Ancient Wonders of Asia

Day 1

Departing from: Hometown, U.S.A.

Your walking adventure in the Orient begins today with a Korean Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Japan, an intriguing island nation of shoguns and sushi, samurai and sumo wrestlers. En route, you'll cross the International Date Line, an almost magical demarcation that signals your departure from the western world and your entrance into the ancient and mysterious civilizations of the Far East.

Day 3

Activities in: Tokyo
Today's walk: Tokyo welcome walk, 10 km

After breakfast this morning, we'll begin our exploration of Tokyo with a trip to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. The Japanese are renowned for their consumption of seafood, and we'll see fish of every size, shape, color, and smell this morning as we wander through the market. From the fish market, we continue to the gardens of the Imperial Palace for our first walk, a welcome walk featuring the gardens and sights of central Tokyo. It was here, in 1590, that Ieyasu, first shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, began construction on his castle, later enlarged by his successors to become the largest in the world. Most of the original structure was destroyed in World War II, but the Emperor still lives here with his family in a rebuilt section of the palace. One reason we selected these dates for our Asian adventure was to offer you the experience of viewing the legendary cherry blossoms of Japan. We'll see the first of these in the traditional East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, a huge and beautiful buffer zone for the residence of the Imperial family. After saying farewell to the Tokyo walking club, we'll have time for lunch downtown in an area where real estate is valued at $100,000 per square meter. Our afternoon sightseeing includes a visit to Meiji Shrine, a cruise up the Sumida River and a chance to wander the uniquely Japanese shopping lanes surrounding Senso-jo Temple.

This evening after dinner, you'll have the opportunity (admission not included) to attend a traditional Kabuki Theater. Kabuki is one of four traditional Japanese styles of theater. Its themes are often feudal tragedies dealing with the struggle between feelings and duty, and divided loyalties sometimes culminating in love suicides. Performances are flamboyant and colorful with a large stage and cast. The major actors are celebrities, often coming from acting dynasties.  Prices for the 2002 season were not available at press time.

Day 4

Departing from: Tokyo
Today's walk: Yokohama Cherry Blossom Walk, 10 km

We head south this morning, away from Tokyo and into Yokohama, Japan's largest port and second largest city. Although Yokohama has been known as the place in Japan for foreign contact and influence for over 150 years, and was a major U.S. military base after World War II, its attraction for us is the Cherry Blossom walk hosted by the Yokohama walking club. From Yokohama, we continue south through tranquil scenes of rural life and into the forests and mountains of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. If the weather is clear, we'll have our first glimpse of the celebrated symmetry of Mount Fuji. Our hotel is in the resort district of Hakone, a hilly, hot-spring town and favorite hideaway for city bound Japanese tourists.

Day 5

Departing from: Hakone
Today's walk: Mt. Fuji/Hakone Walk, 5 km

Though Mt. Fuji is not visible from our hotel, our morning plan uses three means of conveyance to provide you with excellent vantage points. We start on a funicular (inclined train) that departs from Hakone and climbs the slopes of Mt. Soun-zan. At the summit, we switch to a gondola that traverses the ups and downs of Mt. Soun-zan, and down to the shore of Ashino-ko Lake. This epic journey is an amazing four kilometers (2.5 miles) long and offers a chance to disembark at Owakudani to view the volcanic cauldron of steam and bubbling mud (If you really want a cultural experience, you can invest in the reputed health benefits of black boiled eggs, cooked in the boiling mud). In good weather, this is the perfect spot for your photos of Mt. Fuji. When the gondola reaches the shores of Ashino-ko Lake, we transfer to our third conveyance, a Mississippi River-style steamboat that cruises this beautiful mountain sea to the hamlet of Hakone-machi on the southern shore. As we draw near to Hakone, Mt. Fuji rises above the hills to reign majestically over her alpine setting of lake and forest. Our walk begins from Hakone-machi and goes through the Hakone Checkpoint, a medieval shogunate control on the old highway to Edo (old name for Toyko). The giant cedars along the route are spectacular. From the shores of Ashino-ko Lake, we board the coach and continue southwest to Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan and our home for the next three nights.

Day 6

Activities in:  Kyoto
Today's walk: Philosopher's Way walk, 10 km
Today's excursion: Himeji Castle

Today's walk begins from Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavillion, renowned for its lovely traditional gardens, then winds along the Philosopher's Walk. Our Japanese hosts will lead you on a popular pathway that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal along the base of the Higashiyama (Eastern Mountains) past numerous restaurants, boutiques, and craft shops. Further on, you'll walk the stone-flagged lanes through the Higashiyama district, one of the oldest and most charming parts of Kyoto.

If Tokyo represents modern Japan, Kyoto represents its past. Founded in 794 by Emperor Kanmu, it was the capital of Japan, and the center of religion and culture, for over 1,000 years. When the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868, left behind were three palaces, dozens of traditional gardens, and over 2,000 temples and shrines.

Day 7

Activities from: Kyoto
Today's walk: Nara Todai-ji Temple Walk, 10 km
Today's excursion: Visit to Todai-ji Temple

Japan's train system has a well-deserved reputation for efficiency and punctuality. Our trip to the town of Nara for today's walking event will be aboard one of these legendary trains and we'll experience, firsthand, departures that leave not on the minute, but at the very second they are scheduled to depart. Our hosts will meet us for a walk that begins at the Nara rail station and includes interesting parts of old Nara, an ancient city in its own right and the first capital of Japan in the century before it was eclipsed by Kyoto. feeding deerNara became the grand diocese of Buddhism, the far eastern destination of the Silk Road, and one of Asia's most splendid cities during the 8th century. Today it is best known as the site of Todai-ji Temple. You'll have the opportunity to wander through this huge structure, considered the largest wooden building in the world, built in 1709 to replace an even larger predecessor. The building's purpose is to house an enormous, 53 foot high Buddha, cast in 752 from hundreds of tons of bronze. Following this intriguing glimpse into the history and religion of ancient and modern Japan, we'll return by train for a little free time in Kyoto before dinner.

Day 8

Departing from: Kyoto
Today's excursion: Nijo Castle, Kyoto

Our last activity in Japan will be a stroll through the famous Nijo Castle built by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 16th century. Unlike heavily fortified Himeji Castle, Nijo is known for its unusually ornate interiors and its so-called nightingale floors. The wooden flooring has been carefully laid to make bird-like squeaking noises when walked upon, warning the household of an unexpected, and possibly unwanted, visitor. From Kyoto, our coach takes us to Osaka and Kansai International Airport for the flight to Seoul. In Seoul, we'll change planes and fly south to Hong Kong on mainland China. We'll check into our hotel near the shopping districts of Hong Kong in preparation for tomorrow's walk and activities, and the next twelve days of exploration and adventure in China.

Day 9

Activities in: Hong Kong
Today's walk: Hong Kong, China, 8 km

Though officially part of the People's Republic of China, China (the largest Communist country in the world) since July 1, 1997, Hong Kong retains most of its free-wheeling, capitalistic flavor. After a long day of flying yesterday, we'll start a bit later this morning with a walk on Hong Kong Island. The event begins with a ride on the nostalgic Star Ferry, a fleet of veteran ships that have been plying the waters between the Kowloon Peninsula, where our hotel is located, and Hong Kong Island for many decades. You'll have excellent views of the dramatic Hong Kong skyline from the deck of the ship. Once on the island, our route takes us up an 800 meter long moving walkway called the Hillside Escalator Link ("travelator" by the locals). At the top we enter the Zoological & Botanical Gardens en route to the Peak Tram, which will carry us 1,500 feet up the side of Victoria Peak to the summit. Here, after a stop for lunch, we'll stroll a forest loop trail on the Peak that offers stunning views out over Victoria Harbor and the skylines of both Central Hong Kong and Kowloon. The final leg of the walk takes us back down the Peak Tram, to the Star Ferry, and over to our hotel in Kowloon. Later this evening, you're invited to join us for a memorable dining experience. We'll be transferred by coach to Aberdeen, a waterfront town which serves a hive-like harbor teeming with watercraft of all shapes, sizes, and descriptions. Our destination is Jumbo's Floating Restaurant, bobbing serenely in the water amidst the confusion and congestion of the harbor traffic. After this unique Chinese welcome dinner, we'll return to the hotel for our second night.

Day 10

Departing from:  Hong Kong

After nine days of unforgettable walks, mind-expanding excursions, and full schedules, the bulk of today is free to explore Hong Kong on your own. Our hotel should be within walking distance of intriguing old-style markets and conventional modern shops. We'll rendezvous at the coach at 3:00 pm for a drive to the Hong Kong Airport. An evening flight takes us to Guilin, in the south China province of Guangxi.

Day 11

Departing from:  Guilin
Today's excursion: Li River Cruise

The Li River has been a prime subject for Chinese artists for thousands of years. This winding, tranquil waterway provides perfect reflections of the majestic limestone peaks that poke up from the surrounding plains for miles in every direction. Our day begins with a cruise downriver from Guilin. After time to soak in the serenity of panorama upon panorama, and lunch aboard ship, we'll arrive in Yangshuo, our destination for today. You'll have the afternoon free to explore this enigmatic village set among the limestone pinnacles. This is your first chance to explore the real China (Hong Kong doesn't count), and yet even here the long arm of tourism has transformed the economy and atmosphere. The main shopping lane is complete with western-style cafes serving banana pancakes and hamburgers, silk screen t-shirts with American themes, and shops blaring western music. But if you wander off the main street, the real China is waiting...

Day 12

Departing from: Yangshuo
Today's walk: Yangshuo country walk, 10 km

One of our favorite walks of this Adventure is this morning's trail through rural Yangshuo. You won't soon forget the images of this walk -- barefoot farmers walking down dirt roads, plows slung over one shoulder, water buffalo on a lead in the other hand, women working the rice paddies and vegetable patches, orange groves, stands of bamboo, brilliant yellow fields of rape, and quiet fish ponds reflecting the panoramas. Towering over all are those incredible karsts, poking up through the fertile farm land like an army of limestone warriors guarding the rural way of life of these Chinese peasants. From Yangshuo, we return to Guilin for an evening flight to Chongqing, our staging point for the Yangtze River cruise. Upon arrival, we'll be transferred to the ship and spend the night aboard in preparation for tomorrow's early departure.

Day 13

Departing from: Chongqing
Today's excursion: Fengdu

We cruise downriver, this morning, on Victoria Cruises, a ship with a capacity of about 160 passengers (all rooms are outside cabins with windows). At 3,955 miles, the Yangtze is Asia's longest river and the third longest in the world. It acts as a natural divide between northern and southern China, both geographically and culturally, and provides us with a thrilling opportunity to witness, first-hand, the contrasts of ancient and modern China. More than any other cross-section of the country, this river tells a story of five millennia of China -- flooding and drought, empires and anarchy, tradition and revolution, and heartache and hope. Our first stop is Fengdu, the "City of Devils," a town strongly influenced by the union of two families from the time of the Tang dynasty whose family names, by chance, combined to create the name "King of Hell." Over succeeding generations, the superstitions of the townspeople has produced a multitude of temples and statues ornately decorated with the figures of demons.

Day 14

Today's excursion: Three Smaller Gorges

One of the scenic highlights along the Yangtze is the area known as the Three Gorges. A pair of towering mountains guard the entrance to Qutang Gorge like massive stone sentries. At five miles in length, Qutang is the shortest, narrowest, and possibly the most spectacular of the Three Gorges. Beyond Qutang Gorge we'll transfer from our cruise ship to wooden, motorized Sampans and motor up the pristine waters of Daning River. Daning River, a Yangtzetze tributary, runs through the Three Smaller Gorges, not to be confused with their larger namesakes along the Yangtze. The first of the smaller gorges, Longmen Xia (Dragon Gate Gorge) is guarded by precipitous cliffs perforated by two rows of over 6,000 two-inch holes -- the remains of a 62-mile long bamboo pipeline used to transport brine in the third century. The second gorge, Bawu Xia (Misty Gorge) boasts more dramatic peaks and a series of caves. The last of the gorges, Dicui Xia (Emerald Green Gorge) is lined with bamboo stands where monkeys and birds compete with each other noisily to announce our arrival. Upon returning to the ship back on the Yangtze, we'll proceed through Wu Xia (Witches Gorge), the second of the Three Gorges. Witches Gorge is 25 miles long with cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates to the base of the twelve unique peaks that distinguish this stretch of the river. Our evening will be spent in the quaint port town of Zigui where we'll enjoy a dance performance provided by local entertainers.

Day 15

Today's excursion: Visit to Three Gorges Dam

This morning begins with a trip through Xiling Gorge, the last of the Three Gorges. At 41 miles long and 4,000 feet deep, it is the longest and deepest of the three and is actually comprised of seven consecutive smaller gorges. It also marks the end of the most scenic part of our voyage. For the past three days, you've been enjoying sights that will be available to travelers for just six more years. Beyond the eastern end of Xiling Gorge lies the site of the Three Gorges Dam, a project initially proposed in 1919, now finally scheduled for completion in 2008. When finished, this $60 billion project will displace over 1.5 million people and cover 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1,352 villages. On the other hand, benefits will include an end to a millennium of devastating flood damage and will provide much needed drought control and hydroelectric power.

Day 16

Today's excursion: City tour of Wuhan

Our Yangtze cruise finishes this afternoon in the city of Wuhan. Situated at the center of the navigable section of the Yangtze River, Wuhan has a long history inextricably connected with the river. One of the largest (four million people) and most cosmopolitan of China's interior cities, it was historically part of the Wu Kingdom and is presently capital of Hubei Province. After a coach tour of the city's highlights, we'll check into our hotel in preparation for our morning flight to Xi'an tomorrow.

Day 17

Departing from: Wuhan
Today's excursion: Army of Terracotta Warriors
Optional excursion: Tang Dynasty Dinner Show

We leave Wuhan this morning by plane, bound for one of the greatest cities of antiquity. In 221 B.C., Qin Shihuang became the first emperor to unite the many warring kingdoms and independent areas of China. He built his capital only a few miles from present day Xi'an. Then in the 6th century, the powerful Tang dynasty established Chang'an on the site of present-day Xi'an, building it into the largest and most impressive city in Asia. In 1974, one of the truly astounding archeological discoveries of the 20th century occurred in a field outside of Xi'an. Peasants digging a well uncovered parts of an underground vault that eventually yielded thousands of life-size, terracotta statues of warriors, each with different facial features and expressions. The soldiers were placed in battle formation over 2,000 years ago, many carrying real weapons of the period, with senior officers and generals in position to command. Their mission was to guard the deceased first emperor, Qin Shihuang, in the afterlife. We'll tour the dig where some 6,000 warriors remain to be unearthed, and you'll have a chance to view an exquisite pair of half-size bronze horses and chariots discovered in 1980.

Day 18

Departing from:  Xi'an

Xi'an is one of the few cities in China where old city walls are still visible. In fact, of all the city walls we've seen on our travels, these are probably the most impressive. Before leaving Xi'an, you'll have a chance to see the walls -- a nine mile circumference, nearly 40 feet tall, and 40 to 45 feet across at the top that form a veritable elevated highway. From Xi'an, we fly to Beijing, first elevated to the status of capital in 1278 when Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, made it the center of his Yuan dynasty. Though built and rebuilt over the following centuries, Beijing's period of most rapid change is arguably that of the past ten years as Beijing has acquired, in places, the appearance of any modern western city. Nevertheless, its links to the past remain, and are reluctant to yield quietly to the juggernaut of technology and commerce.

Day 19

Today's walk: Summer Palace Stroll, Beijing, 10 km
Optional excursion: Chinese Acrobat Show

Today's walk is a lovely stroll through the Summer Palace gardens and complex built as a summer getaway for the imperial family. Highlights along the route include several kilometers on Kunming Lake, a marble boat built by the infamous Empress Dowager Cixi (with funds earmarked to build a modern navy -- a choice which resulted in China's loss of Hong Kong and Macau), and the Long Corridor, a 700-meter long, covered, lakeside walkway decorated with mythical scenes.

Day 20

Today's walk: The Great Wall Walk, 10 km
Today's excursion: Badaling restored section of Great Wall

One of the joys of planning this tour was setting up our walk at the Great Wall. But the challenging aspect of planning a walk here was the very steepness of the grades the Wall has conquered. We found a wonderful solution at a lesser known, unrestored section of the Wall that offers relatively easy walking with great views of the Wall. The route includes a stroll along a country road and through a couple of villages where life has changed little in the last 1,000 years. Finally, we leave the second village on an ancient stone pathway that climbs through a ravine to one of three passes in this section of the Wall. Here, with very little effort, you can actually stand on the wall and get close-up photos. This is not a normal tourist site! Be prepared for the stares of curious villagers.

At the end of this memorable walk, we'll drive to Badaling, a restored section of the Wall, for our lunch break. Though the commercialization of the Wall here can be repugnant (American fast food franchises, cable cars to take you to the top, and an army of exceedingly persistent street vendors), it's worth the chance to see what the Wall would have looked like at its completion. farm houseFrom Badaling, we return to Beijing where we'll share one more oriental meal together during our farewell dinner this evening, then pack our bags in preparation for our return trip home.

Day 21

Departing from:  Beijing

After thirteen days exploring the mysteries of this ancient land, we say "goodbye" to China this morning and catch a Korean Air flight to Seoul. Here we change planes and fly east across the International Date Line to Los Angeles bringing home many wonderful memories of our adventures exploring the Wonders of the Orient.