Asia and the Orient

Trade and immigration has shaped much of the World. Article about the Silk road, Aboriginal trade routes and Pilgrims for small group tours for mature couples and solo travellers. Explores Australia, Spain, Italy and China.

For the active mature and senior traveller be they a couple or solo traveller this article outlines preparation for walking tours even for the over 80's. It may on the Wainwright, the lake district or a pilgrims walk across Europe or St James Way, the Camino. This artices give advice on getting fit, shoes and socks including for particular advice for women on this topic.

Tiger Hill is located 11 kilometres from Darjeeling town in West Bengal, India, and one of the places to visit in this town famous for its tea gardens.

Known as the Toy Train, this historic railway is one of the three Indian railways listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Kazakh Steppe, Kazakhstan Stretching across vast swathes of Central Asia, the Kazakh Steppe covers much of the northern region of Kazakhstan, an area roughly of 800,000 square kilometers. The great steppe is comprised of…

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Mongolia’s Capital of Ulaanbaatar is a city whose history is written in its landscape, architecture and people. Located at 1,350 m (4,430 ft) above sea level and close to the river Tuul, Ulaanbaatar…

Delhi, India Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi. If Jaipur is historic India, and Mumbai its modern heart, Delhi is where the two collide: a frantic mix of medieval architecture, broad avenues, and modern design. Few cities have…

Highlights of Uzbekistan | Samanid Mausoleum The Samanid Mausoleum, dating from the 10th century, is the oldest Muslim monument in the city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan. This final resting place was built for Ismail Samani (or…

Mumbai, India Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Mumbai. One of the world’s great metropolises, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is India at its most vibrant; a city of contrasts, where Bollywood stars and finance billionaires…

Cochin (Kochi), India ‘Chinese fishing nets’ are a testament to the multicultural history of Kochi. Known as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea‘, Kochi has long been among India’s most cosmopolitan cities. A center of…

Hakone National Park, Japan The Hakone National Park is part of the sprawling Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which also includes Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes (including Lake Kawaguchiko near the iconic peak), the Izu Peninsula, and…

Agra, India The Taj Mahal. Tourists come to Agra from all over the world to view the amazing Taj Mahal, one of the world’s most celebrated and iconic buildings. But while the Taj more than…

Matsue, Japan North of Hiroshima is the town of Matsue, also known as the “City of Water” as it is near the Sea of Japan, sitting between Lake Shinji (Shinjiko) and Lake Nakaumi. It is…

The famous Registan Square and Ulugbek Madrasah is one of the worlds most recognised Mosque, which is the main square in Samarkand .In Uzbekistan this is one of the monumental buildings in the country. For mature and senior travellers on a small group tour this ancient city is located on the Silk Road network and is part of our small group tours programs on the Silk road or as part of the Stans program.

Measuring 2080 kilometres, and situated between the borders of Russia’s far east and China’s North, the Trans-Mongolian railway is journey steeped in the history of great powers.

Hiroshima, Japan Southwest from Kyoto on the island of Honshu is Hiroshima (“broad island”), a major urban centre in the 1870s during Japan’s imperial period, and a city destroyed in an instant in August 1945…

Jaipur, India Amber Fort, on the outskirts of Jaipur. The legendary ‘Pink City’, Jaipur epitomises the beauty and grandeur of historic India. The city takes its name from its founder, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, one…

Nara, Japan Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital, is located in the Kansai region, nestled in the hilly edge of the Nara Basin, about 40 kilometres east of Osaka. It is a popular day trip or…

Kyoto, Japan Kyoto, the “thousand-year capital”, served as Japan’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years. This long history makes it synonymous with Japanese traditional culture. A tour in Kyoto promises beautiful heritage sites–ancient…

This gigantic domed mosque, Bibi Khanum mosque is the centrepiece of the imperial capital of Uzbekistan.

The Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan, is said to be the most beautiful and most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque.

The Skardu Valley is located in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, on the Indus River which separates the Karakoram range from the Himalayas.

Lahore Fort is the main attraction in Lahore's old walled city, housing the marble palaces, mosques, and lush gardens from the city's golden age under the Mughal dynasty, when Lahore became the place of royal residence.

Today, the Taj Mahal attracts around 8 million visitors a year. One of the most spectacular things about the Taj Mahal is the way white marble changes colour throughout the day.

Often called the City of Lights, Varanasi is one of the world's oldest inhabited cities. Colourful, intense and mystical, it is the spiritual capital of India and the country's holiest Hindu city, located on the banks of the river Ganges in Uttar Pradesh.

The Red Fort, also called Lal Qalʿah, is a historic fort in the city of Delhi, overlooking the Yamuna River. It served as the main residence for the emperors of the formidable Mughal dynasty for almost 200 years until the British took over in 1857. Like the Taj Mahal, it was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1638 who decided to move the Mughal capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad, in present-day Old Delhi. The construction took ten years and the fort is octagonal in shape, covering an area of 254 acres.

Yangon, Myanmar a city of history and curiosity for an escorted small group tour for mature and senior travellers to explore.Include Bagan and the Irrawaddy river in any educational based tour program for couples or solo travellers.

Built in 1857 on the Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River by King Mindon prior to complete British rule, the city of Mandalay still bear traces of royal grandeur in the palaces and monasteries built during his reign.

History of the Trans-Siberian Railway The history of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a network of railways connecting Moscow to the Russian Far East, covers important events of the 20th century, tracing the rise and fall of…

Explore Bagan, a cultural and artistic wonderland, on a small group tour The opportunity to explore Bagan, a cultural and artistic wonderland, on a small group tour does exist. Odyssey Traveller has offered small group…

A Short History of Tokyo Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, the busiest intersection in the Japanese metropolis The history of Tokyo is intimately intertwined with that of Japan’s. In this article, we’ll explore Tokyo’s history from…

From steep wintry peaks, rising more than 1.4 kilometers above sea level, to ancient forests and river ways, the range of scenery around Mount Lushan is genuinely breathtaking. A relatively unknown spot for Western tourists, the Lushan National Park is hugely popular for Chinese tourists. The mountainous region is littered with beautiful flora and fauna, and is teeming with wildlife, including the world's largest migratory white crane flock.

Everything about the Forbidden City, from its name to its history, is full of intrigue. For many visitors, the Forbidden City embodies the secrecy, mystery and power of China’s past.

Pakistan, a young nation created with the partition of British India in 1947, is intertwined with the history of India and the broader Indian subcontinent.

Around the World in Six Coffees: Italy, France, Japan, China, Morocco & Argentina Order a cappuccino in Italy after 11am and expect to receive strange looks. In Argentina, don’t be surprised when your coffee order…

Travellers flock to Xi’an to walk around Emperor’s Qin’s tomb complex, one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world, the Terracotta Warriors

Touring World Heritage Sites in Europe, Asia, and Beyond You’ll often discover, when travelling, that some of the most spectacular and amazing sites you visit are listed on the World Heritage Site. But what exactly…

Forest Bathing in Japan Much has changed since we last wrote about shinrin-yoku or forest bathing in 2017 (you can read the original article after this introduction) as the movement has gained considerable momentum in…

Experience and knowledge shows that they are plenty of places in the world still to be explored by the curious. Our collection of small group tours for seniors as well as mainstream tours to France or Italy can take the traveller as a couple or solo traveller to places of curiosity such as Panama or Iran the list is endless for the curious.

Escorted small group tours for mature and senior travellers to Taiwan. Designed for couples and solo travellers who like to explore and enjoy learning as they travel.

Creating Asian empires, learning from history. The empires of Asia were expansive both in geography and in tenure. The Mongols had an empire that spanned the entire Asian continent as far as Europe, and the…

Explore Tajikstan as part of a tour of the Stans that includes Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan as part of a small group tour for senior travellers.

Experience the history, culture and landscape of the spice island that is Sri Lanka. For seniors who like to explore this is a small group tour that captures the essence of this island away and off the the beaten track.

Explore and learn about on a seniors small group tour of Mongolia and its pastoral, cultural and historic settlement. Visit Ulaanbaatar, catch the train to Moscow, seek out dinosaurs as part of a small group.

Explore and learn about on a senior travellers small group tour of Kyrgyzstan and its pastoral, cultural and historic settlement.

Explore and learn about on a seniors small group tour of Myanmar and its pastoral, cultural and historic settlement. Visit World heritage sites such a Bagan or spend time on the Irrawaddy river to Mandalay.

Explore and learn about on a Seniors small group tour of Kazakhstan and its pastoral, cultural and historic settlement.Witness a rocket launch at Baikonur .

Explore and learn about on a Seniors small group tour of Uzbekistan and its pastoral, cultural and historic settlement. Visit Samanid Mausoluem, or Registan sq understand this country's role on the silk road.

Festivals of Bhutan Tshechu, or religious festivals are at the very heart of Bhutan’s unique way of life. These sacred festivals take place all year round – in every monastery and temple, even in the…

Bhutan: a journey into the Hidden Kingdom Bhutan, a tiny and remote nation nestled within the Himalayas, has been described as a real-life Shangri-La. It is famed for its Buddhist spirituality, pristine mountain landscape, and…

Soviet Art in Kazakhstan When the Kazakh khanate splintered into three hordes in the early 17th century, they became vulnerable to raids from Mongol tribes, primarily the Dzungars (dson, “left”; gar, “hand”) who formed the left wing…

Eight Amazing Rail Journeys This article details eight amazing rail journeys that you may wish to consider when planning your journeys. Humans have been travelling by sea since ancient times, but on land, humans were…

Shanghai’s “The Bund” The Bund, a stretch of historical buildings lining the western bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China (“bund” derives from the Hindustani word band which means “embankment”), was initially a British settlement that…

The Legacy of the Silk road is outlined in this short definitive article for mature age travellers planning to take a small group tour along through these 3 countries over 29 days. The program is designed for mature couples and solo travellers.

Exploring Kazakhstan. “Land of Wanderers” Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world and covers a landlocked area bigger than all of Western Europe. But unlike Europe, it does not figure prominently in the…

Trans-Siberian Landscapes and Wildlife Even in a fast-paced world where travelling long distances means hopping on a plane and journeying through the air for a few hours, the Trans-Siberian Railway continues to have a magnetic…

The Shoguns of Japan: An Introduction to Six Centuries of Japanese Cultural Evolution From 1192 to 1867, Japan was ruled by military dictators called the shogun. The civil government continued under the imperial court in Kyoto,…

Best books to read about the Silk Road – a list for senior travellers The linking of Asia to Europe via Eurasia for conquest and trade since at least 120BC is a unique part of…

Travelling in Uzbekistan This article Travelling in Uzbekistan is part of a series on The ‘Stans, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. While these countries may be off the beaten track in terms of the usual…

Discovering India as a Mature or Senior traveller India is a land of immense diversity and extremes – geographical, economic and spiritual. Its geography encompasses the glacial heights of the Himalaya in the north, the…

Tours of Japan Visiting Japan, a land of dazzling contradictions, is an unforgettable experience. High-tech cities harbour relics of a fascinating past. Futuristic fashion and gadgets share the streets with evidence of deeply held traditions.…

Pilgrimage routes and walking tours Several pilgrimage tracks remain intact and active centuries after they were first established. Many Odyssey tours trace their routes, walking in the footsteps of people […]

Japan travel tips – a guide for mature travellers This article is a guide for mature leisure travellers who are considering their first visit to Japan. Visiting Japan, a land of dazzling contradictions, is an…