Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya
Exploring Majestic Oases, Remote Outposts & Ancient Trade Centers
Mali • Egypt • Jordan • India • Bhutan
March 21-April 3, 2010
14 Days / Limited to 78 Travelers

Sacred Places of Asia
Discovering the Treasured Cultures & Legendary Architecture of Ancient Kingdoms
Thailand • Indonesia • Cambodia • Vietnam • China • South Korea • Japan
April 5-19, 2010
15 Days / Limited to 78 Travelers

The Ancient Silk Road
Following in the Footsteps of Nomads, Monks, Merchants & Kings
China • Mongolia • Uzbekistan • Armenia • Turkey
April 20-May 4, 2010
15 Days / Limited to 78 Travelers

Join us for your choice of one, two, or three interconnected journeys by private jet to the world's sacred places, rarely-encountered cultures, and spectacular landscapes.

Explore majestic oases, remote outposts, and ancient trade centers in North Africa, India, and the Himalaya while on the Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya expedition. Discover the treasured cultures and legendary architecture of ancient kingdoms in Southeast Asia and East Asia while on Sacred Places of Asia. And follow in the footsteps of nomads, monks, merchants, and kings in East Asia and Central Asia while on The Ancient Silk Road.

Accompanying you will be a team of experts from renowned institutions such as the National Geographic Society, the Smithsonian, the American Geographical Society, Antidote Education Company, and the American Museum of Natural History. You will also meet with local experts, curators, dignitaries, and families who will open doors and give you a rare insider's view into their cultures.

As you are whisked from one destination to the next aboard our newly configured private jet, enjoy the ultimate in convenience, security, and service. Relax in the expert care and guidance of our expedition staff and flight crew, including a dedicated physician. Unwind in many world-class accommodations. And take advantage of a uniquely flexible itinerary that allows you to easily tailor the trip to your own interests.

In addition, by joining any or all of these expeditions, you will automatically support efforts to enhance the conditions of the places and peoples we visit—there is no further commitment necessary. Our expedition will transport supplies to medical clinics and schools, and contribute funds for essential services and innovative projects.

This unprecedented program offers something for everyone, with a choice of destinations, a range of prices, and an extraordinary educational travel experience that is two, four or six weeks long.

Enjoy Seminars in the Sky & Learn While You Explore

Enrichment is the key to rewarding exploration. A world-class team of experts will join each Hidden Corners Around The World expedition to illuminate the history of empires, the varied cultures we encounter, and the outstanding examples of art and architecture we visit. While on the jet, these experts will use a special in-flight multimedia system for informative lectures and stimulating discussions. In addition, books, DVDs, and other publications about each destination are available in the jet library for your reference.

Hidden Corners Around the World Expert Teams

Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya:
Michael Fleming, Bob Krist, Alexander B. Murphy, John Swanson

Sacred Places of Asia:
Jack Daulton, Bob Krist, Alexander B. Murphy

The Ancient Silk Road:
Jack Daulton, Bob Krist, Mark A. Norell

Jack Daulton is a popular lecturer on the cultural history of non-Western civilizations and has accompanied educational trips to more than 70 countries. His research has focused on the art and architecture of Asia and Africa as well as the study of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Jack is also an attorney who specializes in international law relating to the preservation and conservation of the world's cultural heritage. In a widely reported 1995 federal case, he recovered a 1,000-year old sculpture that had been stolen from a temple in Myanmar.

Michael Fleming is a family physician, founding director and chief medical officer of Antidote Education Company, and former president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He will share his insights into a variety of health topics abroad and discuss their relationship to our overall global health, based on his experiences promoting medical education and primary care worldwide. He will also serve as the expedition physician for the Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya expedition.

National Geographic photographer Bob Krist has shot several articles for National Geographic magazine and over thirty for National Geographic Traveler, where he is a contributing editor. His many assignments have taken him to all seven continents and have won awards in the Pictures of the Year, Communication Arts, and World Press Photo competitions. His latest book, Travel Photography: Documenting the World's People and Places, was recently published in the Digital Masters series. Bob will be on hand to help you photograph the stunning scenery and vibrant cultures, we will encounter throughout the program.

Alexander B. Murphy is Councilor and Vice President of the American Geographical Society and Professor of Geography at the University of Oregon. He has traveled extensively in Russia, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and has been a popular lecturer on educational expeditions since 1991. An expert on political, cultural, historical, and environmental geography, he will share his insights into the human and physical forces that shape the places we visit.

Mark A. Norell is Chair and Curator-in-Charge of Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians, and Birds in the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History; and is a co-curator of the museum's November 2009 Silk Road exhibition. He is an expert on dinosaurs and developed new ways of looking at fossils using CT scans and other imaging tools. His work has taken him to Patagonia, Cuba, the Chilean Andes, the Sahara, West Africa, and Mongolia. He is a fellow of the Explorer's Club and received his Ph.D. from Yale University.

John Swanson is Assistant Provost for Special Academic Programs at The American University in Cairo, where he has taught for nearly thirty years, lecturing on Egyptian history, culture, and society. He also served as director of the university's Arabic language programs. He holds a Ph.D. in African history from Indiana University and has led several educational expeditions for the Smithsonian Institution.

Earn CME Credits While You Travel

Travelers joining Desert Crossroads & The Himalaya, who are physicians, may participate in special activities to earn up to 18 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits in the topic of global health. Expedition physician Michael Fleming and local physicians in various destinations will share their insights into local and global health issues. This CME program is open to all travelers, but to be able to earn CME credits, travelers must register via the Reservation Form at the back of this brochure and pay a separate fee.

Make a Difference Throughout Your Journey

By joining a Hidden Corners Around the World by Private Jet expedition, you will automatically support our efforts to enhance the environmental, social, economic, and educational conditions of places and peoples we visit.

We partner with organizations and businesses who share our philanthropic goals and can help accomplish them. We also are happy to enable individual travelers to join our efforts, if they ask. In the following pages, the philanthropic activities in each destination of the itinerary are described.

Enjoy the Convenience, Security & Service of Private Jet Travel

The best way to reach the many far-flung destinations of the Hidden Corners Around the World program is to fly by private jet. We set our own schedules, so you fly direct and avoid layovers. We land in remote airports that are closer to hard-to reach destinations. We have the flexibility and freedom to adjust the routing, if necessary—even while an expedition is in progress. We avoid busy commercial airports whenever possible, and arrange for expedited boarding, luggage handling, and Customs and Immigration formalities.

Discover the World on our Specially Configured Private Jet

Our Boeing 757 is maintained and operated by the award-winning Thomson Airways. The jet generously accommodates only 72 travelers in two-by-two VIP-style leather seats with ecomfort™ foam support, instead of the standard 233 seats. Enjoy more space and an unsurpassed educational experience onboard the jet with excellent access to our experts, who will share their expertise during flights as well as on land.

Travel with the Most Experienced Staff in the World

Our expedition staff and flight crew, including a chef and catering assistant, is the most experienced in the world when it comes to managing multi-destinational, educational expeditions by private jet. In addition, an expedition physician accompanies each expedition, ready to provide and coordinate healthcare services whenever and wherever they may be needed. Travel worry-free with a talented team of professionals who are renowned for their attention to detail, dedication to safety and security, and top-notch hospitality. And enjoy one of the highest flight attendant-to-traveler ratios in the business: 1 to 9.

Delight in Fine Accommodations & Cuisine

Stay in some of the world's finest and most interesting accommodations, such as the splendid Oberoi Amarvilas where your room offers a private view of the Taj Mahal, the historic Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor for a taste of a bygone era of grandeur, and the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet that recalls the golden age of Ottoman rule. Our expeditions also offer opportunities to stay in smaller, boutique properties that offer one-of-a-kind experiences, such as the Adrére Amellal, an award-winning eco-lodge in the Sahara Desert; the Hiiragiya Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn tucked away in historic Kyoto; and the ger-style Three Camel Lodge in the majestic Gobi Desert.

Each property is carefully selected for its amenities and prime location. In remote areas where choices are limited, we stay at the best available accommodations to ensure your comfort. In addition, we have arranged festive banquets featuring fresh local cuisine and traditional cultural performances at these properties and other special venues throughout the journey.

Follow Your Passion with a Flexible Itinerary

You may go beyond the main itinerary, enjoying many excursions of your choice along the way. Whether you want to tour local art galleries, visit a school, or hike off the beaten path, we will ensure that your travels are thoroughly rewarding and tailored for you.

In the following pages, we recommend many sightseeing opportunities throughout the journey. Most are available at no extra charge, and they are all designed for small groups and so have limited space available. Spaces will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Price of the Expedition Includes:

• All hotel accommodations, group transportation, excursions, and other group activities as detailed in the itinerary, beginning with arrival on the first evening of the expedition, through arrival in the final destination of the expedition
• Transportation on a private Boeing 757 and local aircraft according to the itinerary
• All meals, beginning with dinner on the first evening of the expedition, and ending with lunch on the jet or breakfast in the final destination of the expedition, according to the itinerary
• Complete program of special events and activities, including extensive program of customized options at most destinations
• Enrichment program including lectures by a team of experts
• Services of professional staff, including an expedition physician, to assist you throughout the trip
  
• Cost of philanthropic efforts as described in the brochure
• Bottled water throughout the program (during sightseeing, at scheduled meals, and in your room)
• All beverages, including liquor, aboard the private jet - Liquor during special events and cocktail parties on land
• House wine and/or beer at lunch and dinner, and coffee, tea, milk, and soft drinks at all scheduled meals on land
• Baggage handling during the expedition
• Tips or gratuities to local guides, drivers, porters, and waitstaff
• Amenities package
• $100,000 emergency medical evacuation insurance for covered reasons
• Minimal accident/sickness/baggage insurance (details about optional and additional insurance for purchase, including trip cancellation insurance, will be mailed to you after registration)
• Option to overnight at The Peninsula Bangkok or an airport hotel at the end of DC-10
• Airport transfers in London, England and Bangkok, Thailand for DC-10; in Bangkok, Thailand and Osaka, Japan for SP-10; and Xi'an, China and London, England for SR-10.
  

Price of Expedition Does Not Include:

• Commercial airfare to the first destination of the expedition from your home city, and from the last destination of the expedition to your home city
• Optional and additional accident/baggage/cancellation insurance
• Passport and visa fees
• The extra cost of shipping final documents to international households - Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, fax, and Internet charges
• All beverages not mentioned above as included
• Hotel minibar charges
• Meals not scheduled by Starquest Expeditions
• Inoculation and medication costs of any kind
• Optional registration fee for travelers participating in the Continuing Medical Education component of the DC-10 expedition
• Any tips or gratuities not specifically mentioned as included in the total expedition price will be at your discretion.