SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST JULY 17 – AUGUST 1, 2019 TOUR LEADER: DR MATTHEW DAL SANTO

Overview Embark on the tour of a lifetime to one of the world's last great travel frontiers. This 16-day tour reveals the cultural and geographical wonders of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal ‘Decembrists’ – public-minded nobles who, exiled to Siberia for their part in an 1825 rebellion against the Tsar, recreated with their wives the cultural and artistic life of St Petersburg for the benefit of Siberia’s rough frontiersmen. From Irkutsk we then travel to the superbly beautiful Lake Baikal, the world’s largest (by volume: Baikal contains about a fifth of all the world’s fresh water), oldest and deepest lake to spend two nights on Olkhon Island, which is sacred to the indigenous Buryat people and widely regarded as Baikal’s ‘jewel’ for its otherworldly beauty. Taking the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway along Baikal’s rugged southern shore, we arrive in Ulan Ude, a culturally Mongolian town that is the centre of Russian Buddhism with its centuries of close links with Tibet, as well as a stronghold of the so-called ‘Old Believers’, a long-persecuted Orthodox sect who have preserved in Siberia’s remote wooded valleys a centuries-old culture that includes a rich repertoire of songs of exile. From Ulan Ude we fly to Khabarovsk, a frontier town on the border with China that played a leading role in Russian colonisation of the Far East, and onto steaming, volcano-studded Kamchatka, Russia’s Alaska, to explore its extraordinary landscape and the culture of its indigenous husky-raising people, the Koryaks. The tour concludes in the bustling port city of Vladivostok. Closed for decades to foreigners, the undisputed capital of the Russian Far East is once again very much open for business, and famous for its seafood and stunning setting on one of the world’s great harbours – the Golden Horn.

Your tour leader Dr Matthew Dal Santo is a writer, historian and foreign affairs commentator who currently resides in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born in Sydney, Matthew has lived most of the past 15 years in Europe. Matthew has a PhD in Ecclesiastical History from the University of Cambridge, where from 2005 to 2008 he held the Lightfoot Scholarship. The current focus of his interest is Russia. From 2014 to 2017, Matthew was Danish

Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen, with a grant to study how Russians think of themselves in the light of their history 25 years after the collapse of Communism and 100 years since the 1917 revolution. He is particularly interested in how the revival of Orthodoxy has encouraged the return of the age-old idea of ‘Holy Rus’ as well as rehabilitation of the culture and achievements of Imperial Russia, as for example in the canonisation in 2000 of the last tsar, Nicholas II, and his family as saints. Matthew has travelled extensively in the Russian-speaking world, from Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus to Siberia and the Russian Far East. He is currently writing a book called The Romanovs and the Redemption of Putin’s Russia: Remaking Holy Rus.

SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST

Tour dates: July 17 – August 1, 2019

Tour leader: Dr Matthew Dal Santo

Tour Price: $16,975 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $1,590 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Korean Airlines

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Irkutsk (2 nights), Lake Baikal (2 nights), Irkutsk (1 night), Ulan Ude (3 nights), Khabarovsk (1 night), Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (4 nights), Vladivostok (2 nights)

Date published: September 21, 2018

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jamal Fairbrother at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jamal@academytravel.com.au

Tour Highlights

VALLEY OF THE GEYSERS Experience a thrilling helicopter tour through snow-capped volcanoes to a hidden canyon deep in Kamchatka’s Valley of the Geysers and walk through an unspoilt landscape of shooting geysers, steaming hot springs and bubbling mud pools. Peer into the 150 square kilometre depression that forms the Uzon Caldera and soak in the thermal mineral springs in the Nalychevo National Park.

LAKE BAIKAL Immerse yourself in the invigorating waters of Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest lake. Marvel at the rugged beauty of its dramatic Western shore, and savour the picturesque tranquillity of Olkhon Island. Cruise between the capes and headland of the ‘Little-sea’ admiring one of the richest and most unusual ecosystems on earth formed in a rift in the earth’s surface 25 million year ago.

RUSSIAN BUDDHISM Listen to the sounds of Russian Buddhism as the lamas chant their ancient mantras in Buryatia’s revived monasteries, a hybrid of architectural elements from Buryat culture, Tibetan temples and Mongolian and Chinese architectural traditions. Learn about the dynamic blend of Tibetan Buddhism and indigenous Siberian shamanism, once again thriving after decades of suppression under Communism.

THE OLD BELIEVERS Hear the heart-rending stories of the persecuted Old Believers, a people who have preserved their beliefs and customs in Siberian exile for centuries. An enigmatic people of religious dissenters who split from the Russian Orthodox Church into a number of different sects in the 17th century after they refused to accept the liturgical reforms being imposed upon them by the Russian Patriarch.

VLADIVOSTOK See the sights and sample the glorious seafood of the bustling North Asian port city of Vladivostok, unofficial capital of the Russian Far East and home to one of Russia’s most important commercial ports and naval bases. Explore the state of the art Primorsky Aquarium on picturesque Russky Island and admire the world’s longest cable-stay suspension bridge that soars over Golden Horn Bay.

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Wednesday 17 July Arrive Irkutsk

Your tour leader, Matthew Dal Santo will meet the group arriving on the Korean Airlines flight arriving at approximately 9.15pm (by current schedules) at Irkutsk Airport and transfer with you to our hotel. Overnight Irkutsk

Thursday 18 July Exploring Irkutsk

Founded as a Cossack fortress in 1661, Irkutsk later prospered as a leading way station for the fur and tea trade between Russia and China, as well as a place of exile for thousands of political prisoners. Today, it is a pleasant, tree-lined city of 600,000 people with important aeronautical industries. We begin our exploration with a visit to the Volkonsky House Decembrist Museum. The Museum tells the story of the Decembrists – Russian noblemen who rebelled against the Tsar in 1825 and were exiled for life to Siberia. Many of their wives voluntarily followed them into exile. Among the most famous of these was Princess Maria Volkonsky who sought to recreate in Irkutsk the cultural and intellectual life she had known in St Petersburg. We visit Maria’s home in exile. In the afternoon we make a visit to the superb Taltsy Folk Architecture museum. Here we return to the origins of Russian Siberia by walking through a 17th-century Cossack fort and stepping inside the log cabins of 19th-century homesteaders. For dinner, we are guests of a local Russian family, who prepare a typical Russian meal from the produce of their own garden. Overnight: Irkutsk (B, L, D)

Friday 19 July To Olkhon Island

Today, we travel north from Irkutsk through the vast open steppes of northern Eurasia that are the lands of the Western Buryats, a formerly nomadic people related to the neighbouring Mongols. Claiming the mother of Genghis Khan as one of their own, the Buryats have driven their herds across these lands for centuries, and we stop at Ust-Ordinsky Buddhist Monastery for a first glimpse of their culture. Buryat culture is a dynamic blend of Tibetan Buddhism and indigenous Siberian shamanism and, though suppressed for decades under Communism, today it is again thriving. Our final destination, travelling by ferry, is the

Above: tiger or beaver? A bureaucratic bungle resulted in this statue of this mythological creature known as the Babr with a sable in its jaws Below: the Tasty Folk Architecture museum offers a window into the everyday life of Siberians; beautiful Olkohn Island on Lake Baikal

Tour start & finish time

The tour begins with arrival of the Korean Airlines flight into Irkutsk Airport in the late evening of Wednesday 17 July.

The tour ends in Vladivostok on Thursday 1 August, after breakfast.

Above: traditional rituals are still practised by Buryat shamans on Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal; the Znamensky Monastery houses a gold sarcophagus holding the relics of Siberian missionary, St Inokent Below: the famed Trans-Siberian railway hugs the southern shoreline of Lake Baikal

beautiful Olkhon Island that lies just off the dramatic western shore of Lake Baikal. We spend the afternoon walking to local beauty spots and, for those brave enough to brave its icy waters, swimming in the pure, clear waters of the world’s oldest lake. Overnight Olkhon Island (B, L, D)

Saturday 20 July Shaman cape, Lake Baikal

A deep inland sea separated by thousands of kilometres of steppe and forest from the sea, Lake Baikal (which is estimated to hold about one fifth of the world’s fresh water) is an ecosystem like no other. Of all its many beauty spots, Shaman Cape on Olkhon Island is justifiably the most famous. Looking like a perfect Japanese miniature and framed by mountain ridges, the Cape is considered the eye of the world by local shamanists and one of the seven holiest sites of Asia among Buddhists. After hearing from a local Buryat shaman about the Cape’s significance, we take to the water for a cruise across one of the lake’s most picturesque arms, the so-called ‘Little Sea’, with the capes, headlands and bays of Baikal forming a perfect backdrop. Keep your eyes peeled for a glimpse of the lake’s most famous denizen, the mysterious Baikal seal or nerpa. Overnight Port Olkhon Hotel. (B, L)

Sunday 21 July Soviet Siberia

Today we bid farewell to Baikal and return to Irkutsk. Here we retrace the history of Siberia during Soviet times with a visit to the Russian Orthodox Znamensky Monastery (where the Reds executed Russian Civil War leader Admiral Kolchak in 1919) and Irkutsk’s impressive Second World War Memorial. We have supper with a local resident in a Stalinist-era apartment. Overnight Irkutsk (B, D)

Monday 22 July The Trans- Siberian Railway

This morning we board the famous Trans-Siberian Railway for a day-time journey to Ulan Ude. Stretching from Moscow to the Pacific, in its day the Trans-Siberian was one of the world’s great feats of engineering. Work, which began in 1891, was completed in 1916. Today we travel what is probably the Railway’s most scenic section, with fantastic views as our train rounds the southern shore of Lake Baikal. Arriving late afternoon in Ulan Ude, we take the evening to unwind and watch the sun set over the north Asian steppe from the top floor of our modern hotel. Overnight Ulan Ude (B)

Tuesday 23 July Buddhism in Buryatia

Ulan Ude is the capital of the semi-autonomous Republic of Buryatia. About one quarter of the population of Buryatia is Yellow Hat Buddhist, the spiritual descendants of 17-century Tibetan missionaries. For centuries, links with Tibet were strong. Closed by Stalin, the temples and monasteries that stud the

landscape are once again living centres of Buryat culture. This morning we visit its spiritual home at Ivolginsk Buddhist Monastery, where we witness a morning prayer service and learn about the deep historical links between Buryatia and Tibet. We continue our exploration of Buryat culture through a visit to the Atsagat Buddhist Temple, with its beautiful location on the open steppe. The afternoon sees us as guests at the home of a local Buryat family, where we learn about the realities of life in a ger. Overnight Ulan Ude (B, L)

Wednesday 24 July Ulan Ude

This morning we embark on a gentle walking tour of central Ulan Ude. In Soviet times, local Communist Party authorities sought Moscow’s favour by constructing the world’s largest bust of Lenin. More than 25 years since the demise of the USSR, the bust still has pride of place in Ulan Ude’s central square. At noon we depart by bus across the wooded steppe for an unforgettable visit to a village of one of Siberia’s most enigmatic peoples - the so-called ‘Old Believers’. After rejecting a series of Church reforms, the Old Believers split from established Russian Orthodoxy in the 1600s and either fled or were exiled to Eastern Europe and Siberia, where they have preserved their beliefs and culture unbroken for centuries. We learn about their lives as workers on collective farms under the Communists and, after a dinner of home-grown and –raised produce, enjoy a superb and stirring performance of their songs of exile, hope, and determination. Overnight Ulan Ude (B, D)

Thursday 25 July To Khabarovsk

Today we fly to Khabarovsk, the major city of Russia’s Amur region. Originally a Cossack border fort, Khabarovsk shot to prominence in the 19th century when it became the centre of efforts for the annexation of what is now called Russia’s ‘Maritime Province’ from China. At the height of the Cold War, in 1969 the Ussuri River that separates Khabarovsk from China was the scene of tense skirmishes between the Soviet and Chinese armies. Today, Khabarovsk is a relaxed city with an elegant 19th-century core. We enjoy an afternoon cruise on the river that separates the city from China. Overnight Khabarovsk (B)

Friday 26 July To Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Today we fly to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Russia’s remote but spectacular Kamchatka peninsula, with a mix of geology, scenery and Russian and indigenous cultures quite unlike anything else on earth. We begin our exploration with a visit to the local Volcanarium (brainchild of the Kamchatka-born volcanologist and physicist Sergei Borisevich) to find out more about the unique geological forces that have created Kamchatka’s spectacular scenery. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, D)

Above: become acquainted with the history of Buddhism in Siberia at the Atsagat Datsan Below: the world’s largest bust of Lenin in the central square of Ulan Ude; the Old believers have preserved their culture for centuries

Saturday 27 July Valley of the geysers

Today we embark by helicopter for a full-day tour of Kamchatka’s volcanoes. Our first stop is the famous Valley of the Geysers, some 200km north of Petropavlovsk. Protected by stringent environmental controls, the Valley is a pristine wonderland of volcanic activity, first discovered only in 1941. With a professional guide provided by the national park, we enjoy the valley’s geysers, mud pools, steam vents and unique flora by boardwalk. Boarding the helicopter for the journey to our second destination, we alight in the 225,000-year-old crater of the Uzon Caldera, where we learn about the local geology against a backdrop of snow-capped volcanoes. The afternoon sees us board the helicopter again for our third destination – a series of picturesque natural hot springs in Nalychevo National Park. After soaking our weary limbs, we enjoy a picnic lunch in the unforgettable surroundings. We return by helicopter to Petropavlovsk. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L, D)

Sunday 28 July elizovo

The weather in Kamchatka is unpredictable and this is our buffer day, which may be used for rescheduling our visit to the Valley of the Geysers. If the weather has been kind to us, however, we travel today to the town of Elizovo. For centuries, salmon was central to the lives of Kamchatka’s indigenous peoples, and in Elizovo we visit the ‘Land of Fish and Fish-eaters’ educational centre that is dedicated to promoting salmon conservation and other environmental issues. Afterwards, we enjoy a walk on the black sands of local Khalaktyrsky Beach, formed by lava flows thousands of years ago. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L)

Monday 29 July Avacha Bay and snow dogs

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky enjoys a spectacular locale on Avacha Bay. A flooded caldera, the bay’s vast horseshoe is home to a rich diversity of sea, bird and mammal life, as well as providing Russia’s submarine fleet with its main Pacific base. Cruising out through the heads of the bay aboard a comfortable motor boat, we discover a clutch of offshore islands that are home to thousands of migratory sea birds and whose waters are again enlivened with the antics of the once-endangered sea otter. We enjoy a lunch of fresh fish on board and return to Petropavlovsk in the early afternoon. For thousands of years, the indigenous groups that call Kamchatka home have been united by the love of one animal: the sled dog. In the afternoon, we visit the ‘Snow Dogs’. With more than 120 dogs lovingly housed on one site, the kennel offers a unique insight into the role that dogs and dog-sledding have played in Kamchatka’s culture and history. The kennels double as an educational centre dedicated to the culture of the indigenous Koryak people. After enjoying a performance of native songs and dance, the brave among us have the opportunity to experience the thrills of

Above and below: Experience the full extent of Kamchatka’s natural landscapes on a full day helicopter tour to the Valley of the Geysers, the vast expanse of the Uzon Caldera and brooding snow-capped volcanoes

the dogsled for themselves. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L, D)

Tuesday 30 July To Vladivostok

Today we fly to Vladivostok, the bustling capital of the Russian Far East. Founded on a superb natural harbour in 1860 but closed for decades under Communism to foreign tourists, Vladivostok is once again a free port and a busy hub for Russian trade with North Asia. On arrival we visit the Eagle’s Nest for spectacular views of Vladivostok’s famous Golden Horn Suspension Bridge and enjoy a walking tour of Vladivostok Foreshore. Overnight Vladivostok (B)

Wednesday 31 July Exploring Vladivostok

After decades of relative neglect, Vladivostok has benefited in recent years from a spate of government development projects. Many of these have been focused on picturesque Russky Island. This morning we depart by coach for a visit to one of the most impressive of these projects, the brand-new Russky Island Aquarium and Research Institute, where we come face-to-face with the rich marine life of the Russian Far East. In the afternoon, we return to Vladivostok proper to view the superb exhibits of the Arsenyev Regional Museum that include the unique ‘fish skin’ clothing of Vladivostok’s original native people. Our farewell dinner is held at the cutting-edge seafood restaurant, Café Morye. Overnight Vladivostok (B, D)

Thursday 1 August Depart

The tour concludes after breakfast. Korean Airlines flights depart Vladivostok via Seoul for Australia in the afternoon (as per current schedules). (B)

Weather on Tour Weather in these regions is unpredictable year-round. Generally, summer in Siberia is warm, dry, and continental. With day-time temperatures often in the 25-30-degree range, it can even get hot. Pack some short sleeves and some shorts for walking. Evenings are always cooler and a light jacket will be needed. Storms can blow up quickly, especially on the lake. The climate in the Russian Far East is typically much more humid and unsettled. Vladivostok is notorious for its rain, even in July. When it’s not raining, it’s typically hot and sticky. July is among the driest months in Kamchatka, but rain is possible any time of year and a rain coat is essential. Evenings are always cool.

Above: Enjoy a cruise on Avacha Bay; Visit a sled dog kennel run by the indigenous community and interact with the adorable Snow Dogs Below: the world’s longest cable-stay suspension bridge in Vladivostok

Hotel Information As Siberia and the Russian Far East are still relatively new destinations for international travellers, hotels do not always meet Western standards. Wherever possible, we stay in the best local hotels. Often run by Japanese or Korean firms, these are high-quality and comfortable with all the conveniences you would expect anywhere.

Elsewhere, however, patience is needed. This is particularly so on Lake Baikal and Kamchatka where only more basic, though still entirely clean and acceptable, facilities are available.

Irkutsk – Central Hotel (3 nights)

The four-star Central Hotel is located in the very heat of the city’s historic quarter, within walking distance of the central square and river embankment. Housed in a renovated, turn-of-the-century property, the hotel features air-conditioning, cable TV, and complimentary WiFi.

Lake Baikal – Port Olkhon Hotel (2 nights)

With a beachfront location on the shore of UNESCO-listed Lake Baikal, this lodge is committed to helping preserve Baikal’s sensitive ecological balance by using environmentally-friendly materials and resources. Rooms are decorated simply, in a loft-style, with wooden ceilings and floors. The restaurant offers local Siberian and Russian cuisine, while the bar serves up cocktails made from Baikal’s unique herbs and berries to be enjoyed on the terrace with its views of the lake and mountainous opposite shore.

Ulan Ude – Mergen Bator Hotel (3 nights)

Opened in late 2013, the small and modern Mergen Bator hotel is located in the city centre and features an elegant restaurant, a 12th-floor bar, a pool, fitness centre, sauna and hammam. Rooms include flat-screen TV, complimentary Internet access, in-room safe and bathrobes. Its brash appearance above the Ulan Ude skyline may raise eyebrows initially, but its very high level of comfort and spacious, modern rooms make it a good-quality four-star hotel. The swimming pool and Finnish sauna in the basement are great for relaxing. The rooftop bar/restaurant rotates, offering a panoramic view as the sun sets over the steppe visible beyond the edges of town.

Khabarovsk – Parus Hotel (1 night)

Located on the banks of the Amur River in a beautiful building dating from Khabarovsk’s heyday before the Russian Revolution, the hotel has comfortable, well-equipped rooms with all modern conveniences. A restaurant, bar and sauna are also on-site.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky – Avacha Hotel (4 nights)

The Avacha is located close to the city centre and market. Many of the rooms have recently been renovated and feature satellite TV. There is a cafe onsite. A business centre can provide guests with Internet and fax. This is the most basic hotel we shall stay in during the trip. A borderline two-to-three-star hotel, it is nonetheless the best that Kamchatka offers. Rooms are cramped and dated, as are the bathrooms. But it is clean, the beds are comfortable, and there is plenty of hot water!

Vladivostok – Lotte Hotel (2 nights)

The four-star Lotte Hotel is located in the historic centre of Vladivostok, close to the Historical Museum, seaport, Drama Theatre and Philharmonic Hall. The Lotte combines a high level of comfort with Korean style. Amenities include air conditioning, satellite TV, mini-bar, restaurant, cafe and bar. Formerly known as the Hyundai Hotel, this is a big Korean-run hotel that is solidly four stars. The rooms are comfortable, and from the upper floors offer a spectacular view over Vladivostok’s Golden Horn. A very good Korean restaurant and gym are on site in the basement. From the rooftop bar, the views over the Golden Horn are even more spectacular than from the rooms.

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

GRADE THREE

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Three tour is among our most physically demanding. To participate on this tour, you should be able to comfortably undertake up to seven hours per day, over several days. Activities may include travelling long distances, walking on difficult terrain, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, exposure to high altitudes and long days of touring. These tours may include one-night stops and early starts. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 5-7 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in museums and at

sites tolerate varying climatic conditions such as cold weather a reasonable level of physical and respiratory fitness tolerate a diet that can be significantly different from a

typical Australian diet, and where some dietary requirements cannot be met

walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites or

mountain paths, which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep steps, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

We regret that we are not able to accept bookings on a Grade Three tour from people more than 80 years old, or with restricted mobility.

Tour Price The tour price is $16,975 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $1,590 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions

Included in the tour price

All accommodation in selected hotels All breakfasts and meals as indicated in the itinerary Three Economy class flights between Ulan Ude to

Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Vladivostok

Seated travel on the Trans-Siberian railway between Irkutsk and Ulan Ude

Land travel by air-conditioned coach Helicopter excursion in Kamchatka Extensive background notes Services of Australian tour leader and tour manager

throughout the tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Porterage at hotels and railway stations Russian visa costs and processing

Not included

International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Korean Airlines which offers flights into Irkutsk and out of Vladivostok from Sydney or Brisbane. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jamal Fairbrother at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jamal@academytravel.com.au

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AUTHORISATIONBy submitting this booking form you are authorising us to charge the cost of deposits for booking on this tour. No further charges will be made without your prior authorisation.

AUTHORISATIONBy submitting this booking form, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions above and on our website, and the inclusions and non-inclusions listed in the detailed itinerary for the tour.

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ACADEMY TRAVEL TAILORED SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS Email: info@academytravel.com.au academytravel.com.au