Our Five Stans tours are often thought of as one of our most exotic explorations, each Stan (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) holds a unique history and culture that has been shaped over the centuries and influenced by many empires.
A China Tour Highlight: The Terracotta Army
Discovered in 1974 by a local farmer who was digging for a water well, the Terracotta Army and museum are undeniably one of China’s most awe-inspiring collections and, without a doubt, one of the highlights of a trip to China. In a space roughly the size of a football field, it is estimated over 8000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 520 horses were buried.
In the more than 2,000 years since these sculptures were created, much of the area they’re located in has been covered with up to five metres of sandy, reddish soil. This photo is from our China tour including the Terracotta Army.Photo credit: Tour Leader Rachel Kristensen
What island hopping on a Greek Island tour looks like
The term Aegean Blue was clearly coined after a visit to a Greek Island. The vast sea and skyline provide a stunning backdrop for the picture perfect white houses that scatter themselves across the 227 inhabited Greek Islands.
Mykonos is a popular tourist stop in Greece, and is some times referred to as The Island of the Winds. Photo credit: Rachel Kristensen
Yangshuo: A highlight on our China tour
China is the third largest country in the world and has some of the most diverse landscapes, bustling cities and quiet villages to explore. From the sandy dunes of the Gobi Desert, to the deep gorges cut by the Yangtze River and the karst mountains of Guilin.
The iconic mountains around Yangshuo are karst mountains, formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks, typically gypsum, dolomite or limestone. Water dissolved the stone, leaving these magnificent forms on the landscape!Photo credit: Rachel Kristensen @meandertheworld
Greece Travel Inspiration: 5 Wonderful Greek Philosopher Quotes
One can't help on a tour of Greece to indulge a bit of a wisdom from a Greek philosopher. Ancient wisdom is found in the country which founded democracy, and changed the course of modern civilization into what we know today.
Located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, the theater at Delphi, Greece, with its spectacular view of the Pleistos River valley, would seat nearly 5,000 people for various performances such as musical events, plays and poetry readings. Photo credit Rachel Kristensen
Tour Norway and Finland: A quick photo journey
Last year, senior Tour Leader Martin Charlton debuted a small group tour of Scandinavia to what would be an instant classic. A tour through Norway and Finland, cruising the beautiful fjords, riding the rails on some of the most dramatic European train journeys, and discovering markets as well as museums that are uniquely Scandinavian.
Photo credit: Martin Charlton
