New Lower Pricig! SIGMAXI EXPEDITIONS THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SOCIETY BETCHART EXPEDITIONS Ic. 17050 Motebello Road, Cupertio, CA 95014-5435 udiscovered africa A Voyage Explorig West Africa s Traditioal Cultures & Hidde Nature Reserves Aboard the 34-Guest Yacht Callisto February 1-13, 2012 Featurig the Rarely Visited Bijagós Islads
oboard educatioal program O this voyage betwee Seegal ad Sierra Leoe, you will be itroduced to a wodrous diversity of life i the rai forests, deserts, ad river valleys we visit. You will also ecouter a rich diversity of cultures as we move through coutries ad regios shaped by a variety of idigeous peoples, subjected to a variety of coloial powers, ad pursuig a variety of social ad political paths sice idepedece. The special lecturers ad oboard staff we have assembled are the ideal guides to help us uderstad the history ad preset circumstaces of this part of West Africa. Guest Lecturer Athropologist Alex de Voogt is curator of Africa Ethology at the America Museum of Natural History. He has published o topics as diverse as seveth-cetury Islam, Nubia architecture, ad the history of writig systems. He is also a leadig expert o the history of board games both i Africa ad beyod. O this program, his lecture topics iclude the spread of board games i West Africa, the developmet of idigeous writig systems, ad the history of shell moey. Expeditio Staff Residet Naturalist Marius Burger is based i Cape Tow, South Africa. After 11 years as a research assistat with the Easter Cape Nature Coservatio, he worked as a herpetologist ad faual specialist with the South Africa Biodiversity Istitute, the Aimal Demography Uit, ad o a umber of Evirometal Impact Assessmet projects. Marius has collaborated with the Smithsoia Istitutio ad WWF-USA i Gabo ad the Cetral Africa Republic. The author of umerous books, articles, ad papers dealig with atural history ad coservatio topics, he lectures widely ad has bee a preseter o a variety of televisio ature programs, icludig o Natioal Geographic ad BBC World. Expeditio Leader Peter Graham s may years of experiece i the travel idustry bega whe he left his ative Lodo ad first wet to sea, as a etertaier. Quickly risig to the positio of Cruise Director, Peter spet several years i the cruise idustry before returig to the theater i a umber of productios, icludig i the West Ed, as well as o televisio ad radio. He remaied ivolved i the travel idustry i a variety of capacities, icludig workig as Expeditio Leader o ships to some of the remotest places i the world. Peter has traveled to all seve cotiets ad has led other expeditios to West Africa, receivig high praise from participats for his kowledge of the regio, his skills as a leader, ad his charm. Saloum River Delta, Seegal For reservatios or iformatio, please cotact Tauya DeYoug at (800) 252-4910
SIGMAXI EXPEDITIONS THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SOCIETY BETCHART EXPEDITIONS Ic. 17050 Motebello Road, Cupertio, CA 95014-5435 Dear Traveler, Eve for a lifetime adveturer, the Bijagós Archipelago is oe of the most obscure places i the world. Few people outside athropological or coservatioist circles have ever heard of this tropical 88-islad chai off the coast of Guiea-Bissau, i West Africa. A couple of years ago, a reporter for The New York Times foud himself there ad wrote that to sped time i these verdat tropical specks is to eter aother world ad aother cetury, though it would be difficult to pipoit exactly which oes. The ihabitats of the islads practice a aimist religio. Nature is holy to them, ad may places are cosidered sacred, much as they had bee i prehistoric times whe the Bijagós people settled the islads (believed to be aroud 9000 b.c.) Such beliefs have helped to preserve the rich biodiversity ad abudat wildlife of the islads, which have bee declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. We will sped three days i this udiscovered archipelago, viewig the wildlife, icludig the rare saltwater hippos foud oly o Orago Islad, ad meet with the friedly Bijagós people ad lear about their aciet culture ad traditios. Our three days i the Bijagós Archipelago are oly oe of the highlights of this uique voyage. Also sail up Seegal s Saloum River ad visit the fishig village of Joal-Fadiout, etirely costructed from crushed seashells. Take i the exuberat musical traditios of Dakar, weave through riverie forests i The Gambia where colobus mokeys gambol, ad veture to the gorgeous, isolated Soumba Waterfalls of Guiea. Witess the marvelous sogs ad daces of Guiea ad feel the pulse of life i the regio s cities. This is the West Africa that few travelers have experieced. Tourism, o a large scale, would destroy these authetic cultures. We must have a small footprit. Ad that s oly possible aboard a ship like the 34-guest yacht Callisto. Please joi us to discover the hidde Africa. Sicerely, Margaret M. Betchart Presidet, Betchart Expeditios Ic. For AAAS Travels ad Sigma Xi Expeditios Cover: Top: Saltwater-dwellig hippos, Orago Islad, Bijagós Archipelago Bottom: A characteristic village i the Bijagós Archipelago
Itierary Wedesday, February 1, 2012 FLY FROM USA Fly to Dakar, Seegal. Thursday, February 2 DAKAR, Seegal EMBARK Arrive i Dakar, Seegal s dyamic capital, ad trasfer to the port to board Callisto. Oce a small settlemet o the Cap Vert peisula, Africa s westermost poit, Dakar has grow ito a great metropolis that ow occupies the etire peisula ad beyod. Sped the ight aboard docked i Dakar. I the eveig, ejoy a show of music ad dace, for which Seegal is justly famous. (D) Friday, February 3 DAKAR GORÉE ISLAND DAKAR Sped the day explorig Dakar, startig with a short ferry ride to historic Gorée Islad, which played a sigificat role i the Atlatic slave trade. First settled by Europeas i the 15 th cetury, the islad, with its arrow alleyways ad coloial buildigs, is ow a UNESCO World Heritage site. Retur to Dakar to visit the IFAN Museum of Africa Arts, oe of West Africa s best, the explore the Marche Soumbedioue, a craft market with the best variety of artisa workmaship, ad ejoy a specially arraged visit to a cotemporary artist s studio. Sail i the eveig. (B, L, D) Saturday, February 4 SALOUM RIVER JOAL-FADIOUT After sailig alog Seegal s coast, Callisto will eter the Saloum River ad achor ear the village of Djifere. Ladig ashore o local motorized pirogues, drive to the fasciatig fishig village of Fadiout, where the houses are built of crushed shells. After explorig Fadiout, cross the woode bridge spaig a estuary to Joal, the birthplace of the great Seegalese statesma, Sédhar Seghor, to watch the haulig-i of the colorful fishig boats. (B, L, D) Bijagós ceremoial dacer photo property of Fudació CBD-habitat Suday, February 5 BANJUL, The Gambia Fouded by the British early i the 19 th cetury, Bajul is the capital ad commercial ceter of The Gambia. Disembark i the morig ad drive to the Abuko Nature Reserve, oe of the last survivig examples of tropical riverie forests i the coutry. Withi its cofies are about 300 species of birds, For reservatios or iformatio, please cotact Tauya DeYoug at (800) 252-4910
The waterways of Seegal s Joal-Fadiout as well as red colobus ad callithrix mokeys. Cotiue to the Makasutu Culture Forest, a private ature habitat with beautiful woodlad ad waterways. Ejoy luch at the reserve. Retur to Bajul to visit the Natioal Museum, whose exhibits illustrate the history ad culture of the coutry. (B, L, D) Moday, February 6 BISSAU, Guiea-Bissau Part of the Mali Empire from the 13 th to 15 th ceturies, ad a coloy of Portugal from the begiig of the 16 th cetury to 1974, whe it gaied idepedece, Guiea-Bissau is oe of the smallest ad least visited coutries i West Africa. Explore Bissau, the coutry s friedly ad peaceful capital, focusig o Bissau Velho (Old Bissau), whose streets are lied with houses datig from the coloial period. Also visit the Badim Market, kow for its good selectio of strip-wove cloth, ad the Cetro Artistico Juveil, where local artists specialize i wood carvigs. (B, L, D) Tuesday, February 7 - Thursday, February 9 BIJAGÓS ARCHIPELAGO Sped three days explorig the Bijagós Archipelago, a cluster of 88 pristie ad seldom visited islads, of which oly 23 are ihabited. The islads have bee settled sice prehistoric times by the Bijagós people, a matriarchal society i which wome choose their husbads, ad the commuity is guided by female priests. Before the arrival of Europeas i the 15 th cetury, the islads were vital i the trade routes alog West Africa s coast ad were kow for their oceagoig caoes that could carry up to 70 people. Fiercely idepedet, the Bijagós avy defeated the Portuguese whe they attempted to coquer the islads i 1535. I fact, the Portuguese were uable to take cotrol of the archipelago util 1936. The 25,000 Bijagós who live o the islads today still practice their aciet traditios ad speak their ethic laguage, i additio to Portuguese. The islads cotai a impressive biodiversity ad abudat flora ad faua, i recogitio of which they have bee declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The pristie ature of the islads has bee preserved partly due to the Bijagós aimistic faith, which prohibits ecoomic activities i the may sacred areas, icludig bas o permaet costructio. Our itierary i the archipelago will be govered by the tides, which i some places ca be up to 20 feet. We expect to visit several of the most importat islads, icludig Orago, which is home to a rare species of saltwater-dwellig hippos; heavily-forested Caogo; ad João Vieira, a breedig groud for marie turtles. I additio to discoverig the atural riches of the islads, we will also have the opportuity to visit villages, meet the friedly Bijagós people, ad lear about their traditios, which have remaied uchaged through the ceturies. There will be opportuities to swim i the crystallie waters ad ejoy the pristie white-sad beaches. (B, L, D) Friday, February 10 CONAKRY, Guiea DUBRÉKA CONAKRY Playig a major role durig the period of West Africa s powerful empires (13 th to 18 th ceturies), ad fought over by the Portuguese, British, ad Frech, Guiea gaied idepedece from Frace i 1958. A coutry of great diversity,
Guiea is also rich i artistic traditios, especially music ad dace. From Coakry, the coutry s capital, drive to Dubréka, a pretty tow surrouded by magrove swamps, which we will explore, icludig the beautiful Soumba Waterfalls. I the tow, visit the Istitut Supérieur des Arts, the coutry s atioal art school, as well as Tafory, a art ceter created by the paiter Nabisco. (B, L, D) Saturday, February 11 FREETOWN, Sierra Leoe With its rich forests, ature reserves, ad whitesad beaches, Sierra Leoe is oe of West Africa s most attractive destiatios. I Freetow, explore the Sierra Leoe Museum, housig a woderful collectio of masks, drums, ad other artifacts; St. George s Cathedral, completed i 1828; ad the city s colorful markets. Also visit the Reget Village, with its early 19 th -cetury Krio-style houses, as well as the Tacugama Chimpazee Sactuary, home to abadoed ad rescued chimps, set i beautiful surroudigs. Overight aboard docked i Freetow. (B, L, D) Suday, February 12 FREETOWN DISEMBARK BUNCE ISLAND FREETOWN FLY TO USA Disembark Callisto i the morig ad take a local motorboat to travel up the magrovelied Sierra Leoe River to Buce Islad, a small islet covered i jugle ad domiated by a massive ruied fort, built by the British i 1670 as a slave tradig post. Retur to Freetow for luch ad time at leisure before trasferrig to the airport for the eveig retur flight to the U.S. Day rooms will be provided at the Hotel Kimbima. (B, L) Moday, February 13 ARRIVE IN THE USA Tacugama Chimpazee Sactuary, Sierra Leoe Market i Dakar, Seegal Program Iclusios 10-ight cruise aboard the 34-guest private yacht Callisto Day rooms i Freetow at the Hotel Kimbima Complete program of tours ad excursios Welcome ad farewell cocktail receptios aboard ship All meals aboard ship, icludig house wie, beer, ad soft driks with luch ad dier Ope bar aboard ship throughout the cruise Educatioal program of lectures ad discussios by accompayig lecturers ad expeditio staff Professioal Travel Dyamics Iteratioal tour staff Complete pre-departure materials Baggage hadlig ad trasfers abroad o the desigated program arrival ad departure dates Port ad embarkatio taxes Gratuities to porters, guides, ad drivers NOT INCLUDED: Airfare; visa ad passport fees (if applicable); luggage ad trip cacellatio isurace; meals, soft driks, ad alcoholic beverages other tha those specified above; persoal expeses such as laudry, telephoe calls, faxes, ad e-mail service; ad gratuities to shipboard persoel
Your Ship for this Voyage, the 34-Guest CALLISTO The most memorable voyages take place aboard a private yacht, where oe is part of a small, select, sociable commuity. Cabis are appoited very comfortably. Public areas, whether idoors or out o deck, are warm, ivitig places where frieds meet for coversatio, a drik, or to pass a pleasat hour with a good book. The cuisie is superb, ad the service is cosiderate ad cogeial. This is the exceptioal experiece you ll ejoy aboard Callisto. A Private Yacht Experiece Callisto, accommodatig just 34 guests, is ideal for our uique approach to cruisig. Her small size allows visits to uspoiled ports, pristie beaches, ad itimate coves ad harbors that have bee familiar to fisherme ad other sailors of small craft for thousads of years, but which are iaccessible to large commercial cruise liers. The limited guest list assures a group large eough to brig together a iterestig mix of travelers, but small eough to foster a geuie spirit of camaraderie. Itimate Elegace All 17 exterior cabis resemble guest rooms i a fie home beautifully furished, comfortably arraged, ad complete with the ameities oe would expect from a thoughtful host: large widows (portholes o Daphe Deck), geerous storage space, climate cotrol, mii-refrigerator, safe, telephoe, TV, DVD/CD player, ad marble bathroom with shower. The yacht s public areas, icludig a elegat restaurat surrouded by large picture widows, a spacious louge ad bar, ad a library (with Iteret access) surrouded by widows, are decorated with rich fabrics, hadsome woodwork, gleamig brass, atiques, ad fie works of art. The yacht also features a Jacuzzi, two broad decks for subathig, ad a swimmig platform. Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship. Fie Diig Callisto s hotel staff requisitios fresh provisios from may ports of call. You will ejoy meus of classic Cotietal fare prepared by expert Europea chefs. Meals are served at a sigle uassiged seatig i the restaurat, or alfresco o the su deck. Select fie wies are complimetary with luch ad dier. Joi us aboard Callisto ad discover for yourself the pleasure of explorig the world from a private yacht. Typical Cabi SWIM PLATFORM SUN DECK 11 10 Deck Pla 19 9 8 JACUZZI LOUNGE 17 15 16 14 12 SUN DECK BAR LIBRARY 7 5 3* 1* 6 4* 2* RECEPTION * Cabi with full or quee-size bed Cruise & Lad Rates BRIDGE DINING ROOM Phoebe Deck Cleo Deck Daphe Deck per perso, double occupacy Category Descriptio RATE E D C CC B BB A AA Outside cabis o Daphe Deck with portholes Outside cabis o Daphe Deck with portholes Outside cabi o with picture widow Outside cabis o with picture widow Outside cabis o with picture widow Outside cabi o with two picture widows Outside cabis o with two picture widows Outside cabis o with two picture widows $8,995 $9,695 $10,895 $11,795 $12,495 $12,995 $13,995 $14,695 Sigle Supplemet: A limited umber of cabis are available for solo travelers at the followig rates: Category B: $13,595; Category CC: $12,795; ad Category D: $10,995. BetchartExTauya@earthlik.et
Registratio BTEX 12805RP Eclosed is my check or credit card o. for $ ($1,500 per perso) as a deposit to hold place(s) o Udiscovered Africa. I uderstad that fial paymet is due iety (90) days prior to departure ad is payable by check oly. Please make check payable to ad mail with this registratio form to: Betchart Expeditios Ic. Trust Accout 17050 Motebello Road Cupertio, CA 95014 Louge o AmEx o Discover o Visa o MasterCard No. Exp. 3- or 4-Digit Security Code Please select cabi category i order of preferece: AA A BB B CC C D E o Twi Beds o Double Bed Library o Sigle Occupacy o Share (caot be guarateed) Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms. First Last Dr./Mr./Mrs./Ms. First Last Diig alfresco aboard Callisto Address City/State/Zip Telephoe (day) E-Mail Sigature Sigature (eveig) Each participat must sig below: I/We have read the Geeral Iformatio sectio ad agree to its terms. Date Date GENERAL INFORMATION Paymets: A $1,500 deposit per perso is required to cofirm your reservatio. Fial paymet is due 90 days prior to departure ad must be by persoal check. Cacellatios & REFUNDS: All cacellatios are subject to a $400 per perso fee. Cacellatios received 61-90 days prior to departure will be assessed a pealty equal to 50% of the total program cost per perso. Cacellatios received withi 60 days of departure are subject to 100% cacellatio pealties. Isurace: We recommed the purchase of trip cacellatio isurace. Details will be set upo registratio. Itierary: The itierary, accommodatios, ad arragemets are subject to chage at the discretio of Travel Dyamics Iteratioal. Fuel Supplemet: Travel Dyamics Iteratioal reserves the right to charge a fuel supplemet, without prior otice, if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $85 per barrel. This supplemet may be charged eve if the cruise fare has bee paid i full. Ship s Registry: Greece CST #204 3599-40 TDI Due to space limitatios, this is abbreviated iformatio. Please cotact us for complete Terms ad Coditios Airfare: Airfare is ot icluded i the rates. For details o group flight schedules to Dakar ad returig from Freetow, please cotact Tauya DeYoug, Betchart Expeditios Ic., at (800) 252-4910 or via e-mail at BetchartExTauya@earthlik.et.
program features & highlights Atted a private performace of Seegalese music o board ship. Visit historic Gorée Islad i Seegal ad Buce Islad i Sierra Leoe ad lear about their roles i the Atlatic slave trade. See The Gambia s rich diversity of birds ad mokeys durig visits to the forest, woodlads, ad waterways i Abuko Nature Reserve ad the privately owed Makasutu Culture Forest. Explore the culture ad wildlife of the uspoiled Bijagós Archipelago of Guiea- Bissau, where traditios have remaied uchaged for ceturies. Ejoy colorful markets where artisas sell their wares, icludig wood carvigs, batik fabrics, metalworks, ad baskets. SIGMAXI EXPEDITIONS THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SOCIETY BETCHART EXPEDITIONS Ic. 17050 Motebello Road, Cupertio, CA 95014-5435 For reservatios or iformatio, please cotact Tauya DeYoug at (800) 252-4910 or via e-mail at BetchartExTauya@earthlik.et Musicia i Dakar playig the striged kora BTEX 12805RP