Compare Human Origins: Southwest France and Northern Spain by National Geographic Expeditions vs Mediterranean Express: Rivieras & Railroads by G Adventures
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 6,995 | $ 1,423 |
| Price Per Day | $ 700 | $ 203 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Basic |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | No meals included |
| Description |
Trace the footsteps of early humans as we explore the cradles of civilization in southwest France and on Spain’s northern coast. On an expedition designed with paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, examine carvings and cave paintings that illustrate life up to 40,000 years ago. From the Dordogne to Basque Country, stay in beautiful medieval towns that dot these long-inhabited landscapes. |
Jump on this quick (and affordable) seven-day tour of some of Europe's greatest cities. See what's so nice about Nice, snap the expected "holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa" shot, and then explore Gaudí's famous architecture. And hey, think of the food to be tried on a tour from Rome to Barcelona! (Good thing you'll be walking so much.) Travel on trains and leave the coach bus behind on this life-changing experience. |
Days 1 & 2: U.S./Bordeaux, France/Vézère Valley
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 limestone landscape, leaving cliffs and caves where humans have built their homes for tens of thousands of years. Settle into your country hotel in the Vézère valley, and gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner.
Day 3: Prehistoric Sites of the Vézère Valley
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Le Centenaire or Hotel Villa Romaine
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 Ice Age Caves of the Dordognef. Then join Christine on an excursion to see the majestic sculpted frieze of horses and bison in the shelter of the cliffs at Cap Blanc, followed by a guided tour at the National Museum of Prehistory. After lunch on your own in the nearby town of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, end the day with a visit to either Font-de-Gaume, home to more than 200 polychrome paintings, or at Rouffignac Cave, known as the “cave of a hundred mammoths.”
Day 4: Sarlat/Lascaux II
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 France. After time to explore on your own, gather for a unique “prehistoric” lunch, made with the ingredients once used by the Neanderthals. In the afternoon, join archaeologist Isabelle Castanet for a visit to Castel-Merle, a complex of prehistoric stone shelters more than 300 feet long, excavated and preserved by several generations of the Castanet family. Meet prehistory expert Denis Tauxe for a private, behind-the-scenes visit to Lascaux II, a painstaking recreation of the two primary chambers of the original Lascaux cave, whose famous paintings have been off-limits to visitors since 1963 to prevent deterioration.
Day 5: Pech Merle/Toulouse
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Hotel De L'Opera
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 human figures, engraved or spotted animals, and a mammoth drawn using the natural contours of the rock. The cave floor displays children’s footprints preserved in the ancient clay more than 12,000 years ago. Following lunch on your own, continue to the lively university town of Toulouse.
Day 6: Basque Country/Santillana del Mar, Spain
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 caves with local prehistory specialist Aude Labarge and meet with the archaeological site director, Christian Normand. Used by human beings for more than 80,000 years, these superimposed caves have yielded tens of thousands of artifacts, including flutes, sculpted reindeer horns, and whale-bone tools. Cross into Spain this afternoon and trace the Bay of Biscay to the Cantabria region. Check into our charming hotel, a manor house situated in the heart of the medieval village of Santillana del Mar.
Day 7: Puente Viesgo Caves
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 World Heritage site. Recently identified as the oldest cave artwork in the world, the paintings in El Castillo cave date back at least 40,800 years. Explore the nearby Las Monedas cave—the longest in Puente Viesgo— and later, delve deeper into the prehistory of the region on a visit to the Altamira Museum.
Day 8: Hornos de la Peña Cave/Bilbao
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Miró or Hotel Carlton
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, as well as an unusual anthropomorphic figure with a human-like arm and a tail. After lunch at a local restaurant, transfer to Bilbao, the largest city in Spain’s autonomous Basque Country. Explore the city on your own this afternoon, and if you wish, stop in at the world-famous Guggenheim Museum located just a short walk from our hotel.
Day 9: Atapuerca/Bilbao
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Miró or Hotel Carlton
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 her work in the Asturias region of northern Spain, and also spent several years excavating at the Atapuerca archaeological site. Visit Atapuerca, where the oldest known hominin fossil remains in Europe have been unearthed. Return to Bilbao and celebrate your prehistoric adventure at a festive farewell dinner.
Day 10: Bilbao/U.S.
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to Bilbao Airport for your flight home.
Day 1 Rome
Arrive at any time. “On an evening in Roma…” Venture out to a bar or pub with your CEO and fellow travellers for drinks and conversation. As you explore the winding cobblestone streets and sidewalks of The Eternal City, prepare for the endless excitement about to unfold on the rest of your journey.
We highly recommend arriving a day or two earlier to experience all that this amazing city has to offer.
Please note that if Vatican City is on your must-see list, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets online several weeks prior to your trip. Same-day entrance to St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) cannot be guaranteed without advance tickets.
Day 2 Rome/Rapallo
Stop at Pisa to check out the Leaning Tower en route to the beautiful Italian Riviera.
Day 3 Rapallo
Walk the coastal path between Riomaggiore and Monterosso or opt to take the train. Visit charming, colourful towns along the way with an included national park pass and unlimited train ticket.
Day 4 Rapallo/Nice
Continue to the French Riviera and enjoy a free afternoon in Nice. Opt to go for a hike along the coast, or take a day trip to nearby beaches and villages.
Day 5 Monaco Day Trip
Take a day trip by train to nearby Monaco. Get your bearings with your CEO and set off on foot to explore the world's second-smallest country (only the Vatican is smaller). What it may lack in size it more than makes up for in style.
Day 6 Nice/Barcelona
Hop on a flight toward Barcelona. Join your CEO on an orientation walk of your surroundings before participating in a G Adventures supported tapas cooking class served and prepared by migrant students. Afterward, break off on your own to explore this amazing city. Enjoy a Big Night Out on the town.
Visit the old Gothic Quarter with its maze of dark streets, historic cathedral, medieval buildings, bars, and cafés. Stroll Las Ramblas, a large tree-lined pedestrian boulevard perfect for people watching and window shopping.
If popular sights like La Sagrada Família or Parc Güell are on your must-see list in Barcelona, we highly recommend purchasing tickets online several months prior to your trip. This is the only way to guarantee admission during your visit. Please note that passenger luggage (up to 23kgs/50lbs per passenger) is included on your internal flight.
Day 7 Barcelona
Depart at any time.
We recommend staying an extra day or two to fully experience all this lively city has to offer.
