Asia by Private Jet
EXPERTS Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, Nepal
Paro and Thimphu, Bhutan
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Udaipur, India Bagan and Inle Lake, Myanmar (Burma) Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma)
Luang Prabang, Laos
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Private Jet Local Air
Itinerary–14 Days
February 19–March 4, 2018
Christchurch and Queenstown, New Zealand
Easter Island, Chile
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Monday, February 19. We begin our journey in Dubai, a cosmopolitan city with a futuristic skyline that stands in contrast to the vast Arabian Desert that encircles it. Meet experts, staff, and fellow travelers at a welcome reception and dinner. Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Kathmandu, Nepal and Paro and Thimphu, Bhutan
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, February 20, 21, and 22. Fly by private jet to Kathmandu, Nepal, and visit the medieval city of Bhaktapur, a former royal capital whose stunning pagodas, palaces, and squares still captivate today. The next morning, take a local flight to Bhutan, the last remaining Buddhist kingdom of the Himalaya. Arrive in Paro, situated deep in a valley dotted with hilltop Buddhist monasteries and brightly decorated fortresses, or dzongs. Venture into the great Paro Dzong, one of the oldest in the country and still home to a large monastic community. At the Choeding Temple, witness a Buddhist prayer ceremony. Then enjoy lunch accompanied by traditional dancing. In Thimphu, visit the National Memorial Chorten, the Royal Textile Academy and Museum, and Dechen Phodrang Monastery, part of the larger Tashichho Dzong. Or, weather permitting, you may choose to set out on a vigorous hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, also known as Taktsang Lhakhang, perched more than 10,000 feet above sea level. Dwarika’s Hotel, Kathmandu; Zhiwa Ling Hotel or COMO Uma Paro
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Friday and Saturday, February 23 and 24. Continue to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s pulsating urban hub. This afternoon, visit the Reunification Palace, left untouched since 1975 when the city fell to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Explore the building’s ornate reception rooms, presidential living quarters, and the underground compound of fortified communication rooms linked by a series of tunnels. Step into the grand 19th-century Notre Dame Cathedral, where faithful Vietnamese Catholics still flock to see its statue of the Virgin Mary. Directly across the street sits the ornate Central Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel in the late 19th century. In the heart of the city, discover the Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theatre, a monument to culture and a shining example of French colonial architecture. Cap off your explorations with an exciting ride through bustling streets in a traditional cyclo. Park Hyatt Saigon
1-800-224-1894 | natgeoexpeditions.com
Carroll Dunham is a Princeton University anthropologist, writer, and documentary filmmaker who has resided in the Himalaya for the past 25 years. She is also the director of Wild Earth Nepal, an organization that works with rural Nepalese women who create handcrafted products to generate income. Carroll is a popular National Geographic expert and has led numerous research expeditions and educational trips in Mongolia, Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal, and India. She has written four books and produced films for National Geographic, PBS, and the BBC. Jack Daulton is a popular lecturer on the cultural history of nonWestern civilizations and has been an expert on trips to more than 70 countries. He specializes in the art and architecture of Asia and Africa as well as the study of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Jack is also an attorney with a focus on international law relating to the preservation and conservation of the world’s cultural heritage. In a widely reported 1995 federal case, he recovered a thousand-year-old sculpture that had been stolen from a temple in Southeast Asia. Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Jay Dickman has worked in photojournalism for more than 35 years, covering topics as diverse as the war in El Salvador, the Olympics, national political conventions, six Super Bowls, and the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Among his more than 25 assignments for National Geographic, Jay lived for three months in a Stone Age village in Papua New Guinea and spent a week under the Arctic ice in a nuclear attack sub. A popular photography instructor and expedition leader, he has also published five books and numerous articles for National Geographic Traveler, LIFE, Condé Nast Traveler, Time, Sports Illustrated, and Forbes. The experts above will accompany the entire expedition.
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