Far Horizons Blog
Traveling along the Silk Road through Western China
A post-trip interview with 2016 trip participant, Kip Lilly How long was your trip to China and where did you visit? This trip was two and a half weeks long and went west from Xian following the original Silk/Tea/Jade road (Dunhuang, Turpan, Hotan, Kashgar,...
Orkney Islands, Scotland: Pictish carved stone with dragon motif discovered
(photo courtesy of Dr. Hugo Anderson-Whymark, archaeologist) The Orkney Islands, an archipelago of 70 islands off the northeastern coast of Scotland, has what some consider to be the greatest concentration of archaeological sites in Scotland. Here, in the eastern...
Myanmar: Land of Golden Pagodas
By Heather Stoeckley If there is one word to describe my experiences in Myanmar, it would be shwe. It means ‘golden’ in the Burmese language, and from the moment of arrival, it epitomizes everything one sees in this enchanting country. This word is frequently used in...
Climate Change Causes Disappearance of Ancestral Pueblo People in American Southwest
Droughts of just five or ten years were enough to prompt major shifts in the small niches where Pueblo people grew maize, their major crop.
Human Existence in Ireland…Remarkable Discovery!
Co. Clare Cave is the site of a remarkable archaeological discovery! And now the date of human existence in Ireland has been pushed back 2,500 years! What does this mean? A rewriting of Irish archaeology and a new chapter in the human colonization of the island....
What’s the Origin of Ireland’s Name?
"In Gaelic myth, Ériu, Banbha and Fódla were three goddesses who greeted the Milesians upon their arrival in Ireland, and who granted them custody of the island. Ériu is generally believed to have been the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, or simply...
When was Persia renamed “Iran”…and Why?
The Iran Tour with Far Horizons will demonstrate that Iran (also known historically as Persia) is a world both ancient and contemporary, linking the heartland of Asia and the cradle of Western civilization, a bridge between East and West. The name Persia is actually...
Petra: A Cultural and Educational Tour + Luxury Travel!
Far Horizon Archaeological and Cultural Tours journeys to The Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a land that has preserved a remarkable character unlike any other in the Near East, with three full days exploring Petra. Ruled by King Abdullah, the people have an...
Celebrate National Parks Centennial in the American Southwest!
On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service turns 100! People everywhere have embraced the opportunities to explore, learn, be inspired and have fun in the 407 national parks across America. There’s no better place to celebrate the National Parks Centennial than in...
“The Snake Kingdom” of the Ancient Maya!
The Petex-Batún is the most inaccessible and rarely-visited region of Guatemala. Today it is lightly populated, and yet more than 1,500 years ago Maya rulers jockeyed for supremacy as they created immense cities here. During the 1990s mounting evidence indicated that...
Discover the Secrets of Petra
The Lost and Found City of Petra Literally carved directly into vibrant red, white, pink, and sandstone cliff faces, the prehistoric Jordanian city of Petra was “lost” to the Western world for hundreds of years. Located amid rugged desert canyons and mountains in...
Ychsma Mummies Discovered…On Far Horizons Peru Itinerary!
The Ychsma people ruled a large area of Peru, until the Inca conquered it just 63 years before the Spanish Conquistadors came and pillaged Peru in 1470. Now four Ychsma culture mummies — three women and one man— were unearthed by a team of archaeologists at Huaca...
Queen Rania, Far Horizons, & the Splendors of Jordan!
The Royal Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a charming land that has preserved a remarkable character unlike any other in the Near East. Ruled by King Abdullah, the people have an unparalleled reputation for hospitality, from the office worker in the city to the Bedouin...
The Maya Hieroglyphics…
Deep in the remote southern area along the border with Guatemala, recent excavations have exposed remains of pyramids and cities that until recently, were nearly impossible to reach. Hieroglyphic texts found here are changing our knowledge of the Maya by revealing...
The Trail of Gonzalo Guerrero & the Maya people He Supported
Five hundred years ago the first contact between the great civilizations of Mesoamerica and Europe was just beginning. But it did not begin with Cortes' landing in Mexico in 1519. Eight years earlier, a small lifeboat from a shipwrecked Spanish vessel drifted ashore...
Who was Frederick Catherwood? Far Horizons explains…
Who was Frederick Catherwood? Here's the incredible story... One day in 1839, English explorer Frederick Catherood and American explorer John Lloyd Stephens climbed the crumbling steps of the pyramids in the Maya city of Copán. The pyramids had been overgrown by the...
Who were the Toltecs? And why are they so mysterious?
The Toltecs are the most mysterious and controversial group from ancient Mesoamerica. The interpretation of their importance to the greater cultural traditions of the region have ranged from seeing them as the “mother culture” from which all others sprang, to a group...
What is Easter Island’s “Tapati Festival?”
Easter Island lies at the southeastern tip of the Polynesian triangle and is one of the most remote spots on the planet. Surrounded by an endless ocean as blue as the sky and located 2,300 miles west of Santiago, Chile, this tiny dot of land is sixty square miles of...
In Search of the Crown Jewel at Angkor, Cambodia
Cambodia... The alarm clock sounds at 5:15am; it is still dark despite the curtains being drawn. I’m not a morning person by nature, but by now – our sixth day on the trip – I am used to our departures at dawn… And, moreover, I understand their importance in our...
Far Horizons Travels by Helicopter & Truck Thru the Jungle in the Path of the Snake Kingdom!
Far Horizons has a unique adventure in store for you! In Guatemala, The Petex-Batún is the most inaccessible and rarely-visited region. Today it is lightly populated, and yet more than 1,500 years ago Maya rulers jockeyed for supremacy as they created immense cities...
THE Egyptologist and Art Historian lead “Majesty of Egypt”
Professor Bob Brier is not only one of the nation’s leading Egyptologists, but a brilliant lecturer and renowned storyteller. Patricia Remler is an author, photographer, & art historian. She's the author of Egyptian Mythology A - Z. “As I have told every single...
Ethiopia and the Omo Valley
The Omo Valley of southern Ethiopia is one of the last undiscovered places in the world. Three of Ethiopia’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites are found here and more than 200,000 people representing many different ethnic groups call the area home. Here you will...
The Wonders of the Horn of Africa!
Ethiopia, formerly called Abyssinia, is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. Perched atop Africa’s highest plateau, the country is protected by forbidding deserts and tropical lowlands. Despite its apparent mountainous isolation, Ethiopia has long been...
Rock-hewn churches at Lalibela, Ethiopia
After spending most of the day walking the narrow, rock-cut passageways below ground level that characterize the northern group of churches in Lalibela, it seems odd to have wide-open space and mountain air surrounding us as I stroll toward the Church of St. George,...
Bob Brier’s new book on Egyptomania
Are you an Egyptophile at heart? Well, Bob Brier - Far Horizons study leader for our trips to Egypt and Sudan - just published a new book that will validate your passion for all things Egyptian. Egyptomania tells the long and vast story of how the world has always...
Unlocking Past Traditions in London
“Hault, who comes there?” “The keys!” “Whose keys?” “Queen Elizabeth’s keys!” Thus was the exchange between the sentry and the Chief Warder, in the dark of night, as our small group of privileged onlookers stood engrossed. With that final statement to identify the...
Did you know that the Viking woodworking skills were used to create churches?
Archaeological examination of Viking ships and stave churches suggest a substantial mastery of woodworking and engineering in Viking culture. Steeped in Viking history, these churches derive their name from its post (stav in Norwegian) and lintel construction. The...
Do you know why castles were constructed with moats?
These bodies of water surrounding fortresses reduced the risk of tunneling. One of the most serious forms of attack was to undermine part of a castle. The 'miners' were called Sappers. They would dig a tunnel underneath one of the corners using timber props (‘...
What do you know about the Moors, the Islamic Conquerors of Spain?
Did you know that the Moors, who ruled Spain for 700 years, introduced new scientific techniques to Europe, such as an astrolabe, a device for measuring the position of the stars and planets? Did you know that the Great Mosque of Córdoba (La Mezquita) is still one of...
The Romans had wooden toilet seats?
Sited along Hadrian’s Wall, the massive defensive fortifications that delineated the northern border of the Roman Britain, Vindolanda was one of the garrisons built to house soldiers. Excavations here have uncovered many exciting finds – officer’s residences and...