Tours

10-day/9-night cruise-tour of the NETHERLANDS and BELGIUM aboard 135-passenger River Duchess. Departs April 1, 10 & 19, 2014. Highlights: In Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum/seven million tulips at Keukenhof Gardens/windmills in Kinderdijk/medieval Bruges/Antwerp. Cruise, April 1 departure, from $3,694 (category-4 cabin) to $5,844 (suite) or, April 19 departure, $4,594-$6,744. World Luxury Cruise Vacations (San Antonio, TX; 877/579-7447).

11 days/10 nights, March 17-27, 2015. Highlights: Capital of Faroe Islands, Torshavn/Tinganes, the world’s oldest parliament/1,000-year-old St. Olav’s church/view solar eclipse with an astronomer/in Iceland, aurora borealis/Skogar Folk Museum/Gullfoss waterfall/Geysir Hot Springs/Hvalfjörður fjord. Land, $7,110. Single supp., $1,600. Note: take first five days of tour only for $3,810; single supp., $1,200. The Great Canadian Travel Company (Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 800/661-3830).

11 days/10 nights, March 20-30 and Dec. 13-23, 2014. Highlights: Wine tasting in Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA/Los Glaciares National Park/La Leona Petrified Forest/trek on Perito Moreno Glacier/boat on Lago Argentino/horseback trekking in Torres del Paine National Park, CHILE/penguins near Puerto Natales. Land, from $5,778. Single supp., $1,950. Paragon Expeditions (Austin, TX; 888/996-3558).

4-day/3-night train/coach tour in ECUADOR. Highlights: Board the Tren Crucero in Quito/hike near Lake Limpiopungo in Cotopaxi National Park/chance to see Andean deer, wolves, spectacled bear, caracaras/explore a rose plantation/ride a steam locomotive from Riobamba to Guamote/Guamote indigenous market/visit a Shuar community in Bucay. Land, from $1,270. Single supp., $150. Tropic (Quito, Ecuador; 888/207-8615).

14-day/13-night cruise aboard 118-passenger Sea Adventurer, June 29-July 12, 2014, led by Canadian authors Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson. Highlights: Embark from island of St. Pierre/Miawpukek First Nations community/Precambrian cliffs, volcanic formations, fjords at Gros Morne National Park/Red Bay, a former Basque whaling station/Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows/Wonderstrands/archaeological digs dating back 7,000 years in Okak/Kuujjuaq Inuit village. Cruise, from $3,595 (quad lower forward) to $11,395 (owner’s suite).

12 days/11 nights, March 9-20 and July 6-17, 2014. Highlights: Elephants, birds in Tarangire National Park/meet with Iraqw elders in Karatu/meet Hadzabe nomads/lions, rhinos in Ngorongoro Conservation Area/migrating herds plus leopards, elephants in Serengeti National Park/Olduvai Gorge and museum. Land, $3,995. Wilderness Inquiry (Minneapolis, MN; 800/728-0719).

10 days/8 nights. Highlights: In Hanoi, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature/overnight cruise on Halong Bay/Luon Cave/Hoi An/in Saigon, French-colonial Dong Khoi St., Ben Thanh market. From San Francisco, from $2,099. Single supp., $400. World Spree (Bellevue, WA; 855/556-6868).

14-day/13-night walking tour on a pilgrims’ path in ITALY, Sept. 23-Oct. 6 and Oct. 10-23, 2014. From 11 to 15 miles of walking per day. Highlights: Piazza del Campo, Siena/Castiglione/walk through olive groves by Lake Bolsena/walk the Roman road Via Cassia/City of the Popes, Viterbo/Etruscan amphiteater in Sutri/Via Trionfale (Road of Triumph)/Saint Peter’s Square, Rome. Land, $3,400 (near $4,536). Single supp., $400. Spanish Steps (Aspen, CO; 877/787-9255).

7-day/6-night tour, Sept. 23-28, 2014, includes passes to Ryder Cup golf tournament. Highlights: Explore Edinburgh/watch final practice rounds at Gleneagles/Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony/Fourball and Foursomes matches/Closing Ceremony/Glasgow/Loch Lomond/Oban/play golf at Musselburgh, “oldest golf course in the world.” Land, from $5,450. Kensington Tours (Wilmington, DE; 888/903-2001). 

4-day/3-night tour in ENGLAND, May 12-15, 2014. Highlights: Tour with garden historian Marion Mako/Hidcote Manor Gardens/white rambling roses at Kiftsgate/H.R.H. the Prince of Wales’ garden at Highgrove. Land, £760 (near $1,181) for Village Pub accommodations (single supp., £210); £1,135 ($1,764) for Barnsley House (single supp., £561). World Walks (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England; phone [44] [0] 1242 254 353).