About Us


Wanderlust is a strange and powerful force that can strike at anytime and anywhere. The glimpse of a colorfully dressed woman can suddenly conjure up images of market time in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The smell of jasmine at sunset can inspire you to drop everything and flee to a private garden in Isfahan. The sight of a crowded urban street can awaken an unbearable desire to stand alone on the vast Mongolian steppes. The glance of a piece of sculpture can offer us silent testament to the passage of time and the impermanence of empires. Something in us craves the delicious, the mysterious - the magnetic tug of being somewhere else. The trips on the following pages represent a chance to follow those urges and savor the rich texture of our magnificent world.

New Tours!
2007


Zanzibar to Timbuktu: Ancient Slave Route

South Africa and Mozambique

Argentina and Chile


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With over twenty years of organizing travel to the less well-traveled parts of the globe, our staff have designed a number of itineraries which seek to unravel areas of unparalleled beauty. Be part of a small group of travelers, usually less than twenty, with each trip led by a carefully chosen scholar. Enjoy our scholar’s evening lectures and their extensive personal contacts. Enter private homes to view special collections, meet with local officials, journalists and foreign diplomats for up-to-date briefings, and attend traditional dance and musical performances, which bring ancient myths and legends to life.

Under the caring wing of our local guides, many of whom work exclusively for us, discover temples and mosques shimmering with whitewash and delicate tiles. Explore archaeological sites with walls made of brick the color of old rose, and wander through bustling spice markets. Enter villages surrounded by lush green terraces where everyday baskets and textiles represent intricate and patient work. Drive past majestic landscapes in comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles. Enjoy the understated elegance of some of the world’s most opulent hotels, the colonial charm of a restored villa, or, when these are not available, the simplicity of a modest room. Sample the best of traditional foods with menus selected to introduce local cuisine often in settings of indescribable beauty. 

Finally, as the sun sets, roam through an ancient caravanserai, those resting places used by travelers and traders as they moved across vast distances.  It was here in these architectural complexes that, over the centuries, contacts and exchanges of all kinds – commercial, human, intellectual and artistic took place between peoples and cultures. We like to think of the caravanserai as a metaphor for our trips  - a chance to meet others, to learn, to discuss and to understand more of our world. We invite you to join us.

 

 

 

 

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