International - Sierra Club International Trips

Sierra, Jan, 2000

Explore the world with respect for other cultures and concern for the global environment. Challenge yourself to hike through Sherpa villages to remote Buddhist monasteries. Realize your dream of floating beneath a rainforest canopy to the music of quetzals and howler monkeys. Feed your soul with the green hues of the English countryside on the Coast-to-Coast walk. Sierra Club International Trips offer a unique opportunity to explore the world's wild places with like-minded Sierra Club members. Experienced leaders will introduce you to their favorite destinations, local people and their customs, as well as conservation issues.

KEEP IN MIND:

Accommodations range from remote camps and huts to cozy inns or comfortable hotels. Be sure to read the trip brochure to determine which outing is right for you. Most International Trip fees are tiered (see the Reservation and Cancellation Policy for an explanation). Airfare is not included in the trip prices.

Africa

The Road to Timbuktu: A Cultural Experience in Tribal West Africa. January 22-February 9. Leader: Ruth Dyche. Price: $3,875 (10-12)/$4,175 (9 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00510A]

Tanzania: Wildlife, Culture, and Zanzibar Too! June 10-24. The largest concentration of wildlife in the world is found in Tanzania. We'll visit the premier game reserves of this facinating country, enjoying many opportunities to observe and photograph the birds and animals that reside there. The trip will include visits with native people and culminate with a flight to the fabled island of Zanzibar. Accommodations will be varied and comfortable. Leader: Ruth Dyche. Price: $3,955; Dep: $200. [00560A]

South Africa: Magnificent Diversity. September 10-22. Undoubtedly the African continent is one of the most diverse places in the world. It has it all--flowers, exotic plants, marine life of two oceans, deep canyons and soaring mountains, exquisite birds, and superb game viewing. From the Cape of Good Hope to our safari in the north near Kruger National Park, we'll have optional hiking along beaches and on mountain and forest trails and stay in comfortable guest houses and lodges. A flight within South Africa included. Leader: Carolyn Castleman. Price: $4575 (10-13)/ $4,675 (9 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00640A]

Tanzania Wildlife Safari. February 6-20, 2001. An itinerary similar to [00560A] above, during high season, without Zanzibar but with additional walking safaris. Leader: Wayne Martin. Price: $4,495; Dep: $200. [01710A]

Asia

Springtime in the Annapurnas, Nepal. March 14-30. Leader: Tim Wernette. Price: $1,495 (11-14); $1,695 (10 or fewer). Dep: $200. [00525B]

Springtime in the Annapurnas, Nepal. March 21-April 7. Leader: Jim Sumrall. Price: $1,495 (11-14); $1,695 (10 or fewer). Dep: $200. [00525A]

Springtime Ecstacy in South and Central China. April 16-29. Leader: John Bird. Price: $2,415 (13-16); $2,765 (12 or fewer). Dep: $200. [00530A]

Everest Teahouse Trek, Nepal, June 22-July 9. Mt. Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, is the main object of our attention. While approaching the mountain's base we'll visit many villages including Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, and Dingboche. Our 15-day trek through the Solo Khumbu/Sherpa country meanders through beautiful conifer forests and open alpine hillsides. Two to three days will be spent sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley before and after the trek. Leader: David Horsley Price: $1,845 (10-12)/$2,395 (9 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00575A]

A Mongolian Summer, July 3-17, Wildflowers carpeting protected valleys and sunny steppes, larch forests shading mountain paths, crystal-clear waters supporting our kayaks, hospitable nomads offering us fresh, cool yogurt made from cow and yak milk--expect this and more on a hiking, riding, and kayaking journey in the land of Genghis Khan. We'll climb the mountains to find the summer residences of the Reindeer people, the Tsaatan, and enjoy attending the Nadaam Festival in Renchinlhumbe. Leader: Sally Vogel Price: $3,735 (8-10)/$3,895 (7 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00535A]

Mustang: The Forbidden Kingdom of Lo, Nepal. July 6-26. Closed to foreigners until recently, the Tibetan kingdom of Lo Mustang is an autonomous province of Nepal north of the awe-inspiring Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs. This unearthly land high on the Tibetan Plateau has unparalleled contrasts--desolate landscape, Buddhist monasteries, and a proud Tibetan culture. Traveling from Kathmandu, we slip north through one of the world's deepest gorges; in an ever-changing landscape from the lush tropics to a dry high desert, finally arriving at the gates of Lo, the forbidden city. Leader: Cahit Kitaplioglu. Price: $2,845 (10-12)/$3,295 (9 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00595A]

Jewel in the Ice: Kathmandu-Lhasa, Nepal and Tibet. August 8-28. We'll travel overland by bus from Kathmandu to Lhasa. In Thingri, on the wind-blown Tibetan plateau, we'll deviate from our bus route for a nine-day, yak-supported trek up onto the Rongbuk Glacier and the Everest Base Camp, returning to Thingri by truck to resume our bus trip to Lhasa. En route we'll visit many Tibetan Bhuddist shrines and monasteries. In Lhasa we'll visit the fabled Potala, historic home of the exiled Dalai Lama. We'll also have several days in Kathmandu for sightseeing. Leader: Patrick Colgan. Price: $2,395 (12-15)/$2,545 (11 or fewer); Dep: $200. [00625A]