Prst Std U.S. Postage Paid Putney, VT Permit 1

ExtraordinaryExtraordinary NAMIBIANAMIBIA October 15 – November 1, 2009 (18 days)

®

Where elephants walk on sand... explore the wonders of with The Explorers Club. ®

Dear Traveler,

The Explorers Club Travelers is excited to offer a new program this fall to explore the cultural and natural wonders of Namibia with Dr. Hu Berry. This is an opportunity to discover for yourself the wild beauty and cultural history of a vast, ancient land in the company of an expert—with university degrees in entomology, ornithology, zoology, and ecology, Dr. Berry’s background enabled his 33-year career in wildlife conservation in Namibia.

Namibia, despite a population of less than two million, is comprised of eleven ethnic groups, each of which contrib- utes to the rich tapestry of customs, languages, and ways of life that make Namibia so intriguing. You will begin your adventure with two nights in the capital city, Windhoek, before driving south to Rehoboth. There you will learn about the Rehoboth , a fiercely proud and independent people who are the descendants of a group of farmers of mixed European and Khoisan blood.

Drive to the Desert, thought to be the oldest desert in the world. Beautifully shaped dunes such as those in Sossusvlei are common in areas where abundant sand allows prevailing winds to become the sculptors of the dunes’ contours. While there you will enjoy two nights at the elegant Le Mirage Desert Lodge and Spa. From Swakopmund, where you will spend three nights, take a private plane up the Skeleton Coast for a full-day excursion to , where you will examine the incredible geography and wildlife from safari vehicles and learn about the local Himba people.

Head north to Twyfelfontein, site of one of the largest and most spectacular collections of petroglyphs in the world. The gigantic rock canvases display engravings of exceptional quality depicting a range of animals, patterns, and circles. Drive to Etosha National Park and the huge, flat Etosha Pan for two full days of game-viewing. Time spent at one of the local waterholes is like watching a wildlife play unfold, with a cast of animals emerging herd by herd out of the haze and heading toward the water to drink.

Continue east to Bushmanland, an area rarely visited, where you will spend two nights in a specially-prepared camp. Experience the Bushmen’s language, laced with clicks, and their way of life that is perfect in its adaptation to raw nature. The Bushmen never kept or cultivated crops—with their sharpened hardwood digging sticks, they find water, hunt, and live off of indigenous plants. Explore the area in the company of a !Kung Bushman to learn about their superb tracking and hunting skills.

Enjoy a final tour night near the Waterberg Plateau, where the thorn bush savannah contrasts vividly with the area’s red sandstone and the plateau provides a natural haven for wildlife. Visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, where an Education Centre encourages you to learn about cheetahs, their habitat, and issues of conservation.

I hope that you will seize this special opportunity to explore Namibia with Dr. Berry—the group will be comprised of no more than 20 travelers, so space is limited and there is just one departure. Contact the Explorers Club Trav- elers office at (800) 856-8951 or [email protected] to make your reservations today.

Sincerely,

Daniel A. Bennett President The Explorers Club® ® Extraordinary NAMIBIA October 15 - November 1, 2009 (18 days) Discover the wonders of Southern Africa’s best kept secret with the Explorers Club Travelers.

WILDLIFE & NATURAL WONDERS Game view in Etosha National Park, home to over 100 mam- mal species including lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, gi- XPLORERS LUB E C xxxxxxxxxxx raffes, zebras, black-faced impalas, and the rare black rhino, as LECTURER & HOST well as some 340 species of birds. Dr. Hu Berry retired as Senior Scientist at the Ministry of Visit the Walvis Bay wetlands, which are among the ten most Environment and Tourism, Namibia. A native of South Af- important coastal wetlands in Africa and support up to 80,000 rica, he trained as an entomologist and zoologist at Pretoria birds in summer and 68,000 in winter, plus take a boat ride to University, worked for the South African Bureau of Standards see the area’s dolphins. testing pesticides, and settled in Namibia at the age of 30. For Journey by private plane up the Skeleton Coast, which covers the next 33 years Dr. Berry worked for Namibia’s previous approximately four million acres, to the frontier town of government and the current Ministry of Environment and Opuwo, in one of Namibia's most scenic regions, where desert- Tourism as an ornithologist, chief biologist, Control Warden dwelling elephants, rhinos, and giraffes roam. of Etosha National Park, and chief biologist of Namib Desert Explore the Namib Desert’s picturesque Sossusvlei Dunes— National Park. Dr. Berry has done detailed studies on flamin- some of the highest in the world—and Sesriem Canyon, a gos, pelicans, cormorants, wildebeests, and lions, among oth- deep, narrow sandstone fissure carved by the Tsauchab River. ers; and his 15 years as biologist and warden in charge of Etosha enabled him to experience firsthand the cycles of African wild- Visit the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, a breeding colony whose life. His career in the conservation of Namibia's wildlife cul- population of Cape fur seals fluctuates between 80,000 and minated in his being made responsible for the Namib Research 260,000. Institute, a research station set in the heart of the Namib Desert. CULTURAL & HISTORICAL TREASURES Dr. Berry has trained tour guides at the Namibian Academy See the superb rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, where more of Tourism and Hospitality, and is himself qualified as a Badge than 3,000 petroglyphs of animals, human hand- and foot- III (Specialist Guide) on the Namib, Etosha, ornithology, prints, and animal tracks were chiseled into giant boulders. fauna, and ecology. He was nominated for the prestigious Paul Morrison Guide Award 2006 by Wanderlust Publications Experience Bushmanland (Odjozondjupa), where we take part (Windsor, U.K.), aimed at recognizing the world's best guides in traditional San (who are more popularly known as Bush- for enriching the travel experiences of tourists. Dr. Berry is men) activities, including collecting bush foods and making completely at home in the Namibian wilderness and will share traditional crafts, and enjoy a traditional dance performance. with you his experiences and understanding of the way in which Tour historic cities and towns including Windhoek, the capi- its unique and fascinating natural system functions. He lives tal of Namibia, and Swakopmund, with their vibrant combi- in Swakopmund with his wife Cornelia, a botanist and author nation of African and Western cultures and historic architec- with whom he has two sons, and he still writes management ture. plans for Namibia's parks and training programs for guides, Learn about a fascinating ethnic group known as the Basters, while also undertaking other special jobs such as leading our who carved their own free republic in Rehoboth in 1870, hold- Explorers Club Travelers tour. ing on to their land even through the apartheid era. ITINERARY

Days 1 & 2: Thursday & Friday, backgrounds of Namibia’s indigenous Day 6: Tuesday, October 20 October 15 & 16, 2009 people, and its Director will meet with our Namib Naukluft Park Home / Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA group and introduce us to the collections. Set out early this morning on an excur- Depart home on independent flights to Following a traditional lunch at Joe’s Steak sion into the Namib Desert to visit the Johannesburg, South Africa. Arrive on Day House, drive out to one of the city’s town- Sossusvlei Dunes, reputed to be the high- 2 and transfer independently to our air- ship areas and meet with local residents. est in the world. The best time to visit is port hotel. Overnight at the Garden Court The contrast with the colonial center is early in the morning, when the color trans- Airport Hotel. marked. Also meet with the female formation of the dunes is at its peak. This founders of a successful local design busi- unique parting of the southern Namib's Day 3: Saturday, October 17 ness that encourages the use of traditional great sand-sea has probably been main- Johannesburg / Windhoek, NAMIBIA designs and fabrics and employs local resi- tained over the millennia by the action of Fly to Windhoek this morning and trans- dents. (B,L,D) the Tsauchab River and the wind. We walk fer to the Heinitzburg Hotel, originally up the dunes to experience the splendid commissioned by Count von Schwerin as Day 5: Monday, October 19 views. Continue on to the Sesriem Can- an elegant stone castle for his fiancée Windhoek / Rehoboth / yon, a narrow fissure in the sandstone that Margarethe von Heinitzburg in 1914. The Namib Naukluft Park is 100 feet deep in places and carved by hotel offers splendid views across Drive south today to Rehoboth, which was the Tsauchab River. Return to our hotel Windhoek and the surrounding Khomas home to a group known as the Basters, a this afternoon and enjoy time at leisure. Hochland. This afternoon begin a gentle mixed race of Khoi-Khoi and Dutch (B,L,D) exploration of Windhoek, capital of people who originated in South Africa and Namibia. Windhoek derives its name from settled in Rehoboth in 1870, driving off Day 7: Wednesday, October 21 the Khoi word khomas, meaning “hilly or the local Herero and Nama clans and carv- Namib Naukluft Park / Walvis Bay / mountainous terrain,” and the German ing out their own free republic. The Basters Swakopmund word Hochland, which refers to the plateau. managed to hold on to their land through Today we follow the eastern boundary of Enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel this the land appropriations and homelands Namib Naukluft Park, passing through the evening. Overnight at the Heinitzburg Ho- policies for non-whites adopted by the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons, crossing into tel for two nights. (B,D) apartheid governments of the 1960s and the gravel plains of the desert en route to 70s, and is still technically self-governing, the harbor town of Walvis Bay. Enjoy a visit Day 4: Sunday, October 18 with its own laws of land tenure. Learn to the Walvis Bay wetlands, comprising the Windhoek about the history of the Basters with a visit lagoon and western shores, which are Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in this small to the local museum. among the ten most important coastal wet- capital, with its vibrant variety of African lands in Africa and support up to 80,000 and Western cultures. Begin this morning Continue on to the Namib Naukluft Park, birds in summer and 68,000 in winter. The with a walking tour along the Hofmeyer where we check into the wonderful Le lagoon, at the mouth of the Kuiseb River, Walk and down Independence Avenue Mirage Desert Lodge & Spa, located about is a wide, shallow, brackish pool fringed (Windhoek's main thoroughfare) and en- ten miles from the entrance gate to Namib by dunes and reeds. The lagoon attracts joy the old German colonial architecture. Naukluft Park and Sossusvlei Dunes. En- flocks of flamingoes, as well as curlews, Cross the road to the Old German Fort joy dinner at our hotel this evening. Over- sandpipers, sanderlings, avocets, plovers, (the Alte Feste), which is now a museum night at Le Mirage Desert Lodge & Spa for and the rare and elusive Damara tern. This concentrating on Namibia's history over two nights. (B,L,D) afternoon we take a boat ride to see the the last few centuries. The museum offers dolphins that live in the Walvis Bay area. an excellent introduction to the cultural Continue on to Swakopmund, arriving in Day 9: Friday, October 23 from its hilltop location. The sixteen guest the early evening. Overnight at the Swakopmund / Skeleton Coast Park / units are built from locally sourced and Swakopmund Hotel for three nights. (B,L,D) Swakopmund natural stone and canvas under thatch Enjoy a full-day excursion up the Skeleton roofs, ensuring luxury and comfort Day 8: Thursday, October 22 Coast by private plane to the town of seamlessly blending with the spectacular Swakopmund Opuwo. Covering approximately four mil- surroundings. The lodge provides an ex- Historically, Swakopmund is important lion acres, Skeleton Coast Park stretches clusive base from which to explore prehis- not just for its handsome old buildings, but from the Ugab River northward along the toric rock engravings and San rock art as for the part it played in opening up the coast to the Kunese River and about 25 well as the local area both in game drive great Namibian interior to colonial settle- miles inland. It is a solitary landscape of vehicles and on foot. Overnight at the Dora ment. Our walking tour this morning will gravel plains, sand dunes, and canyons. The Nawas Lodge. (B,L,D) be led by Frau Angelika Flamm- northern zone, over which we will fly to- Schneeweiss, who works at the local Sam day, is managed as a wilderness area. We Day 11: Sunday, October 25 Cohen Library. She knows the historical land in Opuwo, the frontier town of Twyfelfontein / Outjo buildings of Swakopmund better than any- , just east of the Skeleton Coast Spend the morning exploring the superb one, and we will enjoy her insights into the Park. Kaokoland is one of Namibia's most rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, where town’s amazing German architecture. The scenic regions, offering a starkly beautiful we are joined by a local expert who will tour will begin at the Sam Cohen Library, landscape of table-top mountains, cone- escort us through the site. The area is be- followed by a visit to some of the colonial- shaped hills, and rock-strewn plains where lieved to have been occupied continuously style buildings that date back to the early desert-dwelling elephants, rhinos, and gi- for between 3,000 and 6,000 years, and the 1900s, including the Swakopmund Rail- raffes roam. The region is also home to the site features more than 3,000 petroglyphs way Station, which was built in 1901 and nomadic Himba, who migrate seasonally of animals, human hand- and footprints, is one of the finest in southern Africa. with their herds of livestock in search of and animal tracks, chiseled painstakingly Admire the Hohenzoernhaus, with its grazing, much as they did a century ago. into giant boulders randomly strewn across high mansard roof and elaborate moldings, From Opuwo we take a drive in safari ve- a low mountainside. After lunch at our ho- and the State House that was built in 1902 hicles to explore the area and learn more tel, visit the geological features known as as a magistrate's court. It is now the resi- about the Himba people. Fly back to the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain. dence of Namibia's President during the Swakopmund in time for dinner. (B,L,D) The Organ Pipes are a distinctive series of Cabinet recess in December. After lunch dolomite pillars that have been exposed by at our hotel we will drive through a roll- Day 10: Saturday, October 24 erosion, and flat-topped Burnt Mountain ing, barren area of rocky desert to visit one Swakopmund / Cape Cross Seal derives its name from the piles of black- of the country's oldest welwitschia plants, Reserve / Damaraland ened limestone at its base. The chunks of estimated to be about 2,000 years old. Al- Drive north this morning through a deso- black dolomite combined with the crudely- though the plants have characteristics of late desert of gravel and rock. Stop at the shaped colored rocks create the impression both flowering and cone-bearing plants, Cape Cross Seal Reserve, which is one of that the mountain burned. Proceed to the they are classified as a Gymnosperm, an sixteen breeding colonies of the Cape fur small town of Outjo, located near Etosha ancient plant order that includes cycads seal along the Namibian coast. At Cape National Park, where we stay at and conifers, and average 500 to 600 years Cross, the seal population fluctuates be- Andersson’s Camp, which features twenty in age. Return to our hotel in time to relax tween an estimated 80,000 and 260,000. permanent tented accommodations on el- before dinner this evening. (B,L,D) Continue on to Damaraland, arriving at evated decks with verandahs that offer our lodge in the late afternoon. The Dora spectacular views. Overnight for two nights Nawas Lodge offers magnificent views at Andersson’s Camp. (B,L,D) Day 12: Monday, October 26 common members of the hawk and vul- velopment plans, followed by a series of Outjo / Etosha National Park ture families. We may also see black-faced traditional San activities, including a tra- Today will be spent game-viewing as we amperes, one of the rarest animals in the ditional hunting trip, collecting bush- cross Etosha National Park. Etosha's huge region. We leave the park this afternoon foods, and making crafts, plus a traditional salt pan and the tens of thousands of ani- and drive to Tsumeb, an area of rich farm- dance performance. (B,L,D) mals living around it came under official land and mineral wealth. Overnight at the protection in 1970. The defining feature Uris Safari Lodge. (B,L,D) Day 16: Friday, October 30 of the park is the huge Etosha Pan, which Tsumkwe / Otjiwarongo Area appears to be the remnant of a large in- Day 14: Wednesday, October 28 After a leisurely breakfast, we drive south land lake that was fed by rivers from the Tsumeb / Tsumkwe, Bushmanland via the central farming community of north and east. Sandwiched between the (Odjozondjupa) Grootfontein to the Waterberg Plateau. dwarf shrub savannas and the mopane sa- Continue east to the region known as The Plateau rises 300 meters from the vanna and woodlands to the south of the Odjozondjupa, which consists mainly of plains, providing a natural haven for wild- pan is a narrow strip of grassland that is communal land and is known also as life, and several land owners have formed utilized as a winter grazing area. The park Bushmanland, an area populated by about a group to protect this unspoiled, magical is the habitat of about 114 mammal spe- 34,000 . This almost-rectangu- region. Enjoy a final afternoon overlook- cies including lions, cheetahs, leopards, el- lar region borders on Botswana and con- ing the peaceful landscape of thorn bush ephants, giraffes, zebras, black-backed sists of a flat, dry land with trees, bushes, savanna that contrasts vividly with the red jackals, ground squirrels, spotted hyenas, and -resistant grasses growing in sandstone of the Plateau. This afternoon and warthogs. Among the rarer species is the Kalahari's sandy soil. It is a very poor you might choose to join an optional visit the black rhino, which continues to thrive agricultural land but home to a large num- to the nearby Cheetah Conservation Fund here. (B,L,D) ber of scattered Bushman villages. Histo- to learn about cheetah habitat and issues rians and anthropologists are divided about of conservation, with an opportunity to see Day 13: Tuesday, October 27 what name to use for the people known as resident cheetahs. Enjoy a festive farewell Etosha National Park / Tsumeb “Bushmen.” Some avoid the term “Bush- dinner this evening. Overnight at the Frans Spend the day exploring this vast area of men,” regarding it as debasing and are more Indongo Lodge. (B,L,D) wilderness that covers the greater part of comfortable with the name “San,” although north-central Namibia. Our focus today the Namibians themselves usually use the Days 17 & 18: Saturday & Sunday, will be waterholes in the eastern part of term “Bushmen.” Drive through Tsumkwe, October 31 & November 1 the park, beginning with Chodob, which the administrative center, into the heart of Otjiwarongo Area / Windhoek / is fed by an artesian fountain. It has a float- what is known as Bushmanland. Eastern Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA / ing reed island, a characteristic associated Bushmanland is the last stronghold of the Home with this sort of fountain, and is one of Ju Wasi San, the earliest inhabitants of After breakfast this morning, return to the few waterholes frequented by elands. Namibia. Overnight for two nights at the Windhoek, where we have lunch and re- In addition to elands, black-faced impa- Tsumkwe Lodge. (B,L,D) turn to the airport for evening flights home las, warthogs, and giraffes gather here to via Johannesburg, arriving the following drink. Continue on to Okaukuejo and Day 15: Thursday, October 29 day. (B,L) Halali, two of the continent’s best places Tsumkwe to observe the aggressive and secretive Spend the day learning about San culture, black rhinos. The diversity of habitats also beginning with a visit to the Nyae Nyae (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) attracts some 340 species of birds that have Foundation, which oversees the area’s de- © Copyright Eos 2008. All rights reserved. been recorded here, including many un- Photos courtesy of Distant Horizons, Namibian Tourism Board, and Ute von Ludwiger. ACCOMMODATIONS PER PERSON PRICES DOUBLE Occupancy...... $8,495 Experience the finest hotels, lodges, and luxury tented camps that Namibia SINGLE Supplement ...... $ 995 has to offer, including: Prices based on a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 participants; a small group surcharge may apply with fewer participants. Windhoek’s historic Heinitzburg Hotel, originally commissioned by Count von AIR ARRANGEMENTS & TRANSFERS: Airfare to/from Johannesburg, Schwerin as an elegant stone castle; South Africa is not included in the program. Participants should plan to arrive in Johannesburg on October 16 and depart in the evening of October 31. Assistance Le Mirage Desert Lodge & Spa, a harmoni- with flight arrangements will be offered. Details will be mailed to participants ous blend of luxury and nature, which fea- approximately 6 months prior to departure. If you choose to arrange your own tures a wellness center, complete spa fa- flights, please do not purchase non-refundable tickets until you receive your final cilities, and fine cuisine in a relaxing set- payment invoice. That invoice will indicate that the minimum number of ting; participants has been met in order for the trip to operate as planned. If you need Andersson’s Camp, which features 20 per- to purchase your tickets before this time, please contact us. manent tented accommodations on el- YOUR TRIP INCLUDES: evated decks with verandahs that offer • Leadership of Explorers Club lecturer and host Dr. Hu Berry throughout; spectacular views. • All accommodations as indicated in the itinerary; • Roundtrip flights Johannesburg / Windhoek; • WHAT TO EXPECT Private charter flight along the Skeleton Coast on Day 9; • Ground transportation by air conditioned motorcoach; • Meals as listed in the itinerary with bottled water at lunch and dinner; • All excursions and entrance fees to sites as per itinerary, with bottled water This is a strenuous program. Participants must provided; be in good physical condition to participate. • Services of local English-speaking guides; The program includes several long drives and • All tips to porters, drivers, and guides; visits areas without access to medical facilities. • Welcome and farewell dinners with wine and beer; Several of the sites require walking over uneven • Local taxes and service charges; terrain. If you have any questions about your • Porterage at the airports on days of group travel; ability to participate, we suggest that you visit • Comprehensive pre-departure information. your personal physician with this brochure in hand, and discuss whether or not this program RATES DO NOT INCLUDE: US domestic airfare and international airfare to/from is appropriate for you. Participants are expected Johannesburg, South Africa; passport and visa fees; inoculation fees; all airport fees and departure to be physically active, to enjoy traveling as part taxes; cost of personal, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance; transportation of excess baggage; of a group, and to be ready to experience cultural meals other than those listed in the itinerary; personal tips; items of a personal nature, such as laundry, alcoholic or other beverages; taxi, telephone, and fax charges; optional excursions or differences. deviations from scheduled tour. CANCELLATION POLICY: All requests by passengers for cancellations must be received ABOUT THE EXPLORERS CLUB in writing. Cancellations received at least ninety (90) days prior to departure are fully refunded less an administrative fee of three hundred dollars ($300) per person. Cancellations received between sixty (60) and ninety (90) days prior to departure are fully refunded less an administrative Founded in 1904, the world famous Explorers fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per person. Cancellations received within sixty (60) days Club is a multi-disciplinary professional society of departure are subject to 100% of the tour cost. dedicated to the advancement of field research and scientific exploration. Members include the For this and other reasons, participants are strongly encouraged to purchase trip cancellation most famous explorers, scientists, and insurance. Optional trip cancellation insurance will be offered to participants. Prices current as conservationists of the 20th century. The Explorers of December 2008. Prices are subject to change. Club Travelers is an educational program of The Explorers Club that invites the public to join distinguished explorers and scientists on ® educational tours to remote areas, focusing on natural and cultural history. Each participant on an Explorers Club Travelers program receives a (800) 856-8951 complimentary one-year Friend Membership in Email: [email protected] Website: www.explorers.org The Explorers Club, which brings with it a Toll Line: (603) 756-4004 Fax: (603) 756-2922 subscription to The Explorers Club Log and PO Box 938, 47 Main Street, Suite One Journal, and invitations to special Club events, including the gala Annual Dinner. Walpole, NH 03608 RESERVATION FORM To hold your reservation for seven days while this form and your deposit are in the mail, please contact us at Extraordinary Namibia 800-856-8951 or [email protected] October 15 - November 1, 2009 (18 days)

NAME #1: ______NAME #2: ______(as it appears in passport) (as it appears in passport) ADDRESS: ______

CITY:______STATE/PROVINCE: ______ZIP: ______

HOME PHONE: ______OFFICE PHONE: ______

FAX: ______EMAIL: ______ I/We have read the What to Expect section and am/are physically able to participate fully on the program. ACCOMMODATIONS: Double - One Bed Double - Two Beds Single Share - I will share with:______ Share - please assign a roommate (not guaranteed)

A deposit of $1,000 per person is required to confirm a reservation. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. PAYMENT TYPE: Check payable to EOS Passenger Escrow - EC Namibia10-09 Visa MC Amex CC#______Exp. Date______3 or 4 Digit Security Code______Name on Card______All prices and payments are in US dollars. Please complete the Reservation Form above, sign the Release statement below, enclose your deposit and mail or fax to: Explorers Club Travelers P.O. Box 938, 47 Main Street, Suite One Walpole, NH 03608-0938 Fax: 603-756-2922 TERMS & CONDITIONS

Prices quoted are based on group participation and no refunds will be made ditions and other factors beyond our control without consulting the partici- for any part of the program in which you choose not to participate. It is un- pants. Participants have no right to any refund or other considerations in the derstood that refunds cannot be made to passengers who do not complete the event of these itinerary changes. RATES: Rates are based on tariffs and ex- tour for whatever reason nor to passengers whose required documentation for change rates in effect at the time of printing and are subject to change prior to entry into any country on the itinerary is delayed or denied. departure. Substantial changes in tariffs, exchange rates, the price of fuel, ser- RESPONSIBILITY: The Explorers Club, its agent, Eos, (hereinafter “Spon- vices and labor sometimes increase the cost of arrangements significantly, and sor”) and the Distant Horizons and/or its agents (hereinafter “Operator”) as- we reserve the right to alter our prices. AS A CONDITION OF ACCEP- sume no liability for failure to provide the services and accommodations re- TANCE, EACH PARTICIPANT MUST AGREE TO AND SIGN THE ferred to in this brochure to the extent that such services and accommodations FOLLOWING STATEMENT: RELEASE: The undersigned clearly under- cannot be supplied due to delays or other causes beyond the control of Opera- stands that Sponsor is in no way responsible and can assume no liability of any tor. In the absence of negligence on the part of Operator, the participant agrees nature whatsoever for the tour and any acts, omissions, or negligence by the that Operator has no responsibility or liability of any nature whatsoever for Operator or by companies and persons the Operator may contract. The under- damage to or loss of property, or injury to, or death of persons due to any act, signed has carefully read the list of activities, requirements, and conditions as omission, or negligence of any carrier, hotel, restaurant, bus carrier, tender ser- listed in the brochure and application for the tour and is aware that the tour vice, sightseeing company, or any other persons rendering any of the services or and its activities involve the risk of personal injury and damage or loss of prop- ground portions of the itinerary. The participant further waives any claim against erty. In consideration of the benefits to be derived from participation in the Operator and Sponsor for any such damage, loss, injury, or death. Operator and tour, the undersigned voluntarily accepts all risk of personal injury and prop- Sponsor shall not be responsible for any delays, substitution of equipment, or erty damage or loss arising from participation on the tour and hereby agrees any act or omission whatsoever by the suppliers of such services, their agents, that he/she and his/her dependents, heirs, executors and assigns, do release and servants and employees, and the participant hereby waives any claim arising hold harmless Sponsor and the employees, officers, directors, trustees or repre- therefrom. Operator and Sponsors reserve the right to decline to accept or to sentatives of Sponsor, from any and all claims, including claims of illness, bodily decline to retain any person as a member of any tour should such person’s injury, death or property damage or loss, however caused, arising from or re- health, condition or actions adversely affect or threaten the welfare or safety of lated to this tour. The undersigned has read carefully this agreement, and will other passengers or impede the tour. Sponsor and Operator reserve the right abide by the conditions set by Sponsor and Operator as described in the bro- to cancel this tour prior to departure, in which case payment will be refunded chure and in the Terms and Conditions of this and other sections as stated without further obligation on our part. The passenger contract in use by the herein or elsewhere published. The undersigned affirms that he/she has not carriers concerned (when issued) shall constitute the sole contract between the received or relied on any oral or written representation of Sponsor as a basis for transportation companies and the purchaser of this tour and/or passage. By executing this Release. forwarding of deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she agrees with these terms and conditions, and that he/she does not have any mental, physical, or Signature______Date ______other condition, or disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other passengers. ITINERARY: Sponsor and Operator reserve the right to change Signature______Date ______the itinerary due to weather conditions, availability of anchorages, political con-