Cultural Learning Tours

In 1880-1881, five wagon trains of Mennonites left European Russia and headed east to Central Asia along the famous Silk Road. Seeking freedom from conscription and new economic opportunities, this group went east instead of west to North America as 18,000 did a decade earlier. In the last decade, new details of the Great Trek have emerged in the remarkable Silk Road cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. Amidst the splendour of the Islamic architecture and often mountainous landscape, the Mennonite Great Trek story will emerge through journals and letters of trekkers, archival documents, and current reflections. Tour leader John Sharp is a retired college history and Bible professor whose passion for and knowledge of the Mennonite Great Trek along the Silk Road will give you valuable insight into this chapter of Mennonite history. John has led several tours to Central Asia and has developed relationships with locals who will give you insight into Uzbek life and culture.

THIS IS A CUSTOM PROGRAM. Registration by invitation only.

See intriguing animals such as kangaroos, koalas, and penguins, plus many species of birds and reptiles. Enjoy dinner outside in the Outback and gaze in wonder at more stars than you thought possible. Observe vibrant, colourful ocean life as you tour the Great Barrier Reef in a glass-bottomed boat. Learn about the Australian Aboriginals and visit one of their most sacred and beautiful natural sights—the giant Uluru rock formation. Also, visit world-famous sites in the cities of Melbourne, Cairns, and Sydney.

A sneak peek at future tours for next year