The Innocents Abroad: Literary Expedition on Horseback to Explore Mark Twain’s Holy Land

London, United Kingdom, August 26, 2015 --(PR.com)-- “The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become, until he goes abroad.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad 1869

Secret Compass today launches the first ever horseback expedition to Israel to retrace Mark Twain’s 1867 route across the Holy Land as described in his 1869 book ‘The Innocents Abroad’.

“In April 2016, a team of 12 will set off on this two-week horseback adventure, visiting key sites of literary and historical significance within Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” said Kerry O’Neill, marketing director with Secret Compass.

“Comparing sketches from Twain’s book it will be fascinating to see first-hand how the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor and the approach to Jerusalem have changed since the 1860s, both visually and culturally. Meeting the different communities in the region will be fascinating for the team.”

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” – Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad 1869

Highlights of The Innocents Abroad expedition

- Be part of a unique literary adventure (eight days on horseback
- Explore Galilee, the Dead Sea, the Judaean desert, Jericho, Jerusalem and more
- Visit Israeli, Jewish settler, Druze, Muslim and Bedouin communities
- Wild camp and visit kibbutzes (communal farms) and moshavs (smallholders’ co-ops)
- Witness first-hand the changes in the region since the 1860s
- Facts: 2 – 26 April 2016, 14 nights, £2,999 all inclusive except international flights

“For this expedition we partner with experienced Israeli horseman, Yair Sharet, for whom bringing Twain’s Holy Land experiences to a new audience is a long-held ambition,” said Tom Bodkin, founder of Secret Compass.

“Mixing literature and an adventurous horseback expedition with a real insight into modern-day Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories makes for a very appealing, multi-faceted adventure,” concluded Bodkin.

With its military background, expedition company Secret Compass is renowned for offering expeditions and adventure travel to countries eschewed by most operators due to their remoteness, post-conflict reputations or inaccessibility.

In 2015 – 2016 Secret Compass expedition and adventure travel destinations include Afghanistan, Armenia, Burma, Ethiopia, Iran, Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Panama, Siberia and Sinai. Activities range from mixed-terrain trekking to minimalist desert traverses and mountain-biking and horseback expeditions.

Notes To Editors:

Secret Compass Expeditions
Secret Compass is a pioneering expedition company creating world-first experiences for teams of like-minded adventurers. Through group and bespoke adventures, Secret Compass helps each team member achieve the extraordinary in the world’s wildest places. Founded by ex-British Army Parachute Regiment officers, its expeditions reach the planet’s most remote regions in the spirit of exploration’s earliest pioneers. Visit secretcompass.com or call 0207 096 8428.

Secret Compass TV and Film
Secret Compass provides expert pre-production and in-country location management services to the TV and film industries. Clients to date include the BBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet and Channel 4, in countries from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, South Sudan to Siberia. Visit secretcompasstv.com