A selection of tours and cruise-tours
14-day/13-night tour of Republic of GEORGIA departs Aug. 14 & 28, 2010. Highlights: Tbilisi city tour/hike to Gergeti Sameba Monastery/Chaukhi massif, home to eagles and vultures/Sadzele Pass. Land price, $3,390. Single supp., $200. Explorers’ Corner (Berkeley, CA; 877/677-9623, www.explorerscorner.com).
8-day/7-night tour in TURKEY, May 2-9, 2010. Highlights: Antalya Archaeological Museum/boat to market town of Phaselis/Arykanda, the “Turkish Delphi”/mountain stronghold of Termessos. Land only, £1,765 (near $2,850). Single supp., £275 ($444). Peter Sommer Travel (96 Monnow St., Ste. 2, Monmouth, NP253EQ, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 1600 888 220, fax 221, www.petersommer.com).
Seven days/nights, March 20-26, 2010. Mayrhofen in Austria’s Tyrol is the base for three days of snowshoeing/two days’ walking forest trails, mountain plateaux. Land only (half board), £639 (near $1,019). With air from London Gatwick, £899. Single supp., £56. HF Holidays (Catalyst House, 720 Centennial Ct., Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SY, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 20 8732 1220, www.hfholidays.co.uk).
9-day/7-night cruise-tour aboard M.V. Lord of the Glens. Highlights: Sail Caledonian Canal to Loch Ness for kayak excursion/Great Western Railway to Glenfinnan/medieval abbey on Iona/Duart Castle/Isle of Skye. Land and cruise, from $5,990. Single supp., from $1,345. Round-trip airfare, New York-Inverness, $1,040. National Geographic Expeditions (Washington, DC; 888/966-8687, www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com).
11-day/10-night cultural-immersion tour, March 24-April 3, 2010. Highlights: Presentations on Maya spirituality, human rights, community leadership/visit Ladino coffee plantation/highlands of Quiche/lake area of Santiago Atitlán/Holy Week celebrations in Antigua, with alfombas (colorful sand-and-flower carpets covering streets). Land only, $1,250 plus $150 registration fee. Single supp., $100. GATE Travel (La Crosse, WI; 608/791-5283, www.gate-travel.org).
11 days/10 nights, March 12-21, 2010. Highlights: In Dakar, SENEGAL, Kermel Flower Market, Grand Mosque/visit a Fulani village chief and his wives/in Banjul, THE GAMBIA, Albert Market/Abuko Nature Reserve/Brikama Carving Center. Land only, from $2,190. Single supp., $510. Palace Travel (Philadelphia, PA; 800/683-7731, www.palacetravel.com).
10 days/9 nights, through March 25, 2010. Highlights: In Hobart, Botanic Gardens, Mt. Nelson/Cadbury Chocolate Factory/Freycinet National Park/Bay of Fires/tasting at Fires Winery/Cradle Mountain National Park/day cruise on the Gordon River. Land only, $3,209. Single supp., $830. Sita World Tours (Encino, CA; 800/421-5643, www.sitatours.com).
12 days/11 nights in PAPUA NEW GUINEA, May 11-22, 2010, escorted by Greg Stathakis. Highlights: Port Moresby/Huli wig men/3-night river cruise aboard Sepik Spirit/Tumbuna SingSing on Mt. Hagen. Land only, $7,400. Internal air, from $1,600. Trans Niugini Tours (Santa Barbara, CA; 800/676-1241, www.pngtravel.com).
19-day/17-night tour of JAPAN, Jan. 18-Feb. 5, 2010. Highlights: 12,000 hooded and white-naped cranes in Arasaki Crane Reserve/Gassho-Zukuri (“praying hands”) houses in Shirakawa-go/snow monkeys and macaques in Jigokudani/volcanic Akan National Park. Land only, $10,980. Single supp., $1,280. Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions (Seattle, WA; 800/628-8747, www.zeco.com).
6-day/5-night tour in Kerala, INDIA, through April 15, 2010. Highlights: Cochin, commercial and historic hub of Kerala/attend Kathakali dance drama/2-day, one-night backwater houseboat cruise to Alleppey/white-sand beach in Marari. Land only, $870. Single supp., $290. Indus Travels (Bellingham, WA; 866/978-2997, www.industravels.ca).