STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Pyrenees Hike Along the Basque Watershed June 24 to July 2, 2014 A journey that s cross-country in every sense of the word, this hike takes us along the watershed that separates France from Spain as we crisscross from one country to the other. Begin in the pilgrimage town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, with its centuries-old tradition of welcoming travelers who arrive on foot. Explore the grassy mountains of Basque country before dropping down to the quaint villages of Ochagavía and Isaba. Witness a dramatic change in scenery as we traverse high-mountain passes dotted with sapphire lakes, and hike along the old Roman road of Somport before returning to Pamplona. Throughout our Pyrenees adventure, stay overnight at charming lodges and feast on hearty traditional country food. FACULTY LEADER Roberto D Alimonte, former professor of political science at the University of Florence, teaches at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, which prepares future leaders in the areas of economics, law and political science. He has taught many courses over the years at Stanford s Bing Overseas Campus in Florence courses ranging from Italian and comparative politics to European integration and European-U.S. relations. He has also been visiting professor at Stanford s main campus several times and is a frequent lecturer at Stanford Business School s Executive Program. Well-known throughout Europe as a political journalist, Professor D Alimonte covers Italian political events for Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy s major financial newspaper, and is often sought out by the New York Times along with a number of European newspapers and magazines for commentary on current Italian politics. He has also worked with the Olivetti Foundation and the Paris-based Organization A Program of the Stanford Alumni Association
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on public finances and the budget process in Western European democracies. Roberto was extremely down-to-earth and accessible. A wonderful travel companion and a knowledgeable and great teacher. Fantastic. Maria Bonnie Reeves, 65, Piemonte Walk II, 2013 ITINERARY Tuesday & Wednesday, June 24 & 25 DEPART U.S. / PAMPLONA, SPAIN / ST.-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT, FRANCE Depart the U.S. on overnight flights, arriving in Pamplona on June 25th. Upon arrival, transfer by coach to the small pilgrimage town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port where we spend our first two nights in a lovely three-star hotel with a Michelin-star-awarded restaurant. This evening, enjoy a special welcome reception at our hotel. HOTEL DES PYRENEES (D) Thursday, June 26 ST.-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT This morning set out on a short drive along the medieval pilgrimage road of Camino De Santiago. Travel high into the Pyrenees and walk eastward along the ridge of the mountains. After a picnic lunch, descend to the valley where we meet our motor coach and return to our hotel. HOTEL DES PYRENEES (B,L,D) Friday, June 27 ST.-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT / OCHAGAVIA, SPAIN / ISABA Bid farewell to our small mountain town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port and cross the border traveling through the famous Roncesvalles Pass. History buffs will recognize this site as the scene of the defeat of Charlemagne s nephew, Roland. Continue our drive eastward into Spain where we begin our walk, which leads up to the famous forest of Irati where Ernest Hemingway once camped and fished. The forest is the second-largest and best-preserved beech forest in Europe, stretching 42,000 acres across the western Pyrenees. We then follow drovers tracks across the fine grassy pastureland of the Sierra de Abodi and descend to the village of Ochagavía. From here travel by coach to the mountain village of Isaba, where we check in to a simple, yet comfortable, hotel, our home for the next three nights. HOTEL LOLA (B,L,D) Saturday, June 28 ISABA / OCHAGAVIA Return to Ochagavía, a lovely village on the banks of the Salazar River. Cross the high country of the Sierra Arbase with open sections of grassland and ancient beech woods. Our descent leads us past the isolated sanctuary of Idoia as we return to Isaba on foot. HOTEL LOLA (B,L,D)
Sunday, June 29 ISABA Walk westward along a high route, which offers glorious panoramic views. After our morning climb we follow the ridge to an isolated lake where we feast on a picnic lunch of delectable country fare. Later descend to the Zuriza Valley from where we return to Isaba by motor coach. HOTEL LOLA (B,L,D) Monday, June 30 ISABA / SIRESA This morning we pick up from where we left off on yesterday s hike. Our path climbs to the high pass from where we begin a spectacular descent from amid the clouds to the tiny Oza Valley. Follow the path along the stone-dotted banks of the river to the end of our hike and drive to the tiny pilgrimage village of Siresa. Our hotel here in the heart of the village near the old monastery offers very simple accommodations. HOTEL CASTILLO D ACHER (B,L,D) Tuesday, July 1 SIRESA / SOMPORT / PAMPLONA A superb mountain walk takes us from the trailhead in Oza over the great pilgrimage pass of Somport Summus Portus to the Roman soldiers, merchants and pilgrims who once used the route to cross the Pyrenees from their starting point of Arles. Dine al fresco beside a mountain tarn before descending into France, where we meet our motor coach, and drive to our hotel, located in the heart of Pamplona. Gather with fellow hikers this evening and celebrate our on-the-trail feats at a festive farewell reception and dinner. HOTEL PALACIO DE GUENDULAIN (B,L,D) Wednesday, July 2 PAMPLONA / U.S. After breakfast, depart for the airport where we connect with flights back to the U.S. (B) INFORMATION DATES June 24 to July 2, 2014 (9 days) SIZE This program is limited to 32 participants. COST* $5,195 per person, double occupancy $5,995 per person, single occupancy *Association nonmembers add $200 per person.
INCLUDED 7 nights of best-available hotel accommodations 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners Welcome and farewell receptions Wine with lunch and dinner Bottled water on excursions Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers for all group activities All tours and excursions as described in the itinerary Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and departure days Minimal medical, accident and evacuation insurance Educational program with lecture series and pre-departure materials, including recommended reading list, a selected book, map and travel information Services of our professional tour manager to assist you throughout the program NOT INCLUDED International and U.S. domestic airfare Passport and visa fees Immunization costs Meals and beverages other than those specified as included Independent and private transfers Trip-cancellation/interruption and baggage insurance Excess-baggage charges Personal items such as internet access, telephone and fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup services AIR ARRANGEMENTS International and U.S. domestic airfare is not included in the program cost. Round-trip, economy-class airfare on American Airlines from San Francisco to Pamplona, Spain, is approximately $1,400 as of August 2013 and is subject to change without notice. WHAT TO EXPECT The terrain of the Pyrenees region consists of high mountains that are interspersed with grassy valleys and dotted with small lakes and tarns. There are also areas of marginal farmland. This is excellent hiking country where the trails include farm tracks that wind through valleys, as well as mountain paths that are rocky, which may present various challenges. The weather at this time of year may be warm, but it may also be overcast at times with a definite possibility of rain. We consider this to be a very strenuous, physically demanding program. Daily hikes range from approximately 8 to 15 miles in length and last approximately 5 to 8 hours. These hiking trails can be rugged and have a combined altitude gain and/or loss of from 1,500 to 4,000 vertical feet. The highest point on our hike reaches approximately 6,500 feet above sea level. On most days hikers will be asked to carry their own water and picnic lunches. You should plan to hike with a single group for the entire day. To participate fully in this hiking tour, you need to be in excellent health, physically fit, agile and used to repeated exercise of this type over several days.
To get the most out of this program, you should be ready to participate in an academic experience and be comfortable traveling as part of a group. We welcome travelers 15 years of age and older on this program. TERMS AND CONDITIONS DEPOSIT AND FINAL PAYMENT A $1,000-per-person deposit is required to hold your space. Complete and return the attached reservation form or sign up online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?pyrenees2014. Final payment is due 120 days prior to departure. As a condition of participation, all confirmed participants are required to sign a Release of Liability. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS Deposits and any payments are refundable, less a $500-per-person cancellation fee, until 120 days prior to departure. After that date, refunds can be made only if the program is sold out and your place(s) can be resold, in which case a $1,000-per-person cancellation fee will apply. INSURANCE Stanford Travel/Study provides all travelers who are U.S. or Canadian citizens with minimal medical, accident and evacuation coverage under our group-travel insurance policy. We strongly encourage that you subscribe to optional baggage and trip-cancellation insurance. A brochure offering such insurance will be mailed with your confirmation. The product offered in this brochure includes special benefits if you postmark your insurance payment within a specified window: 15 days of the date listed on the confirmation letter for the Waiver of Pre-existing Conditions and coverage for Financial Insolvency; 21 days for the Cancel for Any Reason benefit. ELIGIBILITY We encourage membership in the Alumni Association; the program cost for nonmembers is $200 more than the members price. Parents and their children under 21 may travel on one membership. For more information or to purchase a membership, visit alumni.stanford.edu/goto/membership or call (650) 725-0692. RESPONSIBILITY The Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford University and our operators act only as agents for the passenger with respect to transportation and exercise every care possible in doing so. However, we can assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity in connection with the service of any automobile, motor coach, launch or any other conveyance used in carrying out this program or for the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the program. We cannot accept any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war,
quarantine, force majeure or other causes beyond our control. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the passenger as tour rates provide arrangements only for the time stated. We reserve the right to make such alterations to this published itinerary as may be deemed necessary. The right is reserved to cancel any program prior to departure in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. The right is also reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the program. No refund will be made for an unused portion of any tour unless arrangements are made in sufficient time to avoid penalties. Baggage is carried at the owner s risk entirely. The airlines concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not onboard their plane or conveyance. Neither the Alumni Association, Stanford University nor our operators accept liability for any carrier s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket connected with the tour. Program price is based on rates in effect in August 2013 and is subject to change without notice to reflect fluctuations in exchange rates, tariffs or fuel charges. California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50
Stanford Travel/Study Reservation Form Pyrenees Hike June 24 to JULY 2, 2014 Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. Miss / Dr. / Prof. Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. Miss / Dr. / Prof. age Stanford class age Stanford class address city / state / zip home phone work phone cell phone email address I/We have read the Terms and Conditions for the program and agree to them. signature If this is a reservation for one person, please indicate: I wish to have single accommodations. or I plan to share accommodations with or I d like to know about possible roommates. Here is my deposit of $ ($1,000 per person) for place(s). Enclosed is my check (payable to Stanford Alumni Association ). or Charge my deposit to my Visa MasterCard American Express card # expiration DatE authorized cardholder signature date Mail completed form to Stanford Travel/Study, 326 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA 94305-6105 or fax to (650) 725-8675 or place your deposit online at alumni.stanford.edu/trip?pyrenees2014. Please submit your payment only once to avoid multiple charges to your account. 10756