Through a series of meetings and guest speakers we learn about art, dance, medicine, history, education, religion and the economy. This is an extensive and intense learning experience built on the foundation of meeting Cubans and creating a meaningful exchange of ideas and information. Explore the old city as we learn about Havana's history and architecture. Meet with farmers and visit an artist community project in the Vinales Valley. See how small private enterprises are growing throughout the island. Converse with students during a visit to the premier art school in the country.

Join Ambassador Marilyn McAfee and Maya Expert Bruce Love as we explore the natural wonders and the marvels of Mayan art and architecture on this thrilling voyage to Belize and Guatemala aboard the 138-guest Yorktown. Belize is so rich in spectacular scenery and unspoiled wildlife habitats that it seems the entire country is a nature preserve. Expience the bird sanctuaries of Half Moon Cay and see the antics of howler monkeys in the tree tops on our visit to Mayflower Bocawina National Park.

Join us for this spectacular 14-day journey featuring a nine-night cruise to Antarctica, Earth’s last frontier. Cruise aboard the exclusively chartered, intimate M.S. L’Austral, the finest vessel in Antarctic waters, combining innovative design with personalized service and featuring private balconies in 95% of the deluxe, outside suites and staterooms.

Experience the best of southern Africa, a diverse region poised along a beautiful coastline, breathtaking mountains and expansive plains. Visit cosmopolitan Cape Town and take in views from Table Mountain. Walk in Nelson Mandela’s footsteps on Robben Island and tour Soweto in Johannesburg. Continue on a 3-day safari near Kruger National Park and search for elephant, lion, and rhino. Then take a two-night deluxe train journey from Pretoria to Victoria Falls, aboard Rovos Rail. Witness the power and majesty of one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World at Victoria Falls.

Through a series of meetings and guest speakers we learn about art, dance, medicine, history, education, religion and the economy. This is an extensive and intense learning experience built on the foundation of meeting Cubans and creating a meaningful exchange of ideas and information. Explore the old city as we learn about Havana's history and architecture. Meet with farmers and visit an artist community project in the Vinales Valley. See how small private enterprises are growing throughout the island. Converse with students during a visit to the premier art school in the country.

Circle the globe on a 21-day journey, exploring the lands of the sky worshippers and witness a rare total solar eclipse in Australia. Explore legendary remnants of early civilizations in Tikal, Machu Picchu, Easter Island, and Petra. Encounter the thriving traditional cultures and natural wonders of Australia, Indonesia, and India.
 

Journey to Cuba and discover this fascinating island nation in Commonwealth Club fashion. Through a series of meetings, discussions, and guest speakers we learn about art, dance, history, education, religion and the economy. This is an extensive and intense learning experience built on the foundation of meeting Cubans and creating a meaningful exchange of ideas and information. 

Join study leader Dr. Donald Stadtner as we being our journey in Yangon. Visit temples, pagodas, and sacred Buddhist shrines. Admire the decaying colonial facades of the city, and enjoy a reception at the U.S. ambassador’s residence. Continue to Mandalay, the economic hub of Upper Burma and considered the center of Burmese culture. Discover the remarkable ruins Pagan, the ancient capital of the country and once a vast and populous kingdom. Fly through Bangkok to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Join Cathy Curtis, Bay Gourmet Member-Led Forum Chair, for a food and wine adventure in Paso Robles. The region’s first grapes were planted in 1779 by Franciscan missionaries and today it is home to the third highest concentration of wineries in the United States.

Much has been written about Central Asia's strategic location and its vast untapped reserves of oil and gas. See for yourself the fabled capitals of Silk Road commerce and survey their modern incarnations, arguably even more significant now than when they were at the center of the great trade routes. Join Ambassador John Ordway, as we learn about the Bukhara/Khiva region, with its 600 million barrels of proven oil reserves, and Ashkhabad, capital of Turkmenistan, said to control the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world.