WASHINGTON, DC.- Smithsonian Journeys is making it easier to select tours that visit world-renowned travel destinations with a new UNESCO World Heritage blog series and photo gallery. The blog series and photo gallery will inform and educate travelers about sites classified by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, as those of historical and cultural interest. Smithsonian Journeys is dedicated to providing educational travel experiences and taking travelers to the world’s most intriguing locales.

The Smithsonian Difference on Moderate-Cost Educational Tours
Peru’s enigmatic Machu Picchu, one of the most popular World Heritage sites among adventure travelers, is showcased on the popular “Treasures of Peru” tour. Travelers stay overnight near the site to enjoy the sunrise before day crowds arrive. Multiple departure dates are available for small groups of 18-24 travelers, starting from $3,795, including air.

Travelers walk amid the pyramids of Giza and explore the land of the pharaohs as an Egyptologist provides insight throughout the “Egyptian Odyssey” tour. Multiple departure dates are available for small groups of 18-24 travelers, starting from $5,895, including air. A “Women Only” tour (March 15-26, 2010) and “Family” tour (July 5-12, 2010) offer a similar program to “Egyptian Odyssey” but with benefits for specific audiences, such as a panel discussion with Egyptian women, games and an exciting camel ride, respectively, at similar rates.

On the “Treasures of Jordan” tour, Smithsonian travelers are accompanied by a knowledgeable archaeologist who unravels the mysteries of the World Heritage site of Petra, the ancient hidden Nabataen city carved out of red cliffs in Jordan. Two departure dates in April and October 2010 are available for small groups of 18-24 travelers, starting at $3,395, including airfare.

The value-priced Smithsonian Journeys Travel Adventures tour “Treasures of Angkor Wat and Vietnam” takes travelers to Angkor, one of the most spectacular architectural achievements in the world with its grand complexes of temples. On this tour, lectures by specially selected local guest speakers provide the educational integrity of this unforgettable tour. Multiple departure dates are available for small groups of 18-24 travelers, starting from $3,099.

The Trip of a Lifetime
The ultimate ambitious travel experience combines visits to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites on the “Around the World by Private Jet” tour from Feb. 5-26 or Sept. 29-Oct. 20, 2010. Travelers enjoy the comfort and ease of flying in a private Boeing 757, specially configured for just 72 guests, as they visit some of the most popular sites such as Lima, Cuzco and Machu Picchu in Peru; Chile’s Easter Island; Australia’s vibrant Great Barrier Reef; India’s Taj Mahal; and ancient sites in Cambodia, Egypt and Jordan.

Blog Articles and Photos of World Heritage Sites at Smithsonian Journeys
Visit the blog and photo gallery at www.SmithsonianJourneys.org to learn more about the Smithsonian Journeys tours that will visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2010.