World Heritage Tours will include unique trips to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and South America.  World Heritage Tours are extraordinary because they are designed for small groups of 15 or fewer people, and conducted by well-trained and experienced guides who are usually native to the region and experts on the respective World Heritage Sites. 

“On a World Heritage Tour, our guests gain a personal and in-depth look at treasured World Heritage Sites enabling them to better understand the dynamic history, cultures and people of these regions,” said Mahmood Poonja, chief explorer, World Heritage Tours. 

Among World Heritage Tours packages in 2010 are:

Silk Road: From Khiva to Kashgar

Trace the steps of ancient traders and merchants that traveled the important and mysterious Silk Road to trade silk, spices and other goods.  The 18-day “Silk Road: From Khiva to Kashgar” tour visits four World Heritage Sites including Samarkand, Bukhara, Shakhrisyabz and Itchan Kala.  This exciting journey starts in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and follows the Silk routes to the ancient towns of Khiva, Bukhara, Shakhrisyabz and Samarkand. The journey continues to Kyrgyzstan visiting the homeland of the Great Moghuls - Fergana Valley, followed by Osh and the Silk Road town of Sary Tash, before entering Western China for visits to Kashgar timed to experience the unique Sunday Bazaar. The trip concludes in Urumqi.  There are two departures in 2010 - May 15 and September 4.   The land cost is US$3695 per person and includes inter-Asia airfares, English-speaking guide and 32 meals.

India from North to South

Discover incredible and exotic India, including northern India and the less traveled southern India on “India from North to South,” a 29-day heritage tour. The tour itinerary includes Delhi, Varanasi, Khajuraho, Agra, Ranthambore National Park, colorful Jaipur, Mumbai, Hyderabad,  Bangalore, Mysore, the seaport of Kochi (formerly Cochin), Kovalam, Kumarakom, Periyar, Madurai and Chennai.  The tour visits six World Heritage Sites in India including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Qutb Minar and its Monuments, and the incredible Khajuraho Group of monuments. In the south, the tour concentrates on the Dravidian culture and its many colorful monuments including cultural interaction with local people of the different states of India.  The small-group format allows a monthly departure including a choice of different

categories of hotels starting at US$5275 per person.  The cost includes air and train within India, entrance fees to monuments, English-speaking guide and 57 meals.

Balkan Mosaic

The ancient Balkans region of Europe has a diversity of cultures, religions and history that have in recent years divided the former country of Yugoslavia into seven nations.  On the 20-day “Balkan Mosaic” tour, participants visit all seven of these countries (Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia) and Albania. The tour visits 10 World Heritage Sites including the historical Old Bridge of Mostar, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo, the Old City of Dubrovnik, and the Plitvice Lakes National Park, to name a few.  This adventure concludes with an optional three-day extension to Slovenia, including visits to the Skocjan Caves, a World Heritage site, and the capital city of Ljubljana.  The departure dates are May 29 and September 11, 2010, and the trip cost ranges from US$5520 to $8995 per person.  The price includes ground transportation, English-speaking guide and 37 meals.