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Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions
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Zegrahm Expeditions Announces 2007 Voyage Lineup

SEATTLE, Washington—Planning the trip of a lifetime can be overwhelming at best. Planning the trip of a lifetime to far-flung destinations, such as exploring coastal India from Bombay to Calcutta or island hopping in the Azores archipelago can be downright daunting.

 “For some places in the world….tours may be more a practical way to travel than going it alone, especially if, like most workaholic Americans, you’ve only got two weeks a year to tackle that challenging but worthwhile destination,” notes National Geographic Traveler in its October, 2006 Next Great Places issue.

This is why Seattle-based Zegrahm Expeditions works diligently every year to offer new and exotic destinations; and that approach is, in turn, what landed Zegrahm on National Geographic Travelers “50 Tours of a Lifetime” list in its most recent issue.

“Our expeditions span the globe from Pole to Pole,” says Scott Fitzsimmons, Zegrahm Expeditions’ President. “Each year we continually revise and expand our list of destinations and we custom design our itineraries to the places our travelers most want to visit.”

Zegrahm Expeditions has mastered expedition travel, giving guests the rare opportunity to explore intimately by land and by chartered ship. The number of travelers on each expedition is intentionally kept small, so a voyage with Zegrahm and its world-class lecturers and expedition leaders offers much more than a “worthwhile destination.”

Zegrahm has once again added new itineraries spanning the globe, next year featuring destinations from the Arabian Gulf to the White Sea:

Sands of Time: A Voyage from Oman to the Arabian Gulf, is a journey through the natural, cultural and historical wonders of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. Guests will sail aboard the elegant 75-passenger Le Levant taking in windswept dunes, soaring mountains and ancient cultures on this 14-day tour departing in January and March 2007. A visit to a private museum showcasing Omani’s rich cultural heritage, the World Heritage Site of Bahla and its sprawling fortress; exploring the limestone cliffs and turquoise waters of the Musandam Peninsula aboard a local dhows, Qatar’s National Stable, which houses the famed Arabian horses; visits to the area’s bustling camel and sheep markets and colorful souqs, and Abu Dhabi’s “Manhattan of the Gulf” skyline are but a few of the tour highlights.

Splendors of India is a journey through the aromatic markets, World Heritage Sites, sacred architecture, and remote villages of southern India. Four inaugural voyages in January and February 2007 will take guests along the uniquely different coasts of west or east India on 14- and 16-day tours. Two comprehensive itineraries - Calcutta to Bangalore and Madras to Bombay - are designed to immerse travelers in India’s rich ethnic and religious heritage, its dazzling array of architectural wonders and its amazing natural diversity. Stroll through gracious parks, fascinating markets and colorful bird sanctuaries. Drive through tea, rubber and cashew nut plantations. Meet the welcoming residents of tiny villages, and witness ancient martial arts demonstrations and traditional dances. Both coastal tours may be combined for the complete India experience.

Islands of Diversity immerses travelers in the ultramarine seas and lush tropical islands of Indonesia.  Steeped in myth and ritual, these islands offer an impressive variety of cultures, flora, fauna and marine life. Zegrahm offers two itineraries in 2007 departing in March that can be taken together for a complete Indonesia experience. These voyages will traverse New Guinea’s Asmat, Spice Islands, Bali, Komodo, Sulawesi and Borneo. Forest and shore walks, snorkeling and diving among coral reefs and an up close viewing of Komodo Island’s giant monitor lizard are some of the excursions to enjoy when not on board the 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey. Taken individually, each tour is 16 days.

White Seas Odyssey takes travelers to the northernmost reaches of Europe, across the Arctic Circle to the lands where ice and wildlife rule aboard the 110-passenger Clipper Adventurer. The Spitsbergen and The White Sea 17-day voyage features Zodiac excursions to view polar bears, walrus, seals and birdlife; a visit to the northernmost permanent settlement in the world, tours of Russian and Scandinavian whaling and hunting villages and the Solovetskiy archipelago, with its monastery-fortress, prehistoric burial mounds and mystical labyrinths. After exploring St. Petersburg, the 15-day White Sea and Arctic Norway voyage, departs from Arkhangelsk, once the main seaport in medieval Russia. This tour takes guests through a variety of land and Zodiac excursions in the White Sea, and traces Norway’s rugged fjord-riddled coastline to Tromsoe, “Gateway to the Arctic,” for a distant view of the Lyngen Alps. Both voyages depart in August 2007.

Zegrahm offers a list of voyages that are perennial favorites including Antarctica, the Galapagos, several Mediterranean voyages, Vietnam, the Black Sea, and Palau and Yap to name a few. Detailed itineraries, pricing information and a free 2007 Travel Calendar can be found at www.zeco.com or by calling 800-628-8747.

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