When David Adams, a renowned documentary maker and investigative journalist, and David Mannix, a leading travel industry professional, became friends in their hometown of Sydney, Australia, it didn’t take long for them to take a leap of faith in creating a business together based on their diverse set of skills and their shared passion for travelling to the world’s most exotic places.
They realised that if they combined their experiences in the right way, they could create a new style of expedition travel completely different to what other travel businesses were offering. This new way of seeing the world is based on immersive storytelling that gives discerning travellers the opportunity to go deeper, to become more engaged and to have first-hand experiences and intellectual exchanges that contribute to their lifelong learning. On each expedition, Arcadia is taking tangible steps to reduce its negative environmental impacts while increasing its positive social and economic impacts. This is travelling with a sense of purpose.
Arcadia Expeditions has just been launched and specialises in expert-led small group historical and cultural journeys. From the beginning, the guiding principal in the creation of their unique itineraries was to have clients feel that when they are travelling with Arcadia, it’s like they are joining the making of a documentary, without the film crew. Like any good documentary, this involves the telling of a story (the theme of the expedition), providing a knowledgeable narrator for that story (Arcadia’s expert Expedition Leader) and gaining privileged access to people and places not normally available to the public.
Below is a summary of these unique expeditions, which have just been released on the new Arcadia Expeditions website – www.arcadiaexpeditions.com
Sudan: The Three Niles
This adventure explores the story of the three Niles and the extraordinary cultures and history they gave life to. Led by historian David Adams, we visit areas and sites few travellers have seen, including the pyramids of the Black Pharaohs and a 6-day cruise along the pristine Red Sea coast.
Turkey: Rumi and the world of Mystical Sufism
In the company of Sufi scholar Seemi Ghazi, we journey into the mysterious realm of mysticism and examine the life and legacy of Rumi, one of the world’s best known poets. Exclusive meetings with Turkish experts, visits to ancient Dervish lodges and witnessing mesmerising whirling ceremonies helps us peel back the layers of this master storyteller.
Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan: Conquest of the Silk Road
Taking in the iconic sites and vivid history of Central Asia, this expedition explores the life and times of the Silk Road’s great conquerors and the worlds they destroyed and created. Led by archaeologist Iain Shearer, we cross remote deserts in 4×4’s, camp beside ancient ruins and gain exclusive access to archaeological digs.
India & Pakistan: Kipling & The Raj
Follow the life and times of Rudyard Kipling on an epic adventure that sweeps across Northern India and Lahore. In the company of acclaimed Kipling biographer Harry Ricketts, we immerse ourselves into Kipling’s world at the height of the Raj, exploring his life, habits and haunts.
Ethiopia & Kenya: The Cradle Of Humanity
This expedition explores the origins of humankind and begins in the rarely visited Omo River basin, home to 15 nomadic tribes. Under the guidance of legendary safari and tribal expert Charlie McConnell, we cross by special permit into Kenya and explore the archaeology and wildlife of Turkana in the footsteps of the Leakey Family.
Jordan & Saudi Arabia: Desert Empires
This expedition, the first of its kind, combines the fascinating history and archaeology of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Tracing the Frankincense trade route of antiquity, archaeologist Iain Shearer leads us through the magnificent highlights of Jordan and overland into the rarely-visited remoteness of northern Saudi Arabia in search of ancient ruins and rock art.
Vietnam – The Road to Independence
Led by Pierre Asselin, one of the leading authorities on Vietnam’s modern history, this unique expedition engages Vietnam’s past, confronting the conventional narrative on what is a highly contentious history, with a particular focus on French colonialism and the American War.
