February 10-22, 2017
Arctic Exploration and
the Northern Lights
Aboard the Golden Eagle Private Train
Meg Urry
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Dear Yale Traveler
Join renowned Yale astrophysicist Meg Urry to celebrate an
unconventional and adventurous winter holiday with alumni and Yale
friends above the Arctic Circle aboard the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian
Express luxury private train.
Begin in lovely St. Petersburg, where the northern capital
takes on a warm patina in the slanted winter sunlight, its fashionable
boulevards and serene canals softened by a fresh snowfall. Explore two
of St. Petersburg’s wonderful highlights, Catherine’s Palace with its
painstakingly recreated Amber Room, and the world-class Hermitage
Museum, with one of the largest and most brilliant museum collections
in the world.
Board the elegant Golden Eagle and venture far above the
Arctic Circle to experience twilight at noon.
Accompanied by Professor Urry, search for the mysterious
Northern Lights in the skies above Kirkenes, Norway, a polar town
overlooking the country’s easternmost fjord. Here, visit the glowing
Snow Hotel, its guestrooms built of snow and adorned with snow
carvings and ice sculptures, and enjoy a chilled vodka served in a glass
made of ice. Embark on an exhilarating dogsled ride behind a team of
huskies running over the frozen lakes and across the northern tundra.
Heading back into Russia, make a stop in Murmansk, the
most important city on the Kola Peninsula. Board the world’s first
nuclear-powered ice-breaker, the Lenin, now a museum ship docked
in Murmansk. Further south, admire the graceful UNESCO-listed
churches in the towns of Suzdal and Vladimir, World Heritage Sites
that were seats of political power long before the rise of Moscow.
Disembark the Golden Eagle
in magnificent Moscow,
transferring to one of the city’s top hotels. Explore Red Square and
the Moscow Kremlin, including the Armory Museum, housing Russia’s
national treasures such as religious icons, Fabergé eggs and Catherine
the Great’s ball gowns.
Happy Travels,
Kathy Edersheim ’87
Senior Director, International Alumni Relations and Travel
www.yaleedtravel.org/arctic17
Yale Study Leader
Reader’s Corner
Want to learn more about
the history and culture of St.
Petersburg and the Arctic Circle?
meg urry
Meg Urry is the Irsael Munson Professor of Physics and
Astronomy at Yale, Director of the Yale Center for Astronomy
and Astrophysics, and President of the American Astronomical
Society. Professor Urry received her BS in physics and
mathematics from Tufts University in 1977 and her PhD from Johns Hopkins
University in 1984. Her scientific research focuses on active galaxies, which host
accreting supermassive black holes in their centers. She has published more
than 250 refereed research articles on super-massive black holes and galaxies
and is a Thomson Reuters “Highly Cited Author.” Prof. Urry is a member of
the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences, the American Physical Society, and American Women in
Science. She received an honorary doctorate from Tufts University and the
American Astronomical Society’s Annie Jump Cannon and George van Biesbroeck
prizes. Prior to moving to Yale in 2001, Prof. Urry was a senior scientist at the
Space Telescope Science Institute, which runs the Hubble Space Telescope for
NASA. She is also known for her efforts to increase the number of women in
the physical sciences, for which she won the 2010 Women in Space Science
Award from the Adler Planetarium.
Professor Urry writes: “This will be my first trip to the Arctic, one of great interest
due to the northern lights which are a beautiful natural phenomenon and have
enthralled humans over millennia. Since we’ll be visiting in the Arctic winter,
we’ll have longer nights to enjoy evening ‘fireworks.’ The strength of the lights
depends on magnetic storms of the Sun. If there is a particularly large coronal
ejection event, the lights will be spectacular. In addition to nighttime displays,
I’m looking forward to experiencing all the other aspects of the trip in the great
company of alumni—sophisticated, beautiful St. Petersburg, impressive St.
Basil’s and Red Square in Moscow, and the mesmerizing landscapes above the
Arctic Circle. And of course, traveling by train on the Golden Eagle.”
Highlights
Enjoy
onboard
lectures and discussions
with
acclaimed
Yale
astrophysicist Meg
Urry, who explains
the science behind
the
astonishing
phenomenon of the
aurora borealis, the
Northern Lights.
Search out the
mercurial Northern
Lights on two
consecutive evenings
in Kirkenes, Norway,
in the comfort of a
cozy coach. This area
boasts an abundance
of clear winter
nights and cool, dry
weather, ideal for
viewing this celestial
phenomenon.
Skim over Russia’s
icy Lake Onega on
a hovercraft to the
UNESCO -listed
open-air museum
on Kizhi Island,
and admire the
1714 Cathedral of
the Transfiguration,
with 22 aspenshingled cupolas
sprouting
from
its roof.
Here’s a good start:
Auroras, Fire in the Sky
by Dan Bortolotti, Yuichi Takasaka
(Photographer)
These 80 color photos by Yuichi
Takasaka celebrate the beauty,
history, folklore and science of the
northern lights.
In the Kingdom of Ice, The Grand
and Terrible Polar Voyage of the
USS Jeannette
by Hampton Sides
Award-winning Outside magazine
editor Hampton Sides brings to life
the colorful characters that launched
the expedition of the USS Jeannette
into unknown polar regions. Backed
by prominent newspaperman James
Gordon Bennett Jr., Naval officer
George Washington De Long and
crew set off for the “Polar Grail,” only
to lose their ship to the ice.
Upcoming Trips
Islands of Intrigue: Malta & Sicily
April 28-May 7, 2017
Millicent Marcus
Professor of Italian & Film Studies
Southern England:
Literature & Landscapes
June 2-11, 2017
Traugott Lawler
Professor Emeritus of English
Trans-Mongolian Railway:
Ulaanbaatar to Moscow
July 9-23, 2017
Marian Chertow ’81 MPPM, ’00 PhD
Associate Professor, Forestry &
Environmental Studies
Yale Educational Travel
Association of Yale Alumni
Box 209010, New Haven, CT
06520-9010
Reservations: 203.432.1952
[email protected]
Kirkenes (Norway)
Nikel
Murmansk
M A P
A R E A
Petrozavodsk
St. Petersburg
RUSSIA
Moscow
Vladimir
& Suzdal
Itinerary
Welcome Phone Call
Tuesday, January 31 (tentative)
Please join a pre-trip welcome call with
Professor Meg Urry at 4:00pm Eastern
to meet other travelers, learn more about
what to expect, and ask questions.
Depart US A
Friday, February 10
Depart the USA today.
Arrive St. Petersburg,
Russia (D)
Saturday, February 11
Arriving in St. Petersburg, transfer to
a five star hotel with a great location
near the city’s main boulevard, famed
Nevsky Prospekt. Daily life swirls around
Nevsky, where lanky fashion models in
stiletto heels brush past stout kerchiefed
babushkas, or grandmothers. This
evening gather with your fellow travelers
for a welcome dinner. (Overnight at the
Astoria Hotel)
St. Petersburg (B, L, D)
Sunday, February 12
Spend some time getting to know this
wonderful city, exploring the riches of
the world-class Hermitage Museum and
admiring the Church of the Savior on
the Blood, built on the spot where Czar
Alexander II was felled by a bomb in
1881. Daily life swirls around Nevsky
Prospekt, the backbone of Peter the
Great’s beautiful city. (Overnight at the
Astoria Hotel)
Board the Golden Eagle
Private Train (B, L, D)
Monday, February 13
Drive out of town to Pushkin, site of the
royal residence of Catherine’s Palace and
its fully restored Amber Room, recreated
from photos and descriptions of the
originals. Board the Golden Eagle private
train and settle into your elegant cabin.
Enjoy dinner on board as the train heads
north, with a signature caviar dinner in
the handsome dining car.
Cross the Arctic Circle
(B, L, D)
Tuesday, February 14
Spend a relaxing day onboard the private
train, chatting with the other guests, or
enjoying the privacy of your stateroom.
Attend a lecture and enjoy afternoon tea
with fresh Russian cakes. Later in the
day, the train crosses the Arctic Circle.
Kirkenes, Norway (B, L, D)
Wednesday, February 15
Disembark and cross the border to the
tidy polar town of Kirkenes, on Norway’s
easternmost fjord. Located far above
the Arctic Circle, Kirkenes experiences
continuous daylight from May to August,
and conversely, polar night from late
November to late January. Visit the
fantastic Snow Hotel, assembled each
winter since 2006. Enjoy chilled vodka
served in a glass made of ice at the Icebar.
Search out the Northern Lights across
the aurora borealis Zone tonight and
tomorrow evening, in the comfort of a
cozy coach. (Overnight at the Thon Hotel)
Kirkenes, Norway (B, L, D)
Thursday, February 16
Join a tour of the village or return to the
Snow Hotel to visit their reindeer and a
husky dog farm, where more than 80 dogs
are raised and trained to pull sleds across
the frozen landscape. Embark on a dogsled
ride behind a team of dogs running over the
frozen lakes and across the northern tundra.
Take another chance this evening to observe
the Northern Lights, far from the lights
of town. (Overnight at the Thon Hotel)
www.yaleedtravel.org/arctic17
What is Included:
•
Lectures and discussions with
Professor Meg Urry as well as
local experts
• All accommodation based on double
occupancy per itinerary with breakfast
daily, local service charge and tax
(standard hotel check-in/out times apply
unless otherwise noted): St. Petersburg
(2 nights); on board the Golden Eagle
private train (6 nights); Kirkenes (2
nights); Moscow (1 night)
• Arrival and departure airport transfers
for those arriving and departing on the
land tour start and end dates
• Private coach for all tours and off-train
excursions
•All sightseeing and excursions
including entrance fees per itinerary
•
Local English-speaking
throughout itinerary
Aboard the Train (B, L, D)
Friday, February 17
Re-board the Golden Eagle as it sets off
toward Murmansk. Enjoy a relaxing
day onboard the private train, free
at your leisure to read, chat, dine, or
watch the arctic landscape scroll past
(B/D)
your cabin window. OCHI Murmansk (B, L, D)
Saturday, February 18
Today’s stop is the port city of
Murmansk, founded in 1916. Even
though it is above the Arctic Circle,
the warm waters of the Gulf Stream
keep it ice-free for most of the winter.
Board the world’s first nuclear-powered
ice-breaker, the Lenin, now a museum
ship. The Lenin was launched in 1957
and worked clearing the northern sea
routes until 1989. Explore the decks,
inner corridors, and some of the vessel’s
compartments and exhibitions about the
future of the Arctic region.
Petrozavodsk (B, L, D)
Sunday, February 19
Explore Petrozavodsk, a city founded
by Peter the Great. Petrazavodsk grew
around the foundry that Peter built
here on the shore of Lake Onega. Take
a tour of the city, including the 18th–
century Alexandro-Nevsky Cathedral,
constructed by and for the Petrozavodsk
foundry workers. Weather permitting,
board a hovercraft and skim over Lake
Onega to Kizhi Island, the location of
a UNESCO-listed open-air museum
stocked with old wooden churches
and houses from the Karelia region of
northwest Russia. The Cathedral of the
Transfiguration, built in 1714 completely
without the use of nails, has 22 aspenshingled cupolas sprouting from its roof.
Vladimir & Suzdal (B, L, D)
Monday, February 20
Discover two of Russia’s Golden Ring
towns, Vladimir and Suzdal. The Golden
Ring is a modern name given to the
ancient towns that form an elliptical
circle to the north and east of Moscow.
In Vladimir, visit the 12th–century
Cathedral of the Assumption (Uspensky
Cathedral) rising gracefully from the
surrounding countryside. In Suzdal,
admire the UNESCO-listed Savior
Monastery of St. Euphinius, founded
in 1352, and the five-domed Cathedral
of the Transfiguration of the Savior,
whose interior was frescoed by Gury
continued next page
guides
• Special cultural features as stated in
the itinerary
• Services of an experienced professional
MIR tour manager throughout the
land program
•Special Welcome and Farewell
receptions and dinners including beer
and wine
• Meals as listed in itinerary
•Beverages with included lunches
and dinners: bottled water, choice of
non-alcoholic drinks, tea, coffee, wine
and beer
• Bottled water on buses on tour days
• Gratuities to local guides, drivers, tour
manager, and staff on the private train
•Baggage handling at hotels and
railway stations
• Medical evacuation insurance through
UHC Global Assist
What is Not Included:
• International airfare between the U.S.
and the tour start and end cities; air taxes
or fuel surcharges; pre- or post-tour
services; visa or passport fees; medical
and trip cancellation/interruption insurance; food or beverages not included in
group meals; items of a personal nature
such as laundry, alcohol, telephone expenses, excess baggage fees, photo/
video expenses inside museums (where
allowed); other items not expressly listed
as included.
www.yaleedtravel.org/arctic17
Program Cost
Itinerary, cont’d
Nikitin in the late 17th century. Attend a
choral concert by some of the monks who
live here, then go dashing through the
snow on a traditional sleigh ride around
the monastery.
Moscow (B, L, D)
Tuesday, February 21
Arriving in Moscow, disembark and
spend the day exploring Russia’s capital
city. Visit the Novodevichy Convent, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site founded
in 1524. The main attraction of the
convent is its cemetery: such luminaries
as Gogol, Chekhov, Prokofiev, Eisenstein,
Khrushchev, Raisa Gorbachev, and Boris
Yeltsin are buried here, and some of the
graves are quite fanciful. Take a tour
of the Moscow Kremlin, including the
Armory Museum. Built in the 16th
century as a warehouse for the Kremlin’s
weaponry, the Armory was transformed
into an exhibition hall and museum in
1814. It now houses Russia’s national
treasures, such as religious icons, Fabergé
eggs, a bejeweled chalice belonging to
Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, and Catherine the
Great’s ball gowns and shoes. Finish the
day with an evening walk on Red Square,
which, along with St. Basil’s Cathedral,
is perhaps the most recognizable symbol
of Russia. (Overnight at the Four Seasons)
Depart Moscow (B)
Wednesday, February 22
The tour concludes today with
transfers to the airport for international
departures.
Silver: $13,995 per person
Single Supplement: $4,750
Gold: $15,595 per person
Single Supplement: $5,750
Imperial: $23,495 per person
Limited Availability
Single Supplement: Not Available
Note: Itinerary subject to change. Some
excursions in this program involve a
significant amount of walking.
Included meals indicated each day as
B/L/D = Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner.
Terms and Conditions
Train Accommodations
Silver Class cabins offer compact (60
sq ft) but comfortable accommodations
onboard the Golden Eagle. Modern en
suite amenities include a private shower,
a DVD/CD player, remote-controlled
air-conditioning/heating, wardrobe,
personal safe and a large picture window.
Gold Class cabins are well-proportioned
and feature the same amenities as Silver
Class cabins, but in a larger space (77 sq
ft), and include a full power shower and
under-floor heating in every bathroom.
Each cabin is configured with upper and
lower berths, and can accommodate
double, twin or single occupancy.
L I M I T E D A VA I L A B I L I T Y
The base cost of this program is
based on double occupancy:
Imperial Suites are the most beautiful
and spacious cabins onboard the Golden
Eagle. Measuring a generous 120 sq ft
(11.2 sq meters), they are furnished with
a luxurious king size bed, dedicated
seating area, dressing table and private en
suite facilities with large power shower
and under floor heating. Individual airconditioning, wardrobe, DVD/CD player
and two large picture windows.
MOBILITY AND FITNESS TO TRAVEL The right is
retained to decline to accept or to retain any person
as a member of this trip who, in the opinion of Yale
Educational Travel (“YET”) is unfit for travel or whose
physical or mental condition may constitute a danger
to themselves or to others on the trip, subject only to
the requirement that the portion of the total amount
paid which corresponds to the unused services and
accommodations be refunded. Passengers requiring
special assistance, including without limitation those
who permanently or periodically use a wheelchair,
must be accompanied by someone who is fit and able
to assist them, and who will be totally responsible for
providing all required assistance.
CANCELLATION In addition to airline cancellation
penalties, all cancellations for any reason whatsoever will be subject to a $300 per person cancellation
fee. Cancellation from 120 days to 76 days prior
to departure will result in forfeiture of 10% of the
entire cost of the trip per person; 75 days to 30 days,
50% of the trip cost per person; cancellation from
29 days up to the time of departure will result in
100% forfeiture of the entire cost of the trip. All
cancellations must be submitted in writing to
Yale Educational Travel.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE A deposit of $1,000 per person,
payable to Yale Educational Travel, of which $350 is
nonrefundable for administrative fees, is required with
the reservation application. Final payment must be
received 120 days prior to departure. Mail to: The
Association of Yale Alumni, Yale Educational Travel,
Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. Or call:
203-432-1952.
HEALTH All participants must be in good health.
This program involves extensive walking over uneven
surfaces, climbing stairs at monuments and other
locations not handicapped accessible, and climbing
in and out of various conveyances. Any condition that
may require assistance or special medical attention must
be reported at the time of your reservation.
Arctic Exploration and the Northern Lights
February 10-22, 2017
To register, return this form with your deposit
of $1,000 per person to the address below.
Or fax 203-432-5087. You may also register online
at www.yale.edu/arctic17. Final payment is due
November 11, 2016.
RESERVE YOUR TRIP TO THE ARCTIC TODAY
payment options
❏ Pay by check made out to “MIR Corporation”
Please charge the deposit of $1,000 per person to:
❏ amex ❏ visa ❏ mastercard ❏ discover card
card number
1) name as in passport
expiration date
date of birth yale connection
passport origin relationship to other guest
2) name as in passport accommodations
preference
❏ i wish to have a single (limited availability – please call)
date of birth
yale connection
passport origin relationship to other guest
contact information
security code ❏ i will share accommodations with:
travel options
❏ I/We confirm that I/We have carefully read the Terms and
address
Conditions and Responsibility section of this brochure and
city/state/zip agree to their terms on behalf of myself and the members
of my party named above.
primary phone
secondary phone
signature(s) date
e-mail
To book, return the above form with credit card authorization or check payable to MIR Corporation to
Yale Educational Travel, P.O. Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. Phone: (203) 432-1952. Fax: (203) 432-0587.
or
Visit www.yaleedtravel.org/arctic17 to book online
INSURANCE
Yale Educational Travel highly
recommends that participants purchase travel insurance
as the cancellation policy will apply. However, Yale
does not recommend a particular insurance company
and Yale travelers are free to purchase the insurance of
their choice. There is usually a short window of time
(7-21 days from the first payment date) when one
can purchase travel insurance and still be covered for
certain provisions (such as pre-existing conditions).
If travel insurance is important to you, please do not
wait to purchase insurance.
CHANGES IN ITINERARY & COSTS The itinerary is
subject to change at the discretion of the Association
of Yale Alumni (AYA) and the tour operator. All prices
quoted are based on prevailing fuel prices, airfares,
and currency exchange rates in effect at the time of
brochure printing and are subject to change without
notice. Deviations from the scheduled itinerary are at
the expense of the individual.
RESPONSIBILITY CLAUSE The participation of AYA
is limited to educational sponsorship of the program
described in this brochure (The Program). MIR
Corporation acts only as an agent for the participant
with respect to transportation, accommodations, and
all other services, relating to The Program. MIR, AYA,
and/or their agents assume no responsibility or liability
for any act, error, or omission, or for any injury, loss,
accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned
by reason of any defect in any aircraft, ship, train,
bus, or other carrier, or through neglect or default
of any subcontractor or other third party, which may
be used wholly or in part in the performance of their
duty to the participants of The Program. The passage
ticket issued by the carrier is the sole contract between
the participant and the carrier. Nor will MIR or AYA
and/or their agents be responsible for loss, injury,
damages, or expenses to persons or property, due to
illness, weather, strikes, local laws, hostilities, wars,
terrorist acts, acts of nature, or other such causes in
connection with The Program or anything beyond
their reasonable control. MIR is not responsible for
transportation or other program delays and changes,
nor additional expenses or loss of time that may be
incurred. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable
for the comfort or well-being of the participants, or for
any reason whatsoever, to alter the itinerary at any time,
without notice to the participants, such alterations will
be made without penalty to MIR or AYA. Additional
expenses, if any, shall be borne by the participants.
Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility
of the participant at all times. MIR and AYA reserve the
right to accept or decline any person as a participant
at any time, or to require any participant to withdraw
from The Program at their own expense when such an
action is determined by MIR or AYA to be in the best
interest of the participant’s health and safety, or the
general welfare of the other participants.
AUTHORITY TO USE IMAGES AND AUDIO
RECORDINGS On occasion, Yale Educational Travel
obtains, from its staff or from trip participants,
photographic or video images of passengers and trip
activities. By participating in this travel program,
you authorize Yale Educational Travel, without providing compensation to you, or obtaining additional
approvals from you, to include photographic and
video recordings of you, as well as voice recordings
included with any videos, in YET’s sales, marketing, advertising, publicity and/or training activities.
Photos in this brochure are property of MIR
Corporation used with permission from
Jonathan Irish.
Travel to the Arctic Circle aboard a luxury train
Association of Yale Alumni
Box 209010
New Haven, Connecticut
06520-9010
Arctic Exploration and the Northern Lights
February 10-22, 2017
Meg Urry
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Join an adventurous wintertime journey
above the Arctic Circle on a quest for the
mercurial Northern Lights, the strange lights
that snake across the sky in billows or wavelike flags in the deep black northern night.
Explore Western Russia’s finest cities, St.
Petersburg and Moscow, as well as Kirkenes,
Norway, Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, and the
Golden Ring towns of Vladimir and Suzdal.