Exclusive Cal departure – April 27-May 13, 2020 Along Central Asia’s Silk Road 17 days for $6,494 total price from San Francisco ($5,995 air & land inclusive plus $499 airline taxes and fees) raveling the ancient Silk Road con- T necting East and West, we encounter a mélange of culture and religion, art and architecture that conjures tales of trade and treasure, intrigue and empire. On this exciting small group journey, we relish the exotic – and embrace the humanity we share with the welcoming people of Central Asia.
KAZAKHSTAN Almaty UZBEKISTAN Khiva Tashkent Aydar Lake
Bukhara Samarkand TURKMENISTAN Destination Ashgabat Air Motorcoach Train Entry/Departure Looking much as it did in centuries past, Samarkand’s Registan has served as the city’s public square since antiquity. Avg. High (°F) Apr May Ashgabat 75 86 Bukhara 75 88 Day 1: Depart U.S. for Ashgabat, Turkmenistan see the Yzmukshir Fortress, which dates back to the Samarkand 70 80 Parthian Empire some two thousand years ago. After Day 2: Arrive Ashgabat Upon arrival in the Turkmen touring, we continue to the Uzbek border crossing capital late tonight, we transfer directly to our hotel. then travel on to Khiva. B,L,D Your Small Group Tour Highlights Day 3: Ashgabat After time to rest this morning, Day 6: Khiva We get a taste of Khiva’s storied past White marble city of Ashgabat • UNESCO archaeological we meet our Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director as a major Silk Road trading post on a morning tour of site of Nisa • Historic walled city of Khiva • Visits with and fellow travelers at a welcome briefing. Lunch the Itchan Kala, the “inner city” whose entirety is a local artisans • Extensive Bukhara touring • Petroglyphs at Sarmishsay Gorge • Home-hosted lunch in Bukhara • is on our own then we begin our journey along the UNESCO site. Here we see the turquoise-tiled Kalta Desert excursion and yurt camp overnight • Legendary Silk Road with a panoramic tour of this showpiece Minor minaret – enormous, stout, and unfinished; Samarkand • Central Asian bazaars in six cities • Private city known for its 543 white marble buildings and Kunya Ark citadel; the immense Madrassah of Muham- visit to Gur Emir Mausoleum • Tashkent touring, including monuments to the glories of the Turkmen. We tour mad Rahim Khan, with its tiled façade; the double- world’s oldest Quran • Russian-accented Almaty the well-regarded National Museum of History then domed Pakhlavan Mahmoud Mausoleum; and the enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. B,D Hunarmand artisans workshop. This afternoon: Islam Day Itinerary Hotel Rating Khoja minaret, Khiva’s tallest; Juma Mosque, with its 1 Depart U.S. for Ashgabat Day 4: Ashgabat/Nisa This morning we head 200 wooden pillars; and 163-room Tash Hauli Palace. 2-4 Ashgabat Nusay Hotel Sup. First Class outside the city to visit the UNESCO archaeological Tonight, we travel to a lakeside yurt camp, where we 5-6 Khiva Hotel Asia Khiva First Class site of Nisa, ancient capital of the Parthian Empire enjoy sunset cocktails followed by dinner and a local rd 7-8 Bukhara Hotel Zargaron Plaza First Class dating to the 3 century bce. After exploring this folklore performance. B,D 9 Aydar Lake Oxus Resort Yurt Camp Not Rated age-old site, we travel on to an Akhal-Teke horse Hotel Grand stud farm where we have the opportunity to watch Day 7: Khiva/Bukhara This morning we board a 10-12 Samarkand Samarkand Superior First Class a demonstration of the power and grace of these high-speed train for the journey through the Kyzylkum 13-14 Tashkent Hyatt Regency Tashkent Sup. First Class animals. This afternoon, we visit the Turkmenbashi Desert to Bukhara (approx. 4 ½ hours), with lunch 15-16 Almaty InterContinental Almaty Sup. First Class Ruhy Mosque and the Turkman Carpet museum. on board. Upon arrival in this ancient city of Silk Road 17 Depart Almaty for U.S. Tonight we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. B,L,D commerce and religious piety, we visit the Chor Minor Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel in- madrassah, with its four minarets. This evening we dustry standard reference. Unrated hotels may be too small, Day 5: Ashgabat/Khiva, Uzbekistan We fly this dine at Akbar House, the preserved home of a 19th- too new, or too remote to be listed. morning to Dashoguz, Turkmenistan, where we century Jewish merchant. B,L,D
16 Visit us at alumni.berkeley.edu/caldiscoveries B – Breakfast; L – Lunch; D – Dinner Tour membership limited to 20 Cal alumni and friends Day 8: Bukhara Today begins with a walking tour of the 16th-century Lyab-i Hauz religious complex. We Accompanied by Dianne Fukami, continue to the domed Taki-Telpak Furushon bazaar known for its headgear: embroidered skull caps, turbans, Enrichment Lecturer and heavy fur hats; then on to a bazaar where we watch silk weavers at work. Next, we return to the Old Jewish Tamerlane’s resting place. We dine together at a Quarter to visit the home of a Sufi miniaturist, where local restaurant then make a last stop to see Registan we learn about his craft and enjoy a traditional lunch lit up for the evening. B,L,D of plov – lamb and rice – the Uzbek national dish. Tour- ing continues this afternoon at the Poi Kalyan religious Day 13: Samarkand/Jizzakh/Tashkent En route by center; the massive earthen Ark of Bukhara Fortress, motorcoach today to the Uzbek capital, we stop at Jizz- th which served as an active fort from its 5 century- akh to visit Jilanuti Pass, the “Gates of Tamerlane” passage origins until 1920; and the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum, between the Nuratin and Turkestan hills. We continue whose spring water is believed to have healing powers. B,L on to Tashkent, arriving early this afternoon. B,L
Day 9: Bukhara/Sarmishsay/Aydar Lake We set Day 14: Tashkent A morning tour of Uzbekistan’s out today on a thrilling overnight excursion, board- capital begins in the Old City at the Khazrati Imam ing 4x4 vehicles through the Kyzylkum Desert bound Complex of mosques and madrassahs. Here we see for Aydar Lake. We stop first in Gijduvan to visit a the world’s oldest surviving Islamic holy book, the 8th- renowned ceramicist, then see some of the 4,000-plus century Uthman Quran, brought to Tashkent by Tamer- Bronze Age petroglyphs at Sarmishay Gorge. We con- lane. Next: Chorsu Bazaar, under whose massive tinue on to Nurata, where we enjoy a home-hosted green dome locals purchase everything from produce lunch with a local to clothing. This afternoon we call on the studio of family, then pass renowned ceramicist Akbar Rakhimov. After dinner through the Nur- at a local restaurant, tonight we attend a performance ata Mountains to of ballet or opera at the national opera house. B,L,D Aydar Lake and our yurt camp, an eco- Day 15: Tashkent/Almaty, Kazakhstan At the resort set within the Museum of Applied Arts this morning, we see fine endless steppe. After examples of Uzbek crafts, including embroidery, settling in, we explore jewelry, ceramics, and carpets. Then we transfer to our surroundings from the airport for our flight to Almaty. B,D Cityscape of Khiva, historic Khorasam atop the two-humped Bactrian camels of Day 16: Almaty Kazakhstan’s largest city and cultural Central Asia. B,L,D and commercial center, Almaty has a decided Russian Tour Departs: April 27, 2020 flavor, as we see on this morning’s tour. Highlights: Prices include international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees Day 10: Aydar Lake/ Panfilov Park, Holy Ascension Cathedral, and the Mu- Boston, New York, We visit several local markets. $6,194 Samarkand This seum of Kazakh Musical Instruments. Then we have Washington, DC morning we visit the remote mountain village of free time for lunch and to explore Zeelyoni Bazaar, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Uhum, where we meet with a local family in their $6,494 Almaty’s central market. Early this evening, we head Miami, San Francisco home. Then we travel on to Samarkand, legendary outside the city to ascend Kok Tobe mountain for pano- Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, stop on the Silk Road. This afternoon we take ramic views and a farewell dinner at a mountaintop $6,694 Dallas, Philadelphia an orientation tour of one of Central Asia’s oldest restaurant. B,D continuously inhabited cities – some 2,500 years. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando, As the sun begins to set, we stop at vast Registan, the Day 17: Depart for U.S. Very early this morning $6,794 mosaic-tiled public square flanked by three ornate we depart for the airport for our connecting flight to Phoenix, Portland (OR), madrassahs that have stood here for centuries. B,L,D the U.S. B Seattle, Tampa Land Only (transfers not included) $5,195 Day 11: Samarkand Alexander the Great and Genghis Your Tour Price Includes Please call if your city is not listed. Prices are per person Khan left their marks on Samarkand, as did Tamerlane • Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, (Timur), who made it capital of his Islamic empire in within itinerary surcharges, and fees of $499, which are subject to change the 14th century; he or his descendants built many of • 15 nights’ accommodations: 14 nights in Superior First until final payment has been made. the historic buildings and monuments we see here Class and First Class hotels; 1 night in yurt camp Single travelers please add $1,295. All 2020 tour prices today. Our touring begins at Registan Square, once • 36 meals: 15 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 11 dinners th above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) and current heart of the city. We continue to 15 - • Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees are guaranteed. century Bibi-Khanym mosque, and Siyob Bazaar, • Services of local Odysseys Unlimited Tour Directors the city’s largest market. This afternoon is free to • Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip Business Class upgrade on round-trip Trans-Atlantic explore as we wish. B,L • Luggage handling for one bag per person flight: $3,995 per person in addition to the above costs • Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and (upgrades are subject to availability and pricing is subject Day 12: Samarkand Our discovery of this crossroads hotel porters, and all drivers to change). of culture continues today at the Shakhi Zinda necrop- • $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Cal Discoveries/ Please note: This trip involves considerable walking on olis and temple complex, the Afrasiyab Museum, and Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours) uneven terrain and at sites of ancient ruins. You should be 15th-century Ulugh Beg Observatory. This evening • Cal lecturer’s participation cannot be guaranteed and is in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to its fullest. we pay a private visit to the Gur Emir Mausoleum, contingent on a minimum number of paying travelers
For questions, call Cal Discoveries Travel 510.900.8222 or email [email protected] 17 T h e S m a l l G r o u p T r a v e l E x p e r i e n c e
Important Information About Your Tour General Terms and Conditions Please read this information carefully, as payment of a deposit represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.
Tour Prices Not Included in Your Tour Price Tour prices quoted are guaranteed Airfare from your hometown to your through December 31, 2020, and departure city; costs of passports and visas; include accommodations based on personal expenses such as beverages, double occupancy; airfare from your laundry, room service, and meals not departure city; airline taxes, surcharges, specified; communications charges; airport fees, and port charges and cruise line fees transfers when purchasing a land-only (where applicable), which are subject package; gratuities to your Odysseys to change until final payment has been Unlimited Tour Director and shipboard made; internal air, rail, and motorcoach personnel (if a cruise is included in transportation; meals, sightseeing, and your tour), which are at your discretion transfers as described; hotel taxes; (suggested gratuities: $10-$15 per guest, entrance fees for included sightseeing; per day); and a Travel Protection the services of an Odysseys Unlimited Plan. Additional baggage fees levied Tour Director; luggage handling for directly by the airline(s) may apply one bag per person; and all gratuities as and are subject to change at any time. described below. Please note that the You should confirm directly with your cost of air upgrades is subject to change. airline(s) prior to departure. Gratuities Registration and Payment Tour prices include all gratuities for local A deposit of $500 per person confirms guides, dining room servers, airport and your reservation. Full payment is due at hotel porters, and all drivers on base least 95 days prior to departure and may tours and on optional extensions when be made by personal check or credit card. accompanied by an Odysseys Unlimited Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. reserves the right representative. Please note that gratuities to cancel any reservations that are not paid for the Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director in full at any time after final payment is and shipboard personnel (if a cruise is due. If you make your reservation after the included in your tour) are not included. final payment date, payment in full will be These tips are optional and should be required upon reservation. extended on a voluntary basis. Gratuities are not included on “On Your Own” Cancellations and Refunds optional extensions. If you must cancel your tour, the effective date of cancellation will be upon our receipt of your notification. All cancel- We endeavor to keep single supplements lations need to be submitted in writing at a reasonable cost. Please note that to Cal Discoveries Travel. Refunds for single rooms in many foreign hotels may cancellations are subject to the following be smaller than those to which you are per person charges: accustomed.
For all tours (except as noted) Changes to Your Reservation Prior to departure Charge We will not charge a fee for any changes 95 days or more: $200 made to your reservation outside of 95 days before departure. From 94 to 30 94-65 days: 25% of tour price days before departure, if you make any 64-45 days: 50% of tour price changes to your reservation, a $100 per 44-30 days: 75% of tour price person administrative fee will apply, in 29-0 days: No refund addition to any fees or penalties imposed by airlines, hotels, or other third parties. For Egypt & the Eternal Nile, Southern Changes are subject to availability and Africa Odyssey, Africa’s Wildlife cannot be guaranteed. If your reservation Prior to departure Charge changes from double occupancy to single 95 days or more: $200 occupancy for any reason, you will be 94-65 days: 50% of tour price charged the single supplement. No 64-30 days: 75% of tour price changes to your reservation can be made within 30 days of departure. 29-0 days: No refund Please note that we will not refund the Required Information cost of any unused portion of your tour Upon reservation, we will need to obtain package. Trip cancellation insurance is from you the following, in accordance with available from CAA and information the Transportation Security Administration’s will be sent after you reserve. You may (TSA) Secure Flight program (for details, research travel insurance online at please visit www.tsa.gov), as well as for travelinsure.com/calalumni. If due to our international travel partners: your unforeseen circumstances Odysseys full legal name as it appears on your Unlimited, Inc. cancels your tour, you passport, as well as your date of birth will receive a complete refund of all pay- and gender (for details, please visit tsa. ments you have made to us. gov). In the event an airline ticket is issued with incorrect information you Pre-Departure have provided, or if you use a different After reserving your tour, you will receive passport than originally cited, you will pre-departure mailings that include a be responsible for charges associated detailed itinerary, visa requirements, and with the ticket’s reissue. reading list. We will send your final tour documents, including airline itineraries Travel Documents (with e-ticket numbers) two to three A passport valid for at least six months weeks before departure. after the completion of your tour is required for U.S. citizens on all tours Single Travelers in this catalog. If your tour requires We welcome single travelers, and a visa(s), we strongly recommend that offer a limited number of single you have at least six blank visa pages accommodations on each tour. Because available; for tours not requiring a visa(s), hotel and cruise rates are priced by the we recommend that your passport have at room or cabin, the per person cost for least three blank visa pages. We will send accommodations occupied by one person you the appropriate information after you is higher than that shared by two people. make a reservation. You are resp onsible
2 G e n e r a l T e r m s a n d C o n d i t i o n s for obtaining these documents. If you are not Due to the nature of tour operator tickets, a U.S. citizen, please contact your embassy other restrictions apply, including, but not or consulate to ensure you obtain the proper limited to, frequent flyer mileage accrual, documentation. stopovers, alternate travel dates, upgrades, and airline taxes and departure fees. If you Smoking prefer to make your own travel arrangements, For the convenience of the majority of our booking the tour “Land Only” is available on travelers, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. has a No most tours. Since international and domestic Smoking policy on all tour buses. We will air schedules are subject to change at any arrange sufficient rest stops so those who time, we recommend that if you choose to wish to smoke may do so. make your own airline reservations, you do Health and Medical Issues not purchase non-refundable tickets or those with high penalties for changes. If you choose We welcome all travelers, but request that you to make your own air arrangements, Cal be in good health to participate in an Odysseys Alumni Association and Odysseys Unlimited, Unlimited, Inc. tour. All of our tours involve Inc. shall not have any liability for any loss a reasonable amount of walking (typically resulting from cancellation of this tour or two to three miles per day), often uphill or changes in this tour. on uneven or cobblestone streets. You must be able to get on and off motorcoaches and Responsibility boats on your own. We regret that we cannot The liability of Cal Alumni Association provide individual assistance; in such cases you (CAA), as sponsor, and Odysseys Unlimited, must be accompanied by a companion who Inc., as tour operator, is strictly limited. will assist you. Please note that many of our CAA and Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. purchase itineraries, for reasons beyond our control, transportation, hotel accommodations, do not accommodate wheelchairs. Please and restaurant and other services from call or e-mail us to inquire, and we will do independent suppliers not under our control. our best to answer any questions you may We serve only as agents for these suppliers have. We reserve the right to remove anyone in securing tour arrangements, and therefore whose physical condition or behavior, in our will not accept responsibility for wrongful, opinion, compromises the operation of the negligent, or arbitrary acts or omissions of tour or detracts from the enjoyment or safety these independent contractors, or of their of the other tour members. In that event, Cal employees, agents, servants, or representatives. Alumni Association and Odysseys Unlimited, CAA and Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. are not Inc. assume no financial responsibility for any liable for injury, damage, loss, accident, or unused portion of the tour. delay that may be caused by events not within Air Transportation our control, including, without limitation, acts of terrorism, war, strikes, the defect of any Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. includes in its tour vehicle, or the negligence or default of any price round trip economy air from designated third party. All coupons, receipts, and tickets gateway cities as shown, and contracts with issued are subject to the terms and conditions those airlines the company feels provide the specified by the air carriers, cruise lines, and level of service, routings, and value necessary other independent suppliers. for your entire trip. While another airline may offer a more direct connection, it may We will make every effort to operate our tours be at a price unavailable at the lower group as planned, but we reserve the right to make rates. You will receive your preliminary air itinerary changes as necessary. If unforeseen schedule approximately 2½ months prior to circumstances require us to change a hotel, departure. Please note that seat assignment we will select alternative accommodations of on your international flight is usually done the same or better quality. Cruise itineraries at airport check-in. Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. may change due to factors such as government is unable to guarantee any seat assignments. regulations, water levels, or weather conditions.
G e n e r a l T e r m s a n d C o n d i t i o n s 3
CAL DISCOVERIES TRAVEL RESERVATION FORM Enclosed is my/our deposit for $______($500 per person) for ____ person/people on the tour listed below. I/We understand the final payment is due at least 95 days prior to departure. Payment may be made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or VISA, or by personal check. Please make check payable to Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., and mail deposit check to: Cal Discoveries Travel, Cal Alumni Association, 1 Alumni House, Berkeley, CA 94720-7520. For questions, please call 510.900.8222.
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CAA MEMBERSHIP POLICY One traveler per room, whether an alumni or friend, must be a current Cal Alumni Association member at the time of departure to participate in Cal Discoveries Travel offerings. Payment of $60 for seniors 65 years and over and $75 for others establishes a regular or affiliate membership with all other Association benefits. Memberships are for individuals only, and are non-refundable and non-transferable. A traveling pair and their children under 21 years of age may travel on one membership. Please make dues payable to CAA by separate check, or, if you prefer, provide a VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express number with expiration date for payment. You can also enroll online at alumni.berkeley.edu/join. 4 G e n e r a l T e r m s a n d C o n d i t i o n s 20-01