UNESCO World Heritage | Stonehenge Guided Tours

10-day exploration of ancient sites from Stonehenge to the Aran Islands.

Across the lush landscapes of England and Ireland lie some of the most important and intriguing prehistoric monuments in the world. In the company of local archaeologists, authors, and historians, uncover the stories of Neolithic and Bronze Age civilizations—and the mysteries of their legacies—as we make our way from Stonehenge to Ireland’s Bend of the Boyne, the Aran Islands, and more. –

National Geographic Trip Highlights

Take an insider’s tour of legendary Stonehenge and its adjacent sites with a local expert.
Explore the boglands of Céide Fields, a 6,000-year-old site excavated by archaeologist Seamus Caulfield.
Delve into the heritage of the Aran Islands with the director of the islands’ college.
Take a walking tour of the Burren National Park with a local author and discover Bronze Age sites amid this otherworldly limestone landscape.

This superb 10 Day Expedition Tour includes:

Avebury and Stonehenge (Day 3)
Step back thousands of years among remarkable megalithic monuments at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Avebury and Stonehenge. At
Avebury, stroll around the largest stone circle in the world, excavated in the early 20th century by archaeologist Alexander Keiller. Examine the site’s standing megaliths with a local expert, and examine artifacts found here at the Alexander Keiller Museum. Walk past Silbury Hill, Europe’s largest man-made, prehistoric mound, on the way to the Neolithic chambered tomb at West Kennet Long Barrow, which predates Stonehenge by some 400 years. Then head to legendary Stonehenge for an insider’s tour with local expert Pat Shelley. Visit the adjacent sites of Woodhenge and Durrington Walls, where the site’s builders are believed to have lived, and learn about recent discoveries that have shed light on the mysteries surrounding these sites. –

Learn about prehistoric civilizations with a seasoned archaeologist

2015 Tour departures:
June 06th – 15th
June 13th – 22nd
September 05th – 14th

Mysteries of Prehistoric England and Ireland Tour can be booked direct via the National Geographic Expedition Website

Stonehenge Guided Tours
http://www.StonehengeTours.com

For people from overseas visiting England, or even English people that want to experience something different, the summer solstice is a big draw. For anybody in or near to Salisbury on 20th and 21st June (every year), I strongly recommend a visit to Stonehenge which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with it’s neighbour Avebury.

Theories about Stonehenge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The story of Stonehenge is still not 100% known, there are many theories ranging from an alien landing site to an ancient temple. While some theories hold more weight than others, none have been confirmed to be 100% true yet. However the National Trust (the body that looks after Stonehenge) has allowed for the site to be open each summer solstice, at the request of druid and other pagan communities. This is to allow the druids to celebrate the sunrise of the longest day, but the opening is not restricted to just druids, over 20,000 people attend the event each year and it really is a great atmosphere. There are acoustic instruments, dancing, hula hooping and just about any other natural form of entertainment you can think of. There are food stalls to cater for all of the hungry attendees and portable toilets around the area. With police and st. John’s ambulance in attendance people will be happy to know that they are safe. The venue usually opens at 7pm on 20th June and closes at 7am on 21st June. I have been 6 times before and I would strongly recommend this to anybody in the area.

Summer Solstice 2012: Astro-Science & Pagan Ritual | Cierra