January 2009

The US government continues to receive indications of potential terrorist threats aimed at American, Western and Kenyan interests in Kenya.

In November 2008, armed groups based in Somalia crossed into Kenya near the town of El Wak and kidnapped two Westerners. Travel by US Embassy personnel to border areas of Kenya northeast of the town of Wajir has been restricted until further notice.

Violent and sometimes fatal criminal attacks, including armed carjackings and home invasions/burglaries, can occur at any time and in any location, particularly in Nairobi.

The Department of State on Nov. 21 warned US citizens against nonessential travel to Pakistan. Terrorists and their sympathizers have demonstrated their willingness and capability to attack targets where Westerners are known to congregate or visit.

Sectarian and extremist violence has resulted in fatal bomb attacks in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and other Pakistani cities in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Since 2007, over 1,000 bombings have killed more than 1,000 people throughout Pakistan and injured many more.

At press time, protesters had disrupted air traffic at Thailand’s two major airports since Nov. 25 in order to block the return of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from an international summit in Peru. An estimated 300,000 tourists were waiting to exit the country. Nearly a week later, a number of planes were allowed to fly off empty.

Protesters had occupied the Prime Minister’s office in Bangkok for three months, calling for his resignation. A constitutional court was to rule on a case involving voter fraud that could force the PM to step down.

A coordinated attack by a terrorist group at seven sites in Mumbai, India, beginning Nov. 26 left 195 people dead, including 22 foreigners, and more than 300 wounded. Ten gunmen opened fire indiscriminately and threw grenades at the luxury Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi/Trident hotels as well as at other hotels, a Jewish community center, a rail station, a hospital, a restaurant and other sites.

12 days/11 nights. Highlights: From Nairobi, KENYA, fly to Samburu; game drives for giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich/Sweetwaters Tented Camp at Mt. Kenya/ Chimpanzee Sanctuary/Masai Mara wildlife sanctuary, home to elephants, buffalos, leopards/Lake Manyara National Park, with hippos, tree-climbing lions and many species of birds/game drives in Ngorongoro Crater, TANZANIA/Serengeti National Park/return via Arusha. Land and internal air, $8,850. Single supplement, $750.

17 days/15 nights, April-October 2009. Highlights: Visit Olympic venues in Beijing/Great Wall at Mutianyu/51,000 statues to honor the Buddha at Yungang Caves, Datong/1,400-year-old Hanging Temple on Hengshan Mountain/Ming-era walled city of Pinyao/in Chengdu, Giant Panda Breeding Research Center/in Le Shan, the tallest stone Buddha in the world/Naxi folk music performance in Lijiang/Bai Minority State Museum in Dali/Stone Forest near Kunming/depart from Shanghai. From New York, from $3,499. Land only, from $2,899. Single supplement, $650.

15 days/14 nights. Highlights: Fly Delhi-Kathmandu/city tour, Boudhanath Stupa/Patan/Pashupatinath Temple/optional flight to view Mt. Everest ($200)/trek Modi River Valley/in Birethanti, meet mayor and Nepali villagers/canoe Lake Phewa/International Mountain Museum in Pokhara/meet thangka artist/raft Seti River/Chitwan National Park on elephantback/depart from Delhi. Land only, from $2,995. From New York (add two days), from $4,195. Single supplement, $795. Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/955-1925, www.oattravel.com).

15 nights, March 1-18, 2009. Highlights: In Delhi, 800-year-old Qutab Minar, Crafts Museum/holy Hindu city of Varanasi/boat on Ganges/temple carvings in Khajuraho/train to Agra and the Taj Mahal/in Jaipur, elephant ride to Amber Fort/Jaipur’s Royal Observatory, Palace of the Winds/Holi (Festival of Colors) in Udaipur/sunset cruise on Lake Pichola to Jangmandir Palace/2,000-year-old Ajanta and Ellora caves/ spice farm house in Kerala/traditional tharavad home in Kerala. Land price, $4,990. Single supplement, $1,590. Internal air, $990.

8 days/7 nights, May-August 2010. Highlights: In Munich, GERMANY, Old Town, Marienplatz, Frauenkirche/attend Passionsspiele (Passion Play) in Oberammergau, performed in High German (English libretto supplied); 2,000 townspeople are the actors, musicians and technicians/in Innsbruck, AUSTRIA, Hapsburg-era architecture/in Bolzano, ITALY, dine in 13th-century Castle Katzenzungen/cable car through snowcapped Dolomite Mountains/Limone sul Garda on Lake Garda/in Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace. Land price, from $4,357 triple, $4,490 double, $4,997 single.

15-day/14-night tour of IRELAND, May-September 2009. Highlights: Dublin tour/Boyne Valley and Newgrange/Wicklow’s Mt. Usher Gardens/sixth-century monastic settlement in Glendalough/Waterford Crystal Factory/medieval Kilkenny/Blarney Castle/Lakes of Killarney/Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head/jaunting cart through Killarney National Park/Muckross House museum of 18th-century life/Cliffs of Moher/fly to Insihmore island/”Twelve Bens” mountains/in Drumcliff, Yeats Center/13th-century Boyle Abbey/return via Dublin. Land only, $5,299. Single supplement, $929.