Trips Archive - MIR

A Taste of Georgia: Wine, Cuisine & Culture

MIR Corporation — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:32:05 +0000

International travelers are discovering what residents of the South Caucasus region have long known: Georgian food and wine are out-of-this-world good. This tour takes you to the places where Georgia’s extraordinary flavors shine brightest: in the vineyards, restaurants, and family tables where the country’s most accomplished winemakers and chefs ply their crafts. Along the way you’ll get to know the hip, historic capital city of Tbilisi, explore picturesque mountains dotted with centuries-old villages and monasteries, and discover firsthand why Georgians are famous for their hospitality.

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Albania: Beyond the Guidebook

MIR Corporation — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:02:11 +0000

Experience the abundant natural beauty and hospitality of Albania, a burgeoning Balkan nation ready to step into the spotlight after decades of isolation and obscurity under totalitarian rule. Discover the country’s communist history, marvel at forgotten remnants of Greco-Roman and Ottoman architecture, admire spectacular vistas in the wild Albanian Alps, and step into the lives of hospitable villagers who still hold tight to ancient traditions.

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Backstreets & Bazaars of Uzbekistan

MIR Corporation — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:41:39 +0000

This is a trip with one foot in the past and one firmly in the present. On it you’ll tour Uzbekistan’s three brilliant Silk Road oases: Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand – each a living city, but also a time capsule filled with world-renowned, one-of-a-kind art and architecture. You’ll also be immersed in contemporary Uzbek culture and cuisine, visiting bustling markets and shops, sitting down to meals in local homes, and getting cooking demonstrations from esteemed chefs. Finally, you’ll take part in Navruz, a 2,000-year-old celebration of spring that’s the biggest event on the Uzbek calendar. It’s an exuberant burst of hospitality, and with MIR you’ll attend private celebrations that most travelers don’t have access to.

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Balkan Odyssey: Crossroads of Cultures

MIR Corporation — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:09:39 +0000

From low-lying Belgrade up through the Dinaric Alps, down to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia and back up to mountainous North Macedonia, this overland journey ties together seven wildly divergent Balkan countries. Catholic, Muslim, Orthodox, politically contradictory, and ethnically varied, this kaleidoscopic region offers an apprenticeship in diversity.

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Bulgaria & Romania: Frescoes & Fortresses

MIR Corporation — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 18:02:42 +0000

Explore the complex histories and fascinating cultures of Bulgaria and Romania, two East European countries whose rugged terrain and consequent isolation have helped preserve their heritage. Discover the luminous frescoes of the painted monasteries, breathe in the fragrance of the Valley of the Roses, and spend an afternoon visiting with villagers in a tiny Transylvanian town. Visit six different UNESCO World Heritage Sites in these two countries and explore a cave monastery, an ancient Thracian tomb, gorgeous castles, and massive citadels.

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China’s Silk Road & Tibet: Route of Monks & Merchants

MIR Corporation — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:15:59 +0000

Retrace the overland journey of ancient traders and adventurers on a segment of the old Silk Road. Begin in Western China, experiencing the legendary Kashgar Sunday Animal Market, where merchants sell everything from ducks to sheep. Hop a train heading east to Turpan’s lush Grape Valley – watered by a 2,000-year-old irrigation system – and to Dunhuang’s UNESCO-listed Mogao Caves, frescoed and carved with a thousand images of the Buddha. Ride the high-altitude train from Xining to Lhasa, visiting one of Tibet's most iconic sites, the Potala Palace. Explore the Tibetan Plateau on a splendid route that embraces the sacred cities of Gyantse and Shigatse, as well as Lhasa, “City of the Sun.”

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Christmas Traditions of Poland

MIR Corporation — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:19:17 +0000

Celebrate the heartfelt holiday traditions of Poland, wandering Krakow’s brilliant Christmas Market and Warsaw’s Main Market Square. Explore Zakopane, Poland’s winter capital of ski hills and spas, and experience a traditional torch-lit sleigh ride through the mountain snow followed by a bonfire with roasted kielbasa and hot mulled wine. Join a Polish family in their Warsaw home for the intimate Christmas Eve feast called Wigilia, where you can sample 12 different traditional dishes. This wintry journey brings you close to the warm heart of Poland’s long-standing customs.

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Eastern Turkey & Georgia: Crossroads of Ancient Civilizations

MIR Corporation — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:47:06 +0000

Eastern Turkey’s rugged, sunburnt Anatolian Plateau and the steep mountains and lush valleys of Georgia are brilliantly paired on this unusual backroad adventure. Begin by following traces of the old Silk Road through arid valleys and rocky hills filled with the traces of early civilizations. Then explore the beautiful little country of Georgia, where guests are welcomed at tables laden with food and wine that’s earning recognition as some of the world’s best.

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Journey Through Central Asia: The Five ’Stans

MIR Corporation — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 19:43:14 +0000

More than 2,000 years ago, the great trade routes linking Europe and China opened Central Asia to foreign cultures, customs, and religions. Join a modern-day caravan on an epic journey to five of these exotic countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

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Lewis & Clark College: Legends of the Silk Road

Andrew Barron — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:56:40 +0000

This 20-day overland journey begins in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and winds through Uzbekistan, includes a brief visit to Tajikistan, and continues onward to Kyrgyzstan, before ending in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Explore Turkmenistan's white marble capital and flaming "Gates of Hell" desert fire-pit. View once-forbidden Russian avant-garde paintings in a remote desert museum, and trace the route of Silk Road camel caravans through desert landscapes, mud-brick Old Towns, and shady oases. As the terrain changes from desert to mountainous, learn about Kyrgyz village life and witness a wild game of kok boru, before finishing the journey with Almaty's green boulevards and buzzing city life.

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Modern Mesopotamia

Andrew Barron — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:50:43 +0000

While nominally part of Iraq, Kurdistan feels and looks different on the ground. It is multicultural with Kurds, Yazidis, Assyrians, Turkmens, Arabs, Armenians, and others all populating its cities and villages. It is safe, and has been so for years. It is prospering, with the lowest poverty levels in Iraq. And it is replete with rarely visited and spectacularly beautiful sights — ancient and modern, cultural and geographical. Kurdistan is a special place, and now is the the time to go. Join us on this nine-day exploration of the region, starting and ending in the capital Erbil, and taking in the cities of the Duhok and Sulaymaniyah and the countryside and villages in between.

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Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival

MIR Corporation — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:47:48 +0000

On the rocky ridges overlooking Mongolia’s remote, westernmost province, Bayan-Ulgii, a dwindling number of ethnic Kazakhs carry on a 6,000-year-old tradition — hunting with magnificent golden eagles, one of the world’s largest predatory birds. Attend the annual Golden Eagle Festival, where eagle hunters display their birds’ speed, skill, and training, as well as the deep bond that forms between bird and human. Along the way, explore Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, with its Buddhist and nomadic heritage, and the fabled Gobi Desert.

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