Tours
Costa Rica Nature Tour
8 days/7 nights. Departs Dec. 20, 2009, Jan. 31 & March 14, 2010. Highlights: Monkeys, sloths, river otters in Tortuguero National Park/quetzals live in Monteverde Cloud Forest/boat across Lake Arenal/Ecotermales hot springs. Land only, $2,995. Single supp., $425.
“Myths & Legends Of The Himalayas”
16-day/13-night tour, March 20-April 4, 2010. Highlights: From Delhi, INDIA, fly to Bagdogra, cross into BHUTAN/Thimphu’s Tashichhodzong/Paro Tsechu Festival/Tiger’s Nest Monastery/in Kathmandu, NEPAL, Swayambunath Stupa/in Lhasa, Tibet, CHINA, Potala Palace, Barkhor Market. Land price, $4,990.
“Lucy’s Legacy”
9 days/8 nights in ETHIOPIA. Highlights: Addis Ababa’s Ethnological Museum houses 3.2-million-year-old Lucy skeleton/boat ride on Lake Tana to monasteries/Blue Nile Falls/rock-hewn churches in Lalibela/ruins of Queen of Sheba’s palace in Axum. With air from Washington Dulles, $3,497. Single supp., $645.
“The European Reformation, Plus Oberammergau”
10-day/12-night cruise-tour. Departures May 17-Sept. 6, 2010. Highlights: In SWITZERLAND, Geneva, Zürich/in GERMANY, sites in life of Martin Luther, including Wittenberg, Worms/day cruise past Rhine castles/Oberammergau Passion Play. Land/cruise only, $2,869. Single supp., $354.
Antarctic Expedition Cruise
12 days/11 nights includes eight nights on M/S Fram. Highlights: From Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, fly to Ushuaia to embark Fram/Drake Passage/penguins on Half Moon Island/elephant seals in Neko Harbour/whales in Wilhelmina Bay.
“A Taste Of China”
10 days/8 nights through March 2010. Highlights: In Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Olympic venues, Forbidden City/Great Wall and Sacred Way/2,200-year-old Terra Cotta Army of Xi’an/Shanghai’s Yu Garden and City God Temple. From San Francisco, from $1,299. Single supp., from $300.
“Toucans To Quetzals”
9-day/8-night birding tour of COSTA RICA, Feb. 27-March 7, 2010. Highlights: In the Sarapiqui lowlands, explore bird habitats ranging from rainforest to pasture. More than 400 bird species live there, including parrots, hummingbirds, raptors, tanagers, toucans and the resplendent quetzal. Land only, $3,055.
“The Luberon Experience”
8-day/7-night tour of Provence, FRANCE, May and Sept. 2010. Highlights: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market/perched villages Bonnieux and Lacoste/ruins of Marquis de Sade’s castle/12th-century Abbaye de Sènanque/winery visits and cooking class.
“Northern Encounter”
8-day/7-night tour in THAILAND, Jan.-March 2010; participants will do lots of walking. (Western tour leader with group of seven or more.) Highlights: Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep temple/Mae Hong Son local market/Pai River caves/Lisu hill tribe village. Land and internal air, from $1,570.
“Discover South America”
20 days/18 nights. Highlights: In PERU, Vistadome train to Machu Picchu/Cuzco/in CHILE, Lake District, Santiago/Bariloche, ARGENTINA/Buenos Aires/meet gauchos on the pampas/in BRAZIL, Iguassu Falls, Rio de Janeiro. Land only, from $2,699. Single supp., from $1,250.
“Medieval Treasures Of Eastern Europe”
15-day/14-night tour of CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA and POLAND, June 7-21, 2010. Highlights: Prague’s 12th-century Strahov Monastery, Astronomical Clock/Jicín, “City of Fairy Tales”/skansen folk architecture in Roznov/in Slovakia, 12th-century Spissky Castle/Kraków, Poland, city tour.
“Scotland Family Tour”
7 days/5 nights, May-Sept. 2010. Highlights: Music in Edinburgh/Alnwick Castle, a film location for “Harry Potter”/tour Highlands from Inverness to Loch Ness/ride the Jacobite steam train, used for the “Hogwart’s Express”/ferry to Isle of Skye, see Eilean Donan Castle.
“China Delights”
12 days/10 nights. Highlights: In Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, hutong rickshaw tour/Great Wall/Suzhou, “Venice of the East”/Ming and Qing architecture in Hangzhou/1,700-year-old Lingyin Temple/Bund in Shanghai. From San Francisco, from $1,199. Land only, from $999.
“Culinary & Safari Tour, South Africa”
10 days/9 nights. Highlights: In Cape Town, enjoy seafood at Black Marlin and fusion cuisine at Ginja/wine tasting the Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek/game drives in Kruger National Park. Land only, from $6,995. Single supp., $1,815.
Croatia & Slovenia
12 days/nights, Sept. 27-Oct. 9, 2009. Highlights: In SLOVENIA, Ljubljana, Lake Bled/in CROATIA, fortified Karlovac/Plitvice Lakes National Park/Krka National Park/Dubrovnik/day trip into MONTENEGRO. Land only, $3,895. Single supp., $450.
“Autumn In Japan”
16 days/14 nights, Nov. 3-18, 2009. Highlights: Pottery village of Nikko/Fuji Five Lakes, Mt. Fuji/medieval Kyoto/ferry to Miyajima Island to see floating torii gate, Itsukushima Shrine/feudal castle in Uwajima/boat ride through Oboke Gorge. From Los Angeles, $7,150. Single supp., $1,000.
“Quest For Rare Birds And Mammals”
14-day/13-night nonsmoking tour of ARGENTINA, May 4-18, 2010. Highlights: Fly from Buenos Aires to Salta in the Andes/Huaico Reserve cloud forest/Los Cardones National Park, home to guanacos, condors/jaguars, river otters, rare birds in El Rey National Park/on the Chac
“Food, Wine & Art In Madrid”
SPAIN — 5 days/4 nights. Highlights: Tapas tour/Prado Museum/gourmet markets/cooking class/wine tasting/in medieval Toledo, art by El Greco, Van Dyck and Goya. Land only, from $1,760 if 6-7 members, $1,980 if 4-5. Single supp., $380.
Tahiti & Easter Island
13 days/11 nights, Feb. 2-14, 2010. Highlights: On Tahiti Nui, Paul Gauguin Museum, ancient temple of Marae/on Easter Island, Rano Raraku Volcano/moai, petroglyphs, caves/Tapati festival/on Moorea, feed a stingray/handcrafts and maraes (stone temples) on Huahine. Land price, $9,495.