Three great cultures dominate the history of Mexico: the Olmec, the Maya and the Aztec. These cultures span the period from 1200 BCE to the conquest of Mexico in 1521 by the Spanish commander Hernán Cortés whose conquest is one of the great ‘ripping yarns’ of modern history. Instead of the drier, ‘movie’ landscapes of the north, the tour heads south from Mexico City, staying in towns dominated by Spanish colonial architecture, and travelling through a varied landscape – from thick f... [More]

Share this exciting and rare opportunity to enrich your knowledge and understanding of Russia’s distinctive language and culture in its two great contrasting cities: St Petersburg, Russia’s most European city, favourite haunt of Tsars and authors, and Moscow, resonating with tales of Soviet political intrigue and espionage. From beginners to advanced, all are welcome! Overview of Itinerary This 24-day exploration into Russian language and culture has been especially designed by Mari... [More]

Turkey’s fascinating history stretches back for millennia and encompasses civilisations including the Hittites and Greeks as well as the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. It boasts UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites as well as diverse and spectacular landscapes. While we focus on the Classical and Ottoman periods and sample this extraordinarily rich cultural heritage, we also enjoy and experience the vibrant and flourishing society that awaits today’s travellers. Overview of the... [More]

Not your usual travel or photographic destination, Cuba conjures up a strangely exotic and romantic world of crumbling colonial mansions, narrow cobblestone alleys, 1950s Chevys, daiquiris, giant cigars, Hemingway, the throbbing rhythms of the mambo and salsa, the recollections and fallout of the Cold War! But side by side with Cuba’s glorious past and colourful present, there are also enticing National Parks and seascapes, beautiful flora and fauna. Together, they offer new and exc... [More]

Join Master Photographer Nick Melidonis and SBS journalist, Costas Demetriades on a remarkable journey to the Cyclades Islands nestled in the deep blue Aegean. These iconic islands are renowned for the beauty of their expansive seascapes, whitewashed villages spilling down slopes, blue-domed churches, soaring windmills, and stunning sunsets. For over 7,000 years, mythology and history have shaped these islands – along their beautiful shores the legendary Odysseus once sailed. Enjoy ... [More]

Join Master photographers Nick Melidonis Darren Jew on an Ultimate Borneo tour: Jungle, River, Wildlife and Cultural Adventure in Sarawak and Sabah - 12Day/11 Night Photgraphic and Cultural Tour 29 June – 10 July 2012 Overview of Itinerary Enjoy a unique experience in a fabled jungle-clad land that has captured the imagination of explorers and adventurers for centuries. Award winning master photographers Nick Melidonis, Darren Jew together with expert local guides, will introduce a ... [More]

The Loire Valley – also known as the ‘Garden of France’ - is a land of plenty with generous vineyards, green hills and pastures, and is celebrated for its magnificent châteaux. The region takes us back to France’s crucial moments in history and to some of its finest works of art. Angers, located on the river Maine is referred to as the gateway to the Loire Valley and was once the capital of the Anjou region. The wealth of its heritage has enabled Angers to obtain the prestigious “Vi... [More]

‘If there is one lesson worth retaining from the travails of the Cold War and the miseries it brought in its wake, it is the folly of seeking simple answers to complicated questions. It is a lesson which governments still show no sign of learning.’ (Journalist Philip Short) The Vietnam War, or the American War as it is known locally, stretched from 1965 until the North’s victory in Saigon in 1975 but in reality it was merely one of several Indochina wars as the region fought firstly... [More]

The islands of Sicily and Malta have been shaped by dramatically different waves of civilization. Their history reflects the presence of the ancient Greeks, Arabs, Normans, the Knights of St John, Spanish and the British. The art and culture includes extravagant Baroque churches, major Renaissance paintings, Arab Norman architecture, Byzantine mosaics, and ancient Greek temples and theatres. On Malta, the prehistoric megalithic temples from between 3600 and 2500 BC are the oldest fr... [More]

Come with us across the ‘wine-dark sea’ to Crete, an island of picturesque villages set in spectacular rugged scenery, an island rich in myth, legend and history, both ancient and modern. From the renowned Bronze Age archaeological sites at Knossos and Phaistos, to the architectural gems of the Venetian and Ottoman empires at Chania and Rethymnon and World War II battlefields and villages where Australians and New Zealanders fought, we traverse this beautiful Mediterranean island in... [More]