11-Nights Wings Over Asia’s Iconic Monuments - Wings Over the World from $49,995

Abercrombie & Kent: Wings Over Asia’s Iconic Monuments

DAY 1 Beijing, China

Arrive in bustling Beijing, China’s longtime seat of power,where you are met and privately transferred to yourluxurious hotel.

Partake in a privately led tai chi lesson taught by a masterinstructor at the Temple of Heaven, a stunning exampleof classical Ming period architecture. After lunch, take inTiananmen Square before exploring the imperial grandeurof the Forbidden City. Tonight, gather for a special welcomedinner at your hotel.

Begin your day immersed in local daily life as you ride bypedicab through a hutong, a vast yet intimate neighborhoodof small, winding alleyways dating to China’s dynasticperiod. Then, travel to the well-preserved Mutianyu sectionof the Great Wall of China. Ride a cable car to the topof the wall to take in sweeping views of the surroundingmountains. After an on-site champagne toast to this wonderof the world, return to Beijing.

Fly to Xian, a modern city cloaked in over 3,000 years ofhistory. Once the eastern terminus on the Great Silk Road,Xian has become a melting pot of Middle Eastern and Asianinfluences. Upon arrival, enjoy a Chef ’s Table dumpling-makingand noodle-throwing demonstration, followed bylunch. Visit the old city’s Muslim Quarter, with its teemingmarkets and beautiful Great Mosque, a 14th-centurynational heritage site. A blend of classic Chinese templearchitecture and central Asian embellishments make it oneof the most fascinating sites in Xian.

Today, accompanied by a scholar, visit the excavation siteof the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, the life-size armycreated during the Qin Dynasty to protect Qin Shi Huang,China’s first emperor, in his afterlife. More than 8,000remarkably crafted soldiers are spread throughout three digpits, each revealing a unique face. After lunch, enjoy a hands-onexperience at the privately owned Ox Culture & CeramicsMuseum, where you are welcome to touch and handle select objects from its unique exhibits. Tonight, gather for dinner.

Fly to Siem Reap, the town nearest to Angkor Thom andAngkor Wat. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant beforechecking in to your hotel. This evening, enjoy a performanceby the Phare Cambodian Circus. Thrill to a blend of theater,music, dance and modern circus arts that tells a uniquelyCambodian story, presented by the gifted graduates of a localvocational school.

Begin your exploration at Ta Prohm, where the roots ofgreat trees seem to have spilled over the roof of this iconicstone temple. Return to the hotel for the remainder of themorning and part of afternoon at leisure, perhaps enjoyingyour hotel’s pool or other amenities. Head out for a latelunch at a local restaurant before proceeding to exploreAngkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer kingdom. Alsobehold Bayon Temple, with its carved stone faces — bearingbeguiling smiles — of gods, goddesses and other beingsfrom mythology. Later, cruise by gondola on the tranquil Angkor Thom moat while sipping a cool drink on a ScenicSundowner.

Today, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities.

Explore Phnom Koulen National Park by Jeep, relaxingbeside waterfalls and visiting temples.

Venture to Remote Temples, discovering Koh Ker andBeng Mealea with a local expert guide.

Kayak Tonle Sap Lake, gliding among the toweringmangroves guided by a knowledgeable local.

Later in the afternoon, return to your hotel. This evening,enjoy a progressive dinner experience, stopping at differentlocales via tuk-tuk.

Rise early to experience the incomparable serenity of asunrise over mystical Angkor Wat before exploring the vasttemple complex with a local expert. Fly to Yogyakarta on theisland of Java, home to the fascinating archaeological sites ofBorobudur and Prambanan. Continue to your hotel set amidrice terraces in the countryside.

Begin your cultural discovery with a visit to a batik makingworkshop and small coffee plantation. Learn about thecultivation and harvest process as well as the traditionalroasting techniques. Drive to the rural village of Candirejo,travelling by dokar (horse-drawn cart) as you cross smalllanes lined with traditional houses. Observe daily life and getto know the residents.

Rise early to watch the sun rise from Dagi Hill, andafterward explore Borobudur. Learn the history behind theconstruction of this terraced, three-dimensional mandala, aUNESCO World Heritage Site. Drive to the UNESCO-listedPrambanan Temple compound, the largest Hindu temple sitein Indonesia. Its collection of sharp, jagged temples includesshrines dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Tonight,enjoy a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, you are privately transferred to the airportfor your departing flight.