CRAFT WORLD TOURS
HANDCRAFT, FOLK ART & VILLAGE LIFE TOURS

We offer small-group international travel programs that have been specially designed for persons with an interest in the handcrafts, folkarts, village life & customs, and traditional lifeways of peoples of the world.  Maximum group size ranges from 10-18 traveling companions, depending upon the destination and facilities.  The focus of Craft World Tours' international travel programs is to meet craftspeople and village people to see how and where they work, how they live, their way of life...  "to go behind the wall".  We hope our traveling companions will be influenced by the range of handcrafts, the people we meet, the cultures, the food, architecture and landscape.  As our travel programs focus on meeting people, visiting villages & markets, they are also ideal for persons interested in photography.

Prof. Tom Muir Wilson & Sherry Clark Wilson
Prof. Wilson has been designing and running special-interest travel programs since 1969.  Tom and his wife Sherry formed CRAFT WORLD TOURS in 1984 to share their love of travel, the special craftspeople they have met and the unique places they have found over the years.  Both Tom and Sherry were educated as craftspeople...  Tom a woodworker and furniture designer, and Sherry a weaver and feltmaker.  Educator for 35 years, Tom has retired from 22 years of teaching Photography and Art at Rochester Institute of Technology's School for Photographic Arts & Sciences.  Tom designs & accompanies most of CWT's travel programs, Sherry keeps the office running, and occasionally accompanies Tom on the trips.

For detailed itineraries, call or write:

CRAFT WORLD TOURS
6776 Warboys Road
Byron, NY  14422
tel:  585-548-2667     fax:  585-548-2821

TomAndSherry

Travel in Central Asia is a bittersweet mix of old and new, with pockets of "gems" scattered throughout this region located between the Caspian Sea and Western China. Ashkhabad in Turkmenistan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan have been destroyed by earthquakes in the 20th century, so these cities are modern (relatively speaking) and imposing Soviet architecture. Uzbekistan is by far the most diverse and exciting country... in Samarkand and Bukhara the old cities are magnificent with fabulous architecture! Textiles are plentiful... carpets & suzanis wall hangings, traditional dress, embroidery, silk ikat, hats, animal trappings, felt rugs... as well as jewelry, ceramics, wood and metal. In Ferghana Valley, the small Uzbek villages of Margilan and Rishtan are home to potters, a jeweler, silk ikat weavers and a master blockprinter. Words cannot express the incredible beauty of the historic old walled village of Khiva. Join Tom & Raisa on our 6th journey into Central Asia... come with a spirit of adventure!

Centra Asia Photo

Join Tom & Sherry on our 9th journey exploring the beautiful Ecuadorian Highlands with colorful indigenas markets, traditional villages & handcrafts, and magnificent Andean landscapes. Throughout our journey we'll meet craftspeople in their homes & village workshops... ikat and backstrap weavers, embroiderers, knitters, basketmakers, a forged metal workshop, naive painters, musical instrument makers, horsehair weavers, and shigra makers. Beginning in the capital city of Quito, situated on a high plateau surrounded by Andean mountain peaks, we fly to provincial Cuenca in the Southern Highlands to explore Cuenca's cultural and architectural treasures. Our journey continues overland, north through the "Avenue of the Volcanoes", as we make our way into the Central and Northern Highlands. Ecuador's weather is spring-like year round due to the altitude combined with its location on the equator. Many of our overnights are in unique small hotels and haciendas with great ambiance. Come join us as we venture into the magical world of the Andes!

Ecuador woman

The Balkans... a land of rich folk traditions and ancient cities. Join Tom & Sasha as we come "full circle", returning for our 15th trip to the lands of the former Yugoslavia, CWT's beginning and the core of our trips from 1984 through 1990. While Yugoslavia has now broken up into many countries, we return to explore portions of Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia. We begin in Novi Sad, Serbia with its Austro-Hungarian architecture and ambiance, and regional handcrafts. Day cruise on the Danube River as we journey from Novi Sad to Belgrade. Visit the homes & studios of naive (primitive) painters in outlying villages near Belgrade. Journey overland into the moutainous regions of Serbia to visit a cooperative of handknitters before we continue into Bosnia & Herzegovina to explore Sarajevo's oriental bazaar. Visit Mostar with its famous single arch stone bridge before we continue to Kotor on the coast of Montenegro. Our journey ends in the beautiful medieval walled city of Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast of Croatia.

Balkans image

Join us as we return for our 20th journey exploring the rich and varied folklife of Romania's traditional regions of Transylvania, Moldavia and Maramures... and to visit old friends! From Bucharest we make our way through the Carpathian Mountains to Brasov. Continue northeast to the province of Moldavia, also called Bucovina, region of painted monasteries. We then venture west into the mountain villages of Maramures where traditional customs & lifeways are still prevalent. Circling the Carpathians we continue south to Sibiu and the old villages of Transylvania. Focusing on village life we meet woodcarvers, a sheepskin vest embroiderer, a beaded beltmaker, weavers and potters, a family of egg painters, a maskmaker and a folk artist. What you see preserved in the ethnographic collections in the larger cities can be seen in daily life in the countryside. If you have never experienced Romanian hospitality, you are in for a treat!

Maria

Join Tom as he returns for our 18th journey exploring Morocco's exotic treasures... a land of incredible and diverse beauty, the kingdom of Morocco maintains much of its traditional culture in the inner old cities and the countryside. Focusing on Morocco's folklife and her people, we wander the labyrinth of the medinas of ancient Fes, Taroudant and Marrakech visiting small colorful shops and workshops of carpetweavers, wool dyers, woodworkers, potters, brass and copperworkers, and basketmakers... in the countryside, we see Berber people and traditional weekly markets, a colorful reflection of Moroccan life. Journey from Rabat to Chechaouen, Fes and Marrakech, through the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate and Taroudant in southern Morocco before continuing on to the coastal town of Essaouira. Wonderful photographic opportunities!

Ceramics

Join Tom & Sherry & Florencio in celebrating the colorful Christmas festivities of Oaxaca! Beginning in Mexico City, we visit the new Folk Art Museum and the outstanding National Museum of Anthropology. Continue to the colonial city of Tlaxcala before we journey through the Sierra Madre mountains to Oaxaca (pronounced "wah-HAH-ka"). Mexico City and Tlaxcala are located at about 7300 feet, and Oaxaca is about 5000 feet, providing a moderate climate year-round with December daytime temperatures in the 60s-70s and nighttime temperatures in the 50s. In addition to visiting the historic colonial districts, our days will be filled with excursions into the countryside and villages to meet folk potters, ceramic artists and artisans, blacksmiths, embroiderers, woodcarvers, candlemakers and rugweavers. Join us in enjoying the wonderful ambiance and the festive Christmas season in Oaxaca which is based around family tradition and their indigenous values. We'll enjoy a village procession & fiesta called a posada... the famous Night of the Radishes , a uniquely Oaxacan expression of the holiday season... a Christmas parade.... and in savoring some very special experiences with some very special people!

Oaxaca Xmas

Join Tom on his 15th journey to Myanmar (Burma), a fascinating land stopped in time... a land of spontaneous smiles and giggles, of temples and pagodas... of incense and temple bells, of monks in burgundy-colored robes... of haunting images of temples dotting the Pagan plain overlooking the Ayeyarwady (Irrawady) River... of simple, village handcraft workshops. Beginning in Yangon (Rangoon) we visit the Shwedagon Pagoda with its gold-plated stupa. Flying to Heho in the hilly north we explore Inle Lake located in the Shan states, known for its unique leg-rowers and lakeshore villages built on stilts. Continue to Mandalay, an important center for traditional crafts... visit a puppet factory, tapestry "kalaga" workshop, a handwoven silk workshop, a papier mache village, woodcarving & stone carving, a bronze foundry, bamboo & rice straw papermakers, an artist who does reverse painting on glass... and see the making of gold leaf. Board the Pandaw 1947 Riverboat for a magnificent journey on the Irrawady River from Mandalay to Bagan (Pagan), stopping to visit villages along our route. Explore the important temples of the vast archaeological site of Bagan, one of the most remarkable sites in Asia. You will find a refreshing charm and local warmth to this unique country! Outstanding photographic opportunities!

Woman

Join Lesley Robin in exploring the rural life and traditions of Gujarat & Rajasthan with diverse and exciting textile visits, meeting with Master Craftsmen - tie-dyers, blockprinters, leatherworkers, double ikat weavers -- and village people in their homes and workshops. Travel through a landscape of legendary forts, palaces and lively bazaars... an endless pageant of people and color! From Mumbai (Bombay) fly to Bhuj in Kutch (Gujarat) where we base ourselves for several nights and travel off the beaten track with Judy Frater, our personal guide throughout our time in Kutch... visiting desert communities that still maintain their strong traditions and culture, where embroidery is a celebration of their everyday lives. Train journey to Ahmedabad to visit the Calico Museum of Textiles, and meet the Salvi family in Patan renowned for their famous "patola" (intricate double ikat). Continue overland into Rajasthan visiting tribal villages where women adorn themselves in traditional clothing & exotic silver jewelry. Stay in an old palace, and at the home of a local noble family... visit a myriad of wonderful sights, including remote Jaisalmer, described as "the most perfect jewel shimmering above the hard sand like a fairytale mirage"... and Jodhpur on the edge of the Thar Desert. A very personal journey through the richness of craft with wonderful photographic opportunities!

Gujarat

Join Tom & Florencio for our journey into the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state. Explore the beautiful colonial city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas and surrounding traditional villages populated by Tzotzil and Tzetzal Indians, descendants of the Maya. San Cristóbal de Las Casas is located at about 7400 feet, offering a moderate climate year-round with daytime temperatures in the 60s-70s and nighttime temperatures in the 50s. In addition to exploring San Cristóbal's historic colonial center and museums, our days will be filled with excursions into the countryside to visit weekly markets, traditional villages, and to meet local weavers and potters. Continue into the jungle lowlands to visit the ancient Mayan archaeological sites of Tonina and Palenque, with an excursion to Bonampak ruins and to visit a Lacandon village. Join us in exploring the wonderful ambiance of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.... and in savoring some very special experiences in the surrounding countryside with some very special people!

Michoacan Woman