President’s Journey by Private Plane Around the World

After checking in to the hotel, we’ll have some time to relax and settle in to our rooms before our Orientation meeting at 5:00 p.m. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program is staffed with three Group Leaders, who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics. Local experts in each country on the itinerary will lecture, conduct field trips and serve as an information resource on program-related topics. Meals in hotels and local restaurants will be a combination of plated and buffet service with a few boxed lunches in certain circumstances. Standard beverage choices included at no additional cost are coffee, tea, water, and either wine, beer, or fruit juice. In most places, other beverages will be available for individual purchase. Some field trips are in exotic locations. Dress appropriately according to the conditions and wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. Your Local Experts will be happy to offer suggestions, or you may wish to use these as periods of “downtime” at hotels amongst busy days of program activities and transfers. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

In the hotel dining room, the breakfast buffet offers a range of hot and cold items.

We will board a motorcoach and set out on a field trip to Stonehenge, the most distinctive part of a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site managed by English Heritage. There, we will walk in the footsteps of our Neolithic ancestors at the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe. Stonehenge has a world-class visitor center, housing quality permanent exhibitions. We’ll explore these exhibitions with a local expert who will also lead us on a walk around the stones themselves, taking an English Heritage shuttle bus from the visitor center to begin the walk. The site remains a source of inspiration and spirituality as well as a feat of engineering and building. From the UNESCO inscription: “Stonehenge and Avebury, in Wiltshire, are among the most famous groups of megaliths in the world. The two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomical significance is still being explored. These holy places and the nearby Neolithic sites are an incomparable testimony to prehistoric times.” From Stonehenge, we will drive to Avebury.

At a country pub, we will have a plated meal.

We will move on to the henge enclosure at Avebury, part of the World Heritage Site, and the largest prehistoric stone circle in Europe. The first farmers made their imprint 6,000 years ago, and signs of the continuous working landscape can be seen in grazing sheep and farm buildings. Our local experts will walk us through the site before we return to Windsor by motorcoach.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

Boxed breakfast.

We will check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach, and transfer to Stansted Airport. After completing security procedures and having some time to relax and mingle with fellow Road Scholars in the private lounge, we’ll board our private plane for the flight to Cairo, Egypt. PLEASE NOTE: Travel aboard the private plane is subject to the same security restrictions as commercial flights, so we will need to complete security procedures at each airport and adhere to standard carry-on luggage policies. At Stansted Airport we will have a dedicated private security area; at all other airports these procedures must be completed at public security areas.

In flight meal. When dining aboard the private plane throughout the program, you may choose meals from a menu. All drinks are included during flights on the private plane.

Upon arrival in Cairo, we will travel to Giza and check into our hotel. We will be a short distance away from the Great Pyramids, one of the most amazing achievements of ancient civilization.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Led by a local expert, we will explore the most renowned sites of Egypt: the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. There are more myths and mysteries about the Sphinx and pyramids of Giza than any other structures in the world. More than 100 pyramids survive in Egypt but these at Giza along with the Sphinx have long ruled our imagination. The consensus of historical and scientific opinion is that these are the pyramids of pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaura. The Great Pyramid of Khufu — completed c. 2560 BCE — is the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in existence. It is still being studied and there remain significant questions to be answered. Our local expert will explain the significance of these structures to ancient Egyptian culture, within the context of some 5,000 years of history that saw great developments in science, medicine, and architecture. Our field trip will conclude at the Sphinx, which is surrounded by more questions and controversies. Who built it and when? What, or who, does it represent? Suffice it to say there are more discoveries to be made and new knowledge to be gained. After our field trip, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride into Cairo.

At a local eatery.

Led by our local expert, we will explore the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, commonly called the Egyptian Museum, home to a vast array of rare and priceless artifacts. An entire section in the museum has been dedicated to the “boy king” Tutankhamun, where we can marvel at the gold face mask that has become an icon of ancient Egyptian civilization. There is much more in this fascinating museum that awaits us, including a dazzling jewelry display, vases, and weapons recovered from his tomb. Sculptures in every shape and size testify to the importance of the great pharaohs. We’ll also visit the two rooms containing the mummies of kings and other royals, the largest such collection in the world, and have some time for independent exploration. We’ll return by motorcoach to the hotel. After some time to freshen up and relax, we’ll gather for a lecture on Egypt and the River Nile delivered by our local expert.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Today we visit the old part of Cairo, this time to explore the Islamic heritage of the city before we visit the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, located in the Citadel of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi in Cairo. Built by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1848 on the site of Mamluk palaces. This mosque is known as the "Alabaster Mosque". We will also visit The Hanging Church, a unique church with a wooden roof in the shape of Noah’s ark. From the 7th century to the 13th century, the Hanging Church served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch

At a local Restaurant.

Following lunch we will transfer to Cairo airport for our flight to Aqaba, Jordan. On arrival in Aqaba we will be met by our guides and transferred to Petra where we will have some time to relax and unwind before dinner.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will then set out on a walking field trip into Petra, the “rose red city half as old as time.” What we see today was carved out of rock some 2,000 years ago, although archaeologists have determined that the area was inhabited in Neolithic times. A nomadic tribe called the Nabataeans captured Petra from its Edomite inhabitants in 300 BCE. They settled down over time and made it their capital, growing rich due to its strategic location on a key trade route and creating great monuments out of a barren canyon. Eventually, as trade routes changed and natural disasters struck, Petra waned and it was finally abandoned in the 6th century CE. It was “rediscovered” by a British explorer in 1812. You may choose to join one of two groups for the field trip, one taking a shorter walk through the Siq gorge as far as the treasury and the other continuing farther into Petra. Those of us taking the shorter walk will return through the gorge in the morning, to explore the museum at the main entrance.

Those of us taking the shorter walk will dine at a restaurant near the hotel. Those of us taking the longer walk will dine at a restaurant in the archaeological park.

Those of us taking the shorter walk will return to the hotel on foot for some time to relax. Those of us taking the longer walk will continue to explore the ancient city of Petra, another UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription: “The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra resides in the vast extent of elaborate tomb and temple architecture; religious high places; the remnant channels, tunnels and diversion dams that combined with a vast network of cisterns and reservoirs which controlled and conserved seasonal rains, and the extensive archaeological remains including of copper mining, temples, churches and other public buildings. The fusion of Hellenistic architectural façades with traditional Nabataean rock-cut temple/tombs including the Khasneh, the Urn Tomb, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Deir (monastery) represents a unique artistic achievement and an outstanding architectural ensemble of the first centuries BC to AD. The varied archaeological remains and architectural monuments from prehistoric times to the medieval periods bear exceptional testimony to the now lost civilisations which succeeded each other at the site.” In the late afternoon, we’ll gather at the hotel with a local expert for a lecture on the Bedouin — nomadic Arabic peoples of the region joined together by family, clan, and tribal loyalties.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for early check-out and our flight to New Delhi tomorrow.

At the hotel.

We will transfer to the airport by motorcoach. After completing security procedures, we’ll board our private plane for the flight to New Delhi.

In flight meal.

Upon landing, we will transfer to our hotel by motorcoach with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will set out by motorcoach for a field trip into historic Old Delhi, where we’ll visit Jama Masjid, perhaps the largest mosque in India, constructed of red sandstone and white marble by Shah Jahan. It is considered an exceptional example of Mughal architecture. After the death of his wife entombed in the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to what is now Old Delhi and built his new city — Shahjahanabad — surrounded by fortified walls. More than 5,000 artisans worked for six years to construct the mosque at a cost of 1 million rupees in 1656, the date of its inauguration. We will gain insights into Islam as a local expert leads us through the mosque’s vast courtyard and surrounding structures. The mosque overlooks the hectic Chawri Bazaar in central Delhi’s Chandni Chowk district, where we’ll go for a ride on traditional rickshaws. We will continue by motorcoach to a Sikh temple, or gurdwara. In all Sikh places of worship, there are three primary practices: the singing of hymns, readings of sacred texts, and a community kitchen providing vegetarian food to all visitors of all religions. At the gurdwara, a local expert will lead our contemplation of the Sikh religion, explaining the significance of the chanting and foods we will encounter

At a local restaurant.

We’ll board the motorcoach in Chandni Chowk for a panoramic journey through New Delhi with informative commentary by a local expert. Our route will take us past India Gate, reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built to commemorate Indian soldiers who died during World War I. We will also view the Parliament House, called Sansad Bhawan, and the Presidential House, called Rashtrapati Bhavan, a huge complex that serves as the official residence of the President of India. We’ll return to the hotel by motorcoach for some time to relax before dinner.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to Agra in Uttar Pradesh, home of the Agra Fort and Taj Mahal. Upon arrival, we will explore the fascinating, historic Agra Fort, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription: “Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques.” We’ll explore the fort’s courts with a local expert who will explain its rich history and lead us in examining the significance of the fort to the city of Agra at the time of its construction. After the field trip, we’ll board the motorcoach and ride to our lunch venue.

At a local restaurant.

We’ll board the motorcoach and continue to the iconic Taj Mahal. This stunning Indo-Islamic shrine is a marvel of harmony and balance, as is its Mughal garden. Not surprisingly, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site: “An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.” The mausoleum’s beautiful craftsmanship is even more fascinating when viewed up close, as we will see when we examine the intricacies of the inlaid stonework as we approach the doorway to its interior. We’ll board the motorcoach and ride to Agra Cantonment Railway Station, where we’ll board the iconic Gatimaan Express train for our return to New Delhi through the countryside of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Upon arrival at New Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the hotel.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and our flight to Jaipur tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

Free time. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Local Experts will be happy to offer suggestions. We’ll board a motorcoach at midday to ride to the airport.

In flight.

After completing security procedures, we’ll board our private plane for the flight to Jaipur. Upon arrival in Jaipur, we’ll board a motorcoach to transfer to the hotel. After check in, we’ll board a motorcoach for a field trip to discover the 11th-century Amber Fort, situated about six miles north of Jaipur and established as the original capital of Rajasthan, six centuries before the construction of Jaipur.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

A pre-breakfast yoga session will be held at 6:00 a.m. in the gardens of the hotel for those of us who wish to take part, led by a member of hotel staff. After breakfast, we will board a motorcoach with a local expert for a field trip to discover the City Palace. The palace is still the Maharaja's residence but is largely given over to a museum containing rare manuscripts, fine specimens of Rajput and Mughal paintings, royal apparel, and an armory. We then continue to Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built by city founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh between 1727 and 1734, the Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best-preserved in India.

At a local restaurant.

We’ll continue by motorcoach to Jaipur’s bazaars, where we’ll have some time for independent exploration after an introduction by our local expert. We will return to the hotel by motorcoach.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the airport. After completing security procedures, we’ll board our private plane for the flight to Cambodia

In flight meal

After landing at Siem Reap airport, we’ll transfer by motorcoach to our hotel and check in.

At the hotel

At the hotel, we will enjoy a performance of traditional local dance.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to Banteay Srei, a 10th century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and set in a huge and mysterious forest that is part of the Angkor Archaeological Park, for a field trip led by a local expert. This remote structure of relatively miniature scale has been called the Pink Temple for the hue of its limestone, and the Citadel of Woman for its many carvings of devatas (minor female deities) — some of the best-preserved carvings of all Angkor monuments. As the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription states, “Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 154 square miles including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.” We’ll return to the hotel by motorcoach after our field trip.

At the hotel.

Free time. Those of us who wish to explore Siem Reap during this time may take our shuttle there and back. In the early evening, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to our dinner venue.

At a local restaurant.

After returning to the hotel by motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will set out before dawn by motorcoach with a local expert to experience the sunrise over this beautiful city on our way to explore Angkor Wat, the most famous wat (temple) from the Khmer period and the largest religious monument in the world. Our local expert will discuss the symbolic meanings of the architecture of this monument that took from approximately 1116-1150 CE to construct. Never completely finished, it was dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Scholars have estimated that it required 300,000 workers from architects to construction workers, masons, sculptors, and a food corps. Next, we will walk along the causeway approach and go inside Angkor Wat, where we’ll examine some of the extensive bas-relief friezes depicting scenes from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The total length of the temple friezes can be measured in miles—the depiction of the Battle of Kurukshetra alone is more than 160 feet long. Not only are the reliefs a tremendous human achievement in themselves, they also provide a rare and fascinating insight into the material world of the temple-builders, as most of their artefacts and structures were made of perishable materials that have not survived in the archaeological record. We will return to the hotel for breakfast, then move on through this beautiful countryside to Angkor Thom, the last capital and fortified city of the Khmer empire, and Prasat Bayon. While there are similarities, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are different in architecture, decoration, design, and purpose. Built nearly a century after Angkor Wat, it was a Buddhist shrine as well as the royal seat, richly decorated with priceless images and figures of people and gods. Angkor Thom was in a state of physical decline until restoration projects began around 1996. After the field trip, we’ll continue by motorcoach to our lunch venue.

At a local restaurant in Siem Reap.

We’ll return by motorcoach to the hotel for free time there. In the early evening, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to our dinner venue.

At a local restaurant.

After returning to the hotel by motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and our flight to Yogyakarta tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

Early breakfast and check out. We will travel by motorcoach to the airport and enroute visit Ta Prohm, built in the Bayon style in 1186 CE. It is known as the Jungle Temple because, of all the Angkor structures, it was the most overgrown. Today, the giant tree roots that encase it are carefully maintained to avoid further damage. Continue the transfer by motorcoach to the airport. After completing security procedures, we’ll board our private plane for the flight to Yogyakarta in Central Java.

In flight.

On arrival in Yogyakarta, we will transfer by motorcoach to the hotel. On arrival we'll relax with a soft drink and have a lecture on the importance of Borobudur.

At the hotel.

During dinner we will be entertained by a traditional Indonesian dance troupe.

Hotel buffet.

The Borobudur Temple Compound, the largest and one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries sits in the centre of the island of Java in Indonesia. The UNESCO World Heritage site contains three monuments : the Borobudur Temple itself and two smaller temples, the Buddhist Mendu Temple and the Pawon Temple. The compound is renowned for its artwork, with over 500 statues of the Buddha and walls depicting reliefs of the life and teachings of Buddha. We continue on to the Hindhu Temple complex at Prambanan, a 9th century compound and UNESCO World Heritage site, containing over 500 temples. Earthquakes and volcanic activity resulted in the loss of the Temple in the 11th century but, since its rediscovery in the 17th century, restoration work continues today using remarkable stone work interlocking techniques dating back to the original construction.

At a local restaurant.

We will return to the hotel for some time to relax and enjoy the resort.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board a motorcoach and transfer to the airport. We’ll complete security procedures and board our private plane for the flight to Oman

In flight.

On arrival in Muscat we'll transfer to the hotel for a welcome drink and relax before dinner.

Buffet at the hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll explore Muscat by motorcoach and on foot with local experts. You may choose to join a slower-paced or faster-paced group for this field trip. Both groups will visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Mutrah Souk. The mosque first opened in 2001 after six years being built and is a stunning piece of Islamic architecture, incorporating various styles from different eras inside and out. Mutrah Souk may be one of the oldest marketplaces in the world. The interior is a maze of passages with a dizzying array of products from precious metals, jewels, and incense to the classic Omani khanjars (daggers). Those of us in the faster-paced group will also explore Al Alam Palace, which is used for ceremonial occasions — the sultan resides elsewhere — and Forts Al Mirani and Al Jalali, the defensive fortresses guarding the city.

At the hotel.

We will have a presentation on Omani culture by a local expert. After the lecture we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the embarkation point of our dhow cruise to enjoy the delights of the harbor at dusk.

We'll enjoy our Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

After returning to the hotel by motorcoach, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and our flight to England tomorrow.

Hotel buffet.

After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board a motorcoach and transfer to the airport. We’ll complete security procedures and board our private plane for the flight to England.

In flight.

After landing at Stansted Airport, we’ll board a motorcoach and transfer to our final hotel at London Heathrow.

At the hotel, share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel depending on flight times. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!