Bhutan
April 21 - May 1, 2018
Bhutan: A Journey Through the Kingdom of Happiness
Nestled deep in the Himalayas, between the powers of India and Nepal lies Bhutan – one of the most beautiful and isolated places on earth. It is now the last living Buddhist kingdom, where, during the seventh century, the teachings of the Buddha became the country’s state religion. Over the last twelve hundred years these timeless teachings of wisdom and compassion have infused every aspect of society.
Shocked by the disappearance of Tibet as an independent Buddhist state in the 1950s, Bhutan began emerging from its isolation, seeking a seat at the table of sovereign, modern nations. It is bravely setting out to do this in a manner that protects its unique Buddhist heritage and culture and its lush, unspoiled environment.
In Bhutan, the government’s official development policy first articulated by His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuk is known as “Gross National Happiness”. Facing the daunting challenges of modernization and globalization, Bhutan balances economic development with other values: maintaining the integrity of spiritual and cultural traditions and good governance.
The results of the balance of values represented by “Gross National Happiness” are immediately evident to the visitor. Bhutan is a country where the vitality of traditional culture and the purity and beauty of the natural environment make this one of the most unique and appealing countries in the world.
Trip price: $ 6,380 per person
Inclusions:
Accommodations as listed in double occupancy / breakfast and meals as listed on our detailed itinerary / flights in economy between Bangkok and Paro / domestic flight in Bhutan / airport transfers / service of national English speaking guide / all sightseeing as listed with entrance fees / all transportation by bus / tips to guides and drivers/ Bhutan visa fee.
NOTE: The trip prince includes airfare between Bangkok and Paro. Should you prefer to travel to Bhutan via India, Nepal or Singapore your trip price will be adjusted accordingly.
This journey is limited to 12 travelers.
Please feel free to call us at 888-586-9958!
Day-By-Day Itinerary
Day 1. April 21. Thimphu
Fly from Bangkok to Thimphu. Sightseeing: Memorial Chorten, Painting School, Thimphu Town. Taj Hotel.
Day 2. April 22. Thimphu
Excursion to Cheri Monastery and visit to Textile Museum. Taj Hotel.
Day 3. April 23. Punakha
Drive to Punakha. Hike to Temple of Divine Madman. Densa Resort.
Day 4. April 24. Punakha
Sightseeing: Punakha Dzong and Talo Village.
Day 5. April 25. Trongsa
Drive to Trongsa with stop at Chendibji Chorten. Sherubling Lodge.
Day 6. April 26. Jakar/Bumthang Valley
Drive to Jakar. Mountain Lodge.
Day 7. April 27. Jakar/Bumthang Valley
Visit Babzur Community School, Pema Choling Nunnery and Kunzandrak. Mountain Lodge.
Day 8. April 28. Ura Festival / Membartso Lake
Sightseeing: Membartsho Lake and Ura Village.
Day 9. April 29. Paro
Flight to Paro. Sightseeing: Avalokiteshvara Temple and Paro Dzong. Uma Resort.
Day 10. April 30. Paro
Excursion to Tiger’s Nest. Uma Resort.
Day 11. May 1. Departure
Airport transfer.
Additional departure dates: May 5 - 15, 2018 (no festival)
We are happy to arrange a tailor made journey to Bhutan for you! Please call us at tel. 888-586-9958 to discuss your individual travel plans!
China: Land of Emperors and Warriors
April 2 – 14, 2018
Planning a journey to China can seem quite overwhelming. It is the world’s most populous country where more than 100 cities boast a population of over one million. It is home to the largest number of ethnic groups in any country, fifty-six altogether, and it is larger in size than the U.S.
China is a vast country with a history that seems almost incomprehensible, much of it rooted in the scriptures of Confucius and one could spend a lifetime exploring this ancient land.
Today’s China is full of contrasts, extremes and juxtapositions. One minute you will find yourself dining in a five star restaurant looking towards the blinking sky line of Shanghai’s magnificent Pudong area or shopping in an avant-garde gallery, while the next day you may stroll through a hidden alley in an ancient Muslim quarter where little has changed since the days of the great empire. You can explore the Forbidden City, walk on the Great Wall and see the famous Terracotta Warriors or you may choose to escape the crowds and float down a quiet river on a bamboo raft, enjoying a breathtaking backdrop of magnificent lime stone peaks. This scene has been depicted in Chinese landscape scroll paintings since Imperial times. Maybe you choose to discover China’s many minority villages and journey up towards the Himalayas where Tibetan traders roam the vast highlands.
The beauty of it all is that there will always be another surprise just around the corner!
Trip price $ 5,180 per person
Inclusions:
Accommodations as listed in double occupancy/breakfast and meals as listed on our detailed itinerary/flights in economy class within China/airport transfers/service of national English speaking guide/all sightseeing as listed with entrance fees/all transportation by bus and boat.
This journey is limited to 12 travelers.
Additional departures:
Beijing & Beyond:
Yunnan & Shanghai
April 10 – 20, 2018
Highlights of China
Beijing, Xian & Shanghai
April 22 – 30, 2018
We are happy to arrange a tailor made journey to China for you! Please call us at tel. 888-586-9958 to discuss your individual travel plans!
Day-By-Day Itinerary
Day 1. April 2. Beijing.
Arrival in Beijing. Transfer to the Peninsula Hotel.
Day 2. April 3. Beijing.
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Lama Temple. Peninsula Hotel.
Day 3. April 4. Beijing.
Great Wall at Mutiyanyu excursion. Peninsula Hotel.
Day 4. April 5. Xian.
Flight to Xian. Afternoon visit to Hanyang Tomb, Big Goose Pagoda and Great Mosque. Sofitel Hotel.
Day 5. April 6. Guilin.
Morning tour of the Terracotta Warriors site and visit to the Shanxi History Museum. Afternoon flight to Guilin. Shangri-La Hotel.
Day 6. April 7. Longsheng.
Drive to Longsheng, home to the famous Longji rice terraces. Enjoy some easy hiking through the rice terraces and local villages. Li’An Lodge.
Day 7. April 8. Yangshuo.
Drive to Yangshuo and on to Yangdi for a bamboo rafting river journey. Yangshuo Resort.
Day 8. April 9. Yangtze Cruise.
Return to Guilin Airport in time for the flight to Chongqing where we board the Yangtze River Cruise.
Days 9 - 10. April 10 – 11. Yangtze Cruise.
See the Three Gorges Dam, Qutang and Wu Gorges and enjoy excursions to the Shibaozhoi Temple and Shennong Stream.
Day 11. April 12. Shanghai.
Disembark in Yichang. After a morning city tour depart on a flight bound for Shanghai. Late afternoon visit to the Bund and Xiantandi. Peninsula Hotel.
Day 12. April 13. Shanghai.
Morning sightseeing to include the Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden. Optional afternoon visit to contemporary art galleries. Sunset Cruise and farewell dinner. Peninsula Hotel.
Day 13. April 14. Departure
Airport transfer.
Myanmar
Feb. 20 - Mar. 2, 2018
We invite you to join us on a journey of discovery in Burma, an exotic land with the quiet charm of a 19th century Southeast Asian country that remained shrouded in mystery and isolated for decades. Known to some as Myanmar, its people have retained their deeply spiritual traditions and ancient crafts many of which we will explore as we travel through Rangoon, Pagan, Mandalay and the fairy tale world of Inle Lake. Let us take you through a wonderfully picturesque land where tall golden spires rise up into the sky and thousands of pagodas, temples and monasteries dot the gentle landscape - the land from which the legendary Irrawaddy flows.
Trip price $ 5,120 per person
Extension cost: $ 1,710 per person
Inclusions:
Accommodations as listed in double occupancy / breakfast and meals as listed on our detailed itinerary / all flights in economy class within Myanmar/ airport transfers / service of a national English speaking guide / service of an Authentic Asia tour escort / all sightseeing as listed with entrance fees / all transportation by bus or private boat / tips to guides and drivers.
This journey is limited to 12 travelers.
Please feel free to call us at 888-586-9958!
Day 1. Rangoon
Arrival transfer. Governor’s Residence.
Arrival transfer. Governor’s Residence.
Day 2. Rangoon.
Sightseeing: City tour, Sule Pagoda, Bogyoke Market, Shwedagon Pagoda. Governor’s Residence.
Day 3. Pagan.
Flight to Pagan. Full day temple sightseeing. Aureum Palace Hotel (Villa).
Day 4. Pagan
Village excursion and school visit. Aureum Palace Hotel (Villa).
Day 5. Mandalay
Private boat trip to Pakkoku. Drive to Sagaing and on to Mandalay. Hotel Red Canal.
Day 6. Mandalay
Sightseeing: Amarapura and Mahamuni Temple. Red Canal Hotel.
Day 7. Inle Lake
Flight to Heho. Drive to Inle Lake and boat trip to hotel. Sightseeing: Inle Lake floating villages. Inle Princess Hotel or Aureum Hotel.
Day 8. Inle Lake
Sightseeing: By boat to Five-Day-Market, Pagoda Forest, Cat Monastery and Lotus Silk Village. Inle Princess Hotel or Aureum Palace Hotel.
Day 9. Inle Lake
Day trip to Kalaw by local train. Inle Princess or Aureum Palace Hotel.
Day 10. Rangoon
Flight to Rangoon. Afternoon sightseeing and gallery visits. Governor’s Residence
Day 11. Departure
Airport transfer.
Optional Extension to Mrauk-Oo
Day 11. Sittwe
Flight to Sittwe. Sittwe Hotel.
Days 12 – 13. Mrauk-Oo
Boat trip to Mrauk-Oo. Princess Hotel.
Day 14. Rangoon
Flight to Rangoon. Governor’s Residence.
Day 15. Departure
Airport Transfer.
Journey Through Southeast Asia
Feb. 11 - 26, 2018
Oct. 21 - Nov. 5, 2018
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are among the gems of Southeast Asia. These former French colonies possess untamed natural beauty and a captivating cultural splendor. From its dynastic roots and French occupation to its late 20th-century reunification, Vietnam is rich with history and replete with remnants of each bygone era. Cambodia, the successor of the powerful Khmer empire entices the senses with its bustling and lively cities, and perhaps its most prized treasure of all, the temples of Angkor. And finally, Laos, the Shangri-La of Southeast Asia with its richly forested landscapes and serene river towns, evokes the sentiments of a well-read page in an old Graham Greene novel.
Trip price $ 6,980 per person
Inclusions:
Accommodations as listed in double occupancy / breakfast and meals as listed on our detailed itinerary / all flights in economy class beginning in Hanoi and ending in Luang Prabang / airport transfers / VIP arrival in Hanoi and Siem Reap / service of national English speaking guides / service of an Authentic Asia tour escort / all sightseeing as listed with entrance fees / all transportation by bus or private boat / tips to guides and drivers/ Cambodia visa fee.
This journey is limited to 12 travelers.
We are happy to arrange a tailor-made journey through Southeast Asia for you! Please call us at 888-586-9958 to discuss your travel plans.
Day-By-Day Itinerary
Day 1. Hanoi
Arrive in Hanoi. Metropole Hotel.
Day 2. Hanoi
Old Quarter Ho Chi Min’s Mausoleum,One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature. Metropole Hotel.
Day 3. Halong Bay.
Halong Bay Cruise. Paradise Cruise
Day 4. Hue
Flight to Hue. Royal Tombs. La Residence Hue
Day 5. Hue
Morning market, Citadel, Purple City, Perfume River Cruise. La Residence Hue
Day 6. Hoi An
Drive to Hoi An. Old Town walking tour. Nam Hai Resort
Day 7. Hoi An
Excursion to My to My Son, Thanh Ha ceramics Villa, Kim Bong carpentry village Nam Hai Resort
Day 8. Saigon
Flight to Saigon. Cathedral, Post Office, War Museum. Park Hyatt Hotel
Days 9 - 12. Siem Reap
Angkor Complex, Tonle Sap Lake, Kulen Mountain Range. Grand Hotel D’Angkor or Park Hyatt Hotel
Day 13. Luang Prabang
Flight to Luang Prabang. Old Town walking tour. La Residence Phou Vao
Day 14. Luang Prabang
Pak Ou Caves excursion. La Residence Phou Vao
Day 15. Luang Prabang
Excursion to ethnic villages. La Residence Phou Vao
Day 16. Departure
Transfer to the airport for departure flight.