The American Odyssey

Special Interest Invitational Tour to the USA

05 – 15 April 2018

11 Days

Chicago, IL • Boston, MA • New York City, NY

The Tour at a Glance

Duration 11 Days

Flights RSA – Chicago, IL

Chicago – Boston

New York - RSA

Cities Chicago, IL • Boston, MA • New York City, NY

Excursions

Chicago

Chicago City Tour

Alder Planetarium

Museum of Science & Industry

o General Admission

o MSI Theatre

o U-505

o Coal Mine Exhibit

o WOW Tour

STEM Special Session @ University of Illinois at Chicago

Boston

Boston City Tour

MIT Museum

Museum of Science – Boston. Including: o IMAX Film o Planetarium

The North-eastern University Marine Science Centre at Nahant

Nahant Beaches

JFK Library & Museum

STEM lecture @ MIT

New York

New York City Tour o 9/11 Memorial Visit o Charging Bull on Wall Street o Liberty & Ellis Island Cruise o Ellis Island Museum o The Statue of Liberty

‘Walk the Highline’

Chelsea Market

American Museum of Natural History

Rose Centre for Earth & Science

Haydn Planetarium

LeFrak Theatre Film

Picnic Lunch in Central Park

USS Intrepid

Space Shuttle Pavilion

Empire State Building to viewing deck

Times Square

DETAILED PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

DAY 1 05 April 2018

RSA to Chicago, IL

Flight Depart on your overnight flight from South Africa, bound for the United States of America.

DAY 2 06 April 2018

Chicago

Activities

Arrive in this iconic American city & transfer to your hotel. After checking in, begin your adventure with a guided city tour of Chicago.

Steely skyscrapers, top chefs, rocking festivals – the Windy City will blow you away with its low-key cultured awesomeness.

Loosen your belt – you've got a lot of eating to do. On the menu: peanut-butter-and-banana-topped waffles for breakfast (at Stephanie Izard's Little Goat), a chicken, apple and cranberry hot dog for lunch (at Hot G Dog), and 20 courses of centrifuged, encapsulated molecular gastronomy for dinner (at Grant Achatz' Alinea). It's hard to know what to gawp at first. High-flying

architecture is everywhere, from the stratospheric, glass-floored Willis Tower to Frank Gehry's swooping silver Pritzker Pavilion to Frank Lloyd Wright's stained-glass Robie House. Whimsical public art studs the streets; you might be walking along and

wham, there's an abstract Picasso statue that's not only cool to look at, you're allowed to go right up and climb on it.

Return to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure as you become accustomed to your new surroundings.

Loosen your belt – you've got a lot of eating to do. On the menu: peanut-butter-and-banana-topped waffles for breakfast (at Stephanie Izard's Little Goat), a chicken, apple and cranberry hot dog for lunch (at Hot G Dog), and 20 courses of centrifuged, encapsulated molecular gastronomy for dinner (at Grant Achatz' Alinea). You can also chow down on a superb range of ethnic eats from Vietnamese pho to Mexican carnitas, Polish pierogi and Macanese fat rice. Still hungry? Order a late-night deep-dish

pizza.

Coach Services Private Coach Transfers

Accommodation Springhill Suites River North or similar

Meals Welcome Dinner @ local restaurant

DAY 3 07 April 2018

Chicago

Activities

Awake this morning & head across to the Alder Planetarium as you kick off your STEM programme with a glimpse into the stars! Start with two film shows before touring this 88-year old institute & museum.

Space enthusiasts will get a big bang (pun!) out of the Adler. There are public telescopes to view the stars, 3-D lectures to learn

about supernovas, and the Planet Explorers exhibit where kids can 'launch' a rocket. The immersive digital films are mind-boggling to say the least. The Adler's front steps offer Chicago's best skyline view, so get your camera ready.

Spend the afternoon at the World-renowned Museum of Science and Industry – one of the foremost in the World & largest centre in the Western Hemisphere! Here, enjoy visits to the MSI Theater, U-505, the Coal Mine exhibit, WOW Tour and current special exhibits.

Geek out at the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Highlights include a WWII German U-boat nestled in an underground display and the 'Science Storms' exhibit with a mock tornado and tsunami. Other popular exhibits include the

baby chick hatchery, the minuscule furnishings in Colleen Moore’s fairy castle and the life-sized shaft of a coal mine. The museum's main building served as the Palace of Fine Arts at the landmark 1893 World’s Expo, which was set in the

surrounding Jackson Park.

Coach Services 3-Day CTA Fun Pass – Unlimited rides on CTA transport

Accommodation Springhill Suites River North or similar

Meals Breakfast

DAY 4 08 April 2018

Chicago - Boston

Activities

Today the tour showcases a highlight with a full-day guided excursion to the University of Chicago. Here the group will participate in a STEM Educational Session following advanced programmes covering all of the fields of technology, mathematics, science & engineering!

Located in the heart of one of the world’s great cities, the University of Illinois at Chicago is a vital part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the region. As Chicago’s only public research university with 29,000 students, 15 colleges, a

hospital and a health sciences system, UIC provides you access to excellence and opportunity.

Then, take a late afternoon flight to Boston, MA.

Coach Services 3-Day CTA Fun Pass – Unlimited rides on CTA transport Airport Transfers ORD-BOS

Accommodation Fairfield Inn Boston-Cambridge or similar

Meals Breakfast & Lunch @ Student Dining Centre UIC

DAY 5 09 April 2018

Boston

Activities

Today, head out of Boston and on to the Harvard / MIT Campus for a guided tour of this, one of the most prestigious universities in the World. Take a visit to the MIT museum before enjoying another tour highlight – A private STEM Lecture from one of MIT’s brilliant professors! *TBC – Subject to availability

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was founded in 1861 in response to the increasing

industrialization of the United States, MIT adopted a European polytechnic university model and stressed

laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering. Researchers worked on computers, radar, and inertial

guidance during World War II and the Cold War.

Harvard University was established 1636. It’s history, influence and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities. Harvard is the United States' oldest institution of higher learning.. Following the American Civil War, President Charles W. Eliot's long tenure (1869–1909) transformed the college and affiliated professional schools

into a modern research university.

This afternoon, return to Boston for a visit to the iconic Museum of Science, different in more ways than one from Chicago’s MSI with a strong focus on theory vs MSI’s look into engineering & industrial innovation. Enjoy an IMAX film & the planetarium before immersing yourself in the spectacular exhibits.

This educational playground has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt generator, a full-scale

space capsule, a world population meter and an impressive dinosaur exhibit. The amazing array of exhibits and presentations explores computers and

technology, maps and models, the human body and human evolution, and the birds and the bees (both literally and figuratively). The newest addition is the Hall of Human Life, where visitors can witness the hatching of baby

chicks.

Coach Services Private Coach – Full Day

Accommodation Fairfield Inn Boston-Cambridge or similar

Meals Breakfast

DAY 6 10 April 2018

Boston

Activities

This morning, head out to the Northeastern University Marine Science Center for a scheduled marine biology session looking at the science behind & technology applied to marine conservation.

Note – This the above is the confirmed excursion NOT Georgia Aquarium as stated on the tour brochure.

The Marine Science Center, often simply referred to as the MSC, is the marine research and educational facility of Northeastern University. Located on the peninsula at historic East Point in Nahant, Massachusetts, the MSC juts into the ocean

just five miles north-northeast of the entrance to Boston Harbor. he Outreach Program operates primarily out the former generator room of the John. B. Murphy gun battery in a space now known as the Bunker Classroom. Current programs include

a monthly lecture series, school visits, tidepool and other outdoor experiences on East Point, and the summer Coastal Ocean Science Academy. The Outreach Program also provides regional coordination services for the Metro Boston region of the

Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program. Learn about the various outreach programs here.

Enjoy some free time on one of the lovely Nahant Beaches, before heading across to the John F Kennedy Library & Museum.

The legacy of JFK is ubiquitous in Boston, but the official memorial to the 35th president is the presidential library and museum – a striking, modern, marble building designed by IM Pei. The architectural centerpiece is the glass pavilion, with soaring 115ft

ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Boston Harbor. The museum is a fitting tribute to JFK’s life and legacy. The effective use of video recreates history for visitors who may or may not remember the early 1960s.

Transfer to the train station and take your one way Boston to New York Amtrak Northeast Regional coach class train transfer. Arrive in the Big Apple – New York City!

Coach Services Private Coach – Full Day Train Station Transfers: Boston – JFK Library; NYC – To Hotel

Accommodation Manhattan Hotel @ Times Square or similar

Meals Breakfast

DAY 7 11 April 2018

New York

Activities

After breakfast, transfer to Lower Manhattan and embark on a memorable 9/11 Ground Zero Memorial Tour of the site where the two mighty World Trade Centre Twin Towers once stood. *Private Guide Included – Full day

The 911 Memorial Tour provides guided educational Tours of Ground

Zero and Lower Manhattan conducted by native New Yorkers and licensed tour guides. As the sight of modern America's most defining

moment, Ground Zero and the area surrounding the former Twin Towers has dominated the public's image of the events of September 11, 2001. For many of us, reflecting on 9/11 immediately conjures up images of

New York City and Lower Manhattan in particular.

Following a moving visit to Ground Zero, transfer by ferry cruise to Liberty Island where the group will disembark & enjoy a tour of the Statue of Liberty Museum chronicling the hardships of America’s migrants arriving on the island before heading up into the crown of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in the middle of New York

Harbour. The statue, dedicated on October 28, 1886, was a gift to the United States from the people of France. The statue is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tablet evoking the law upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is

an icon of freedom and of the United States: a welcoming signal to immigrants arriving from abroad.

The afternoon sees the group head over to Wall Street for a short informal tour and a visit to the Charging Bull for a classic photo opportunity before capping off the day’s activities with a stroll along the NYC Highline.

Cap off a busy day with a visit to the Chelsea Market for a spot of

shopping at leisure this evening.

In a shining example of redevelopment and preservation, the Chelsea Market has transformed a former factory into a shopping concourse that caters to foodies.

Coach Services 4-Day Metrocard Unlimited bus and subway NYC Transport Pass

Accommodation Manhattan Hotel @ Times Square or similar

Meals Breakfast

DAY 8 12 April 2018

New York

Activities

After breakfast, transfer to the American Museum of Natural History and the Rose Centre for Earth and Space for an enthralling morning of discovery in this, one of the World’s most foremost collections on biological and human history. *Private Guide Included – Full Day

The Rose Center for Earth and Space encompasses the

spectacular Hayden Sphere and exhibitions that explore the vast range of sizes in the cosmos, the 13-billion-year history

of the universe, the nature of galaxies, stars, and planets, and the dynamic features of planet Earth. At the heart of the Rose

Center for Earth and Space is an 29m diameter sphere that appears to float inside a glass cube. It remains an enduring beacon of astrophysical education, as was its predecessor,

which opened in 1935.

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the largest

and most celebrated museums in the world. The museum complex contains 27 interconnected buildings housing 45

permanent exhibition halls, in addition to a planetarium and a library. The museum collections contain over 32 million

specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artefacts and occupy

150,000m². The Museum averages about five million visits annually.

This afternoon, transfer to the riverside for a tour of the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

The USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a military and maritime history museum containing a collection of museum ships

in New York City. The museum showcases the World War II aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, the submarine USS Growler, a Concorde SST and a Lockheed A-12 supersonic reconnaissance plane. Additionally on April 12, 2011, the museum was awarded

the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Visiting warships dock at the cruise ship terminals to the north, and events are held on the museum grounds and the deck of the Intrepid.

Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure in the famed Central Park.

Coach Services 4-Day Metrocard Unlimited bus and subway NYC Transport Pass

Accommodation Manhattan Hotel @ Times Square or similar

Meals Breakfast & Picnic Lunch in Central Park

DAY 9 13 April 2018

New York

Activities

Kick off activities this morning at the Empire State Building for an unforgettable trip to the 86th floor. Here the group can admire the spectacular sights and views

of the NYC skyline from the World-famous viewing deck.

The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper with a roof height of 381m. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. It stood as the world's

tallest building for 40 years, from its completion in 1931 until construction of the World Trade Centre's North Tower was completed in 1972. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Empire State Building was once again the tallest building in New York until

One World Trade Centre reached a greater height on April 30, 2012.

Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure in the iconic Times Square doing, perhaps, some last-minute shopping on this, your penultimate day on tour.

Known colloquially as "The Crossroads of the World" Times Square NYC is one of the most popular commercial intersections in

the world! Located in central Manhattan at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, this popular NYC attraction, especially among tourists, is home to top destinations such as the Naked Cowboy,

ABC's Times Square Studios, and Planet Hollywood. More than a third of a million people pass through iconic Times Square NYC every day!

Remain in Times Square until the evening for a farewell dinner at the famed Hard Rock Café!

After your dinner on times square, enjoy an evening Broadway Show on the self-named street to truly experience the heart of NYC’s musical

theatre. *Optional - Not Included (Non-Participants will spend the evening at

leisure in Times Squaree

Coach Services 4-Day Metrocard Unlimited bus and subway NYC Transport Pass

Accommodation Manhattan Hotel @ Times Square or similar

Meals Breakfast & Dinner @ Hard Rock Café, Times Square

DAY 11 15 April 2018

Arrive RSA

Activities

Arrive back in South Africa after an unforgettable journey of wondrous discovery in the US of A! END OF TOUR.

DAY 10 14 April 2018

New York

Activities

Enjoy your final day of the tour at leisure in this vibrant city, exploring all the Big Apple has to offer. Wander to Chinatown, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, relax in Central Park or simply traverse the sidewalks of the “Centre of the World”. The day s yours – enjoy it!

With its compact size and streets packed with eye-candy of all sorts – architectural treasures, Old World cafés, atmospheric

booksellers and curio shops – NYC is an urban wanderer’s delight. Crossing continents is as easy as walking over a few avenues in this jumbled city of 200-plus nationalities. You can lose yourself in the crowds of Chinatown amid brightly painted Buddhist temples, steaming noodle shops and fragrant fishmongers, then stroll up to Nolita for enticing boutiques and coffee-tasting among the craft-minded scenesters. Every neighbourhood offers a dramatically different version of New York City – from the

100-year-old Jewish delis of the Upper West Side to the meandering cobblestone lanes of Greenwich Village. And the best way to experience this city is to walk its streets.

Bid a sad farewell to the YSA as you transfer to JFK International to board your return overnight flight back to RSA.

Coach Services 4-Day Metrocard Unlimited bus and subway NYC Transport Pass Private Coach Airport Transfer

Accommodation Overnight Flight

Meals Breakfast & In-Flight Meals

The American Odyssey STEM Tour Finance Brief USA 2018

Total Tour Costing Structure Participating Schools’ Teachers travel on an all-inclusive free package courtesy Travel and Sport

Tour Price pp *Includes: Accommodation, Breakfast Daily,

Transfers, Excursions & all flight tickets

R 47 290*pp

Excluding* Taxes *Subject to Change R 6 500 Insurance *R31pppd R 341

* Subject to Change * Price Based on current ROE’s – 21/8/17 * Excl. A US B1 Visa is required for RSA Citizens travelling to the USA – USD160.00

Payment Schedule

Deposit Payment Deadline

30 September 2017 R 5 500 Confirm place on the tour, secure

flights and accommodation.

2nd Instalment 31 October 2017 R 9 800

Tour Instalments 3rd Instalment 30 November 2017 R 9 800

4thInstalment 15 December 2017 R 9 800

5th Instalment 31 January 2018 R 9 800

Final Balance 28 February 2018 Outstanding

Amount Final payments of airport taxes &

insurance fees.

Inclusions

Days 11 Days

Destinations Chicago, IL

Boston, MA

New York, NY

Flights RSA – Chicago

Chicago - Boston

New York - RSA

Other Transport 4-Day Metrocard Unlimited bus and subway NYC Transport Pass

Amtrak Northeast Regional Train Transfer Boston - NYC

Luxury Private Coach Services with driver and guides

Accommodation

City Nights Type Description*As indicated or Similar

Chicago 2

3* Hotel Standard

Springhill Suites River North

Boston 2 Fairfield Inn Boston-Cambridge

New York City 4 Manhattan Hotel @ Times Square

Meals

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

8 2 2

4 x Continental Breakfast CHI & BOS; 4 x Buffet Breakfast NYC

UIC – Chicago Central Park Picnic

Orientation Dinner @ Chicago Farewell Dinner Hard Rock Café

NYC

Excursions

Excursions Entrance View only

Chicago

Chicago City Tour x

Alder Planetarium x

Museum of Science & Industry x

o General Admission x

o MSI Theatre x

o U-505 x

o Coal Mine Exhibit x

o WOW Tour x

STEM Special Session @ University of Illinois at Chicago x

Boston

Boston City Tour x

MIT Museum x

Museum of Science – Boston. Including: x

o IMAX Film x

o Planetarium x

The North-eastern University Marine Science Centre at Nahant

x

Nahant Beaches x

JFK Library & Museum x

STEM lecture @ MIT x

New York City

New York City Tour x

o 9/11 Memorial Visit x

o Charging Bull on Wall Street x

Excursions

o Liberty & Ellis Island Cruise x

o Ellis Island Museum x

o The Statue of Liberty x

‘Walk the Highline’ x

Chelsea Market x

American Museum of Natural History x

Rose Centre for Earth & Science x

Haydn Planetarium x

LeFrak Theatre Film x

Picnic Lunch in Central Park x

USS Intrepid x

Space Shuttle Pavilion x

Empire State Building to viewing deck x

Times Square x

Tour Pack Each travelling member will receive a free tour backpack

Exclusions

Current Airport Taxes

Airport taxes @ R6500 est.

Insurance Group insurance of R341 per person*¹

For further Information please feel free to contact us:

Mark Botha

Special Projects Co-Ordinator

Cell 071 677 1397 Tel 012 348 9000 mark@travelandsport.com

Visas A US B1 Visitors Visa is required for all RSA citizens travelling to the USA – Cost

USD160

Extras

Any item not listed in the itinerary above, for example: other meals, excursions, other transport or service not mentioned or mentioned as optional

Personal expenses

Excess baggage

Drinks

Notes

Regarding price

Prices are net per person, based on a sharing basis

All prices quoted are based on tariffs & fares currently available, as well as prevailing rates of exchange & therefore these prices are subject to change without prior notification

This is a quote only and no services have been secured

This quote is valid for 2 weeks after the date of the quote

Travel & Sport reserves the right to change the itinerary in the event of circumstances beyond our control

*¹ - R31pp per day