A selection of tours and cruise-tours
7 days / 6 nights, March 1-7, 2013. Highlights: National Orchid Exhibition in San José / Hacienda La Laguna tropical garden for anthuriums, bromoliads, philodendrons, mini orchids / epiphytes at Lankester Botanical Garden / El Silencio Cloud Forest / walk hanging bridges through Arenal rainforest / Tabacon Hot Springs. Land, $1,995. Single supp., $400. Costa Rica Tours, Ltd. (Charlotte, NC; 704 / 541-8680).
6 days / 6 nights, through March 20, 2013. Highlights: Three nights at Little Vumbura Camp in the Okavango forest / hippos, crocodiles, red lechwe, elephants, cheetahs, migrating birds / in Linyanti Reserve, view giraffes, baboons, hyenas, lions, leopards / night game drives for aardwolves, servals, pangolins. Land, $3,400. Extraordinary Journeys Africa (New York, NY; 800 / 403-6012).
8-day / 7-night wildlife safari in ZAMBIA; departures Jan. 20-April 1, 2013. Highlights: In Luangwa Valley, daily game walks plus boating safaris in rivers or lagoons to see hippos, crocodiles. Land, $2,205 (Kapani camp option) or $3,285 (Chinzombo camp). Norman Carr Safaris (phone, in Zambia, +260 216 246025 or 246015 or, in UK, +44 845 468 2177 [messages answered in 48 hours]).
17-day / 16-night Silk Road tour; departures April 13, May 12, July 14, Sept. 8 and Oct. 6, 2013. Highlights: 11th-century caravan towns near Bishkek, KYRGYZSTAN / Almaty, KAZAKHSTAN / Akbar’s pottery house in Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN / visit artisans in Ferghana valley / Samarkand / Bukhara / Khiva / Khujand, TAJIKISTAN / Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN. Land, $5,280. Single supp., $620. Bestway Tours & Safaris (Burnaby, BC, Canada; 800 / 663-0844).
12 days / 11 nights. Highlights: Venice / Roman Arena in Verona / “David,” Baptistry, artisans in Florence / Siena / wine tasting in Chianti / Rome / Villa d’Este / Pompeii / Isle of Capri / day cruise along the Amalfi Coast. Land, from $4,045. Single supp., $932. Intrepid Vacations (Riverton, NJ; 800 / 505-5497).
12 days / 11 nights. Highlights: From Dublin, IRELAND, tour Wicklow Mountains / ferry to Holyhead, WALES / medieval Conwy / Caernarfon / ride Snowdonia Railway / Harlech Castle / ghost walk in Tenby / St. David’s / Waterford, Ireland / Killarney / Bunratty Castle. Land, from $2,046. Single supp., $748. CIE Tours Int’l. (Morristown, NJ; 800 / 243-8687).
14 days / 13 nights or 18 days / 17 nights. Highlights: From Quito, ECUADOR, fly to Baltra Island and board the Tip Top IV / blue-footed boobies, frigate birds on North Seymour / snorkel, kayak in Darwin Bay off Tower Island / fur seals on Santiago / marine iguanas on Isabela / Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz / albatross, Nazca boobies on Española. Land / cruise, $5,500-$6,300. Single supp. (3-night hotel portion only), $300. Galápagos Travel (Aptos, CA; 800 / 969-9014).
21-day / 20-night tour of MYANMAR, CAMBODIA & LAOS. Highlights: In Myanmar, balloon ride over hundreds of temples in Bagan / monasteries in Mandalay / boat ride on Inle Lake, visit Intha villages / Oudomxai, Laos, home to 14 ethnic groups / Buddha images in Pak Ou Caves / Angkor Thom in Siem Reap, Cambodia / Angkor Wat / 12th-century Koh Ker. Land, $10,000; call for single supp. Big Five Tours & Expeditions (Stuart, FL; 800 / 244-3483).
6 days / 5 nights, Feb. 9-14. Highlights: In Hong Kong, Flower Market, Victoria Peak, Aberdeen Fishing Village / Year of the Snake parade / Kowloon cultural tour / New Year’s fireworks cocktail cruise / horse racing / lunch in Po Lin monastery. Land, $1,995. Single supp., $1,070. SITA World Tours (Encino, CA; 800 / 421-5643).
9-day / 7-night tour of TURKEY. Highlights: Istanbul / Troy / Pergamon / Seven Churches of the Revelation / theater in Ephesus where St. Paul preached. Land, $2,100. Single supp., $350. TEO World Culture Tours (New York, NY; 888 / 444-1110).