Africa
June 2013
SPS History Teacher Arne Vanderburg will lead a trip to a unique area in Southern Africa next summer, in June 2013. This is a site where Arne worked regularly for several years. It is a very rural area, approximately 20 miles from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and close to the borders of Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.
Trip participants will be based in the center of a 6,000-acre site used for training people to manage land and communities in a sustainable manner. It is an area of grassland and teak forests with a wide range of African wildlife, including a variety of antelope, baboons, zebra, hyenas, elephant, lion, giraffe, buffalo, and leopard.
This trip will have a strong focus on daily “up close and personal” exposure to wildlife. There will be a lot of walking and game drives (day and night) plus opportunities for rafting and kayaking on the Zambezi River. We'll visit Victoria Falls and venture into Botswana to Chobe National Park. In addition, we will be interacting with residents of nearby villages and we have plans to get involved in supporting a local community project. This trip is open to students in Grades 9 through 12.
There are spaces for 13 students and 2-3 parents. If you are interested in going on the trip, please email Arne at avanderburg@sandiaprep.org or call him at (505) 321-6134. He'll send you some information and then put you on a list to be contacted about a meeting once school resumes.
Bhutan/Thailand
June 2013
On the other side of the world lies a kingdom that few westerners have heard of and even fewer will ever visit. The Kingdom of Bhutan, situated between India, Tibet, and Nepal, was closed to the West until 1972. The country now allows a small number of travelers into the kingdom each year and trips are tightly controlled and regulated by government officials.
Our school is one of a very few school groups that have visited the country. (In 2010, only 4 school groups – total – entered the kingdom.) Now we are returning for an experience unlike any other.
Our travels will take us to Thailand for a 3-day adventure in Bangkok. From there, we will venture into Bhutan for between 8 and 10 days.
We will depart Albuquerque May 27 or 28, and return by June 11 or 12. Trip costs primarily are determined by the cost of flights to and from Asia. As of today, the trip will cost between $3,600 and $4,000, which includes all meals, home stays, visas, and transportation.
All students, parents, and alumni are welcome on this journey to the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Contact Tom Gentry-Funk at tgentryfunk@sandiaprep.org for more information or to book your seat!
China
March 2014
Stop thinking about it and do it! You can see the places in China where legends were born. See the places and people with your own eyes and figure out those mysteries out for yourself. We are teaming up with Chinaspree to plan the most amazina "China Impression" adventure of a lifetime.
This carefully designed, educational itinerary represents the best wonders China has to offer. It's a perfect trip for middle and high school students to discover China's past, present, and future as well as China's scenic and cultural diversity.
Our tour is filled with all the best of China's historical treasures including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Terracotta Warriors. We will also bring students to enjoy the national essence -- Peking Opera.
All of your expenses, including 14 days of meals, 4-star centrally located hotels, event tickets, national and local tour guides in Hong Kong, and domestic and international airfare from Albuquerque are included in this package priced at $4, 041.
For more information contact Ying Ding at yding@sandiaprep.org