HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS: NEPAL & BHUTAN
15 days from $4,797 total price from Boston, New York, Wash, DC($4,195 air & land inclusive plus $602 airline taxes and fees)
A Special Small Group Tour for Alumni and Friends of
The University of North Carolina
This tour is provided by Odysseys Unlimited,
six-time honoree Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Tour Operators award.
November 14-28, 2017
The University of North Carolina General Alumni Association presents
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Final invoicing will be sent by our tour operator, Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. The balance of the program price must be paid to Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. Final payment is due 95 days prior to departure, and is payable by check or credit card.
THE UNC RESERVATION FORM: HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS: NEPAL & BHUTAN
Enclosed is my/our deposit for $______ ($500 per person) for ____ person/people on Himalayan Kingdoms: Nepal & Bhutan departing November 14, 2017. I/we understand the final payment is due 95 days prior to departure. Payment may be made by American Express, Discover, MasterCard, VISA, or by personal check. Please make check payable to Odysseys Unlimited, Inc., and mail deposit check (along with completed reservation form) to: General Alumni Association, University of North Carolina, PO Box 660, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-0660. For more information, please call UNC GAA toll-free at 1-877-962-3980, or call Odysseys Unlimited Inc. toll-free at 1-888-370-6765.
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Please Note: The undersigned has read the schedule of activities for Himalayan Kingdoms: Nepal & Bhutan, November 14-28, 2017, and agrees that their signature below represents their acceptance of the General Terms and Conditions.
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Dear Carolina Alumni and Friends,
Join fellow Tar Heels and friends on a special small group journey to the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan. Discover fabled lands tucked high up in the Himalayas, one steeped in Hindu culture and tradition, the other in Buddhism.
Your tour begins in Kathmandu, where you visit Swayambhunath, then take a walking tour of Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO site. Travel through the beautiful Kathmandu Valley – home to seven UNESCO sites – to Kopan Monastery, then enjoy a small group highlight: lunch in a lo-cal family’s home. Next visit Boudhanath and Pashupatinath Temple. After touring ancient Bhak-tapur, enjoy a scenic drive to hilltop Nagarkot. Fly to Thimphu, Bhutan, tour the city and enjoy a home-hosted dinner. Raise prayer flags at Dochula Pass and take an exhilarating river rafting trip, then visit beautiful Punakha Dzong monastery and tour historic Paro. Your tour concludes with a visit to Taktsang, the sacred cliffside Tiger’s Nest Monastery, hanging some 3,000 feet above the Paro Valley.
We are very pleased to be sharing this departure with alumni and friends of the University of Washington Alumni Association. Space is limited to 18 guests in total from both our schools, and will fill quickly. We encourage you to book this experience today!
Yours at Carolina,
Douglas S. Dibbert ’70 President, UNC General Alumni Association
Membership Requirements: Tour participants who are not members of the General Alumni Association must join the Association ($45 for singles; $55 for couples) or pay a $45 surcharge to participate. Please pay by separate check made payable to the General Alumni Association and mail with this reservation form.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Kathmandu, Nepal
Day 2: Arrive Kathmandu We reach the Nepalese capital tonight and transfer to our hotel.
Day 3: Kathmandu This morning we meet our fellow travelers and tour director for a brief-ing about the journey ahead. Then we get our first look at this landlocked Himalayan nation in Durbar Square, a jumble of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards, and streets. Next we visit hilltop Swayambhunath, the iconic Buddhist tem-ple dating to about 500 bce. A 365-step climb brings us to the sacred UNESCO stupa, with its white dome, gilded spire, and all-seeing “eyes” of the Buddha. This afternoon we travel through Kathmandu Valley to Patan, known for its rich culture and artistic tradition. On a walking tour through the UNESCO site of Patan Durbar Square, we see some of the city’s many Buddhist monuments and Hindu temples. Late afternoon we return to our hotel, where tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner. B,D
Day 4: Kathmandu Today we see different aspects of Nepali life up close. First, we travel through the beautiful Kathmandu Valley to hilltop Kopan Monastery, home to 360 monks and lamas. With majestic views of the valley below, the mon-astery and associated nunnery welcome seekers and visitors to study, meditate, and learn about the Mahayan Buddhism practiced here. After our visit we enjoy a small group highlight as we share lunch with a local family in their home. Later we visit Shechen Clinic and Hospice, a humanitarian project that provides sustainable medical services to local residents; then tour Boudhanath, one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites. B,L,D
Day 5: Kathmandu/Nagarkot Leaving Kathmandu today, we stop at Nepal’s oldest and holiest Hindu shrine, ornate Pashupatinath Temple. Here we see sadhus and sages who, in following the lifestyle of Lord Shiva, wear loincloths and cover themselves with ashes. We also may witness cre- mation ceremonies along the river banks; displaying appropriate respect to the mourners is requested of
Tour membership limited to 18 alumni and friends
HIMALAYAN KINGDOMS: NEPAL & BHUTAN15 days from $4,797 total price from Boston, New York, Wash, DC($4,195 air & land inclusive plus $602 airline taxes and fees)
Avg. High (°F) Nov DecKathmandu 74 67Thimphu 64 58Paro 57 52
BHUTAN
Punakha
ThimphuNagarkot
Kathmandu Paro
NEPAL
Destination
MotorcoachEntry/Departure
Map Legend
Air
Your Small Group Tour Highlights
Opportunity to visit two Himalayan countries … Kathmandu touring … Kathmandu Valley excur-sion … Visit to Buddhist monastery … Lunch with a Nepalese family in their home … Patan’s traditional arts and handcrafts … Hindu shrine at Pashupatinath Temple … Thimphu touring … Dinner with a Bhutanese family … Raising prayer flags at Dochula Pass … Punakha river rafting trip … Beautiful Punakha Dzong … Historic Paro … Tiger’s Nest Monastery excursion
Day Itinerary Hotel Rating
1 Depart U.S. for Kathmandu
2-4 Kathmandu Hyatt Regency Deluxe Kathmandu
5-6 Nagarkot Club Himalaya Sup. First
Nagarkot Class
7-8 Thimphu Namgay Heritage First Class
9-10 Punakha Damchen Resort Not rated
11-13 Paro Gangtey Palace First Class
Paro/Kathmandu/ Hyatt Regency 14 Depart for U.S. Kathmandu Deluxe (day room)
15 Arrive U.S.
Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel industry standard reference. Unrated hotels may be too small, too new, or too remote to be listed.
A singular journey to two distant and devout lands, different in fact yet similar in spirit. Hinduism in Nepal and Buddhism in Bhutan suffuse all aspects of life;
in both nations, tradition and belief abide – and surrounding Himalayan scenery casts a truly awe-inspiring spell.
Cover Photo: The devout in the Himalayas hang prayer flags to promote peace and compassion.
all visitors. We travel on to Bhaktapur, the least developed of the valley’s three cities. Virtually a living open-air museum with its unspoiled ancient square and warrens of medieval streets, Bhaktapur is known for its fine artisans and many temples. We have time to explore then continue the scenic drive to Nagarkot, a hilltop village commanding a spectacular vista of Nepal’s major Himalayan peaks. B,L
Day 6: Nagarkot Early this morning we have an opportunity for an unforgettable experience: watching the sun rise over the fabled Himalaya from the hotel’s rooftop observatory. Later, we embark on an easy walk around the village, where we have the chance to meet local people. The re- mainder of the day is at leisure amid the stunning Himalayan scenery. B,D Day 7: Nagarkot/Kathmandu/Thimphu, Bhutan We have another chance to see the sun rise over the peaks sacred in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Then we return to Kathmandu for the flight to Bhutan. Upon arrival in the Dragon Kingdom, we travel to the capital of Thimphu and our hotel, where we dine tonight. B,D
Day 8: Thimphu Today’s excursion begins at a local factory where paper is made by hand in the traditional way, followed by the Textile Museum, housing exquisite weavings from the 16th century to modern times. Later we visit Tashichho Dzong, the historic fortress and monastery that today houses, temples, and government offices, including those of the king; then Memorial Chorten, one of Bhutan’s best-loved religious landmarks. Tonight we attend a Bhutanese cultural performance then dine in the home of a local family. B,L,D
Day 9: Thimphu/Paro/Punakha En route to Paro today, we visit Kunselphodrang, the recently built Buddha Point where the world’s largest sitting Buddha presides over the Thimphu valley. Then we set out for Punakha via Dochula Pass (alt. 10,000 feet), which offers views of snow-topped Himalayan peaks and where we follow the sacred tradition of raising prayer flags in the name of peace and compassion. We eat lunch here then continue on our way, stopping to visit a local rice farming village. Next: Chimi Lhakhang, the temple built by the “Divine Madman” in 1499, now a pil- grimage site for couples struggling with infertility. Late this afternoon we reach Punakha, which sits at the confluence of the Mo Chu (“Mother”) and Pho Chu (“Father”) rivers in a sub-tropical valley. B,L,D
Day 10: Punakha We embark this morning on an exhilarating rafting trip on the Mo Chu River. This afternoon we visit Punakha Dzong, winter home of the central monastic community and one of the country’s most attractive fortress monasteries, set on a spit of land where the rivers meet. B,L,D
Day 11: Punakha/Thimphu/Paro We set out early to see more of Thimphu, including the National Library, with an immense collection of Buddhist manuscripts; and the Painting School, where students learn traditional Bhutanese arts. Late afternoon we depart for Paro, nestled in the center of a valley dotted with rice paddies, wheat fields, and scattered settlements. B,L,D
Day 12: Paro We begin our tour of this historic town at Ta-Dzong, the national museum show- casing Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage dating from
Climb to Tiger’s Nest Monastery on Day 13.
at least 2000 bce to the present day; then Rinpung Dzong, a superb example of Bhutanese architecture. After lunch we visit the sacred 7th-century pilgrim- age temple of Kyichu Lhakhang, and the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, a 17th-century victory fortress. B,L,D
Day 13: Paro/Tiger’s Nest Monastery Today we embark on a highlight of any trip to Bhutan: a visit to Paro Taktsang, the sacred
Tiger’s Nest monastery and temple complex perched on a cliff some 3,000 feet above the upper Paro Valley – itself at an altitude of 10,200 feet. We embark on our scenic uphill hike early this morning (rental horses are avail-able to take visi-tors about two-thirds of the way). Those not wish-
ing to climb all the way up can enjoy excellent views of Tiger’s Nest from a waystation cafeteria. Late afternoon we return to our hotel, where tonight we celebrate at a farewell dinner. B,L,D
Day 14: Paro/Kathmandu, Nepal/Depart for U.S. We fly this morning to Kathmandu, where we have day rooms and opportunities for exploring on our own, before our mid-afternoon departure for the airport and our overnight flights to the U.S. B,L
Day 15: Arrive U.S. We arrive in the U.S. and connect with our flights home.
Tour Departs: November 14, 2017
Prices include international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees.
Boston, New York, Washington, DC $4,797
Baltimore, Dallas, Orlando, Philadelphia $5,097
Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, $5,197 Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Tampa
Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, $5,297
Phoenix, Portland (OR), San Francisco
Land Only (transfers not included) $3,695
Please call if your city is not listed. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $602, which are sub-ject to change until final payment is made. Single travelers please add $695. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.
Business Class upgrade on round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight: $5,995 per person in addition to the above costs (upgrade is subject to availability and pricing is subject to change).
Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. departure cities may require an overnight stay at the gateway city airport at your expense.
Please note: This trip involves considerable walking uphill and on uneven terrain. You should be in good physical condition to enjoy the tour to the fullest. While the elevations are not severe, the relatively high altitude of Nagarkot (7,000 feet) and Thimphu and Paro (both 7,500 feet) could pose problems for travel-ers with certain health conditions. You should consult your physician if you have concerns.
For reservations and information, please call the UNC General Alumni Association toll-free at
1-877-962-3980Or call Odysseys Unlimited, Inc. toll-free at
1-888-370-6765Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-7:00 PM, Eastern Time
Your Tour Price Includes
• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 12 nights’ accommodations in Deluxe, Superior First Class, First Class, and unrated hotels
• 31 meals: 12 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 10 dinners• Services of Odysseys Unlimited Tour Directors• Extensive sightseeing as described• Private motorcoach transportation throughout
your trip• Luggage handling for one bag per person• Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers,
airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
Nepal’s Buddhist Boudhanath stupa.
“It Is better to travel well than to arrIve.”
– Gautama buddha
Young monks enjoy some fun.
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$10-
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day,
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insu
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bag
gage
fees
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app
ly a
nd a
re
subj
ect t
o ch
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ny ti
me.
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sho
uld
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irect
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ith y
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irlin
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prio
r to
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rture
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Can
cella
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s, R
efun
ds,
and
Cha
nges
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u m
ust
canc
el y
our
trip,
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effe
ctiv
e da
te o
f ca
ncel
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n w
ill b
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dyss
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ecei
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e fo
llow
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erso
n ch
arge
s: c
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l 95 d
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harg
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l 9
4-6
5 d
ays
befo
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: 2
5%
of
tour
pri
ce;
canc
el 6
4-4
5 d
ays
befo
re
depa
rtur
e: 5
0%
of
tour
price
; ca
ncel
44
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day
s be
fore
dep
artu
re:
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% o
f to
ur p
rice
; ca
ncel
29-0
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s be
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de
part
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no
refu
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If yo
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from
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to 3
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ill a
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nalti
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r any
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ill b
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arge
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e si
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No
chan
ges
are
allo
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wit
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30
day
s of
dep
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Upo
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ur r
eser
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your
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as it
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pas
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In
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inco
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form
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u ha
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you
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for
char
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asso
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ated
wit
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’s r
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Res
pons
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bilit
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the
Uni
vers
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Car
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a G
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ssoc
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NC
GAA
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spo
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, as
tour
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stri
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lim
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s Un
limite
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c. p
urch
ases
tra
nspo
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n, h
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acc
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, and
rest
aura
nt a
nd o
ther
ser
vice
s fro
m in
depe
nden
t sup
plie
rs n
ot u
nder
our
con
trol.
We
serv
e on
ly a
s ag
ents
fo
r th
ese
supp
liers
in s
ecur
ing
tour
arr
ange
men
ts, a
nd th
eref
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will
not
acc
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espo
nsib
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for w
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ful,
negl
igen
t, or
ar
bitra
ry a
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or o
mis
sion
s of
thes
e in
depe
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ors,
or o
f the
ir em
ploy
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age
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ser
vant
s, o
r rep
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The
UN
C GA
A an
d Od
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ys U
nlim
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Inc.
are
not
liab
le fo
r inj
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dam
age,
loss
, acc
iden
t, or
del
ay th
at m
ay b
e ca
used
by
even
ts n
ot w
ithin
our
con
trol,
incl
udin
g, w
ithou
t lim
itatio
n, a
cts
of te
rror
ism
, war
, stri
kes,
the
defe
ct o
f any
veh
icle
, or t
he
negl
igen
ce o
r def
ault
of a
ny th
ird p
arty
. All
coup
ons,
rece
ipts
, and
tick
ets
issu
ed a
re s
ubje
ct to
the
term
s an
d co
nditi
ons
spec
ified
by
the
air c
arrie
rs, c
ruis
e lin
es, a
nd o
ther
inde
pend
ent s
uppl
iers
. We
will
mak
e ev
ery
effo
rt to
ope
rate
our
tour
s as
pla
nned
, but
we
rese
rve
the
right
to m
ake
itine
rary
cha
nges
as
nece
ssar
y. If
unf
ores
een
circ
umst
ance
s re
quire
us
to
chan
ge a
hot
el, w
e w
ill s
elec
t alte
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acco
mm
odat
ions
of t
he s
ame
or b
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lity.
Hea
lth
and
Med
ical
Iss
ues
We
requ
est t
hat y
ou b
e in
goo
d he
alth
to p
artic
ipat
e in
this
Ody
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s Un
limite
d, In
c. to
ur. T
here
is a
con
side
rabl
e am
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of
wal
king
, and
you
mus
t be
abl
e to
get
on
and
off m
otor
coac
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on y
our
own.
We
regr
et th
at w
e ca
nnot
offe
r ind
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-ua
l ass
ista
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in s
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case
s yo
u m
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com
pani
ed b
y a c
ompa
nion
who
will
ass
ist y
ou. P
leas
e no
te th
at o
ur it
iner
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cann
ot a
ccom
mod
ate
whe
elch
airs
. We
rese
rve
the
right
to re
mov
e an
yone
who
se p
hysi
cal o
r men
tal c
ondi
tion,
in o
ur
opin
ion,
com
prom
ises
the
oper
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n of
the
tour
or d
etra
cts
from
the
enjo
ymen
t or s
afet
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the
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seng
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In th
at
even
t, th
e UN
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AA a
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ass
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no fi
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ur.
Air T
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port
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Impo
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form
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incl
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show
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cont
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the
com
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feel
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ovid
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vel o
f ser
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, rou
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val
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sary
for y
our e
ntire
tri
p. W
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ano
ther
airl
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may
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ore
dire
ct c
onne
ctio
n, it
may
be
at a
pric
e un
avai
labl
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the
low
er g
roup
rate
s. Y
ou
will
rece
ive
your
pre
limin
ary
air s
ched
ule
appr
oxim
atel
y 2½
mon
ths
prio
r to
depa
rture
. Ple
ase
note
tha
t se
at a
ssig
nmen
t on
you
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tern
atio
nal fli
ght
is u
sual
ly d
one
at a
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heck
-in.
Ody
ssey
s U
nlim
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, In
c. is
unab
le t
o gu
aran
tee
any
seat
ass
ignm
ents
. Due
to th
e na
ture
of t
our o
pera
tor t
icke
ts, o
ther
rest
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incl
udin
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ut n
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opov
ers,
alte
rnat
e tra
vel d
ates
, upg
rade
s, a
nd a
irlin
e ta
xes
and
fees
. If y
ou p
refe
r to
mak
e yo
ur
own
trave
l arra
ngem
ents
, Lan
d On
ly is
ava
ilabl
e on
mos
t to
urs.
Sin
ce i
nter
nati
onal
and
dom
esti
c ai
r sc
hedu
les
are
subj
ect
to c
hang
e at
any
tim
e, w
e re
com
men
d th
at i
f yo
u ch
oose
to
mak
e yo
ur o
wn
airlin
e re
serv
atio
ns,
you
do
not
purc
hase
non
-refu
ndab
le t
icke
ts o
r th
ose
wit
h hi
gh p
enal
ties
for
cha
nges
. If y
ou c
hoos
e to
mak
e yo
ur o
wn
air
arra
ngem
ents
, O
dyss
eys
Unl
imit
ed,
Inc.
sha
ll no
t ha
ve a
ny l
iabi
lity
for
any
loss
res
ulti
ng f
rom
can
cella
tion
of
this
to
ur o
r ch
ange
s in
thi
s to
ur.
JOIN
UN
C O
N A
SP
EC
IAL
TO
UR
TO
NE
PAL
AN
D B
HU
TAN
!
Gua
rant
eed
Smal
l Gro
up:
Lim
ited
to 1
8 G
uests
A Special Small Group Tour for Alumni and Friends of
The University of North Carolina