Tours

9 days/8 nights, June 18-26 & Aug. 20-28, 2009. Highlights: In Munich, GERMANY, city tour and BMW plant/in Bavaria, visit Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles/Oberammergau, home to the Passion Play/in Salzburg, VIENNA, walking tour includes Mozart’s birthplace, Mirabell Castle, “Sound of Music” locations/Bad Ischl and Hallstatt in the Lake District/in Vienna, Stephansdom, Hofburg Palace, Spanish Riding School, Hapsburg treasures, Schönbrunn Palace. Land only, $7,950 (June departure) or $...

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6-day/5-night tour of SPAIN includes cooking classes. Highlights: In Seville, “tapas crawl,” Jewish Quarter, wine tasting/two classes on cooking local specialties/sherry bodegas in Jerez/vineyard tours/Arabic baths in Ronda/Iberian ham tasting. Land only, from $2,050. Single supplement, $325. Discount if not participating in cooking classes. Epicurean Ways (Charlottesville, VA; 866/642-2917, http://epicureanways.com).

19 days/18 nights, Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2010. Highlights: In Vientiane, National Museum, Great Stupa of That Luang, Talaat Sou market/Pak Ou Caves/Kwang Si Falls/in Luang Prabang, Old Palace, street fair, Wat Xieng/Plain of Jars/Ho Chi Minh Trail/caves at Vieng Xai/hill tribe villages/tribal weavers of Houaphan. Land and air from Bangkok, $1,770. Single supplement, $430. Mekong Tours (Tillamook, OR; 503/842-7198, www.mekongtours.com).

19 days/18 nights, Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2010. Highlights: In Vientiane, National Museum, Great Stupa of That Luang, Talaat Sou market/Pak Ou Caves/Kwang Si Falls/in Luang Prabang, Old Palace, street fair, Wat Xieng/Plain of Jars/Ho Chi Minh Trail/caves at Vieng Xai/hill tribe villages/tribal weavers of Houaphan. Land and air from Bangkok, $1,770. Single supplement, $430. Mekong Tours (Tillamook, OR; 503/842-7198, www.mekongtours.com).

 9-day/7-night tour of UGANDA, Sept. 15-23 & Nov. 3-11, 2009. Highlights: In Entebbe, Lake Victoria and Botanical Gardens, home to casqued hornbills, turacos, colobus monkeys/in Mburo wetlands, canoe papyrus swamps to view goliath herons, pygmy geese/in Lake Mburo National Park, zebras, leopards, hippos, otters/in Queen Elizabeth National Park, grey kestrel, chanting goshawk, griffon vulture/in Kibale Forest National Park, track chimpanzees (local cost $90) and many birds. From London, £...

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25 days/23 nights, Sept. 13-Oct. 7, 2009, and May 2010. Highlights: In-depth exploration of six major preserve areas throughout the island/see lemurs, chameleons, geckos, frogs, tortoises, birds/snorkel the reefs of Ambola/in Bekopaka village, learn of the Sakalava people/karst landscapes of Petit Tsingy and Grand Tsingy/in Tana, Queen’s Palace, Tsimbazaza Zoo, artisan handicraft market. Land only, €5,650 (near $7,200). Galapagos Travel (Aptos, CA; 800/969-9014, www.galapagos travel.com)....

13-day/12-night tour of ARGENTINA.  Highlights: In Buenos Aires, Plaza de Mayo, Metropolitan Cathedral, La Boca, Recoleta, tango lesson and show/in the Lake District, boat across Anchorena Bay to Isla Victoria/fly to Iguassu Falls/train ride to Devil’s Throat gorge/winelands of Vistalba Valley. Land, from $6,150. Single supplement, from $3,260. Internal air, approx. $1,160. Big Five Tours & Expeditions (Stuart, FL; 800/244-3483, www.bigfive.com).

12 days/11 nights. Departures April 22, May 28, July 11 (includes Hampton Court Flower Show) & Aug. 17, 2009. Highlights: Manor house at Upton Grey/in Salisbury, Bowood House & Garden/in Cornwall, Endsleigh Garden, the Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Glendurgen/Devon fishing villages/historic gardens at Forde Abbey/Cerne Abbas Giant. Land only, £2,030 ($2,951). Single supplement, £320 ($465). Midway Motor Travel (Southerwicks, Corsham, Wiltshire, England SN13 9NH; 800/214-8738...

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