Land & Voyage Programs January - October 2016 Scotland Israel Iran Japan Armenia Running on Waves “Our AIA leaders were the best I’ve ever seen. The small size of the group was also great. This was our second trip with the AIA, and I think you are the best.” Expert Leaders • Fascinating Sites • Memorable Journeys JanuarY 2016 This extraordinary tropical adventure provides the best-paced Jungle Kingdoms of the Waitlist o itinerary available to explore ancient Maya sites in the lush Ancient MAyA jungles of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Explore the sites of Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Tikal, Copan, Yaxha January 30 - February 12, 2016 pen and Quirigua; with free time to bird watch or relax and enjoy Lecturer: Virginia Miller our comfortable hotels and remote jungle lodges. Limited to 14-day LAnD tour 12 participants. FebruarY Explore Sri Lanka’s archaeology, history, and culture with Sri LAnka: South Asia’s visits to all six of its cultural World Heritage Sites: sacred Multicultural isle Waitlist o Kandy and Anuradhapura, ancient Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, the Old Town of Galle, and the cave-temple of Dambulla. February 7 - 22, 2016 pen Also explore nature reserves and a national park to see Lecturer: Nancy Wilkie monkeys, elephants, various birds and, possibly, a leopard. 16-day LAnD tour Limited to 12 participants. Pyramids and temples This luxurious winter holiday provides a week-long adventure exploring the sun-drenched Yucatan’s ancient sites such as of the yucAtAn Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Dzibilchaltun, and Labna. February 20 - 28, 2016 Bird watch, shop for crafts, and relax at our comfortable resorts www.aiatours.org Lecturer: Jeff Karl Kowalski (two nights at Chichen Itza and three nights each at Merida and 9-day lanD tour Uxmal). Limited to 12 participants. We b : march Discover the diverse cultures and landscapes of Ethiopia, a ethioPiA: The crown Jewel land steeped in ancient history and legend. Learn about the of Africa Kingdom of Axum; the Ark of the Covenant; the country’s rich religious history; and its ancient trade in incense, ivory, and March 10 - 24, 2016 spices. Marvel at amazing churches carved out of solid rock plus Lecturers: Benjamin and Karen Foster beautiful mountains, lakes, and waterfalls; discover age-old tribal 15-day lanD tour traditions; and much more! april Embark an all-suite, 57-cabin ship and explore lesser-visited 800-748-6262 • Japan by Sea areas of Japan. Experience ancient traditions and cultural April 20 - May 3, 2016 performances; and visit sacred temples and shrines, celebrated a l l : Lecturer: Mikael Adolphson gardens and castles, artists’ studios, and museums. Tokyo and c 14-day voyAge and lanD program Kyoto are also included, as is a day in South Korea for the National Museum and a UNESCO temple. may IsrAeL: treasures of Discover with the AIA’s next president, a leading American archaeologist excavating in Israel, major Classical, Jewish and the holy Land Christian sites. Gain privileged access and insights to ancient May 1 - 13, 2016 and medieval sites of this extraordinary land of beauty and Lecturer: Jodi Magness spirituality that has so influenced Western civilization. Limited 13-day lanD tour to 14 participants. Prehistoric tombs & Standing Delve into the mysteries of the extraordinary prehistoric sites [email protected] • Stones of Wessex and of Wessex, England, and Brittany, France. Amidst beautiful landscapes see world renowned, as well as lesser known, Neolithic BrittAny and Bronze Age megaliths and monuments such as enigmatic m a i l : May 3 - 14, 2016 rings of giant standing stones and remarkable chambered e Lecturer: Paul Bahn tombs. Explore medieval churches, charming villages, museum 12-day lanD tour collections, and more. In addition to the dazzling cities of Tehran, Shiraz, and irAn: The Ancient Land of Persia Isfahan, visit ancient Persepolis (twice), one of the most May 4 - 19, 2016 spectacular surviving archaeological sites; discover the Sasanian Lecturer: Alexander Nagel religious center of Takht-e Soleiman; Pasargadae, location of 16-day lanD tour the first Persian capital; Yazd, one of the last strongholds of Zoroastrianism; and much more. georgiA & ArMeniA: Beyond Immerse yourself in the history, cultures, and landscapes of the beautiful Caucasus region, with visits to the site of Europe’s the golden Fleece earliest unearthed hominid bones; ancient settlements and May 6 - 22, 2016 fortresses; early churches, cathedrals, and monasteries; and Lecturer: Gocha Tsetskhladze intriguing cave towns; including five UNESCO World Heritage 17-day lanD tour sites. An optional extension to Azerbaijan is available. Ancient Splendors of Along the magnificent Aegean coast explore spectacular temples, WeStern turKey theaters, and stadiums at ancient sites such as Assos, Pergamum, Troy, and Ephesus; plus early Byzantine churches, Ottoman May 11 - 21, 2016 palaces, and outstanding museums. (Can be combined with our Lecturer: Nicolle Hirschfeld central Turkey tour.) Limited to 14 participants. 11-day lanD tour Wonders of Marvel at the vast Neolithic settlement at Çatalhöyük and ancient Hittite capital of Hattusa; Göbekli Tepe, the central turKey world’s oldest known example of monumental architecture; May 20 - 31, 2016 Cappadocia’s lunar landscapes and early rock-cut churches; and www.aiatours.org Lecturer: Nicolle Hirschfeld much more. (Can be combined with our western Turkey tour.) 12-day lanD tour Limited to 14 participants. We b : june irelanD: See spectacular prehistoric passage tombs and standing stones, including Newgrange and Knowth. Discover magnificent Legacies & Landscapes early Christian and medieval castles, monasteries, and June 2016 cathedrals, such as Kells and the rock of Cashel. Enjoy lovely Lecturer: Stephen Mandal vistas including the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula, and lanD tour Boyne Valley. Limited to 12 participants. Cruise aboard a luxurious, 120-stateroom/suite ship along the 800-748-6262 • in the Wake of the viKingS coasts of Scotland, Norway, and Denmark, visiting remote June 8 - 16, 2016 ports. Explore ancient and medieval sites in the Hebrides, a l l : c Lecturer: Elizabeth Pierce Orkney, and Shetland Islands, before crossing the North Sea 9-day voyAge to Bergen’s fjords, disembarking at Copenhagen. Optional extensions in Scotland and Denmark are available. Take an unforgettable, seven-night cruise aboard an elegant, circumnavigation of the 18-cabin yacht exploring areas of stunning natural beauty PeLoPonneSe along the sun-drenched coast of Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula. See world famous as well as lesser-known June 9 - 18, 2016 archaeological treasures, including Corinth, Nemea, Lecturer: William Parkinson Epidaurus, Mycenae, Monemvasia, Mystras, Olympia, 10-day voyAge and lanD program Delphi, and Franchthi and Diros Caves. Embark an all-suite, 57-cabin ship in Venice and explore the [email protected] • ADriAtic SeA: Adriatic’s fabulous coastlines and islands. Highlights include venice to Dubrovnik Pula’s roman amphitheater, Albania’s Greco-roman city of Butrint, Emperor Diocletian’s Palace at Split, Montenegro’s old m a i l : June 10 - 18, 2016 capital of Cetinje, the medieval port of Dubrovnik, plus the e Lecturer: Andrew Moore picturesque island of Hvar and beautiful Kotor Bay. Optional 9-day voyAge pre- and post-cruise extensions are available. Admire up-close legendary Mt. Olympus, the monasteries undiscovered greece: atop karst pinnacles at Meteora, and tranquil Lake Ioannina; Macedonia to epirus and savor three days at a luxury spa/resort in the rugged, remote Pindus Mountains. Explore the ancient sanctuary at June 11 - 24, 2016 Dodoni; Amphipolis, where a Macedonian tomb is being Lecturer: Nancy Wilkie excavated; the royal tombs and golden treasures at Vergina, 14-day lanD tour and more. Limited to 12 participants. july hiking Scotland’s orKney & Take daily hikes on remote islands to prehistoric stone circles, burial chambers, and settlements; seeing along the way quaint ShetlanD Islands villages, seabird colonies, and fascinating geological sites. July 16 - 26, 2016 Archaeological sites include Maeshowe, the ring of Brodgar, Lecturer: Mary MacLeod rivett Skara Brae, and Jarlshof. Daily hikes vary from short strolls to 11-day lanD tour 5 miles. Limited to 15 participants. August Traverse Ireland (7 days) and Scotland (6 days) with experts hiking in irelanD & in archaeology, history, geology, wildlife, and folklore. Visit ScotlanD prehistoric passage tombs, Celtic enclosures, early monastic settlements, Anglo-Norman fortifications, and more, amid wild, August 28 - September 11, 2016 exposed landscapes, spectacular islands, high cliffs, and rolling Lecturer: Stephen Mandal hills. Daily hikes vary from short strolls to 6 miles. Limited to 15-day lanD tour 15 participants. september Silk road: Follow in the footsteps of Alexander, Genghis Khan, and Marco Polo across deserts, mountains, and steppes of Central empires of central Asia Asia. Visit six UNESCO World Heritage sites (including September 2016 Merv, Bukhara, and Samarkand), remote archaeological sites, www.aiatours.org Lecturer: Claudia Chang and ancient towns such as Khiva and Tashkent. An optional lanD tour extension to Iran is available. We b : Enjoy the convenience and exclusivity of cruising aboard ultimate cycladeS an elegant, 18-cabin yacht to seven stunning, sun-drenched Greek islands. Call at Sifnos, Milos, Santorini, Naxos, September 15 - 24, 2016 Mykonos, Delos, and Syros; visit ancient sites and remote Lecturer: Christofilis Maggidis island villages; sample regional foods and wines; watch 10-day voyAge and lanD program ceramic artists at work; swim in crystal-clear waters off pristine beaches, and more. Prehistoric cave Art of See the most famous prehistoric cave art in the world, 800-748-6262 • Spain & FrAnce including Altamira II, Lascaux II, Niaux, Pech Merle, Cougnac, rouffignac, Font-de-Gaume, and Cueva del a l l : September 21 - October 3, 2016 Castillo. Experience the rich cultures of Spain and France c Lecturer: Paul Bahn with visits to charming medieval villages and cities, savoring 13-day lanD tour fine food, wine, and accommodations. Circumnavigate this fabled sea aboard an elegant, all-suite, The BlacK SeA 57-cabin ship.