with your flight home.
(B,L)
View LargerExpedition Team
A world-class team of experts will accompany each expedition to share their knowledge and insights with you and bring each destination to life. The expert featured below will be part of the expedition team on the date noted.
David Silverberg
Geographer David Scott Silverberg was the founding field director of Boston University’s Center for Coastal Studies. A National Geographic grantee and a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, David specializes in natural and biocultural history and has led community-based conservation projects on six continents. He has published papers on the geographic development of the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau, conducted extensive field work in India, and established a Maasai women’s scholarship program in Tanzania.
David will join the following departure:
Oct 04 - 27, 2011
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 itinerary at left reflects the October 2011 departure. The September 2010 departure is 22 days (two days shorter) and does not include stops in Chengdu, China or Tibet but includes a stop in Jaipur, India. The February 2011, December 2011, and February 2012 departures are 24 days, begin and end in Orlando, Florida, and follow the same itinerary as the October 2011 departure.
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 78 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 these expeditions.
