Our Tour Leaders

All of our tours are led by academics and experts in their field who will share their passion and knowledge with you in lectures, talks and throughout the tour. Click on their profile to find out more about them.

Iain Shearer

Iain Shearer FRAS is an archaeologist who has worked in the UK, Afghanistan, Caucasus, North Africa, Balkans, Israel/Palestine, Central Asia, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, China, Italy, Pakistan, India, and the Middle East over the last 25 years. Educated at University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, he is the former Sackler Scholar for Afghanistan and Iran at The British Museum and was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 2008. Iain has also led numerous lecture tours for The British Museum and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge across the Maghreb, Middle East, Turkey, Balkans, Syria, China, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Cyprus, and Central Asia.

(Photo by Vanessa Low)

 

Current Tours:

The Golden Balkans  |  10 – 27 May 2024 (18 days)

Splendours of Central Asia  |  01 – 19 June 2024 (19 days)

A Road Less Travelled  |  06 – 25 September 2024 (20 days)

Istanbul  |  28 September – 05 October 2024 (8 days)

 

Testimonials:

“Iain was beyond excellent in information lectures, sight details and religious commentary. He also went beyond the daily program, all this done with sensitivity and professionalism.’’
Ros G.  |  Journey Along the Silk Road: Uzbekistan, 2022

 

“Iain is brilliant at animating material and physical objects. By sharing his wealth of professional experiences he provided a unique and fascinating experience.’’
Lisa G.  |  Ancient Greeks in Australia’s Capital, 2022

 

“Iain was so generous in sharing his incredible knowledge and was so engaging and charming too – it was an absolute pleasure to meet him!”
Margie A.  |  A Day at the new Chau Chak Wing Museum, 2020

 

“His enthusiasm for his subject is contagious.”
Jacqui S.  |  Land Beyond the Sunrise, 2019

 

“His descriptions, insightful comments and capacity to evoke the spirit of those sites in their heyday made them come alive, be meaningful and memorable.”
Sylvia H.  |  Land Beyond the Sunrise, 2019