Zegrahm and Eco Expeditions Announces Asian Cultural Expert, Gary Wintz, to Lead

Western Himalayas Expedition

This October, a small group of travelers will explore Indias rarely-visited hig
h country in the company of well-known Asian cultural expert, Gary Wintz. Expert
leaders and unique destinations are a hallmark of all Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions
itineraries and their Western Himalayas expedition is no exception
Seattle, WA, June 21, 2010 -- This October, a small group of travelers will expl
ore Indias rarely-visited high country in the company of well-known Asian cultu
ral expert, Gary Wintz. Expert leaders and unique destinations are a hallmark of
all Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions itineraries and their Western Himalayas expediti
on is no exception.
Gary Wintz has an impressive list of career highlights and, among his many accom
plishments, Gary has worked on several humanitarian projects throughout Asia and
parts of Africa; lectured at Tibet University in Lhasa where he was one the fir
st Westerners to reside in Tibet since the communist Chinese occupation; and had
an ongoing friendship with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Having spent much of the past 30 years in this area of the world, I am thrilled
to return and share my knowledge of Himalayan culture and history with the inqu
isitive and adventurous travelers that Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions attracts, Gary
says about this Western Himalayas expedition.
Gary will lead adventurers from the splendors of Delhi to the Kashmiri moonscape
s of Ladakh and the princely states of the Western Himalayas. From ancient mount
aintop monasteries and temples to colorful, bustling bazaars, travelers experien
ce the richness of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh religions, plus a vast variety
of birds and wildlife in cedar forests and verdant valleys. Western Himalayas ex
pedition highlights include:
The Dussehera Festival in Shimla, which celebrates the victorious homecoming o
f Rama, the epic hero of the Ramayana. Enjoy a lively folk play, colorful proces
sions, Natti dances and songs, and a trader s bazaar.
Near Palampur, visit the Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute of Buddhist Dialecti
cs, home to 200 nuns who invite travelers to participate in a traditional, lamp-
lighting ceremony.
In Chandigarh, instead of watching traditional dance as most tourists do, trav
elers on this expedition will become students of the traditional folk dances. Me
n and women are split up and the men are taught the Bangra while the ladies lear
n the Gidda.
This Western Himalayas expedition departs October 3, 2010 and October 4, 2011, D
ussehera festival takes place during the 2010 expedition only. Per person, doubl
e occupancy rate is $9,980 for this 18 day itinerary. To learn more about this W
estern Himalayas expedition, Gary Wintz, and Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions, visit ht
tp://www.zeco.com.
Seattle-based Zegrahm Expeditions Inc., founded in 1990, is a leading adventure
travel company specializing in small-ship expedition cruises, tours, and safaris
to remote and intriguing destinations around the world. Led by expert guides an
d lecturers, Zegrahm itineraries are carefully crafted and all-inclusive, featur
e deluxe accommodations, and operate in all seven continents. For more informati
on, please access http://www.zeco.com.
Contact:
Carmin Arnot
Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions
Seattle, WA
206.285.4000
carmina@zeco.com
http://www.zeco.com