Asia’s Golden Season

Terracotta warriors, Xi'an China ©Andrew Harper

One of the best times to visit China is in October, when the winds change and bring cool, dry air down from the Tibetan plateau and the trees glow with fall colors. In India and Indochina, October heralds an end to the monsoon and the heat of summer. Abercrombie & Kent takes full advantage of Asia’s loveliest season, arranging some particularly tempting small-group tours featuring memorable insider experiences: * Most visitors to Xi’an must view the famed terracotta warriors from walkways above the excavations, but participants in the “Highlights of China” and “China’s Living Heritage” tours can view the statues at eye level. * The “Yangzi Passage” and “China’s Living Heritage” tours include visits to the Shaanxi History Museum, where guests can actually handle artifacts from the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). * Depending on which tour you choose, you might also explore traditional villages in rural Yunnan, visit a Shanghai artist’s studio or take a calligraphy lesson from a shaman in Lijiang. * The “Images of Indochina” tour also includes a number of special moments, but we were most excited to see that participants would visit foliage-engulfed Ta Prohm — one of Angkor’s most evocative temple complexes — early in the morning, before busloads of tourists spoil the atmosphere. A&K’s guests experience extraordinary Angkor Wat in a similar manner, entering through the back just before sunrise. * Nor does the “Essence of India” tour skimp on insider experiences, such as a private cocktail party on Udaipur’s palace-lined Lake Pichola and a blessing from a Hindu priest in Jaipur. All of these departures are guaranteed with a minimum of two guests, making an A&K tour a risk-free proposition. A maximum of between 12 and 24 travelers allows the group to stay in the best luxury hideaways and ensures that all participants receive individualized service and attention. As an

Andrew Harper subscriber, if you reserve one of Abercrombie & Kent’s small-group journeys, you receive 5% off the land arrangements of your next A&K small-group journey, as well as a complimentary Marco Polo Club membership. For more information about these tours or to plan a custom tour to Asia, contact the Andrew Harper Travel Office at (800) 375-4685, (630) 734-4610 or [email protected].