Human Origins: Southwest France and Northern Spain
Overview
Highlights
- Examine the Paleolithic art of two UNESCO World Heritage–listed cave regions: France’s Vézère Valley and the northern coast of Spain.
- Meet leading archaeologists and anthropologists for talks and private tours of cave sites.
- Visit Castel-Merle with Isabelle Castanet, whose family has excavated the site for generations.
- Explore Sarlat, France, and Santillana del Mar, Spain, two of Europe's best-preserved medieval villages.
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Trip includes
- Accommodation
- Most of the meals
- All internal transportation
- Airport transfer
- Tour Guide
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Itinerary
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Le Centenaire or Hotel Villa Romaine
Depart on an overnight flight to Bordeaux. Journey to the beautiful Dordogne region—still commonly known by its pre-revolutionary name, Périgord. Here, rivers have carved up the lime...
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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Begin the day with an introduction to Paleolithic art by one of the world’s leading experts, Christine Desdemaines-Hugon, author of Stepping Stones: A Journey Through the ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Le Centenaire or Hotel Villa Romaine
Travel to picturesque Sarlat, whose original halftimbered, golden-stone buildings and narrow cobbled streets make it one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Fra...
Meals: Breakfast
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This morning, venture into the spectacular natural galleries of Pech Merle, an enormous cave system filled with prehistoric art and artifacts dating back 25,000 years. See rare representations of hum...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Parador Santillana Del Mar
Drive southwest into France’s Basque region, stopping in a picturesque village for lunch in a traditional Basque restaurant. In the afternoon, enter the Isturitz and Oxocelhaya cav...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Parador Santillana Del Mar
Come face-to-face with some of the oldest artistic representations in human history on a visit to the caves at Puente Viesgo, part of the Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain Wor...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Continue our exploration of Cantabria’s World Heritage–listed caves at Hornos de la Peña. Here, large-scale naturalistic engravings depict horses, bison, aurochs, goats, and other animals...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Today we are joined by renowned archaeologist Dr. Ana Cristina Pinto-Llona, an expert on the origins of modern humans. Ana is a two-time National Geographic grant recipient for he...
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to Bilbao Airport for your flight home.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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