HARVARD ALUMNI TRAVELS in 124 MOUNT AUBURN STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138

PHONE: 800-422-1636 OR Central & 617-495-2463

617-496-4011 FAX • SAMARKAND • • ASHGABAT • MASHAD • SHIRAZ ISFAHAN • TRAVEL.HMSC.HARVARD.EDU April 6-23, 2019

“The rich history of the Silk Road cities we visited combined with the geopolitical situation of the area made for a fascinating trip. The people were some of the most friendly I’ve met anywhere.” This focused survey of , and Iran ranges from the Persian-Turkic Silk Road oases of Samarkand and HARVARD STUDY LEADER Bukhara to the ruins of Darius I’s Persepolis, the ceremonial capital As this brochure goes to print, we have not of the Achaemenid kings, and over the graceful bridges of Isfahan’s yet confirmed the faculty study leader for this Zayende River. Admire eight different UNESCO World Heritage sites program. We intend, however, that you will be along the old caravan routes from into Iran, becoming joined by a Harvard lecturer who will enhance familiar with the culture, nature, science, history, architecture, and your travel experience. You will discover that our lecturers are not only first-rate scholars and spiritual beliefs that have had such a profound impact on the modern teachers but also friendly traveling companions, world. Get to know these countries, laced together with the traces of eager to share their insights through conversa- the old Silk Road that linked the Eastern and Western worlds. tion as well as in scheduled presentations

Begin in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, a jumble of wide tree-lined boulevards, oversized Soviet buildings and traces of the old city. Explore the fabled Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, with their blue-tile domes and elegant minarets. Admire the flamboyant PRICING, PER PERSON gilded architecture of Turkmenistan’s capital, Ashgabat, and continue $9,495 double occupancy; into Iran, a country that has been in existence for over 2,500 years. $11,120 single occupancy Browse its fabulous bazaars, admire its splendid architecture and complex ornamentation, wander its venerable archaeological sites, AIR ARRANGEMENTS: U.S. domestic and converse with the hospitable people who call it home. and international airfare is not included in the program rates. On- tour airfare is included. Information about making flight arrangements will be sent to all participants. About the Museums The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture (HMSC) partnership was established in 2012 to develop a strong, coordinated public face for the six museums that are within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard. Its mission is to foster curiosity and a spirit of discovery in visitors of all ages, enhancing public understanding of and appreciation for the natural world, science, and human cultures. HMSC works with Harvard faculty, museum curators, students, and members of the extended Harvard community to provide interdisciplinary exhibitions, events, and lectures, as well as educational programs for students, teachers, and the general public. HMSC draws primarily upon the extensive collections of the member museums and upon the research of their faculty and curators.

ABOUT THE TRAVEL PROGRAM Harvard Alumni Travels is the umbrella organization for all Harvard alumni and museum travel programs. Harvard Alumni Travels and HMSC have formed a partnership to offer superior trips with expert plan- ning, custom-designed itineraries, and Harvard lecturers. Journey in the spirit of expeditions gone-by, with small groups of like-minded travelers. Travel with HMSC and discover the world. IRANIAN SCHOOLGIRLS

MAJESTIC REGISTAN SQUARE IN SAMARKAND, UZBEKISTAN ANCIENT PERSEPOLIS PERSIAN

TRIP ITINERARY TUESDAY, APRIL 9 & SATURDAY, APRIL 13 & WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 SUNDAY, APRIL 14 SATURDAY, APRIL 6 & SAMARKAND TURKMENABAT / ASHGABAT, SUNDAY, APRIL 7 Hop the high-speed train to Samarkand, TURKMENISTAN HOME / TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN Tamerlane’s beautiful blue-tiled capital. Cross the border into Turkmenistan and Depart home on international flights Explore the majestic UNESCO-listed survey Turkmenabat, the second-largest bound for Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Upon Registan Square, and enjoy a home- city in the country, before boarding a arrival, transfer to the hotel for check-in cooked dinner with a local family. Visit flight to the capital, Ashgabat. Explore and rest. Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace the Bibi Khanum Mosque, built by the modern capital, where and (meals in flight) Tamerlane to be the largest mosque gold monuments have sprung up all over up to that time, and admire Ulug Bek’s town. In 2013, the Guinness Book of Observatory, one of the most advanced World Records awarded Ashgabat the observatories of the ancient world. Drop record for the highest density of white in at a workshop where hand-crafted marble buildings in the world. Visit the paper is made, and visit the private studio UNESCO Site of Nisa, center of the of fashion designer Valentina Romanenko. ancient Parthian Kingdom, accompanied Emir Han Hotel (2B, 2L, 2D) by a local archaeologist. More than two thousand years ago, the THURSDAY, APRIL 11 & spread out from Nisa, and took its place FRIDAY, APRIL 12 among such kingdoms as the Achaemenid BUKHARA under Cyrus the Great, and the Depart for UNESCO-listed Bukhara, Macedonian under Alexander the Great. stopping for lunch in the village of Hotel Oguzkent (2B, 2L, 2D) Vobkent to learn about rural life. Begin at Lyabi-Hauz Plaza at the center of Bukhara’s old town, and admire thehe 12th-century Kalon Mosque and MinaretMinaret.. MONDAY, APRIL 8 Aral Sea Inspect the Ark Citadel, the originalnal TASHKENT fortress of Bukhara, and meet its SeniorSenior Following breakfast and an introductory Tashkent Scientific Advisor. Discover the ZZindanindan lecture, set out to explore Uzbekistan’s Bukhara Prison, where two British TURKMENISTAN , Tashkent. Stroll through a Samarkand Ashgabat Turkmenabat labyrinth of mud-walled houses surviving “Great Game” players were imprisoned before their from the 19th century. View the Uthman Tehran Mashad Koran, written on deerskin 19 years after execution. Take a walk through the death of Mohammed, and considered Bukhara’s old Jewish Quarter, MAPP AREA where in the mid 19th-century Isfahan by Sunni Muslims to be the oldest Koran IRAN in the world. Visit the private art studio of 2,500 families of prosperous merchants were estimated to havee a sixth-generation Uzbek ceramicist whose Shiraz Persepolis by local family has revived the lost art of natural been living. Enjoy a performance by local Hotel Sasha dye use, and gather for a welcome dinner. dancers at a former madrassah. Hotel Sasha Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace (B, L, D) and Son (2B, 2L, 2D)

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT TRAVEL.HMSC.HARVARD.EDU MONDAY, APRIL 15 & A UNESCO World Heritage site, UPCOMING HMSC TRIPS TUESDAY, APRIL 16 the square was the symbolic center MASHAD of the Safavid Empire. Here, find the Drive to the Iranian border, and Ali-Qapu Palace, where Safavid Kings WILD AFRICA continue to the eastern Iranian city watched polo games from the balcony. May 20 – June 3, 2019 of Mashad. In 817 the eighth grandson Imam Mosque, Flanked by two tall of the Prophet Mohammed, Imam turquoise minarets, is considered by Zarin Machanda, College Fellow in Human Reza, died here suddenly on a journey. many to be the most beautiful in Evolutionary Biology Pilgrims began arriving at his burial the world. Stop at the spectacular site, and today, his tomb is one of the UNESCO-listed Friday Mosque, and : LAND OF THE BLUE SKY holiest Shi’ite shrines in Iran, visited visit the Armenian Quarter, to see June 3–14, 2019 by 12 million Shi’ite Muslims a year. the sand-colored stonework of Vank Andrew Berry, Lecturer on Organismic and Visit the areas of the Imam Reza shrine Cathedral. Take some time to stroll the that are permitted to non-Muslims, the narrow lanes lined with artisans and Evolutionary Biology, Associate of Population tomb and museum of Nader Shah, and shopkeepers at Isfahan’s amazing 17th Genetics in the Museum of Comparative Zoology the Khajeh Rabi Mausoleum. Homa century Qeisarieh Bazaar. Abbasi Hotel Naomi Pierce, Hessel Professor of Biology Hotel 1 (2B, 2L, 2D) (2B, 2L, 1D) and Curator of Lepidoptera in the Museum of WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 & SUNDAY, APRIL 21 & Comparative Zoology THURSDAY, APRIL 18 MONDAY, APRIL 22 SHIRAZ/PERSEPOLIS KASHAN/QOM/TEHRAN GALÁPAGOS FAMILY ADVENTURE Fly to Shiraz, and set off on the all- On the road to Tehran, visit Kashan ON LA PINTA day tour of this “City of Roses and to wander one of Iran's most treasured June 23 – July 2, 2019 Nightingales.” Explore the lovely gardens, UNESCO-listed Bagh-e Fin, pink-tiled Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, an with its centuries-old cypress trees. Brian D. Farrell, Professor of Biology, Director explosion of color with fine examples Make a stop in the sacred city of Qom, of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin of Persian Islamic tilework. Visit the home to the important Shi’ite shrine American Studies, Curator of Entomology in Narenjestan Garden with its beautiful of Fatima al-Masumeh, sister of the the Museum of Comparative Zoology, cypress-lined avenues, and continue eighth Imam. Tehran, the capital since to the Tomb of Hafez, one of Iran’s 1789, has grown in population from Co-Faculty Dean of Leverett House favorite poets. The teahouse by a less than 300,000 to a metropolis of MADAGASCAR: THE EIGHTH CONTINENT cooling pool is a wonderful place to sit eight million. Modern Tehran is full and people-watch. Depart for one of of shops, museums, mosques, minarets, September 3 –16, 2019 the most important sites of the Ancient restaurants, teahouses and a sprawling James Costa, Research Associate of the World – the ceremonial capital of bazaar. Begin exploring at UNES- Department of Entomology in the Museum of the Achaemenid kings, Persepolis, a CO-listed Golestan Palace, encompass- UNESCO World Heritage site built ing several palatial buildings and the Comparative Zoology on a monumental scale of sculpted Marble Throne, created from 65 pieces DISCOVER ETHIOPIA stone. Admire the rock carvings at of yellow Yazd marble. Browse the Naghsh-e Rostam, thought to be the Archaeological and Islamic collections October 11 –28, 2019 tombs of Darius the Great, Xerxes and at Iran’s National Museum, and take a AND Artaxerxes. Hotel Grand Shiraz fascinating tour of Iran’s Crown Jewels. (2B, 2L, 2D) Celebrate the conclusion of the journey October 31 – November 11, 2019 during a festive farewell dinner. Espinas FRIDAY, APRIL 19 & Joseph A. Greene, Deputy Director and International Hotel (2B, 2L, 2D) SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Curator of the Harvard Semitic Museum ISFAHAN TUESDAY, APRIL 23 Under the rule of Shah Abbas the DEPART TEHRAN Great of the 16th century Safavid The tour concludes with transfers to HORSEBACK HELLO FROM TURKMENISTAN dynasty, Isfahan became a celebrated the airport for international departures. and beautiful city. Visit one of the (B, flight times permitting, in flight) world’s largest public squares, Maiden-e Naghsh-e Jahan, also known as Imam Square. Shah Abbas built the graceful ensemble in the early 17th-century. PRICING, PER PERSON

$9,495 double occupancy; HARVARD ALUMNI TRAVELS $11,120 single occupancy 124 MOUNT AUBURN STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 AIR ARRANGEMENTS: U.S. domestic and international airfare is not included in the program rates. On-tour PHONE: 800-422-1636 OR airfare is included. Information about making flight 617-495-2463 arrangements will be sent to all participants. FAX: 617-496-4011

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

TOUR COST INCLUSIONS: 16 nights hotel accommodations per itinerary with SILK ROAD IN CENTRAL ASIA & IRAN RESERVATION FORM breakfast daily; local service charge and tax; arrival and departure airport April 6-23, 2019 transfers for those arriving and departing on the tour start and end dates; land transportation per itinerary by private air-conditioned vans or coaches; train tickets for the high-speed express train from Tashkent to Samarkand in

business class; internal airfare per itinerary in economy class (Turkmena- PLEASE TRIM HERE AND RETURN RESERVATION FORM bat-Ashgabat and Mashad-Shiraz); all sightseeing and excursions including NAME (TRAVELER 1) DATE OF BIRTH entrance fees per itinerary; local English speaking guides throughout itinerary; services of an experienced professional tour manager throughout the ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP land tour program; welcome and Farewell Dinners; meals as listed in itinerary: hotel breakfast daily, lunches and dinners per itinerary; beverages with included lunches and dinners: bottled water, choice of non-alcoholic drink, tea PHONE: (HOME) (CELL) (OFFICE) or coffee, beer and wine (alcoholic beverages are not available in Iran); bottled water on buses during tour days and drives between cities; gratuities to tour E-MAIL manager, local guides, and drivers; baggage handling at hotels, airports and railway stations where available; destination preparation information packet; $200,000 emergency medical evacuation insurance. NAME (TRAVELER 2) DATE OF BIRTH TOUR COST EXCLUSIONS: International airfare between the U.S. and the start and end cities; air taxes or fuel surcharges; pre or post tour services ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP or extensions; visa or passport fees; medical and trip cancellation/interrup- tion insurance; evacuation costs; food or beverages not included in group meals; items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcohol outside of group PHONE: (HOME) (CELL) (OFFICE) meals, telephone expenses, excess baggage fees, photo/video expenses inside museums (where allowed); other items not expressly listed as E-MAIL included; trip cancellation insurance. RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS & FINAL PAYMENT: To reserve a space on this pro- gram, a $1,000 deposit is required per person. Please either call us at (617) To register, fill out this form and return with your deposit of $1,000 per person. 495-2463 or fill out and mail or fax the registration form found in this bro- Method of deposit: † Check † Mastcard/Visa † Amex chure. Reservations are acknowledged in order of receipt until the maximum enrollment has been reached. Final payment, payable by check only, is due December 7, 2018, 120 days prior to departure. Please note: Credit cards are CARD NUMBER EXPIRATION DATE CVV not accepted for final payment. CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS: Notification of cancellation must be received in NAME AS IT APPEARS ON THE CARD by Harvard Alumni Travels from the participant. Cancellations within 14 days of booking: full refund. Cancellations received up to 120 days prior to departure will be assessed a cancellation fee of $1,000 per person. Cancella- Accommodations: †Double room †Single room at an additional charge of $1,625 tions received within 120 days prior to departure are subject to 100% penalty of all deposits and payments. †Share room with WHAT TO EXPECT: All participants must be in generally good health. Any con- dition that may require assistance or special medical attention must be I/we confirm that I/we have carefully read the information on refunds, general conditions, reported at the time of your reservation. All programs require physical inde- and the responsibility clause specified in the tour conditions. pendence and mobility. Any physical or mental condition that may require special medical attention or physical assistance must be reported in writing when you make your reservation. Travelers must be able to embark or disem- SIGNATURE DATE bark motor coaches alone or with minimal assistance from your traveling companion and climb stairs and step over raised thresholds without assis- tance. Travelers requiring assistance must travel with a companion who will be SIGNATURE DATE responsible for handling equipment. Participants with medical issues and/or dietary restrictions must make them known to us well before departure, and impairments regarding mobility must be disclosed prior to booking. If you Please return this form with deposit to the address at the top right of this page or have any questions about the level of activity of this program or your ability to participate, please call Harvard Alumni Travels at (800) 422-1636. fax it to 617-496-4011. ITINERARY CHANGES: The itinerary contained in this brochure is accurate at QUESTIONS? Please call us at 617-495-2463 or e-mail [email protected]. the time of printing. We reserve the right to change the program or accommo- dations as conditions warrant. INSURANCE: We highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insur- HMSC MEMBERSHIP ance. An application for insurance will be provided by Harvard Alumni Travels upon confirmation. One membership in the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture opens the doors to four RESPONSIBILITY: Certain other provisions apply regarding limitations of liabil- ity and rights of Harvard Alumni Travels and the tour operator. The statement unique museums. As a member, enjoy access to the museums through free admission, of responsibility is available at https://alumni.harvard.edu/trave/trips/silk- behind-the-scenes tours, exclusive member events, and opportunities to interact personally road-iran-2018. If you are not able to access the internet, please call Harvard with celebrated scientists, archaeologists, artists, and experts from Harvard and around Alumni Travels at (617) 495-2463. the world. Additionally, membership supports the museums’ ability to bring dynamic DISCLAIMER: Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy exhibitions and engaging public programs to a broad and diverse audience. of information presented in this publication. Neither Harvard Alumni Travels nor the tour operator is responsible for errors in or damages resulting from I/we would like to become a member at the following level: use of the information contained herein. Infor-mation contained in this bro- chure is subject to change. † $35 Senior/Student † $50 Individual † $85 Household QUESTIONS: Please call Harvard Alumni Travels at (617) 495-2463 or email † $125 Supporting † $250 Sustaining † $500 Patron [email protected]. Please enclose a separate check made out to Harvard University/HMSC for California Seller of Travel Program CST #2088800-40 membership. Thank you. MIR Corporation CST #2082306-40 WST #601-099-932, PHOTOS: Ann Schneider, Donna Collins, MIR Corporation TRAVEL PROGRAM

124 MOUNT AUBURN STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 PHONE: 800-422-1636 OR 617-495-2463 FAX: 617-496-4011 TRAVEL.HMSC.HARVARD.EDU

HARVARD MUSEUMS OF SCIENCE & CULTURE PRESENTS Silk Road in Central Asia & Iran April 6-23, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT TRAVEL.HMSC.HARVARD.EDU