CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN History, Culture and Wildlife of India and

15‐day expedition Departs October, 2011 Escorted by TBD TBD per person, double occupancy All‐inclusive from the New Delhi International Airport

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History, Culture and Wildlife Expedition to India & Bhutan

DESTINATION: India & Bhutan TRIP TO BE OPERATED: October, 2011 NUMBER OF DAYS: 15 MINIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGERS: 10 MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PASSENGERS: 16 DEPARTURE CITY: Delhi, India COST: TBD per person, double occupancy The single supplement cost is $1050 if/ when available.

WHAT IS INCLUDED: Services of World Discovery Safaris, all accommodations and meals as per this itinerary, all land and air transportation in India and Bhutan, mineral water in the vehicles, all airport transfers, hotel taxes as imposed by government agencies, entrance fees to parks & sites visited while in India & Bhutan.

NOT INCLUDED: Costs of international air to and from the New Delhi International Airport, passport and visa fees, (visas for U.S. passport holders to enter India & Bhutan are currently required), immunizations, excess baggage charges, trip insurance and items of a personal nature, including drinks that are not included with meals, laundry, camera fees, telephone, fax or e‐mail charges and tips for drivers and / or guides.

ABOUT THIS PROGRAM: The subcontinent of India is located in southern Asia, south of Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the Himalaya mountain chain, the foothills of which cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by tropical, palm fringed beaches. Due to the melding of ancient civilizations, the coexistence of a number of religions and local tradition, the country's staggering topographical features are matched by its cultural diversity. Thus, the towering temples of southern India, easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are associated with the many crafts and performing arts of the region. At the other extreme are the deserts of Gujarat. Here a scattering of villages pit themselves against the awesome forces of nature, resulting in a Spartan lifestyles made vibrant by the profusion of jewelry and ornamental embroidery which is used to adorn apparel and household linen. In the far north is the high desert of Ladakh. Here local culture is visibly shaped by as well as by the harsh terrain. Yet another facet of Indian culture is observed in the colorful tribal lifestyles of the north eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur with their folk culture. In the central Indian states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh tribal village life has resulted in a variety of artistically executed handicrafts. India's mountains provide heli skiing, river running, mountaineering and trekking. Its beaches provide lazy sun‐bathing as well as wind surfing and snorkeling and its jungles provide habitat for a magnificent array of unique wildlife. India's history dates back to 3,200 BC when Hinduism was first founded. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism. Judaism. Zoroashtrianism, Christianity and Islam all exist within the country today. As a consequence of India's location, the history of the country has seldom remained static for an extended period and its great natural wealth has lured a succession of traders and foreign influences, each having left an imprint in the country, however faint or localized. Thus, Chinese fishing nets in Kerala are a throwback to that country's ancient maritime trade, while in the north, terra‐cotta figurines can be traced to a Greek influence. Modern India is home to both the tribal with its anachronistic lifestyle and to the sophisticated urban jetsetter. It is a land where temple elephants exist amicably with the microchip. Here ancient monuments provide a backdrop for the world's largest

democracy; where atomic energy is generated and industrial development ranks the country amongst the world's top ten nations. Today, fishermen along the country's coastline fashion simple fishing boats in a centuries old tradition while, a few miles away automobiles glide off conveyor belts in state‐of‐the‐art factories. India has been likened to a male peacock, in full display, standing on a dung heap. It is an apt description for here, as in no other place, we find some of the world’s most beautiful expressions of art, literature and architecture in juxtaposition with some of the World’s most demanding environmental situations..

The final seven days of our program are in Bhutan, the last of the independent Himalayan mountain kingdoms. The country is a rough oval 200 miles wide by 100 miles deep. Its southern border, where its north‐south river valleys open on the Indian plains like doors, has an average elevation of 2,000'. The northern border elevations, on the crest of the , average upwards of 15,000' (that is, the average is higher than the tallest peaks in the Rockies, with peaks on up to 25,000'). Bhutan’s population is something less than a million; its capital is its largest city with 60,000 people. The southern 3/4ths of country is heavily forested – Bhutan claims the greatest percentage of forested land in the world – though red is grown in valleys as high as they can be terraced. It was over this rugged northern border that the basic culture came in from Tibet, beginning at least 1200 years ago. The dominant religion is Tantric Buddhism, and the tantras – written treatises sacred to the religion – needed a literate class of priests for their preservation and teaching. Scattered over the country are Bhutan’s spectacular "dzongs," fortress‐monasteries where the keepers of the tradition lived and worked, and which slowly became the governing framework of the country. Bhutan has many languages, but the Dzongkha associated with the monasteries is what passes for the national language. It was from Tibet that the most‐talked‐about‐by‐tourists feature of the country originated, the giant phallus painted or carved on most houses. This began about 1500 when a Tibetan Buddhist monk named Drukpa Kunley came into the country preaching a kind of Buddhism that looked for the sacred in the everyday, and that with an outrageous sense of humor ridiculed the rule‐ bound current monastic rule with a celebration of sex. Ironically, given the unofficial national symbol, most property in Bhutan is still handed down in the female line. The most common divorce is when a wife kicks a husband out of her house and he has to go back and live with his family. There are no family names as yet, certainly not the male‐lineage ones common in the west. Babies are taken to monasteries to be auspiciously named by the monks. There seems to be a shortage of auspicious names, so there are more "Dorjis" and "Karmas" and "Jigmes" than most westerners can keep track of. Bhutan was a hermit kingdom, off‐limits to all outsiders, until the 1950s. It had a nobility and a peasantry – and even serfdom – similar to that of medieval Europe. The real wake‐up call for the kingdom was China’s seizure of Tibet in 1950: obviously in the modern world of newly‐nationalistic super‐states mountain isolation was no longer much protection against the outside world. And so the monarch (the Wangchuk kings have ruled since 1917) initiated a program of controlled modernization – the aim being to create a class of people who understood outside power and determine how Bhutan might best resist it. In Bhutan they still talk about "the class of ‘56." Bright first‐grade aged boys from all over the country were recruited to go get an outside, western education. It was really more like a draft; their parents didn’t want them to go – who would herd the cows and yaks?, and the boys generally didn’t want to leave home and friends. But drafted they were, and they walked and camped nine days west, over country considerably more rugged than the Appalachians, to Darjeeling, India, for the first level of their education, studying away from home two and four years at a stretch. The best and brightest went on to graduate degrees from Oxbridge colleges, or the likes of Stanford and Princeton and the University of Paris. Now, bearing medieval titles of nobility such as dasho (used the way milord might have been in Elizabethan England) they are the most modern of administrators, trying to manage the interface between modernity and tradition to the extent that anyone can. Tourism was only allowed in 1973, and is still carefully controlled. TV and internet were only legalized ten years ago. Literacy, even by generous governmental estimates, is still less than 50%. But there is a corresponding richness of the pre‐literate oral world, with traditional storytellers of prodigious memory – long since killed off in the west by public schools, newspapers and books. And then there is the biological richness of the country. Even the Appalachians pale in botanical variety compared with the slopes of the Himalayas – 40 different species of rhododendron (most in bloom during our visit, incidentally); a magnolia tree obviously kin to the southern tree in the U.S., but with blooms the shape and size of softballs; local variations on dogwoods with yellow blooms; temperate rain forests and cloud forests with local mosses, blowing in the wind, up in the mountain passes. An old Indian name for Bhutan means the source of medicinal herbs. Wildlife ranges from tigers and leopards in the lower elevations to snow leopards in the highlands, and includes the unique takin, which local legend attributes to that same Drukpa Kunley who pieced a goat and a cow together . . . .All in all, Bhutan is an on going fascinating experiment in managing the interface between tradition and modernity, set in one of the World’s most spectacular landscapes.

CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN Wildlife & Cultures of India & Bhutan

DAY 1 – WEDNESDAY ‐ CINCINNATI / NEWARK Our cultural and wildlife expedition to India begins in the afternoon as we meet at the Cincinnati Airport and board our Continental Airlines flight to Newark. Following our arrival in Newark we have a just over an hour in the airport terminal before it is time to board the flight to Delhi. (D) Continental Airlines flight 3105 dpts. Cincinnati at 3:15pm and arrvs. Newark at 5:30pm. Continental Airlines flight 82 dpts. Newark at 8:50pm.

DAY 2 ‐ THURSDAY ‐ DELHI Welcome to India! Delhi, the capital of the country and one of India's fastest growing cities, is really two cities in one. Old Delhi was the capital of Muslim India between the mid‐17th and late 19th centuries, and is crowded with ancient monuments, forts and mosques. New Delhi is the product of the British Raj, with wide, tree‐lined avenues and imposing government buildings. Remnants of a glorious past survive next to soaring skyscrapers, posh residential colonies and bustling commercial complexes. Rich in history, the myriad faces of the city entice the curious traveler into a fascinating journey of discovery. Upon arrival we meet our Indian naturalist guides and transfer to our comfortable hotel. Then it’s off to bed for some well deserved sleep after our international flights. Our overnight accommodations are at the Claridges. (Meals aloft.) Continental Airlines flight 82 arrvs, Delhi at 9:15 PM

DAY 3 ‐ FRIDAY ‐ DELHI / RANTHAMBORE In the morning we begin our tour of Delhi by visiting the Jama Masjid and with a rickshaw ride to Chandni Chowk and the Raj Ghat ‐ the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. We then stop at the Lahore Gate and the Jama Masjid ‐ the largest mosque in India and the Red Fort ‐ once the most opulent fort and palace of the Moghul Empire. We should also have time to visit Humanyun’s Tomb which was built in the mid‐16th century by the senior wife of the second Mughal emperor. This structure is one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture. Elements of its design were later incorporated into the construction of the Taj Mahal. In the afternoon we transfer to the railway station and board the Jan Shatabdi Express train to Ranthambore. (train dpts. at 13:20 hrs and arrives. at 18:00 hrs.) Following our arrival we are met and transferred to the Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge. B/L/D

DAYS 4 & 5 – SATURDAY & SUNDAY ‐ RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK Located at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hills, Ranthambore National Park is one of the best places in India to see wildlife, as the park’s residents have become quite accustomed to tourist vehicles. Ranthambore was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957, gained the protection of "Project Tiger" in 1974 and was upgraded to national park status in 1981. Today this 400 sq. km sanctuary provides a habitat for a wide variety of Indian wildlife including Tiger, Leopard, Striped Hyena, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Hanuman Langur, Macaque, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Caracal, Sloth Bear, Blackbuck, Wild Boar, and Indian Flying Fox. Two Hundred and seventy two species of birds have also been recorded here. Following breakfast we drive into the park and spend the entire day looking for and learning about India’s wildlife heritage. In addition to wildlife many ancient ruins and shrines are scattered throughout the jungle. These provide a unique juxtaposition of culture, history and wildlife. Ranthambore Fort, after which the park is named, towers atop a hill overlooking the park and, although not much is known about its early history, archeologists have determined there was a settlement here in the 8th century. The fort has played an important role in the control of central India and many wars have been fought for its possession. Due to its location and structure, it was one of the most difficult forts to overthrow. Records show that the fort withstood the assaults of Kutub‐ud‐din (1209), Allaudin Khilji (1301), Feroz Tughlaq (1325) and Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (1530). The most successful ruler of this fort was Rao Hammir in the 11th century. In 1528, the Mughals gained control of Ranthambore Fort and in the 17th century it was turned into a prison fortress where prisoners were executed by feeding them opium prior to throwing them down from the fort walls. The Mughals gifted Ranthambore Fort to the Maharaja of Jaipur in the late 19th century and the surrounding forests became their hunting reserve. The fort is huge, with the circumference of its walls approximately 7 kms. The area inside is 4.5 sq. kms. No road leads up the hill to the fort. To reach it you must climb 700 feet up a steep pathway ‐ but it is worth the effort. From the fort you get a beautiful overview of the park below. The fort attracts many pilgrims because of its temples. The most famous of these is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Morning and afternoon game drive in open 4x4 vehicles give us an opportunity to see and photograph Ranthanbore’s wildlife. In the evenings we return to our rooms at the Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge. B/L/D

DAY 6 – MONDAY ‐ RANTHAMBORE / FATEHPUR SIKRI /AGRA In the morning we depart for Agra, stopping en route to visit the ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri, an epic poem in red sandstone. Larger than London in its day, this capital city of the Mughal Emperor Akbar was abruptly and mysteriously abandoned in 1586, some say because the city’s water supply ran dry. Legend tells us that Akbar, concerned that he had no male heir, consulted the Muslim seer Salim Chisiti who lived on a hill near Sikri. When the holy man’s prediction of three sons came true, Akbar decreed that the city be built on the site, and Chisiti’s tomb can be seen there today. In the afternoon we arrive in the ancient city of Agra which has a rich historical background, evident from the numerous historical monuments in and around the city. The earliest reference of Agra comes from the epical age, when Mahabharata refers to Agra as Agravana. In sources prior to this Agra was referred to as Arya Griha or the abode of the Aryans. Agra was the most important capital of the Mughal emperors between 1526 and 1658. Zahir ud‐din Muhammad Babur (1483 – 1531), founder of the Mughal dynasty, laid out the first formal Persian gardens on the banks of Yamuna River. His grandson Akbar, in addition to building Fatehpur Sikri, raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort and made Agra a center for learning arts and commerce. His son Jehangir built rose‐red palaces, courts and gardens inside the red fort, and the emperor Shah Jahan, known for his great love of architecture, gave Agra its most prized monument, the magnificent Taj Mahal. Following our arrival we check into our accommodations at the ITC Mughal Luxury Collection. B/L/D

DAY 7 ‐ TUESDAY ‐ AGRA / DELHI At dawn, we make a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Begun in 1631 and built in the course of 22 years by 20,000 men and a fleet of 1,000 elephants, this monument to love is perhaps the most beautiful structure on earth! Emperor Shah Jahan created the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Jewel of the Palace), who died in 1629 after 17 years of marriage and 14 children. The emperor himself was entombed next to his wife some years later. The white marble building, richly inlaid with jewels and semi‐precious stones, is flanked by a red sandstone mosque on one side, and a similar building, called jawab or echo, on the other, so designed as to give the complex architectural symmetry. Later in the morning we visit the Agra Fort and the Mausoleum of Itmad. Agra Fort is a massive structure with 70‐foot high, 1.5‐mile long walls encompassing an astounding collection of well preserved buildings, many of them completed during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. The Tomb of Itimad‐ud‐ Daulah, built by Empress Noor Jehan in memory of her father is one of the finest architectural masterpieces of the medieval Mughal period. The interiors of the tomb are considered to be better than the Taj Mahal. In the afternoon we drive back along the Grand Trunk Road to Delhi and our accommodations at The Radisson. B/L/D

DAY 8 ‐ WEDNESDAY ‐ DELHI / PARO / THIMPHU After breakfast we transfer to the Delhi Airport and board our flight, via Katmandu, to Paro, Bhutan. During the flight we should be able to see the snow capped Himalayan Mountains out of the left‐hand windows. Few destinations have generated the stir of anticipation among travelers that Bhutan created when it tentatively cracked its door ajar three decades ago. The privileged few who have since ventured in have beheld a Himalayan kingdom almost completely isolated from western influences. Bhutan has consciously cultivated both a fiercely guarded traditional culture and the world’s best tended natural environment. Following our arrival we meet our guide and depart for Thimphu with a stop in route to walk across the Chain Bridge to the Tamchog Temple. Bhutan’s chain iron bridges, which were constructed by Thangtong Gyalpo, are credited to be the first metal bridges in the world. In the afternoon we check into our accommodations at the Hotel Jumolhari. B/L/D Druk Air departs Delhi at 11:15 A.M. and arrvs. Paro at 2:05 P.M.. (subject to change)

DAY 9 – THURSDAY ‐ THIMPHU In the morning we begin our visit of Bhutan’s capital city with a visit to the National Folk Heritage Museum which exhibits Bhutanese ways of life in traditional Bhutanese homes. These displays provide us with an interesting view into the culture and domestic lives of the Bhutanese people. Bhutanese dances and other exhibits are held in the Museum Compound. The national stadium occupies the site of the 1885 battle that helped establish the political supremacy of Ugyen Wangchuck, Bhutan's first king. It is now the site of the national archery ground, a football stadium, and the headquarters of the Bhutan Olympic committee. Later in the afternoon we walk to Wangditsey from which we should be able to get some excellent photos of Thimphu City and its picturesque dzongs. We also have an opportunity to visit the Bhutan Zoo for a look at the takin, Bhutan’s national animal. In the evening we join our hosts for a traditional Bhutanese mask dance and dinner. B/L/D

DAY 10 – FRIDAY ‐ THIMPHU / PUNAKHA / PHOBJIKHA Following an early breakfast we drive out of Thimphu and over the Dochula Pass (elevation 10,170 ‘above sea level), from which, on a clear day, there is a spectacular view of the mighty Himalayas. Here we visit a gallery, painted by Dasho Karma Ura, of the kings of Bhutan. Following a tea reception at the Intrek Resort in Chuzomsa we drive to the village of Phobjikha and check into our rooms at the Dewachen Boutique Hotel. In the afternoon we walk through the village and visit the Black‐necked Crane Centre. The habitat in this valley provides a winter sanctuary for about half of the World’s population of Black‐necked Cranes which, in autumn, migrate from their breeding grounds in Tibet to their wintering areas in Bhutan (the population of these highly endangered birds numbers about 450). After dinner we have the option of relaxing in a hot stone bath with a cup or bowl of ara, a distilled drink similar to . B/L/D

DAY 11 – SATURDAY ‐ PHOBJIKHA / PUNAKHA Following breakfast we drive to The Royal Botanical Park which forms one of the critical biological corridors connecting the and Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Parks. Here we visit the Royal Botanic Garden at Serbithang, which was established in April 1999 by the Royal Government of Bhutan to display, study and preserve the nation’s flora. Placed under the National Biodiversity Centre along with a herbarium, a seed gene bank, an agro‐biodiversity unit, and an animal diversity section, the Botanical Garden aims to be a conservation area for scientific studies, an educational resource for schoolchildren and visitors, display the rich varieties of the flora of the country and provide a recreational site for the public. The plant life forms represented here belong to several climactic zones and he Buddhist respect for all life is represented by the inclusion of a prayer wheel and chorten in the design of the garden, which makes it an ideal place for spiritual reflection and an appreciation of nature. While at the Royal Botanical Garden we’ll visit the Aquatic Garden, the Arboretum which displays tree species from Bhutan's native broadleaf, deciduous and coniferous forests, the Bamboo Garden, with species of bamboo used to build scaffolding and to make the traditional archery bows of Bhutan, the Economic and Medicinal Plants Collection, the Orchid House displaying more than 800 species of orchids from the different climatic regions in Bhutan and the rhododendron collection, which is one of the largest in the world. Bhutan’s Royal Botanical Garden is located at 2300 m above sea level and thus, plants can be displayed here from a range of altitudes. Conifers in the Garden include Chir Pine, Blue Pine, several species of Quercus and Acer. The Garden also has a good number of Cyprus, Bhutan's National Tree. There is a collection of medicinal and economically useful plants including more than 300 types of plants with medicinal uses and economically useful plants that are used for purposes such as roofing, making dyes, furniture and incense. Although not habituated to observers the Royal Botanical Park provides a habitat for a variety of other wildlife including the rare monal pheasant, blood pheasant, musk deer, tiger, leopard, and red panda. In the afternoon we drive to the village of Punakha and check into our accommodations at the Hotel Damchen Resort. B/L/D

DAY 12 – SUNDAY ‐ PUNAKHA / LOBEYSA / PARO Today we retrace our route back to Thimphu; but first, we visit the magnificent . Located at an elevation of 7,200’ above sea level, warm in winter and hot during the summer months, the Punakha valley is one of the best locations in the country for growing rice. The Punakha Dzong, once know as “the palace of great happiness”, was constructed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637‐38, was the second dzong to be built in Bhutan and the seat of government when Punakha was the capital of Bhutan. Today, the dzong is the winter home of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body and houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa School. After visiting the Punakha dzong, we have lunch at Meri Punsum hotel. In the afternoon we take a brisk 30 minutes walk through the village of Lobeysa, which is located a few miles south of Punakha, and visit the monastery of Drukpa Kunley (1455 ‐ 1529) also known as "The Divine Madman of the Dragon Lineage". This monk is famous for his crazy methods of enlightening other beings, mostly women, which earned him the title "The Saint of 5,000 Women". He taught his teachings in exchange for chhaang, an alcoholic ‐like beverage made by fermenting barley, finger millet or rice. Drukpa Kunley is also known for his immediate and complete charm of women who sought his blessings in the form of sex. His existence in reinforces and extols the role of sexual union in some paths to enlightenment, a topic not often now broached, especially in our Western culture. However, the

female consort had/has an important (if now secret) role in many monasteries in the East. Thanka paintings illustrate positions and some of the rituals, which must be preformed along with the actions. Visitors to Drukpa Kunley's monastery in Bhutan are welcome, but to reach it we must walk along the dikes between rice paddies up to it. It is modest building, but contains a wood and an ivory lingam from which one can obtain blessings from the resident monk. Later in the day we arrive in Paro and check into our rooms at the Tashi Namgey Resort. B/L/D

DAY 13 – MONDAY ‐ PARO On this, our last day in Bhutan, we trek to the world famous Tiger Nest. Leaving at around 8 A.M., we should reach our lunch stop below Takstang at about 11:30 am. After lunch, we climb the last stretch to this holy place on the cliff. We should be back at our hotel around 2 pm and can then visit the Paro National Museum, the Paro Dzong and the Paro Bazaar for some last minute shopping. Our dinner and accommodations are again at the Tashi Namgey Resort. B/L/D

DAY 14 ‐ TUESDAY ‐ PARO / KOLKATA / DELHI / NEWARK Very early this morning we transfer to the airport and board the flight to Delhi. Here we are met and transferred to our dayrooms at The Radisson. In the evening we ride to The Village Restaurant, famous for its wonderful Indian cuisine, for a farewell dinner. After dinner we transfer to the international airport and check in for our flight back to the U.S. B/L/D

KB 210 departs Paro at 7:20 A.M. and arrvs. Kolkata at 8:00 A.M. (operates on Tue, Thu & Saturdays) 6E 204 departs Kolkata at 11:45 A.M. and arrvs. Delhi at 2:00 PM Continental Airways flight 83 dpts. Delhi at 10:50 P.M.

DAY 15 – WEDNESDAY ‐ NEWARK / CINCINNATI We arrive this morning in Newark with many fond memories of our wildlife and cultural expedition to India and Bhutan. Meals aloft Continental Airways flight 83 arrvs. Newark at 5:05 am

B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner; ( ) = an In‐flight meal.

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