Explore this magnificent land of extremes with study leader Frank Ackerman, former Death Valley National Park Ranger.

Visit Badwater Salt Flats (282 feet below sea level) and enjoy a stunning panoramic view of all 11,049 feet of Telescope Peak. Hike through the multi-hued walls of Golden Canyon; experience sunrise at Zabriskie Point; and visit Ubehebe Crater. Learn about the park’s dramatic geology and remarkably hardy flora and fauna, and perhaps experience wildflowers in bloom.

Join a 13-day expedition to Patagonia during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, and featuring study leader Dr. Jared Diamond, author of five best-selling books about human societies and human evolution.   

From the capital city of New Delhi to the breathtaking vistas of Rajasthan, take in this colorful and mind-boggling country. Admire the magnificent work of Mughal architecture at the Taj Mahal; take an elephant ride at Amber Fort; and discover the opulent forts and palaces of Jaipur.  

Stay two nights at the famed Pushkar Camel Fair, where locals come to trade, parade and race camels.  Search for the elusive Bengal tiger and other wildlife at the Ranthambore Tiger Preserve. Witness Hindu pilgrims performing their rituals on the Ganges River in Varanasi.

Explore Tehran including the vault of the Bank Milli Iran to view the spectacular Crown Jewels. Visit the Contemporary Art Museum and a local gallery to learn about the local art scene. Explore Kerman’s Grand Bazaar, and visit Shiraz, city of poetry and gardens. Experience the magnificent ruins of Persepolis. Discover Yazd, the country's center of Zoroastrianism, and where the most traditional Persian architecture is found.

Experience Cairo’s Egyptian Museum and the open-air museum at Memphis. Encounter the enigmatic Sphinx. Explore the necropolis at Sakkara and the astounding Pyramids of Giza. Relax during a deluxe 3-night cruise on Lake Nasser. Discover the temples at Abu Simbel and Aswan’s temples at Kalabsha. A 4-night Nile River felucca cruise takes you from Aswan to Luxor, the pinnacle of Egyptian architecture. Visit the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, and the great complex of Karnak.  Return to Cairo and see the 5th-century St. Sergius Church and Ben Erza Synagogue.

Begin your 17-day journey in Poland’s capital, Warsaw. Explore the faithfully rebuilt Old Town, and visit the Poline Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Travel south for a guided visit of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Continue to Krakow, and visit the Old Town and Market Square. Take an excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore Budapest and view the scenic Danube Bend. Attend a classical music performance in Vienna and tour majestic Schönbrunn Palace. Experience old-world Bratislava and meet a local family at their restaurant.

Discover the fascinating mix of cultures left in the wake of ancient empires while traveling across the historic Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas to the resplendent islands of Malta, Sicily and Capri and Italy’s southern coast during the best time of year.